Darkness Risen (The Ava'Lonan Herstories Book 4) by Ako Emanuel Read Free Book Online Page B

battle. And though, sooner or later her inner pains would have to be
dealt with, she decided resolutely that it would be later. She did not have the
time now to be distraught.
    “Otaga, Pentuk, Rilantu, Staventu,” she called in a
voice without even a shadow of the tiredness and distress she had freely shown
up to now. Those summoned came in instantly, concern written on their faces,
only to see a calm and somewhat careworn High Heir gazing placidly back at
them. Of the wounded Jeliya there was no sign. The mantle of the High Heir
completely shrouded her in a calm that was, to all appearances, unshakable. For
an instant they were all dumb-founded. Then their own masks and discipline fell
into place.
    “We have been gone a long time, and we have been
through many travails,” she said. “But we have returned to the Central Lon, and
it has its own trials. Please apprise me of the events that occurred in my
absence at the Bolorn’toyo. I have a lot to catch upon, and little time to do
it.”
    “Yes, you have,” Rilantu replied, sitting to her
right. “On both counts.” The others arrayed themselves around her.
    “Tell me what I have missed,” she said, looking
around.
    “The Bolorn’toyo, for one thing,” Staventu
commented, and she did not fail to note that his hand was curled affectionately
around Pentuk’s. His tone implied something serious, more serious than mere
delinquency.
    “Tell me.”
    They all looked at each other, then left it to
Rilantu to break the news. “Jeliya,” he said gravely, “you were challenged at
the Bolorn.”
    “ What?! ” Challenged ? In her mother’s
own Hall? “Why? By whom?”
    “‘Why’ was because of your absence. ‘By whom,’ was
the Ottanu.”
    Jeliya’s head spun. A challenge? At the Bolorn?
Things were a lot worse than she thought if some Border Queen felt she could
challenge the High Heir in the heart of T’Av’li.
    “And how did the Queens react to Mother’s
announcement?” she asked with a sinking feeling.
    “There were many strong protests. Calls for regency,
for delay. And the Ottanu used that as an opening to question your whereabouts,
and in doing so, question your fitness to assume the High Throne.” He told her
the whole incident in detail, including what had occurred at the Salaka and
their suspicions concerning Tokia’s motives. Jeliya listened carefully,
frowning slightly, as she added this information to what she had learned out in
the unclaimed lons. He told her about the High Queen’s idea to collaborate with
the Doan Queen to possibly foil Tokia’s schemes.
    “The Doan?” Jeliya’s frown deepened, then
disappeared. A flit of memory - a spear flying past, in the Doan coral and
mauve. She looked around. “There is something of my journeys that I think you
should know,” she said.
    “Yes, tell us what happened to you,” Staventu urged,
sitting forward. “As much as you can,” he added. They all leaned closer,
eagerly.
    She considered what to tell them and what to leave
out. “I had an accident,” she began, “and I fell on a poisonous plant that has
not been seen before. It is like thrista magnified times ten. I was rescued
almost immediately and treated, but I was delirious and fevered and effectively
blind.” Pentuk gasped, and Jeliya smiled reassuringly at her. “I...” she
hesitated, not wanting to give away just yet that she had found what she was
looking for, in a manner of speaking, “came very close to what I was looking
for.” It was not a lie, and more truth in more ways than one. “And I also came
very close to death. The one who helped me, saved me. He nursed me back to
health. But once the Rite of Finding bonded to me, he deemed that it was no
longer safe to stay where we were. We left and used the binding of Finding to
come closer to you. We were pursued. By warru of many different Tribes. Or
rather, by many warru implicating many different Tribes, including the Doan and
the Ottanu.” She looked at Otaga.