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

aside as she paused to look around, then walked straight toward the small group of women.
    “I was nearly attacked on the trail, just a few minutes ago, by a bear-cat,” she said in a breathless rush.  “A man named Marl wounded it with a spear and requests assistance in tracking it through the ravine.  It’s just a few minutes fast walk from here.  There’s a deadfall at the side of the trail across from the place he went into the ravine.”
    Tomas immediately called to the nearest Hunter on duty, Sir Jenz, who hurried toward them.  He spoke quickly, and moments later Sir Jenz rounded up a half dozen men who took off down the trail at a run.
    While the Maiden of the Heart Orb watched Tomas and the other men, Karma took the opportunity to study her.  She was young, maybe twenty, and taller than herself, Kapia, and Tiari, but Karma had known many tall women so gave little thought to that.  The three gemstones she wore on her forehead were unusual and attractive.  Her face was narrow, with a generous mouth and bold nose, her eyes large, almond shaped and light, clear green.  Her hair was several shades of blonde from almost white to nearly brown, worn in dozens and dozens of thin braids that hung to her waist, each one ending in a shiny silver bead, and her skin was so pale that it appeared to have a light greenish tint.  Although some of her features seemed a little unusual individually, the overall effect was one of striking, if not classic, beauty.
    Karma noted the growing wariness in the young woman’s eyes once the men were gone, as well as her stiff, almost defensive posture when she realized she was being stared at.  Karma offered her a friendly smile.  “Are you injured?”
    “No, not at all, thanks to that man,” the young woman replied.  She took a deep breath and met Karma’s gaze steadily, then pressed her palms together and bowed her head briefly.  “I apologize for my bad manners.  My name is Ren.  I seek she who is known as Lady Techu.”
    Karma reached for the Ti-Ank at her waist where it was covered by her cloak and squeezed the retractable rod in the center so that it expanded into a five foot long staff.  She set the bottom of it against the ground with the winged ankh at her shoulder and said, “I am Lady Techu, Ren, and your manners are perfectly fine.  Are you the Maiden of the Heart Orb?” 
    “Yes, I am,” Ren replied.
    “You are very welcome, Ren,” Karma said warmly, wondering why she hadn’t given a surname.  “This is Princess Kapia, Maiden of the Moon, and Lady Tiari, Maiden of the Sun.  The man carrying Tiari is her husband, Sir Tomas.”
    “We’re so happy to meet you,” Tiari said.  “We’ve been waiting for your arrival for days.”
    “I apologize if I kept you waiting overlong,” Ren said.
    Tiari’s eyes widened.  “Oh, no, that’s not what I meant,” she said quickly.
    Ren’s expression didn’t change, but somehow Karma knew that she was painfully embarrassed.  The ability to hide her feelings so completely gave Karma a glimpse into Ren’s life that made her sad.    
    “Come, let’s go inside and get you settled,” she said, stepping closer to Ren’s side and urging her forward without touching her.  “Have you been walking all morning?”
    “Yes, Lady Techu, since sunrise,” Ren replied.  Kapia and Tomas, holding Tiari in his arms, fell into step behind them.
    “Did you come from very far away?” Karma asked.
    “From Nu Senna ,” Ren replied, gesturing to the west.  “Just a couple of day’s journey.”
    “You travelled so far alone?”
    “No, Lady Techu, I had companions from Sanctuary who accompanied me to the foot of the Hidden Sister .” 
    “And they left you to climb the mountain alone?” Karma asked in surprise.
    “They had no choice, Lady Techu,” Ren explained.  Lady Techu’s disapproval was making her nervous, but she owed the Braii too much to let her think badly of them.  “It’s forbidden for