The Song of Eloh Saga by Megg Jensen Read Free Book Online Page A

around at all this morning. Usually I pass her in the market while I’m delivering messages.”
    The lies rolled around in my brain. Ivy was up early. You probably just missed her. She was asked to run a special errand in regards to today’s party. But none of them would slip easily off of my tongue in front of Grey. Many nights I’d lulled myself to sleep wondering what it would be like if he touched me, even the smallest accidental elbow bump would send me into hours of fantasies. I could barely converse with him on a normal day, how could I lie to him now?
    Before I could turn around, a single tear dropped out of my eye. In Eloh’s name, why couldn’t I hold myself together?
    “Reychel,” he whispered again as he took a step closer. “If she’s off on some crazy errand then she may not be home in time for your branding ceremony.”
    I nodded, not looking at his face. The lie was his, but it fit and explained my tears. It was better than I could do at the moment. His boots shuffled closer and I held my breath as his arms encircled me. His chin rested on my head. As my scalp shifted to accommodate his broad chin, I felt tingles course through my body. It felt better than I’d imagined, not that I ever thought he’d actually take me in his arms.
    He moved his mouth down to my ears as he whispered, “If she’s not back in time, will you let me help you?”
    I swore I felt his lips brush my earlobe, but I was too overwhelmed to register anything more than the obvious. He wanted to help me, be the one to make sure I was well before and after the ceremony. It was beyond anything I could have dreamed.
    “Yes,” I answered into his shoulder, nodding my head slightly.
    Grey pulled back, but only far enough so that his arms were still around me. “You’ll do okay, Reychel.”
    I glanced at him. His brown eyes wandered my face and lingered on my lips before settling back on my eyes. The skin around his eyes crinkled as a smile sprouted from his lips. He cocked his head to the side and slowly moved in towards me.
    “Grey,” Luci screamed from the kitchen. “Are you done delivering that message yet? If you are, then get your butt out of the back room. Reychel has work to do.”
    “Message,” he fumbled as he let go of me, stepping back to the doorway. “I forgot about the message.”
    I wanted to tell him it was okay, that I was happy with what had, what was, happening. But I just nodded, my lips together. His fingers broke the seal on the note and opened it.
    “I’ll read it.” I reached out for the note.
    “No,” Grey said, “I was given orders to read it to you, as a witness that you received the message.”
    “Okay,” I said, pulling my hand back.
    “You’re to report to Kandek’s private chambers,” he said, his eyebrows narrowing. “Alone and make haste.”
    His shoulders slumped as he repeated his message one more time. I knew how it sounded. Just like every other slave, he wondered why I spent so much time alone with Kandek. I knew it the moment he read the first sentence.
    “I have to go now,” Grey said, backing up to the doorway. His eyes no longer sought mine.
    “It’s not what it sounds like,” I begged, finding my voice. But it was too late, he had already left.
    ***
    I stomped my feet on the dusty floor and put the last of the breakfast dishes on the cart. I wheeled the cart off, averting my eyes from the bright sun streaming through the open window. I pushed the cart to Luci and told her the contents of the message before hurrying down the hall. My mind drifted back to Grey. Had he considered kissing me? I certainly thought he was going to until Luci interrupted us. Then the message. I felt the heat rise up from my belly.
    My whole life I had accepted my fate here. No looking out windows, no trips outside even if everyone else was given a chance. I attended Kandek as he asked, no more, no less. But why? What made me so special?
    As I entered Kandek’s outer rooms, my eyes