Return to Shanhasson by Joely Sue Burkhart Read Free Book Online Page A

his
spine.
    Several men squatted around him, swathed
in black cloth. “We thought you were dead.”
    “Not yet.” Dunes blew in his mind,
graceful waves scalloped by the winds. At least the words made sense this time.
“What happened?”
    “Nearly a week hence, we had gathered
about the fire to discuss our strategy, when a large black shape floated
overhead. Something flapped, and you were gone.”
    Teeth and claws flashed through his
mind, sinking deep but gliding through the blowing, shifting sands without
leaving a mark. Indeed, his body bore no wounds of any attack, just the dead
dragon as soon as he’d awakened. He took a deep, steadying breath, and his
spiced scent smoothed the straining tension.
    I
know exactly who I am. I’m Mykal tal ’Mamba, and nothing will prevent me from fulfilling my destiny.
    “Will you be able to challenge tal ’Cobra as planned?”
    He closed his eyes. Memories flickered
dimly in the dark corners of his mind. Brilliant green fields had faded to
blasted sands, but the hint of roses wafted through that memory. Sands and wells , he sighed, longing
trembling through him. “I will do what is needed.”
    The answer seemed to appease the men.
One by one, they touched his shoulder, murmured a soft word, and then left,
until only one remained.
    “It was Him ,” the man whispered, his voice tight with fear. He reached over
his shoulder and ran a long rope of oiled hair through his hand, tugging
firmly. “Shadow took you, and yet you live.”
    “Tell me your name.” Calmly, Mykal sat
up, absently twisting the ring on his smallest finger. “As well as everything
you know about this tribe and the others. Pretend as though I know nothing and
we have just met.”
    “Asad rav ’Mamba.” The man touched his forehead, lips, and heart in quick
succession, his eyes as wide and wet as the deepest well. “I’m your second and
we…” He gulped and rushed through the rest of the words. “We’ve been friends
since childhood. On the morrow, you are supposed to fight three other tals for the title of azi , the leader of all Keldar.”
    Perfect ,
he thought, letting his lips curl in a smile. The other man paled. “I want to
know everything about these tals ,
especially their weaknesses and fears.”
    As the man babbled every dread secret of
the tribes of Keldar, Mykal stared up at the slip of moon sliding across the
evening sky. A chill settled in the pit of his stomach, but he didn’t know why.

 
     
    CHAPTER
    THREE
    LITTLE
ARMS SQUEEZED SHANNARI’S NECK AND SHE NEARLY BROKE DOWN INTO LOUD, MESSY SOBS.
    Already mounted on her mare, Rhyra
called out, “Let’s go, Papa!”
    Anya squirmed in her mother’s tight
grip, more than ready to join her twin. In fact, the entire Sha’Kae al’Dan
contingent was snorting and pawing the ground, anxious to leave the Green
Lands—and Shannari—behind.
    That’s
not fair. This is my choice. There’s no other way to keep them safe.
    Resisting the urge to crush both girls
in her arms once more, she set Anya on her mare’s back. As all Sha’Kae al’Dan
children, the twins had practically grown up on horseback and were more than
comfortable, despite the maternal worry Shannari pushed away at seeing such
small children on such large animals. The cream-colored mare made a derisive
noise and shook her head.
    Harder yet was to walk over calmly and
look up at her beloved warrior preparing to leave her behind. Rhaekhar had
awoken her hours before dawn and made slow, tender, sweet love to her until
she’d stopped crying. He knew her well. Her pride would not take well to
breaking down in public before the nobles and people of Shanhasson.
    “We ride straight south.” His voice
sounded perfectly normal; his manner reserved, some might even say hard or
cruel. He spoke as a warrior, not a husband or lover.
    No one could feel his love flooding
their na’lanna bond which tied their
hearts and souls together. He warred his own kae’don in order to present so