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Chapter 154
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The Birthright Series Chapter 155
WITH THE CAVALRY LEAVING AT the end of the week they threw us into five days of intensive training with them. An Aswaran centaur had been assigned to each of us. I stood, staring at Belsesus with a dubious expression. He flashed an overly sincere smile. 'Really, Princess, I don't understand the problem.'I chewed on my lip for a second while regarding his offered arm.'Weirdest piggy back ride ever,' I muttered, then clasped his arm and leaped up. Hmmm; an important thought suddenly occurred to me. 'Uhh, Belsesus? How am I meant to hang on?''With your thighs, of course, Princess.'Without seeing his face, I couldn't tell if there was innuendo in that line or not. My face burned as I squeezed with my legs.'Atta girl!'That definitely had innuendo, and when he reached back to slap my leg it took all my self-control not to break his arm. The cretin enjoyed this far too much.'Shuddup.''Yes, Your Highness.'GREDEL WATCHED THE GIRLS ATTEMPTS in amusement while he stood beneath
The Birthright Series Chapter 156
AFTER KASSIE'S CLEVER DEMONSTRATION OF how not to fall on your ass, my technique improved dramatically. That's not to say the sudden dismounts stopped, but the eating dirt part did. Now with a tiny burst of energy, I executed somersaults with ease and landed feet first each time. After another round of my happy dance at a successful landing, Belsesus burst my bubble. 'Won't that alert Jenviet?'I paused mid-dance. 'What?'That sparked an intense conversation. Sian and Chaieth rode off to check with Elena. While we waited Belsesus took long easy runs, back and forth, challenging my slowly improving balance. It took fierce concentration as I focused on his muscles beneath my thighs, mind tense for the slightest change. The sound of approaching hooves broke my focus.Chaieth and Sian had returned and Leseach sat behind her, dressed in chain-mail.'We have a solution,' Sian declared when she slipped off Chaieth's back, Leseach following suit. 'Elena gave us a lorus crystal, it'll chime
The Birthright Series Chapter 157
I HELD MY HANDS AT waist height, fingers outstretched and ready as Larvaste drew close. Looking like a circus performer with the angle she leaned at, Loi feigned a throw. Laughing, she then urged Larvaste away.'Wha-?' My question broke off in a yelp of surprise as someone grabbed me from behind. Recognizing the arms that wrapped solidly around me, I leaned back with a smile, looking up into Alek's face. 'Hello blue eyes.'Those eyes creased in affection and he ducked to kiss my forehead. 'Hello beautiful.'I twisted around properly so I could hug him. 'Done with errands?''Yes, want some lunch?'I wouldn't have been surprised if Loushka could have heard my stomach growl from where she stood, when he said that.'Good idea.'Alek called out to the others, and everyone gathered their weapons and made their way to the castle. In the courtyard, he caught me as I slid down from Loushka and I laughed. 'You know, I can do it myself now.''So? Sometimes I like to catch you.' With a win
The Birthright Series Chapter 158
KASSIE YAWNED. IT HAD BEEN a long week and as exciting as the march had been, she needed more sleep.'Bed?' Rumal murmured to her.'Mmm, yes.''Food first?'That took a moment of consideration. Then Kassie shook her head. 'No. Bed.'Rumal chuckled, and they said their goodbyes before making their way down the turret and back to their quarters. The sheets were still warm when they climbed in. Kassie sighed in pleasure, snuggling close to Rumal. He wrapped his arms around her so that her face was pressed to his chest. She pulled an arm up, chin on hand, while inhaling his scent. 'Mmmmm.'The rumble of laughter he gave vibrated beneath her.'I thought you were sleepy?' The rich tones of his voice caused a delicious shiver down her spine.'Still am.' She twisted her head so to wink at him. 'Just enjoying the moment.'He was such a handsome man. Strong cheekbones emphasized the slant of those molten gold eyes and contrasted beautifully with his dark mocha skin. Those eyes, though,
The Birthright Series Chapter 159
'THAT WAS A NICE THOUGHT,' Alek commented while we walked to a favourite spot in the garden.I wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned against him as we walked. 'He made it clear, when explaining stuff to me that not everyone would make it back. I'd hate for his family to miss out on saying goodbye.'Alek looked at me disbelievingly. I shrugged, feeling a bit defensive.'Well it's true, isn't it?' At least Ignatius had been upfront about it.'It's likely,' he conceded. 'And I didn't think he was very close to his wife, that's all.''He seemed very fond of her when I asked.'We reached the spot and settled on the grass beneath a tree.'I'm only going on what I've heard.' Alek flashed a cheeky grin. 'We all know gossip isn't to be trusted.'I laughed and climbed onto his lap, distracting him from lunch in the best possible way.THE REMAINING WEEKS FLEW BY as we trained ourselves to exhaustion each evening. Even the griffons and Sito were hard at it, and it was a new experie
The Birthright Series Chapter 160
AUDREY WAITED ON THE OTHER side of the door with Nnelg.'Your Highness.' The dragon bowed, the blue of his scales shimmered in the afternoon light streaming through a window. I stopped and looked at Nnelg, then knelt so I sat at his level. The dragon's dark eyes widened. 'Majesty?''Nnelg.' I swallowed hard, forcing back the bile that threatened. 'You know we're going away for a bit. I need you to watch Lucky and Audi, okay?'He nodded earnestly, his long tail swishing around him. 'Of course, Your Highness.'I smiled stiffly. 'Good. Now. In the possibility that we're unable to return, for-sometime, would you look after them? I'm going to ask Ada as well, but I know how well you do this.Nnelg nodded again. 'Yes, absolutely.''Good.' I stood. 'Now, let's go see Ada.'We ran down the closest turret, all the way to the bottom floor. I paused at the bottom to give Audi a hug and ruffled the fur around her ears.'How are you doing little miss?' I crooned.The dog automatically turn
The Birthright Series Chapter 161
THE SOUTHERN KEEP'S COURTYARD WAS tiny in comparison to the castles. Otherwise they looked quite similar, like the Keep was a smaller imitation of the castle. Loushka landed with a heavy thud and the others dropped around us. Leseach, Ignatius, and Rashid stood waiting for us.'Leseach,' I said in surprise. 'When did you get here?'Sian, having just climbed down from Sito answered. 'Sito and I brought them through when you were sorting Audi out.'Oh right, I thought and felt a prickle of tears at leaving my beautiful girl behind. She'll be fine, and Ada will spoil her rotten, I reassured myself.I slid down from Loushka and stood beside her, ruffling her mane.'Wish it were over.' I thought to her. The solid coolness of her beak brushed past my neck.'I know, Cat. It will be over, soon.''Have you been here before?''We delivered all the supplies here, remember?'I shook my head. 'Sorry, I meant have you stayed here before?''Oh yes, a few times. You'll like it. It's rather q
The Birthright Series Chapter 162
ALEK AND I SPENT THE day in the stables, where Loushka and the other griffons bunked. We watched in amusement as Daron and Sian play fought.'I wonder what he said to her?' I said.'Never mind that,' Alek interrupted, 'Go on with the rest of the movie.'I exchanged a glance with Loushka and she did her husky laugh, as I tried to recall what happened next. 'Okay, so where were we? Oh! That's right. Indy has to rescue his father from a Nazi occupied castle.'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade had always been one of my favourite movies and it was fun to recall it. Loushka made a very comfortable seat for the two of us and she enjoyed the story too.'What's with those strange machines they keep waving around? The ones that make noises?' Loushka asked.'Those are guns, a form of weapon they use on Earth. Compared to swords, bows and maces, guns require very little knowledge. Just point in the right direction and shoot.''Convenient.''Sometimes too much.''I like his whip. It's alm
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Paiga gasped and Mila stiffened. A glimmer of annoyance flashed in Mama's eyes before she reached for Luca.'Yes, they have. But we won't. We're tied together. We will go in together and come out. You have to trust in us Luca. We need your energy too, please keep the right thoughts in your mind.'Luca swallowed, throat convulsing. He nodded. 'Yes, Aunty Dan'iss.''Listen up everyone!'Uncle Harlon's shout made Mila jolt.'Hush, Mila,' Papa joggled her in the sling. 'You're going to be fine, I'm right here.' He wrapped his arms around her. Heart pounding with nerves, Mila pressed her cheek to Papa's chest, listening as Uncle Harlon gave the instructions.A glimmer of eyes appeared by Papa and a moment later she felt the brief touch of Ery's hand to her head.'Bye Ery,' she whispered. The air within the cave started to hum with energy, all the adults calling theirs up. It made the space warm and comforting. Mila started to doze off.'Hold on,' Uncle Harlon called out. 'Here we
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The conversation seemed easy after that.Ery showed the girls' how to swallow the worms whole. Mila screwed her nose up, grabbing her arms and shaking her head. 'No, no, no!'Paiga tried it. With a grimace, both Mila and Ery watching close, she plucked a wriggling worm up then dropped it in her mouth. Her eyes squeezed shut as she gulped the worm down in one swallow.She opened her eyes and stared at Mila and Ery. 'It tasted good!''Really?''Yes, sweet.'Mila shook her head when Ery offered her the last one, motioning it to her. 'No, you have it.' The mushrooms were yum, and the sparks continued as you swallowed it. It was impressive on Ery with her fine almost translucent skin. Mila and Paiga gasped as the sparks flashed in her throat before another dim flash in her tummy. It made all three of them laugh, the two girls giggling away while Ery coughed her laughter.Next was the flesh and berries. Ery showed them how to peel a piece of flesh away from the main then mush the be
The Birthright Series Chapter 391
When the group came across a river, they stopped. After a careful taste test, dipping a crystal necklace in to check the quality, everyone was allowed to drink.Mila and Paiga wrinkled their noses at the odd smell. Like a cup of nellor left out for too long.'It won't hurt you, girls,' Papa said with a smile as he squatted to scoop water to his mouth. 'Drink up.'The two girls' sipped water from their cupped hands, giggling as it spilled out. The adults conversed as the two of them had fun flicking water at each other.An odd sound like a cough made Mila look up, Paiga too.Both girls gasped, stumbling back from the river.'Mila? What's wro-' Mama broke off as she looked up too.Uncle Harlon made a funning clicking noise.The strange looking person that clung to the ceiling with three others responded with clicks and whistles.Mama beckoned Mila and Paiga, and the two girls scampered to her side.'Mama, who are they?' Mila whispered, Paiga crowding close to hear the answer.
The Birthright Series Chapter 390
With that entertainment gone, Mila went back to focusing on her feet. Pull one knee high while keeping balance and drop it. Each step seemed to make her head go lower. But she kept going, with Mama and Papa pulling her along. Finally, after what felt like hours and hours, Uncle Gydon said they could stop.'Take your rest, I'll be waking you in an hour to keep guard,' he motioned an uncle. 'Then you take an hour watch and wake the next. You get five hours rest. Make the most of it.'Papa and Mama and several other adults had bags with clothing. It all got pulled out and spread around the group, trying to provide a little warmth and comfort. Mila curled up between her parents, her head against Papa's chest. It seemed so cold and strange she didn't think she could sleep.Then she closed her eyes.'Mila, lovey, wake up.'Mila stirred at Mama's voice and the gentle touch of her hand on her back. She sat up with a jaw-splitting yawn. Blinking, she peered around in confusion.'Mama, a
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The air smelled cold, and something else, something Mila found familiar but out of place.'Mama,' she whispered. 'What's that smell?''What smell, lovey?''It smells like,' Mila paused, considering. 'It smells like the kitchen, when cook has fresh rabbits.'Mama didn't say anything but she looked at Papa.'I smell it,' said another voice from within the circle.'Me too.''Carrion?''Perhaps. The scent will carry when the air is still.'Not understanding what "carrion" meant, but glad that the adults appeared to have solved the smell, Mila relaxed a little, nose wrinkling at the sharp edge of that scent.Minutes ticked by as they covered good ground.'We're close,' said the man leading them. A screech flashed past overhead, the group twisting, following the sound.A man shouted.Mila's head snapped in the direction of the shout, just in time to glimpse the man's boots vanishing as something, something with enormous black wings, snatched him up!Shrieks of terror rang out
The Birthright Series Chapter 388
Everyone moved. It surprised Mila how many people were here, but so many seemed to be missing too. Mama took her hand. On her other side was her younger cousin Paiga. Normally she annoyed Mila, with all the questions she asked, but the scared expression in her eyes reminded Mila of Addy. She offered her other hand to Paiga, who took it with a tentative smile.The group began to walk.Mila hadn't realized until now how tired she was. She stumbled over the riverbed the rocks stubbing her toes as she held Paiga and Mama's hands. It made tears run down her cheeks, but she didn't stop. On and on, picking her feet up, tripping, Mama's hand stopping her from falling. Paiga tripped and Mila managed to hold her arm high enough to stop her cousin from hitting the stones.'Thanks, Mila,' Paiga sounded like she felt. Ready to cry. So very tired.Around them the adults talked. Mila listened.'Where do we go?''The hidden caves. We can keep underground nearly all the way to the coast.''The
The Birthright Series Chapter 387
Papa's energy sparked in alarm then Mama's too. Mila twisted to stare back at the way the sounds came from and spotted a bobbing light. Torch light.Mama and Papa kept low and began to move again, almost crawling. Mila crunched up against Papa's back, squinting at first then kept her head down to avoid the lower branches.The sounds of those approaching grew. Papa moved faster, Mama right behind. They scooted up higher, scrambling, and tucked against cold stone. Not a moment later the torches bobbed past, following the track they'd been on.The bobbing lights moved closer then away, and closer again. The voices, questioning but too quiet to make out the words, sounded near.Crouched against the narrow stone ledge, Papa and Mama held hands. The soft touch of their energy surrounded all three of them.The bobbing lights came closer, close enough that Mila saw the faces of those who held them. Five DeNaga men, armed with swords, axes, and clubs.Mila shivered at the sight of the
The Birthright Series Chapter 386
Now the puzzle looked a third smaller than when she'd stared, but instead of one beginning point to work from there were three. She regarded the three pieces while chewing on the inside of her cheek. Two circular and one rectangle. The rectangle had a large circular opening, about the size of the smaller circle. Mila focused on the larger circle and turned it around, looking for the switch. It looked different to the previous circles she'd worked with, the markings running out from the centre like a starburst. One line caught her eye. With a finger Mila traced down it then jolted when something clicked. She froze. Heart pounding in her ears, she watched the circle break apart, opening at all the lines of the starburst. With another click it moved into motion, each piece folding down on itself and merging with the next. A moment later a tiny gold ball like had been in the first puzzle piece hung before her eyes.Excitement ran through Mila when she realized how the pieces went togeth
The Birthright Series Chapter 385
An array of squeals, bells, rattles and shrieks rang out. Face white Papa reached for them as something flashed out from amongst the lock trap, winding around his leg, wrenching him off his feet as it wound back in the blink of an eye.Mama gripped Mila tighter, her voice breaking on a note of despair, 'ZAYCK!'In the centre of the ceiling held by his ankles, hung Papa.Mama's energy holding Mila clutched even tighter as Mama set her on the ground then stood and reached out with both hands toward the lock, her energy glowing. Mila stared, waiting to see what happened.Mama stretched her energy out, probing gently.It touched the first puzzle piece. A clattering of chimes and screeches rang out, sparks flying.In the centre of the room, jerking like a fish caught on a line, Papa made an awful shriek.Mila dropped, hugging her knees to her forehead, stomach and mind sick from that sound.Papa was the bravest, strongest man in the world.He couldn't be caught, be hurting.Who wo
