Flight by J.A. Huss Read Free Book Online Page A

misinterpretation. You see, the myth in the original cuneiform is marked off like this." She takes my hand and pulls me over to a long tablet filled with columns of ancient Sumerian. "This image," she points to a glyph, "has been translated as outsider or outcast. But it can just as easily mean shepherd or leader." She looks down at me. "I think it says you're the leader – the shepherd to bring us together. That's why you're always out front." She takes my hand again and leads me over to another plaque and points to a group of seven dots. Six of them are lined up like the six dots you see on dice. "You're this one." Her finger gently touches the single dot at the head of the group. "The leader, see?"
    I nod. "OK."
    "They're all like that, Junco." She takes me to several more and points to the group of seven, six lined up in two short rows, and the seventh out in front of them. "They've misinterpreted the myth. And while all of you think I'm not important in all this, I happen to think I can read them a little better than the rest of you for a reason. It's my gift. Like Junco has her warrior skills, I have the history inside me." She looks around to see what we think. "I can just read them. It's easy."
    "So how did the Seven get on Earth? And where the fuck have the genetics been for all this time?"
    She shakes her head at this one. "That, we have no idea. There is nothing that points to where the containers were hidden and none of the humans have ever divulged how they came to have them. We don't even know who started it all, or why they knew they had to."
    I smile and feel a genuine love for Esta. "You're right, Esta. You're good at this. I bet we all have gifts. I wonder what Moju's gift is?" I'm lost in thought and when I look up Ryse is next to Esta and has his arm around her, making her feel important. I smile at them both. "Hey, have you ever looked at the cuneiform writing on the Fallen Archer church over at Fledge? I'd love it if you could translate that for me."
    "Sure, Junco." She inhales and lifts her chest up a little. I made her feel important too. And I didn't even do it on purpose, I just really want another opinion on what that shit says for some reason.
    "We already read that translation, Junco." Ashur is looking down at me with a weird look on his face.
    "Yeah, but it didn't fit with what I thought it would say. Even though the words I translated came out about right. If Esta's the expert in this stuff, then I'd like to hear what she has to say about it."
    "Junco, how many fucking times do I have to tell you to leave that fucking church alone?"
    Isten is walking towards me, covering significant ground with each stride, angry as all hell. I just stare at him. "What do you mean? You said don't go fucking praying to her so she wouldn't mess up the end. It wasn't her anyway, it was Sera all along."
    He grabs me by the arm. "Come on, we've got to go fit you for rifles and armor."
     
     
     
    In the flyer Isten is distant and looks out the window. I'm not interested in why he's in such a bad mood, so I ignore him and rest my head back to think. I wonder if Ashur is going to take Lili out to dinner? This makes my stomach rumble and I look over at Isten, who has not even turned in my direction once since he picked me up. I sigh and give in. "Why are you angry with me?"
    "Huh?" He looks over, his mouth in a crooked sneer.
    "You're angry with me?" A question this time.
    He shakes his head, but it's not convincing. "I'm not." Then the flyer stops and he pushes me to get out on the passenger side.
    We exit onto a store front platform. The sign reads Aves Supply. Which pretty much says it all, right? We're here for military shit.
    Inside it's more like a private club than a gun shop. A tall thin wingless man, in a suit that reminds me of Lucan, greets us and they talk in Avian. I'm not that good at picking up the words when they're talking so fast, but I get the basic idea.
    A set of double doors open and lead to a