Read Online The Beginning by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson - Free Book Online
Authors: Jenna Elizabeth Johnson
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light of promised sundown.
Despite the fact that they were leaving before the true festivities began, Jahrra had had the time of her life. Her elated mood was only smothered when she realized that there was still another month of school before the Solstice season began. She grumbled inwardly as they passed over the bridge spanning the Oorn River.
Just focus on the lake monster, it’s almost done , she told herself as they traveled across the newly harvested fields cloaked in the eerie blue of approaching twilight.
***
Autumn eventually faded away and the rime-encrusted earth slowly submitted to winter’s harsh grasp, leaving Jahrra clinging to the happy memories of the Fall Festival as she focused her sights on the end of the school term. Solsticetide was drawing near, but even the prospect of the long break couldn’t drive the anxiety from her bones. This was the first year that she and her older classmates would be taking a series of excruciating exams in order to move on in their grade level. Naturally, Jahrra dreaded these tests with every fiber of her being and just the mere thought of the extra math work and history lessons gave her a headache. Worse was what would happen if she failed to pass her exams. Not only would she be forced to study all during her break in order to re-take them before school started, but failure to pass the first time would only give Eydeth and Ellysian one more thing to taunt her about.
Jahrra sighed as she stretched out before the great fireplace in the common room of the Castle Guard Ruin. She had finished studying and was now trying to memorize some very difficult Draggish words. Hroombra made sure to peek up from his reading every now and again to flash her an encouraging smile full of dagger-like teeth.
As she struggled over the dragons’ words, Jahrra tried hard to forget about her sore muscles and aching joints. She’d spent the better part of her weekend at the cabin east of the Aldehr River fending off Yaraa’s quick attacks and parrying Viornen’s direct sword blows. Her weekend meetings with the two elves had started early that fall, and although she had improved immensely over the past two summers, the elves both agreed that Jahrra would benefit even further if she met with them all year round.
“The exercises and techniques will only be getting harder as you progress, so it’s important that you check in with us regularly,” Viornen had told her seriously.
Jahrra wasn’t frustrated with the extra lessons; she loved training with the elves, but she was disappointed that it meant less time to help Gieaun and Scede finish the lake monster. More often than not, the Resai siblings would have to go out to Lake Ossar to work on the monster on their own. Jahrra hated to be held back while they worked, but her two friends assured her they didn’t mind spending more time on the project than she did.
“Hithe ist dodthe yiroehnin?”
The sudden intrusion of Hroombra’s voice made Jahrra yelp.
“Huh?” she uttered, frantically trying to translate Hroombra’s words in her mind.
“How are you doing?” he repeated in the common tongue.
Jahrra scowled. She was seconds away from deciphering what he’d said and kicked herself for not being quicker. She took a deep breath and answered slowly and carefully, “Aardthe rhesin phoerrel. Not so good.”
“Ah,” Hroombra grinned, “you have much on your mind now. We’ll spend more time on your Krueltish lessons once your exams are over.”
Jahrra’s stomach sank. She knew her exams were now only a few weeks away, but she’d momentarily forgotten about them.
“If I even survive them,” she murmured grouchily to her guardian.
He smiled warmly, no sign of his teeth this time, and said, “Perhaps you should go to bed, you’ve had a busy weekend.”
Jahrra simply nodded and dragged herself up from the thick quilt she’d been resting on. She limped off to her room, trying to stretch out her complaining arms and
Despite the fact that they were leaving before the true festivities began, Jahrra had had the time of her life. Her elated mood was only smothered when she realized that there was still another month of school before the Solstice season began. She grumbled inwardly as they passed over the bridge spanning the Oorn River.
Just focus on the lake monster, it’s almost done , she told herself as they traveled across the newly harvested fields cloaked in the eerie blue of approaching twilight.
***
Autumn eventually faded away and the rime-encrusted earth slowly submitted to winter’s harsh grasp, leaving Jahrra clinging to the happy memories of the Fall Festival as she focused her sights on the end of the school term. Solsticetide was drawing near, but even the prospect of the long break couldn’t drive the anxiety from her bones. This was the first year that she and her older classmates would be taking a series of excruciating exams in order to move on in their grade level. Naturally, Jahrra dreaded these tests with every fiber of her being and just the mere thought of the extra math work and history lessons gave her a headache. Worse was what would happen if she failed to pass her exams. Not only would she be forced to study all during her break in order to re-take them before school started, but failure to pass the first time would only give Eydeth and Ellysian one more thing to taunt her about.
Jahrra sighed as she stretched out before the great fireplace in the common room of the Castle Guard Ruin. She had finished studying and was now trying to memorize some very difficult Draggish words. Hroombra made sure to peek up from his reading every now and again to flash her an encouraging smile full of dagger-like teeth.
As she struggled over the dragons’ words, Jahrra tried hard to forget about her sore muscles and aching joints. She’d spent the better part of her weekend at the cabin east of the Aldehr River fending off Yaraa’s quick attacks and parrying Viornen’s direct sword blows. Her weekend meetings with the two elves had started early that fall, and although she had improved immensely over the past two summers, the elves both agreed that Jahrra would benefit even further if she met with them all year round.
“The exercises and techniques will only be getting harder as you progress, so it’s important that you check in with us regularly,” Viornen had told her seriously.
Jahrra wasn’t frustrated with the extra lessons; she loved training with the elves, but she was disappointed that it meant less time to help Gieaun and Scede finish the lake monster. More often than not, the Resai siblings would have to go out to Lake Ossar to work on the monster on their own. Jahrra hated to be held back while they worked, but her two friends assured her they didn’t mind spending more time on the project than she did.
“Hithe ist dodthe yiroehnin?”
The sudden intrusion of Hroombra’s voice made Jahrra yelp.
“Huh?” she uttered, frantically trying to translate Hroombra’s words in her mind.
“How are you doing?” he repeated in the common tongue.
Jahrra scowled. She was seconds away from deciphering what he’d said and kicked herself for not being quicker. She took a deep breath and answered slowly and carefully, “Aardthe rhesin phoerrel. Not so good.”
“Ah,” Hroombra grinned, “you have much on your mind now. We’ll spend more time on your Krueltish lessons once your exams are over.”
Jahrra’s stomach sank. She knew her exams were now only a few weeks away, but she’d momentarily forgotten about them.
“If I even survive them,” she murmured grouchily to her guardian.
He smiled warmly, no sign of his teeth this time, and said, “Perhaps you should go to bed, you’ve had a busy weekend.”
Jahrra simply nodded and dragged herself up from the thick quilt she’d been resting on. She limped off to her room, trying to stretch out her complaining arms and
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