Ramaeka (The Ramaeka Series Book 1) by G. Corin Read Free Book Online Page A

tempted to stay and listen to their conversation, however they were
already moving up the passage so he slipped away, turning up the next opening,
a short corridor with small cells like the one Alekra was in.  Ramaeka slipped
into the closest wondering how he hadn’t noticed this area before.  His father
and sisters voices moved closer and Ramaeka listened intently.
    “I want to
know,” his father was demanding.
    “Of course Sir,”
replied his sister soothingly.  “But until we can figure out how to understand
her language, I don’t believe we can go any further.”
    “Then find a
solution.”
    His father
growled as they swept away down the hall.
    He crept out
of the unlit passage and stared after them.  That was strange he thought, his
father actually wanting to talk to a human.  He walked down to the opening of
Alekra’s cave frowning.
    Alekra was
sitting in her corner again with her head in her arms. 
    “Alekra,” he
called softly. 
    She jumped
looking up wildly.  She relaxed slightly when she saw it was him and moved to
the front of her cell. 
    “Someone’s
cleaned you up,” he said frowning, she looked even more draconic without all
the dirt and filth.  In fact she was rather pretty he thought, with light brown
hair and blue eyes.  It was clear though that she had been crying, and as she
reached out for the food he was offering he noticed that her hands were
shaking.
    He waited
until she had finished eating and drinking before saying each of the three
words she had taught him yesterday, pointing at each thing in turn.  She smiled
slightly and pronounced the draconic words he had taught her, finishing with
Ramaeka.  They spent the next few hours trading words back and forth until once
again his sharp ears picked up someone’s approach. 
    “Goodbye,” he
said waving at her.
    “Goodbye,
Ramaeka,” she replied in clear draconian.  Grinning he hurried away, perhaps he
should be a teacher when he grew up he thought, since he was so great at it.
     
    The next few
weeks took on a repetitive nature, as soon as he finished lessons and chores in
the evening, Ramaeka would sneak away to see Alekra, taking food and drink with
him and coming away with more human words.  They usually had about two to three
hours together depending on when Ramaeka got there, before a dragon would come
to check on the prisoner.  They were possibly the happiest hours of Ramaeka’s
life.  He had never had a friend to talk to before, all his siblings either
ignored him or beat him because he was smaller than they were, plus he was the
only earth element dragon in the fortress.  His family and the servers were all
rock, ice or magic.  Despite being completely separated from the earth by great
rock mountains, he had somehow been born an earth dragon.  Though the servers
were kinder to him they still never had time to talk to him properly or wanted
to start a friendship with a son that Ramanae disliked so much.
    Alekra didn’t
know anything about that stuff, and though their conversations bordered around
exchanging words, they were the most fun Ramaeka had ever had.
    Despite his
best efforts however Ramaeka still could not find out why she was being kept
there.  Nobody seemed to know except Ramanae and a few of his oldest and
smarter siblings like Ramapaiete who were refusing to say anything about it. 
Alekra herself didn’t seem to know either.  In a stilted conversation which
after several weeks they were now able to achieve he asked her about the
matter.
    “Alekra, why
are you here?” he asked gesturing to try and get the question across.  She
frowned and shrugged.
    “Dragons catch
me,” she replied in draconic gesturing as well.
    “Why?” Ramaeka
asked in frustration.
    “Eat?” she
suggested looking at him.
    He shook his
head.
    “There must be
another reason you’ve been here too long.”
    Alekra looked
at him unsure of what he was saying.  He sighed, if he knew what his father’s
plan was he could