Breaking Gods by Viola Grace Read Free Book Online Page A

the double quarters on Mother and Father’s orders.”
    Lieta scowled. “They didn’t tell me that.”
    Sister Esrai smiled, her weathered features wore the familiar look of amusement at Lieta’s naivety. “They didn’t want to upset you anymore than you already were.”
    Singing and dancing rang through the central courtyard.
    As the evening went on, the specialists took their leave. Lieta was happy to see them go, and she knew that for Heirak and Ukiss, it was the last time. They did not like Muraz and it showed in their bristling hostility. Valuu knew that they were a set now and she would pass it along. The next pilot that she got would be aware and hopefully accepting of the situation.
    “Do you dance?”
    She shook herself out of her plans for the next time she had to go in search of her own kind. “What?”
    “Lieta, do you dance?” Muraz smiled.
    “Yes. A little. Why?”
    “You need to work off some of your tension and it is a good way to do it and keep your dignity.” He got to his feet and held out his hand.
    She put her hand in his. “You have never seen me dance.”
    Lieta pivoted on the bench and stood up. She grinned when the dancers tripled the amount of room they would normally give a new couple.
    The sash around her waist kept the robe in place as she stepped, turned, bowed, twisted, turned, stepped and turned again. Muraz kept up, but he was laughing too hard and missed a few steps as they faced each other, held hands and skipped sideways.
    Lieta poured her enthusiasm for life into her dancing. This was something that everyone did equally, no matter their talent.
    She spun, jumped, landed and laughed while kicking up her heels and moving with energy until she was pleasantly tired.
    The music slowed suddenly and Muraz pulled her against him. The robes were thick enough for decency but thin enough that she could feel the heat from his body. Her hands were flat on his shoulders and they were both sweating. The torches were being extinguished and the moonlight painted them with cool colours. When she yawned and swayed against him, she felt his silent chuckle through her palms.
    Lieta looked up at him and smiled. “Yes, I know I need to get some sleep.”
    “If only for the sake of the musicians. They don’t want to disappoint you and they are exhausted. It has been all hands to the harvest.”
    She paused. “Right.”
    Lieta eased herself out of his arms and nodded to the brothers and sisters still playing the instruments. They stopped with relief. Fingers were stretched and lips were massaged.
    With a smile, she pulled out a new trick, formed particles of light in her hand and blew them toward the musicians where they clung and glittered on faces and hands. “Thank you.”
    Each bit of light carried gratitude with it and they would feel it until the morning.
    Muraz asked, “What was that?”
    “A thank you. We don’t use money as you know by now. I met a woman whose child had been taken apart by a madman and she thanked me with light, so I kept the skill, though I could not heal her loss.”
    She began walking into the abbey proper with Muraz at her side. She clarified her position. “I accept you as my shadow, as part of your probation. You are not my mate, nor my friend.”
    He nodded and led her to the open door in the couples’ quarters.
    She poured water into the washbowl and splashed it on her face before leaving and using the restroom down the hall. She returned to the bedroom and he was already in bed, his robe folded neatly on the chest next to the footboard. He politely turned his back as she unwrapped her sash and folded her own robe.
    She slid between the cool sheets and pulled them up over her shoulders. Muraz turned until he faced her. “Your people here love you. There is not one element of fear when they speak of you.”
    She smiled and shifted to lie on her belly. “Why would there be? I was raised with them. I have guarded them since I lost my first tooth.” She