The Hearts of Dragons by Josh VanBrakle Read Free Book Online Page A

gaped.
“How did you do that?” Iren asked. Even with his Maantec abilities, he doubted
he could have sent a man flying.
    “If you want to survive
in this world,” Hana said, “you need to be strong.”
    Iren blinked twice.
Hana’s words reminded him of someone. With a sideways glance at Balear, he
could tell the Lodian had the same feeling.
    They sounded like
something Amroth would say.
    Hana stepped over to the
man Balear had knocked out. The Orcsthian’s breath came with a sound like
bubbles; Balear had broken the man’s nose. Hana hefted the soldier to his feet
and held him up with her right hand.
    “What are you doing?”
Balear asked. “He’s defeated. Let’s take their horses and supplies and go, like
we planned.”
    Hana ignored him and
cocked her left fist. “No!” Iren cried.
    He was too late. Hana
plowed her hand into the Orcsthian’s chest. A horrendous popping followed as
her blow snapped ribs. Then, like the other soldier Hana had attacked, the man shot
out of the barn.
    Balear scowled. “That
was unnecessary.”
    Hana returned his look
with a fiercer one. “He was the one who did this to me,” she said, pointing at
her shifted top. “Humans don’t deserve to touch me.”
    The Lodian took two
steps back and raised his palms before him.
    Iren stepped between
them. “Well, let’s get out of here before anyone realizes these three are
missing,” he said. “Hana, are their horses outside?” When she nodded, he
continued, “Then come on. We have a long road to Tropos, and the sun’s already
setting.”
    The trio left the barn
without another word. As they mounted their stolen horses, Iren couldn’t help
but notice that his companions’ faces were different from before the battle. A grim
look replaced Hana’s exuberant smile, and Balear’s infatuated eyes had changed
into ones filled with worry.
    Iren sympathized with
Balear. Granted, Hana’s fighting abilities would help them cross the dangerous
landscape that Lodia had become. Even so, as they rode, Iren wondered what they’d
found in this strange Maantec woman.

CHAPTER EIGHT
Minawë’s Resolve
     
     
    Rondel charged through
the twilight of Ziorsecth Forest’s understory. The news she’d received was bad.
She’d gone to the Kodaman capital of Yuushingaral, but the Kodamas had said
that neither Iren nor Minawë had visited for six months. At last report, Minawë
was still at the Heart of Ziorsecth.
    That by itself was distressing
enough. More disturbing was the rumor about Iren. Scouts had spotted him
heading east toward Lodia—alone.
    The old Maantec arrived
at the Heart of Ziorsecth. Minawë knelt amid the graves, wearing the green silk
dress that marked her status as the Kodaman queen. It looked big on Minawë, or
perhaps more accurately, Minawë looked small in it.
    Rondel took a few
tentative steps. Minawë didn’t look like she wanted to be disturbed, yet Rondel
knew she had to speak with her.
    A twig ended Rondel’s
preparations. Not paying attention to where she walked, the old Maantec stepped
on it, and it snapped beneath her boot.
    Minawë turned. Rondel
inhaled sharply at the sight of the Kodama’s tear-filled emerald eyes.
    “Rondel?” Minawë called.
    Rondel did her best to
create her false grin. “You look surprised, Minawë. Is it so shocking that I
would pay you a visit?”
    “I thought you’d gone to
wander Raa. I didn’t expect to see you again. I don’t think Iren did ei—” she
broke off.
    The Kodama’s agonized
expression told Rondel everything she needed to know. “So it’s true,” she said.
Her smile faded. “Iren left.”
    Minawë nodded. “Several
days ago.”
    Rondel cursed. She
needed to find Iren before Hana did! “Where did he go?” she demanded. “Why
would he leave?”
    The way Minawë reacted
made Rondel regret how she’d spoken. The Kodaman queen put a hand on her
forehead. “It’s because of me,” she moaned. “He left because of me.”
    “That’s silly,”