Read Online The Quest for the Heart Orb by Laura Jo Phillips - Free Book Online

all, was the sure and certain knowledge that Marl was very important to her future.  No , she corrected herself.  He was her future.
    That terrified her nearly as much as the bear-cat.
    ***
    Karma sat alone after Zakiel left to meet with Bredon, Garundel and some of the other men, sipping her tea while wondering what she was going to do with herself for the day.  Strange as it seemed, she was getting tired of staying in one place.  Or maybe not so strange, she thought.  After all, she’d spent her entire childhood moving from place to place on New Levant.  She’d left that life behind when she’d gone to Earth, but the Orb Quest had brought it all back.
    She emptied her cup and politely declined Lashi’s offer of more.  She had to find something to do with herself.  Unfortunately, she was still too weak to begin sparring with Kapia again.  Unlike Lashi and Caral, she had no talent for sewing, nor any inclination to learn.  What she really needed to do was build her strength back up.  She got up to fetch her cloak.  A walk around the settlement once or twice would be a good start.
    As soon as she stepped out of the tent she saw Nikura trotting toward her.  “Is something wrong?” she asked silently.
    “She comes,” Nikura replied, stopping in front of her.
    “Where?” Karma asked, looking in the direction he’d come from.
    “She’ll reach the village in a few minutes,” Nikura said.  “ She’s alone and on foot, coming up the western trail.”
    “Alone?” Karma exclaimed in surprise as she began walking toward Kapia’s dwelling.  “Why is she alone?”
    “Why ask me?” Nikura asked.  “As I’ve told you repeatedly, I cannot read minds.  Nor would I if I could.  Why is it that you have so much trouble remembering that?”
    Karma rolled her eyes.  Apparently the Sphin had gotten up on the wrong side of his red velvet cushion this morning.  Not long ago she would have tried to soothe his testy mood.  Now she knew better, and just ignored it.  “Nikura, will you give this news to Zakiel for me please?”
    Nikura made a point of sighing heavily.   “Since you said please , I will,” he replied.  “This time.  Just don’t get in the habit of sending me on errands.  I’m a Sphin, not a courier bird.”
    “I wouldn’t think of it,” Karma said dryly.  Nikura turned away, then paused and looked back over his shoulder.
    “Do not push yourself, Lady Techu,” he warned.
    “I won’t,” Karma she replied warmly.  She wouldn’t embarrass Nikura by saying anything too directly, but she did appreciate his concern.
    Karma knocked on Kapia’s door as she watched Nikura trot toward one of the larger buildings in the settlement that Zakiel used as a makeshift meeting hall.  The snow that had covered the Hidden Sister for the Argiari’s comfort had long since melted, but it was late in the season, and quite cold most days.
    She turned around when Caral answered the door.  “Tell Kapia that she’s arrived, and I’m going to get Tiari,” Karma said shortly, then hurried away, heading for Tiari and Tomas’s place.  By the time she reached it, Kapia had already caught up with her.
    “Where is she?” she asked while Karma knocked on the door.
    “Nikura says she’s walking up the western trail, alone, and will be here soon,” Karma said.  Tomas opened the door in time to hear the last part of her reply, carrying Tiari in his arms.
    “She’s here?” Tiari asked, only catching the last few words.
    “Yes, or will be in a moment, according to Nikura,” Karma said, then turned and headed toward the western side of the settlement.  Since the Argiari had been very large beings, their houses and furniture were also big.  On the other hand, there had only been eleven of them, so the settlement itself was rather small.  It didn’t take them long to cross to the western edge of it, which they reached at the same time that the newcomer did.  The woman tossed a large branch