Read Online The Awakening by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson - Free Book Online Page B

Jahrra presumed, came bustling out, pulling on boots and coats. Thera, who looked to be around the age of twelve, had tied her long brown hair back into two ponytails while Romm, a few years older, was rubbing his hands together to fight the chill. Both of them looked at Aydehn.
    “Papa says there’s a semequin out here. Is it true?” Thera’s eyes lit up with delight.
    “See for yourself,” Aydehn said with a grin, gesturing towards Jahrra. “You weren’t here yesterday during the grand arrival of Jahrraneh Drisihn.”
    That statement seemed to surprise both siblings and they gawked at Jahrra as if she had turned a brilliant shade of magenta.
    Romm cleared his throat and lowered his eyes. “It’s an honor to meet you.”
    Thera seemed unable to speak.
    “I’m glad to meet you as well. But you don’t have to take Phrym for me, if you just show me where to go.”
    “Nonsense!” Aydehn said. “Come now children, don’t be shy!”
    Casting a wary glance at Jaax, Thera stepped forward and took Phrym’s lead rope. Jahrra was worried he might not like someone else taking him away but all he did was ruffle Thera’s hair with his nose. The girl laughed and Jahrra smiled.
    “We’ll bring him in at the end of the day with the other horses,” Romm said, giving Jahrra one more reverent glance.
    She fought the urge to squirm.
    Aydehn nodded and turned to Jaax. “We have a nice stable near the river where we keep our horses at night. Several stalls are empty at the moment, for some of our young men have gone on a long hunting venture and probably won’t return until after you’ve left.”
    He sighed. “They’ll be well put out when they learn you were here.”
    He shrugged and looked at Jahrra. “So, how does scrambled eggs and fresh trout sound, young lady?”
    In response, Jahrra’s stomach growled and she felt her cheeks grow pink. Aydehn only laughed and waved her in.
    “I think I’ll stretch my wings for a while. Besides, it wouldn’t hurt for me to scout the forest,” Jaax said as he turned to leave.
    Jahrra felt uncomfortable with the idea of Jaax being out of reach for more than an hour but she fought down her unease and only nodded before disappearing into the hut. The interior was rather spacious compared to the outside and consisted of one great room with bunks built into the wall just below the roof. The floor consisted of flat slate stones pieced together carefully with a stone fireplace resting inside one of the walls. A frying pan sat perched atop a flat rock while several trout hung spitted above the flames. A tea kettle was steaming off to the side and beside the fireplace Jahrra spotted a crevice in the wall that acted as an oven. The smell of dust, roasting fish and leather mingled nicely together and for a while she was reminded of the tiny cottage she lived in when she was a small child back in Oescienne.
    “It isn’t much, I know, but we don’t require much so we are content,” Aydehn said, clasping his hands behind his back as he surveyed his home.
    Jahrra glanced around once again, noting the plaster walls and the few windows that let in just enough light. She was impressed with the glass panes and wondered if they’d fashioned them themselves.
    “It’s wonderful,” she murmured.
    “Thenya is just out collecting eggs but the tea should be ready and the fish is nearly done.”
    He gestured to a small table with four wooden chairs and Jahrra sat at his invitation. A few moments later Thenya stepped in, her apron turned into a pouch that held several brown eggs. When she spotted Jahrra sitting at the table with her hands wrapped around a steaming mug of tea, she nearly dropped her bundle in surprise.
    “Oh, Aydehn! Why didn’t you warn me she was here?”
    The woman was short, like all the others in Crie, but moved about briskly as if she were constantly on a mission to round up a group of misbehaving toddlers. Her russet hair, streaked with white, was tucked under a scarlet