INBORN (The Sagas of Di'Ghon) by J. Lawrence Read Free Book Online Page B

time.
    Finally, when he realized that he needed to breathe or die, Thaniel reached up and brushed back her hair with his fingertips.
    “Maybe there is hope for you yet, Caller.” Irkhir’s grating voice cut through time, bringing back the horrid world with it. Even with the meaty hand resting on Thaniel’s shoulder, he couldn’t take his eyes of Elycia. She wouldn’t look at him. Wouldn’t confirm if she felt the same thing he did. Her eyes were riveted on the scaled path beneath her feet as she backed away.
    “She’s depending on you, Caller.” Irkhir shouted above the din, momentarily stepping in front of her, purposefully eclipsing his sight of her with his massive bulk. Thaniel wasn’t sure if he was talking about Elycia or Lisella Ontar. He was pretty sure they both were now.
    Thaniel slipped through the flaps in the chain walls. The scaled path wound to the exact center of the top of the tower, stopping at the dais. It was carved in the same eye bending wind pattern as the rest of the huge chamber, but if everything else was nicely done, the dais was exquisite. If it wasn’t stone he would have sworn he was looking at a real whirlwind with a serving table perched on its head, as if the wind itself was offering up a sacrifice to the dra.
    Thaniel glanced back at Elycia through the walls of heavy chain. For just the briefest of all instants he caught her watching him. Their eyes met briefly. There was no mistaking the hurt he saw there. His mind raced… going over the past few minutes in a desperate effort to reconstruct every instant of it.
    Dread poured into his heart like a flood of rancidness. Had he wanted her to love him so badly that he imagined her wanting him? Was it possible that she stumbled closer to him, or had someone pushed her? Had she gripped his shoulders in an effort to push him away while someone shoved her into him? Maybe he shouldn’t have kissed her. Not like that. Not there in front of all the soldiers.
    Before her eyes slid away, Thaniel sent every bit of apology he could to her then, and with a lump in his throat that was easily the size of his heart, he turned to face his fate.
    Step by agonizing step, he made his way along the scaled path and started up the dais, his feet feeling like dead weights. Finally, he stood at the top.
    Nothing happened.
    “Caller.” Lisella Ontar stood close to the wall of chain. “Look at her.” There wasn’t any doubt who she was talking about. “Do you love her?”
    How could she ask that after what she had done to him? Elycia’s hair hung over her face as she stared straight down. There wasn’t any chance he would be able to get past today.              
    “Leave her alone. I’ll do whatever you want. Just…”
    At a nod from Lisella Ontar, Irkhir, with a fist full of her blonde hair, pulled Elycia’s head up where he could see her. Tears streamed down her face.
    “I said I’ll do whatever you want! Get your hands off her!” He screamed.              
    “Call the dra! Or the girl gets a new kiss.” Lisel la Ontar, her chest heaving in and out with every word, yelled over the wind. Her cold eyes never revealed whether she cared one bit either way.
    “I’m here. I’m on your dais. Nothing is happening.” He raged at her, Ontar or not. Irkhir had explained it all well enough. Once the Ontar finished her speech , all he had to do was get on the dais. Then wait for the dra and get out of there before it ate him, or not, his choice. Thaniel was on the dais. He’d done his part. They couldn’t hold her responsible if the whole thing was a farce. Could they? Well, would they?
    Keriim grinned and took a step closer to Elycia.
    “Wait.” His eyes locked on Lisella Ontar’s. “Please. What do you want me to do? Tell me,” Thaniel pleaded as Keriim took another step closer. “What do I do now?”
    “Get on your hands and knees.” Irkhir said.
    “Anything, just don’t hurt her…” Thaniel dropped to his