Read Online Two Moons of Sera by Pavarti K. Tyler - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Pavarti K. Tyler
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birds or
animals.
Tor nodded and motioned me forward.
The sun blinded me, scattering spots across my vision as I
adjusted to the light. Rainbows distorted my sight, blending trees and sky
together. Once I could focus again, I found tall trees reaching to the heavens.
They were stark and bare near the earth, but far above, their branches burst
with green and tan leaves.
“This way.” Tor strode ahead, setting a difficult pace. That
was probably his intention, because this way I couldn’t ask more questions. He
didn’t need to worry, though. I trusted him. His gruff manner sometimes
overshadowed the amusing and kind person beneath, but I was used to looking
under layers for the truth. My mother had buried herself beneath so many layers
that it was easy to get lost, but I never doubted she loved me.
The edge of an open field offered a nice place to rest. Tor
dropped his bag and pulled out a net. He threw a rope over a low branch, tied
it to the net, and spread it out in the shaded grass. Inside the net, he placed
a round metal object with teeth and a piece of dried seaweed.
“What is it?”
“A trap. I can usually get a rabbit or sometimes a fox.”
“I can tell that. I do know how to hunt. No, I meant,
what’s the round thing?”
I stepped toward the trap, and Tor’s arm shot out across my
path. His hand caught me by the shoulder and pulled me toward him. I stumbled
but caught myself before falling.
We stood inches apart. Two full heads above me, he looked
down, his wide blue eyes and angular face only a breath away.
“Why’d you grab me?” I demanded, pushing against his chest.
Tor stepped back, one side of his mouth quirked upward in amusement.
“If you touch it, it will break your hand—or foot. I didn’t think you’d like
that.”
“Oh.”
“And I didn’t grab you.”
“Sorry, I just... I don’t like to be touched.”
“Even when your foot is about to be broken?”
“Extreme situations aside.” I turned back to the trap,
studying it from a distance. “So what is it?”
“Don’t know. I stole it from some Erdlander hunters after I
watched them use it a few times. The animal comes close to get the seaweed, and
then the trap activates. This part wraps around the animal’s neck like a
collar, pins it in place. Then the trap’s teeth keep tightening until the
animal dies.”
“That’s awful.”
“But effective.”
Across the field, something moved and emitted a sound just
on the edge of my hearing.
I held up a finger to Tor before stepping over to another
tree. Still hidden by the shade, I closed my eyes and listened. The air wasn’t
that much different from the water. Particles filled every space; they were
just lighter and disconnected. If I focused...
“ Jau ... meh ... a nou ....”
Opening my eyes, I nodded toward the direction of the sound.
“There’s someone else here,” I whispered when Tor joined me.
“I don’t hear anything.” He squinted into the far trees.
“Maybe I can hear better than you, like you can see better
than me. Trust me. There’s someone there.”
“Okay.” Tor went to the trap, disabled the metal mechanism,
and gathered everything up.
My eyes shut again, and I reached out, trying to sense
whoever hid in the forest. Filtering through the sounds of birds and rustling
leaves, I explored other, fainter noises: grass blades rubbing together as the
wind passed through the field, the claws of a small animal scraping against
bark as it climbed a tree. The distant voice trembled. It was low and raspy,
like someone perpetually out of breath. The breathing caught my attention
first—the deep exhale followed by a shallow inhale.
“I hear someone. He’s—I think it’s a he—he’s telling
whoever he’s with to slow down.”
My thoughts traveled across the field, lost in the
vibrations of sound. I saw where the person stood—not his features, but the
space where the sound originated and the forms around it. I then pulled away
and returned
animals.
Tor nodded and motioned me forward.
The sun blinded me, scattering spots across my vision as I
adjusted to the light. Rainbows distorted my sight, blending trees and sky
together. Once I could focus again, I found tall trees reaching to the heavens.
They were stark and bare near the earth, but far above, their branches burst
with green and tan leaves.
“This way.” Tor strode ahead, setting a difficult pace. That
was probably his intention, because this way I couldn’t ask more questions. He
didn’t need to worry, though. I trusted him. His gruff manner sometimes
overshadowed the amusing and kind person beneath, but I was used to looking
under layers for the truth. My mother had buried herself beneath so many layers
that it was easy to get lost, but I never doubted she loved me.
The edge of an open field offered a nice place to rest. Tor
dropped his bag and pulled out a net. He threw a rope over a low branch, tied
it to the net, and spread it out in the shaded grass. Inside the net, he placed
a round metal object with teeth and a piece of dried seaweed.
“What is it?”
“A trap. I can usually get a rabbit or sometimes a fox.”
“I can tell that. I do know how to hunt. No, I meant,
what’s the round thing?”
I stepped toward the trap, and Tor’s arm shot out across my
path. His hand caught me by the shoulder and pulled me toward him. I stumbled
but caught myself before falling.
We stood inches apart. Two full heads above me, he looked
down, his wide blue eyes and angular face only a breath away.
“Why’d you grab me?” I demanded, pushing against his chest.
Tor stepped back, one side of his mouth quirked upward in amusement.
“If you touch it, it will break your hand—or foot. I didn’t think you’d like
that.”
“Oh.”
“And I didn’t grab you.”
“Sorry, I just... I don’t like to be touched.”
“Even when your foot is about to be broken?”
“Extreme situations aside.” I turned back to the trap,
studying it from a distance. “So what is it?”
“Don’t know. I stole it from some Erdlander hunters after I
watched them use it a few times. The animal comes close to get the seaweed, and
then the trap activates. This part wraps around the animal’s neck like a
collar, pins it in place. Then the trap’s teeth keep tightening until the
animal dies.”
“That’s awful.”
“But effective.”
Across the field, something moved and emitted a sound just
on the edge of my hearing.
I held up a finger to Tor before stepping over to another
tree. Still hidden by the shade, I closed my eyes and listened. The air wasn’t
that much different from the water. Particles filled every space; they were
just lighter and disconnected. If I focused...
“ Jau ... meh ... a nou ....”
Opening my eyes, I nodded toward the direction of the sound.
“There’s someone else here,” I whispered when Tor joined me.
“I don’t hear anything.” He squinted into the far trees.
“Maybe I can hear better than you, like you can see better
than me. Trust me. There’s someone there.”
“Okay.” Tor went to the trap, disabled the metal mechanism,
and gathered everything up.
My eyes shut again, and I reached out, trying to sense
whoever hid in the forest. Filtering through the sounds of birds and rustling
leaves, I explored other, fainter noises: grass blades rubbing together as the
wind passed through the field, the claws of a small animal scraping against
bark as it climbed a tree. The distant voice trembled. It was low and raspy,
like someone perpetually out of breath. The breathing caught my attention
first—the deep exhale followed by a shallow inhale.
“I hear someone. He’s—I think it’s a he—he’s telling
whoever he’s with to slow down.”
My thoughts traveled across the field, lost in the
vibrations of sound. I saw where the person stood—not his features, but the
space where the sound originated and the forms around it. I then pulled away
and returned
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