Read Online The Fiuri Realms (Shioni of Sheba Book 5) by Marc Secchia - Free Book Online Page B

stick had legs and giggled merrily at each toss and catch. Below her, three dark green Fiuri were stocking what looked to be a large pincushion plant festooned with umpteen labelled gourds of nectar, while a boy-Fiuri zoomed across their path in hot pursuit of something she could not see.
    “Char!” he cried, changing direction so suddenly he clipped Shioni’s wings on the way past and sent her spinning. “What’s new, zoomeroo?”
    Iri caught Shioni’s ankle and deftly turned her upright–whatever ‘upright’ meant in this crazy world.
    “Iri! Viri!” A petite, apple-green Fiuri hurled herself across the room at the twins. “You’re back! How was hunting? How was the trip? All safe–Viri, your eye! By the first pupa, what did you do to your poor eye? Iri, you didn’t, did you? Arandal, the girls are back!”
    “I didn’t, Mother,” said Iridelle, returning her antennae-rubbing warmly.
    The portly Fiuri broke away from the group of Reds to bear down on them with an air of stately majesty. He was nearly as tall as Iridelle, but easily three times her girth. Iri had clearly inherited her stature from her father. His moon-shaped face broke into the broadest of grins. Arandal looked every inch the Chief of the Nectar Guild. He was so rotund, Shioni wondered how he even stayed up in the air. He must enjoy his nectar–a lot!
    “Iri, Viri and Char!” he boomed. “Welcome back, you band of rascals and crystal-bandits! What’s buzzing in the tunnels, eh? Which way’s the pollen blowing?”
    And he collected them all into an enormous hug, even Shioni. Releasing them, he pretended surprise as he looked beneath his arm to discover her. He caught Shioni’s wrist in one huge paw before she could make her escape. “By my jolly wings, what pretty scrap has my Hunter-daughter dragged in this time? Mother, have you seen this poor, half-starved mite? Pinched Iri’s shorts in the bargain. More like trousers on her, though–ha ha ha! What’s your name, little petal?”
    Arandal’s smile was infectious, and his laugh was exactly the same as Iri’s. She smiled back, “I’m Shionelle, o big Chief … oh, scabby hyenas, that came out wrong.”
    “Big Chief? Big Chief, eh? Has a fine ring to it. Which cave are you from … with your four wings?” His eyes narrowed. “And no colour?”
    “She’s got amnesia,” Iri put in. “Be nice to her, Father.”
    “What, her body forgot what colour she’s supposed to be?” he boomed. “By all the nectar in my storerooms–which is the greatest bubble of nectar in all Fiuriel–that’s impossible!”
    Viridelle whispered to Shioni, “He’s ridiculously proud of his nectar stores.”
    “Now, Arandal,” said the twins’ mother, deftly extracting Shioni from his grasp, “don’t you be frightening the darling little petal. Mind her arm, you overstuffed nectar gourd.”
    “Shionelle gave Viri that eye, Mother,” said Iri. “And she knows a strange fighting technique. She beat Viri in a–”
    “Caught me by surprise,” grumbled Viri.
    “You beat my proud Hunter?” Arandal’s laughter bellowed through their house. He swatted Viri so hard on her shoulder that she spun around three times in the air. “HA HA HA! That’s rich nectar, that is! Best story I’ve heard this moon-cycle!”
    While he was busy pulling Viridelle’s wings, their mother said, “Can I check your arm, Shionelle? I’m a healer. My name’s Lifirielle, but you can call me Lifi. Or Mother, until we find your real parents.”
    So kind! Shioni wiped her eyes discreetly.
    While Viri and Char enthusiastically related the story of how they had found Shioni and their adventures since, Lifi somehow smoothed the cast off Shioni’s arm and examined her wound by running her hands gently over the bruise. Her skin tingled pleasantly. Lifi complimented Char on having set the bone cleanly.
    “Only as you taught me, Lifirielle,” he murmured, blushing.
    To the lilting flow of magic, Lifi re-formed the