The Gods of Garran by Meredith Skye Read Free Book Online Page B

Ruben came over to help. He snuggled up behind her and put his arms around her waist.
    "Don't," said Asta. "I can do it."
    "I'll help you," he smiled, kissing her neck gently. She let him for a moment but she felt annoyed this morning. She moved away.
    "I said I can do it," she said, more coldly.
    Ruben looked at her. "You aren't sorry . . . about last night, are you?"
    She looked up at him. "I just don't need you hovering over me," she said. It was cold. She knew that. She didn't really mean to push him away. She'd done this before with men that she liked. Ruben wasn't her first.
    He stared at her. "Fine," he said and turned away.
    They packed up the yithhe and continued their journeyed towards the capital city of Urrlan.
    Originally, the mysterious Borrai built the ancient city of Urrlan--the largest on Garran and the most civilized. Now, it served as headquarters for the Chanden. Born on the world of Toolash, Asta's family moved to Garran when she was seven. Of all the cities on the planet, she'd rather be in Urrlan--but it would never be home to her.
    Urrlan also held the Temple of Innurlan, one of the Garran goddesses. Now the temple served as a museum of Garran artifacts, which belonged to the Chanden High Realm. They might be able to tell her more about this ooluk , her priest sword. But if she showed it to them, they might confiscate it.
    The wind had been fierce this morning, pushing and pulling the little group of Enforcers as they traveled, playing with them like a sechule plays with its prey.
    Perhaps Asta was getting sick. Several times she felt dizzy. She imagined eyes staring at her, but when she turned around--there was nothing there. It was like tendrils of confusion slipped into the edges of Asta's mind. Her mind drifted.
    "Damn this wind!" said Ruben, interrupting her musings.
    They stopped in the desert of Draeffan to contact headquarters and report.
    Soon Ruben Drake returned and addressed the squad. “There is some sort of trouble to the south, down near Wanthe. I need someone to scout it out and report back.” He looked expectantly at the tired group, waiting for a volunteer.
    After a moment’s hesitation, Asta raised her hand. “I’ll go,” she said. She needed all the experience she could get. A solo mission would be even better to prove herself to the Agency.
    Ruben nodded at her, thinking it over. “All right,” he said. “Just gather intelligence,” he cautioned. “Don’t do anything heroic or stupid.”
    “Yes, sir,” she said. Of course, she wouldn’t deliberately do anything stupid.
    They loaded extra supplies on her yithhe, and wished her well. Then they were on their way.
    Asta traveled light. Now she had an important mission to complete. She felt confident that she could handle this. With the pay raise from joining the Stealth Unit, Asta would save up for her ticket off this forsaken planet.
    The sun cast a bronze hue over the sandy ravines as she plunged into the wilderness. Her goal was Wanthe. It was too far out for the convenience of the Chanden colonists, and too near the Eye of Innurlan for some natives, a cursed place that even some Garrans found unsettling.
    Wanthe was one of the smallest of the seven ancient cities. It held another major Garran temple. The winds there were terrible and only a handful of Garrans chose to live in it.
    In her mind, Asta reviewed her own story, which must be convincing when she came up with natives this far from the capital. The clan she pretended to come from was a very old one, scattered far and wide, the Shing River Clan. No one could prove her claims one way or the other. Plus she could read and write both Chanden and Garran. She had practiced her fighting skills for years, even with primitive Garran weapons.
    Asta's best weapon was the long bow. But now Asta had this ooluk --a priest sword. She had trained in sword-fighting but hadn’t been tested in a real battle. That was her one reservation. Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to