Moth by Daniel Arenson Read Free Book Online

place where they'd captured the Elorian. No more plants grew around him. Far ahead, the sky faded from indigo to deep purple and finally to black, and the stars and moon shone. Upon a distant mountain rose the Nighttower, still only a sliver, but Torin felt that it was watching him.
    He stopped the wheelbarrow.
    "Goodbye, friend," he said softly and turned to leave.
    Back in the west, the sun nearly vanished under the horizon; Torin stood at the very edge of night. He took several steps back toward the day, but that feeling of being watched wouldn't leave him.
    Ten more steps and he spun around. He stared into the darkness.
    Again that feeling tingled his spine. Somebody was watching him; he was sure of it. With a clammy hand, he gripped the hilt of his sword . . . and then he saw her.
    The Elorian stood not far away. She peered from behind a boulder, only her head visible. She seemed young, no older than him. Torin wasn't sure how he knew this, or even how he knew she was female—this was only the second Elorian he'd seen. Yet her soft features all spoke of a young, frightened woman. She had long, smooth hair the color of moonlight, and she wore white fur. Three scars, as from the claws of a beast, marred her face; one tugged her lips into a crooked smile, and the others ran across her cheek and eyebrow. Her eyes—large, oval, and lavender—met his gaze.
    For a moment, both she and Torin stood frozen, silent, simply staring. Torin wasn't sure how to react, but he dared not break the stare. He wondered if the Elorian girl would attack him, but no malice filled her eyes; he saw fear and wonder in the purple orbs.
    Finally, with a swift movement, the young woman disappeared behind the boulder.
    Torin wondered if he should approach, seek her, and try to make amends with this kingdom across the dusk.
    What would I say to her? How do I fix this? How would I let her know I'm not her enemy?
    He didn't know.
    He turned back toward the day, leaving the wheelbarrow and the bones behind.
    He returned to Timandra, found Bailey upon the hill, and pulled her into an embrace. He stood with her for a long time, his eyes closed, holding her.

 
 
CHAPTER FIVE:
KOYEE

    She stood upon the Nighttower, the wind billowing her hair, the moon gleaming against her blade. She stared across the plains of darkness—hills and valleys rolling black and lifeless toward the orange horizon, the dusk where the sunlit demons dwelled. She was Koyee Mai, a daughter of the night . . . and a daughter in mourning.
    "They killed him, Eelani," she said, holding her father's sword. "They killed my father, then slunk back into the fire. They will kill us all if they can."
    Her friend was silent, as she always was. Many claimed that jatashi —shoulder spirits—did not exist. Many taunted Koyee for inventing an invisible friend. But Koyee could feel the warmth on her right shoulder, the soft breath against her cheek, the comforting presence of her friend. She held out her hand, letting Eelani crawl from her shoulder onto her palm, a tingle that raised goose bumps along her arm.
    "Timandrians," Koyee said, and the word raised goose bumps over the rest of her. "Demons of sunlight. Murderers. I saw one, Eelani. I saw one with my own eyes."
    The doubtful also claimed that Timandrians were myths. They claimed that nothing could possibly live in the sunlit half of the world, that the light would burn all flesh.
    "But I know what I saw." Koyee tightened her hand around the hilt of her father's sword. "I saw a sunlit demon. He emerged from the dusk."
    She herself had smooth white hair, but the demon had sported a head of dark curls like nightwolf fur. She had milky skin, but the creature had a countenance of bronze. Strangest of all had been his eyes—beady eyes half the size of hers, one green and the other black.
    "I stared into his eyes, Eelani, and I saw evil." Cold wind moaned, ruffling her tunic of nightwolf fur. "He will return. He will shed more