Read Online The Fiuri Realms (Shioni of Sheba Book 5) by Marc Secchia - Free Book Online
Authors: Marc Secchia
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walls in every direction, more than she could count. Tiny specks winged about the dome, making it resemble a busy wasp’s nest.
“Sherfiuri Ball,” Iri said, answering her unspoken question.
As they approached Sherfiuri Ball, more tunnels carved away in different directions. Shioni realised that Sherfiuri stood at the conjunction of six major tunnels similar to the one they were emerging from. It was not a dome, but a huge ball-shaped city which had to house thousands upon thousands of Fiuri. Shioni had imagined clusters of huts or homes. Snakes alive, the Fiuri city even had a floral arrangement growing on the outside which spelled ‘Sherfiuri’ in huge, striped letters. The main entrances had to be wide enough to accommodate a hundred Fiuri flying side by side. Everywhere, she saw signs of bustling trade–gourds of nectar, sacks of pollen which Char had identified for her, even a Fiuri somehow herding a gaggle of green water bubbles into the city.
It was so magnificent, it made her wings tingle.
Shioni turned to her friends. “Not bad.”
“Not bad?” yelled Viridelle. “ Not bad? You–”
Iri’s bubbling laughter made her sister pull up short. “Shionelle’s just tugging your wings,” said the placid-faced Fiuri. “Aren’t you, little petal?”
“Pulling her leg,” said Shioni. Three frowns greeted this idea. “Er, tugging her wings, yes. Of course. Because baiting Hunters is such a safe sport.”
“Ha ha ha!” roared Iridelle, punching Viri on the arm. Her twin promptly punched her back, making Shioni’s eyebrows crawl. This was normal behaviour for Fiuri girls?
“When we get to Iri and Viri’s home, Shionelle, we should check your arm,” Chardal put in.
They winged across the vast open space between the tunnel walls and Sherfiuri Ball. Shioni saw farmlands curving overhead, clearly visible because of the patchwork effect of the different types of flowers grown in interlocking, leaf-shaped fields. But as they approached the city, Viri and Char fell to muttering together and pointing at a contingent of Yellow Fiuri checking every Fiuri in the busy traffic at the entrance. Apparently, this was a new and unpopular procedure.
“He’s reaching even here,” whispered Viri.
“Bad sign,” Chardal grunted.
“Who?” Shioni asked. “Who’s reaching here?”
“Shush, child.” Viri’s tone was deadly serious. “Shionelle, you are our poor cousin visiting from Cave Thirteen, Spinward, Core Tunnel. Understand? Repeat it.”
“Cave Thirteen, Spinward, Core Tunnel.”
“Good. You are overawed to be visiting your famous cousins at the house of the Chief of the Nectar Guild. You’ve never been to such a great city.”
“Got it. But Viri, what’s going on?”
Char said, “We’ll explain later. Best wing forward, Shionelle.”
Viri tittered, “You have four, so choose a good one.”
Shioni offered a weak laugh in return. Not very funny for a White Fiuri who hadn’t the first idea why she even possessed four wings!
They lined up with a hovering group of Greens. Shioni began to notice subtle differences in the shading and patterns of the different Fiuri. Some had swirls, others had rings or oblong rings on their limbs, while their colours varied through a thousand different shades, from darker greens to cheerful apple and lime Green colours. Chardal explained that each shade represented a different Green clan, and the relationships between them were very complicated and often competitive. Alliances with just the right clans were vital to everyday Fiuri life.
The Yellow Fiuri stopped every visitor to Sherfiuri Ball with hard-eyed glances and a set of questions. Shioni wondered about the fear she sensed in her three friends. Not all was well in Fiuriel. Suddenly, she wondered how much this might have to do with a White Fiuri with no past.
It was their turn. Viri named each Fiuri in their group and their colour and clan.
“White?” Two Yellow Fiuri turned to peer at Shioni.
“Sherfiuri Ball,” Iri said, answering her unspoken question.
As they approached Sherfiuri Ball, more tunnels carved away in different directions. Shioni realised that Sherfiuri stood at the conjunction of six major tunnels similar to the one they were emerging from. It was not a dome, but a huge ball-shaped city which had to house thousands upon thousands of Fiuri. Shioni had imagined clusters of huts or homes. Snakes alive, the Fiuri city even had a floral arrangement growing on the outside which spelled ‘Sherfiuri’ in huge, striped letters. The main entrances had to be wide enough to accommodate a hundred Fiuri flying side by side. Everywhere, she saw signs of bustling trade–gourds of nectar, sacks of pollen which Char had identified for her, even a Fiuri somehow herding a gaggle of green water bubbles into the city.
It was so magnificent, it made her wings tingle.
Shioni turned to her friends. “Not bad.”
“Not bad?” yelled Viridelle. “ Not bad? You–”
Iri’s bubbling laughter made her sister pull up short. “Shionelle’s just tugging your wings,” said the placid-faced Fiuri. “Aren’t you, little petal?”
“Pulling her leg,” said Shioni. Three frowns greeted this idea. “Er, tugging her wings, yes. Of course. Because baiting Hunters is such a safe sport.”
“Ha ha ha!” roared Iridelle, punching Viri on the arm. Her twin promptly punched her back, making Shioni’s eyebrows crawl. This was normal behaviour for Fiuri girls?
“When we get to Iri and Viri’s home, Shionelle, we should check your arm,” Chardal put in.
They winged across the vast open space between the tunnel walls and Sherfiuri Ball. Shioni saw farmlands curving overhead, clearly visible because of the patchwork effect of the different types of flowers grown in interlocking, leaf-shaped fields. But as they approached the city, Viri and Char fell to muttering together and pointing at a contingent of Yellow Fiuri checking every Fiuri in the busy traffic at the entrance. Apparently, this was a new and unpopular procedure.
“He’s reaching even here,” whispered Viri.
“Bad sign,” Chardal grunted.
“Who?” Shioni asked. “Who’s reaching here?”
“Shush, child.” Viri’s tone was deadly serious. “Shionelle, you are our poor cousin visiting from Cave Thirteen, Spinward, Core Tunnel. Understand? Repeat it.”
“Cave Thirteen, Spinward, Core Tunnel.”
“Good. You are overawed to be visiting your famous cousins at the house of the Chief of the Nectar Guild. You’ve never been to such a great city.”
“Got it. But Viri, what’s going on?”
Char said, “We’ll explain later. Best wing forward, Shionelle.”
Viri tittered, “You have four, so choose a good one.”
Shioni offered a weak laugh in return. Not very funny for a White Fiuri who hadn’t the first idea why she even possessed four wings!
They lined up with a hovering group of Greens. Shioni began to notice subtle differences in the shading and patterns of the different Fiuri. Some had swirls, others had rings or oblong rings on their limbs, while their colours varied through a thousand different shades, from darker greens to cheerful apple and lime Green colours. Chardal explained that each shade represented a different Green clan, and the relationships between them were very complicated and often competitive. Alliances with just the right clans were vital to everyday Fiuri life.
The Yellow Fiuri stopped every visitor to Sherfiuri Ball with hard-eyed glances and a set of questions. Shioni wondered about the fear she sensed in her three friends. Not all was well in Fiuriel. Suddenly, she wondered how much this might have to do with a White Fiuri with no past.
It was their turn. Viri named each Fiuri in their group and their colour and clan.
“White?” Two Yellow Fiuri turned to peer at Shioni.
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