Read Online The First Kaiaru by David Alastair Hayden - Free Book Online

changed,” he said in his hollow, mechanical voice. “Tomorrow, we will venture into the realms, and we will fight. We have no choice now. We had no choice yesterday. And really, we had no choice once we arrived here. Unless you wish to be tortured into madness, you will have to do what the Blood King requires.”
    “Yeah, but it’s a lot harder now,” Zaiporo groaned.
    “It only seems that way,” Motekeru said. “They knew what they were sending you into all along. Mope and complain, if you want, but it will do nothing to change what you will face tomorrow.”
    Turesobei nodded. “He’s right. This has always been about us getting the job done. Thinking we could depend on Hannya and that this would be as easy as fighting a few guardians was our fault. It is what it is. Let’s move on and enjoy the rest of our evening.”
    “Okay then, so what now?” Kurine asked. “I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m not going to be able to sleep tonight.”
    Turesobei frowned. “Well….”
    He hadn’t really thought about what they would do after the feast. She was right, though. It was hard enough to sleep on the night before a battle, but here, they didn’t even need to sleep, unless they were exhausted. And they had rested enough already to recover from the weeks of grueling training sessions Lord Gyoroe had put them through.
    Everyone looked expectantly at one another, waiting for someone to have an idea. Then Enashoma leapt to her feet.
    “Oh! With me getting a kavaru and all, I’d totally forgotten. I planned a good-luck party for you.” She gestured. “Come on!”
    They followed Enashoma through the doors leading from the Dining Hall to an outer garden they rarely visited. In fact, Turesobei only recalled entering this area once before. Like with the other gardens, high walls separated it from those to either side and from the nothingness that lay just beyond the Nexus.
    Servants had stacked logs into a fire pit in the garden’s center. Cushions and trays for tea and food were arranged on the grass around it. A servant off to the side began playing a light tune on a zither, while another stepped forward and dropped a small torch into the fire pit. Apparently, the logs had been doused in oil, because they instantly burst into flames.
    Turesobei settled onto the cushions between Kurine and Iniru. Enashoma and Zaiporo snuggled together on the opposite side, with Turesobei’s amber hounds, Rig and Ohma, nestling at their feet.
    Awasa hesitated as Motekeru stared into the fire. The flickering flames animated his terrible features, making him appear more nightmarish than normal. After a few moments, he shook his head, as if he had suddenly come to his senses.
    “I will go meditate now,” he announced.
    As he turned to leave, Awasa grabbed his arm. “Stay. Please…for me.”
    He met her eyes…paused…then looked over her shoulder at the fire. He shook his head. “I’m sorry.”
    “I’ll come with you,” she said.
    “Remain here with your friends and enjoy the evening.”
    She frowned, started to say something, then nodded silently. Turesobei wished he could help her feel more welcome, but he could hardly abandon Kurine and Iniru to sit with Awasa. Even he understood what a disaster that would be.
    “Lady Awasa, come sit by me!” Lu Bei said.
    She spun around, a surprised expression creasing her face. “What? Me?”
    Lu Bei patted a cushion beside him. “Yes—” he hiccuped “—you.” He laughed, sloshing tea from his bowl. “Silly demon girl.”
    Eyes narrowed in suspicion, Awasa approached slowly, then knelt carefully beside him. “If you’re going to play a trick on me then—” She recoiled. “Ugh! What’s that smell?”
    “Karion whiskey.”
    “You spiked your tea?”
    “Of course!” He cast bluish sparks from his hands into the air. “It’s a party, don’t you know?”
    “Oh…great,” Awasa groaned, though a faint grin tugged at her face.
    Turesobei would have to