It Dreams in Me by Kathleen O’Neal Gear Read Free Book Online Page A

could have.”
    “ If I’d been sure it was him! I wasn’t!”
    She seemed to be mulling that over. “What did Wink say when you told her this part of the story?”
    “She asked me what the message was, and I said I hadn’t delivered it. Which you know is true, Matron.” The acrid smell of his own sweat was becoming overpowering. He added, “Then she asked me if I knew the man. I said, truthfully, that I did not.”

    Sea Grass’ gaze drifted over the chamber, as though contemplating every possible permutation of the high matron’s thoughts. In a voice so soft that Red Raven suspected she didn’t realize he could hear her, she said, “But Wink knew who the man was. Of course she did. Who else could he have been? This very instant she must be trying to fathom what I’m up to. Which means …”
    Her gaze came back to Red Raven. His shoulders knotted, as though they could already hear bow strings being pulled tight. “You may still be useful.”
    Relief flooded his veins with such intensity he sagged forward on the bench. “Command me and I’ll be on my way, Matron. I’ll do whatever you wish me to.”
    “Yes,” she said with a cold smile. “I know you will.”

9

    AS MOTHER SUN DESCENDED TOWARD THE WESTERN HORIZON, an iridescent copper gleam suffused the forest, shimmering from the magnolia leaves and falling across the trail like shattered bits of amber.
    Sora shoved another low-hanging branch aside and continued up the trail behind Flint and Strongheart. No one had come this way in a long time. For most of the day, they’d been hacking and ripping at the overgrown shrubs and vines that blocked the trail. Often, they’d just given up and found a way around.
    She gazed up at the green canopy. It had been a silent trip, each of them focused on getting out of the Black Falcon Nation, but as dusk settled upon the land, Sora could tell that solace was about to end. Ahead of her, Flint and Strongheart walked side by side. Flint kept sneaking glances at Strongheart, who pretended not to notice.
    Finally, Flint said, “Is the story about the Meteorite People true?”
    “Which story?”

    Flint turned to scowl at the tall slender holy man. “What do you mean ‘which story?’ The story about you calling down the Meteorite People to crush a village elder you didn’t like. I heard they found a grand total of six pieces of the poor man.”
    She couldn’t see Strongheart’s face, but she heard him sigh. “I did dislike him, but I did not call down the Meteorite People who struck him.”
    “Then who did?”
    “I don’t know. The gods, perhaps.”
    “Hmm,” Flint said in a disbelieving voice. “What about the soul-flying stories? It is said that you can send your soul flying to attack your enemies.”
    “Who says?”
    “Does it matter?”
    “It matters to me.”
    As though he hadn’t heard, Flint said, “A Trader told me there was a very disagreeable clan matron in the south who saw you soul-flying. Her family found her the next morning with her guts hanging out of her mouth. Apparently she’d vomited them up.”
    “Did it occur to you that she may have been so disagreeable a member of her own village stuffed the entrails down her throat and blamed me to escape the wrath of her relatives?”
    “Are you saying that all of the stories about your Spirit Powers are false?”
    Strongheart stopped in the middle of the trail and stared at him. “You’re not afraid of me, are you, Flint?”
    Flint spread his legs as though to brace himself against a Spirit attack. “Of course not. I wouldn’t have brought Sora to you if I’d been afraid of you.”
    “Nor would you if you’d thought the stories were false.”
    They walked in silence again for a few paces before Strongheart said, “Now, may I ask you some questions?”

    Flint gave him an askance look and stopped again. “What about?”
    Strongheart stopped beside him. “Did you know Chief Short Tail would return to Eagle Flute