Read Online The Elder Blood Chronicles Bk 1 In Shades of Grey by Melissa Myers - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Melissa Myers
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her from the mirror. Her mind was not as clear on her memory of her
younger brother, she hated to admit, but he had been small, and she
had been so young. She could remember his hair had been dark,
though, and while she couldn’t remember his eyes, she was sure they
hadn’t been violet.
She gave a heavy sigh and smoothed her dress.
It was one of her favorites, she noted, amazed that she hadn’t even
noticed which she had put on. It was worn from use, but it was
comfortable and gave her the appearance of having more curves than
the gods had seen fit to grant. The deep blue color of it made her
seem paler too, which suited her dark hair well. Almost drawing
attention away from my bloodshot eyes she thought with a smirk.
The banging came at the door again, and she eyed the reflection of
the dress in the mirror darkly. If only the door could hit back,
she mused silently. “I’m coming,” she called as she crossed the
room. She gave a last look at the room that had been her home for
the past ten years and stepped through the door.
Gretchen towered above her in the hall, her
gaze that of a storm cloud. The old woman was huge, bigger than
most men. Her brown hair going more to grey was pulled back in its
customary tight bun giving her an even more severe appearance. She
eyed Jala critically with her hands on her hips, her expression
clearly disapproving. “Look at you in that ratty cloak and that
dress. You think to be off like that? What will they say about the
Temple if I let you leave here looking an urchin?”
Jala could think of a few things she would
like to say of the Temple housekeeper, but she bit her tongue and
simply frowned. Fighting with Gretchen was a daily event she would
rather avoid. If she must leave, she would rather do it on good
terms. “I grabbed the first one in my closet,” she replied honestly
yet the old woman’s gaze did not waver. “I’ll change before I get
to the academy, of course, and surely these old worn clothes are
best for traveling. The coach is sure to be dusty, and I wouldn’t
want to ruin one we have just sewn.” With relief, she watched
Gretchen’s expression soften a fraction.
“See that you do, now off with you. You’ve
overslept by far, and you have goodbyes to make.” Grateful for the
dismissal, Jala made her way down the hall. She stopped in the
kitchen and leaned on the counter. The burly old cook looked up at
her with a sad smile. “Off to the big wide world today eh,
Curly?”
She smiled back at him and gave a mute
nod.
“Best get some breakfast for you then. I’ve
made tarts over there by the stove.” He motioned with a
flour-covered hand before returning to kneading the dough in front
of him.
She picked up a tart and smiled as the sweet
blackberry aroma greeted her. She took a small bite and wiped some
juice from her chin. They were still warm from the oven and
delicious. “Thank you,” she said with a smile. “I will miss how you
spoil me.” She had no doubts he had made the tarts special for
her.
“Aye, and I’ll miss having you to spoil. Not
a one of them brags on my cooking like you do,” he said with forced
cheer.
“Are Father Timmons and Father Breckard back
yet?” She asked between bites. He gave a slight shake of his head
in answer and she found herself unsurprised. The two younger
priests were rarely in attendance at the Temple. They traveled from
village to village throughout all of Greenwild and tended to just
winter in Bliss.
“I’ll tell them you said goodbye, though,”
the cook added, dusting his hands off on his apron. “You want some
milk with that?” He asked, already moving to pour her a glass
despite her lack of answer. She took the glass and a healthy
swallow, and then finished her tart. “I’ll pack you a couple of
those for the road. One will never keep you. I know how you love
your tarts.”
She smiled at him and gave him a hug before
he could busy himself again. She finished her milk and gave him
another
her from the mirror. Her mind was not as clear on her memory of her
younger brother, she hated to admit, but he had been small, and she
had been so young. She could remember his hair had been dark,
though, and while she couldn’t remember his eyes, she was sure they
hadn’t been violet.
She gave a heavy sigh and smoothed her dress.
It was one of her favorites, she noted, amazed that she hadn’t even
noticed which she had put on. It was worn from use, but it was
comfortable and gave her the appearance of having more curves than
the gods had seen fit to grant. The deep blue color of it made her
seem paler too, which suited her dark hair well. Almost drawing
attention away from my bloodshot eyes she thought with a smirk.
The banging came at the door again, and she eyed the reflection of
the dress in the mirror darkly. If only the door could hit back,
she mused silently. “I’m coming,” she called as she crossed the
room. She gave a last look at the room that had been her home for
the past ten years and stepped through the door.
Gretchen towered above her in the hall, her
gaze that of a storm cloud. The old woman was huge, bigger than
most men. Her brown hair going more to grey was pulled back in its
customary tight bun giving her an even more severe appearance. She
eyed Jala critically with her hands on her hips, her expression
clearly disapproving. “Look at you in that ratty cloak and that
dress. You think to be off like that? What will they say about the
Temple if I let you leave here looking an urchin?”
Jala could think of a few things she would
like to say of the Temple housekeeper, but she bit her tongue and
simply frowned. Fighting with Gretchen was a daily event she would
rather avoid. If she must leave, she would rather do it on good
terms. “I grabbed the first one in my closet,” she replied honestly
yet the old woman’s gaze did not waver. “I’ll change before I get
to the academy, of course, and surely these old worn clothes are
best for traveling. The coach is sure to be dusty, and I wouldn’t
want to ruin one we have just sewn.” With relief, she watched
Gretchen’s expression soften a fraction.
“See that you do, now off with you. You’ve
overslept by far, and you have goodbyes to make.” Grateful for the
dismissal, Jala made her way down the hall. She stopped in the
kitchen and leaned on the counter. The burly old cook looked up at
her with a sad smile. “Off to the big wide world today eh,
Curly?”
She smiled back at him and gave a mute
nod.
“Best get some breakfast for you then. I’ve
made tarts over there by the stove.” He motioned with a
flour-covered hand before returning to kneading the dough in front
of him.
She picked up a tart and smiled as the sweet
blackberry aroma greeted her. She took a small bite and wiped some
juice from her chin. They were still warm from the oven and
delicious. “Thank you,” she said with a smile. “I will miss how you
spoil me.” She had no doubts he had made the tarts special for
her.
“Aye, and I’ll miss having you to spoil. Not
a one of them brags on my cooking like you do,” he said with forced
cheer.
“Are Father Timmons and Father Breckard back
yet?” She asked between bites. He gave a slight shake of his head
in answer and she found herself unsurprised. The two younger
priests were rarely in attendance at the Temple. They traveled from
village to village throughout all of Greenwild and tended to just
winter in Bliss.
“I’ll tell them you said goodbye, though,”
the cook added, dusting his hands off on his apron. “You want some
milk with that?” He asked, already moving to pour her a glass
despite her lack of answer. She took the glass and a healthy
swallow, and then finished her tart. “I’ll pack you a couple of
those for the road. One will never keep you. I know how you love
your tarts.”
She smiled at him and gave him a hug before
he could busy himself again. She finished her milk and gave him
another
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