Crowning Fantasy Book 1 by Coral Russell Read Free Book Online

head as he tossed the net into the water. He was Kertenkele, from Buyuk Col. Though he never saw another one of his kind he heard stories that not all Kertenkele made the Sabah Yuruyusu march to Rasima to beg for mercy from the Elyun. He learned that not all Kertenkele followed Onyx Ay's teachings or beliefs. His anger at Onyx Ay continued to grow and harden in his bones.
    By the second night Gumus learned that the Mikachiari's name was Cita. Soon Mina was talking about Cita joining them and earning her passage to Dong Tochi too. Gumus hoped Mina didn't run into any more orphaned Mikachiari or they would never earn enough to leave Sanddyner.
    When the newness of the strange Mikachiari wore off Gumus looked at her more closely. She didn't speak above a whisper and only directly to Mina, never to him. Cita's scars marred her face and one ear looked as if a lizard had chewed it off. Mina mentioned Cita had endured the Nodoshiku but for the rest of the damage there was no explanation. Her situation moved Gumus to pity and wonder again why these beings should continue to suffer.
    Cita's deception took him completely by surprise and it shouldn't have.
    Gumus had never heard Mina scream before. At first he thought she was having a nightmare so he closed up tighter around her only she wasn't there. He shot up, his bulk sending out a cloud of sand. A fiery torch swung across his knees, singeing the skin. Edges of blades, claws, blunt objects didn't come close to hurting a Kertenkele. Fire was a whole different matter.
    He stepped back only to hit the rock wall surrounding three sides of the campsite. Torches barely above his knees let him see who was attacking, Vartalf. Lots of them. Three piled on Mina. Cita cowered to one side, alone. She was saying something to Mina. Although Gumus couldn't understand the words the tone sounded a lot like an apology.
    Gumus balled up his fists and twisted his body from side to side, arms swinging wide to catch as many Vartalf in his wake. More poured into the camp as he scooped up Mina and headed to the water. The camp burned merrily behind them. The light from the torches reflected in the goggles the Vartalf wore and their whoops of celebration echoed in the night air.
    "Did you tell Cita where the money's hidden?"
    Mina wailed from the perch on his shoulder.
    Gumus took that for a yes. "It's all right." He stayed as deep as he could until a pike fish tried to take a chunk from his leg. The Vartalf soon made off with anything of value from their camp and the money they had hidden and worked so hard for. Gumus and Mina waited on the other side of the beach until they were done.
    Mina cried and repeated an endless stream of apologizes. 
    "It's not your fault. I should have known better." The anger of the Cinsel Iliski danced inside. Gumus tested it. Found he could sip from it if he needed to. He would kill anyone who got in his way from now on.
    They sat on the beach as the sun rose over the hills. Gumus truly did not know what to do now. Working day in and day out in the mines while being well-fed and cared for with his brothers had been easy. Half starved, his concentration taken up with trying to control the Cinsel Iliski while working all day to hunt and gather for a pitiful amount of money... and now this. Everything gone. Starting over. He could not think beyond it. His eyes trailed over the glittering water. He'd never heard how long it would take for a Kertenkele to drown.
    Mina tugged at his arm. Tears, soot, and singed hair marked her face.
    Gumus had to get her on a boat to Dong Tochi even if he had to toss her on deck from the shore. Tragedy followed them like a cloud. Aventyrare and Free Porters looked away and parted as they approached. Gumus took a couple of money, all that was left of their work over all these months, bought a steamed fish wrapped in paper and sat Mina down on a bench to eat it.
    She tried to share but he lowered his bulk until he could look her in the eye and said,