Protector of the Flight Read Online Free PDF Page B

made
of gray stone. Rustling behind her told Calli that others would be leaving,
too. Now that they’d healed her. Huh. She wondered who would accompany her on
the “tour.” She had an idea Marian and Faucon would come along.
    “We’re
on the second story of a five-story building, near the front that faces the
Temple Ward. A ‘ward’ is a courtyard, and this one has a big, round Temple at
the end. That’s where we Summoned you and where you came through the
dimensional corridor this morning,” Alexa said.
    They
turned left and walked to the end of the hallway to a set of stairs.
    “We’ll
give you a map,” Alexa said.
    “When
we brief you later,” Marian said. “In private.”
    That
might be good. So many new faces were a little intimidating. Calli really hadn’t
believed she had such an imagination to populate this dream. All of her other
dreams—until recently—had been of simple stuff.
    She
suddenly recalled the dream that had woken her that morning. Alarms. People
needing help…like several she’d had lately.
    They
tromped down the stairs and sounded like a bunch of people clattering down a
stone staircase. The floor was hard under the soles of her boots, too.
    “My
tower’s diagonally behind us.” A smile flickered over Alexa’s face. “I have a
whole tower to myself, here at the Marshalls’ Castle. I also have an estate of
my own. You’ll get one, too.”
    “A
spread of my own?” Calli pounced on the statement.
    “Yes.”
    “Are
there mountains?” Even walking down the large hallway, Calli could tell the air
was more humid, felt different in her nose and on her tongue than the air she
was used to. All her senses fed her unfamiliar information. She had to be
dreaming, or there was a really big catch.
    A
shadow passed over Alexa’s face and for the first time she answered hesitantly.
“There are mountains, but I don’t think you should live in them.”
    “I
can handle anything the mountains throw at me,” Calli said. She’d been through
blizzard and fire and drought. But that was Colorado. If she was in some other
dangerous place, she didn’t want to stay. She wanted her land, her ranch.
    They
reached a door. Alexa threw it open.
    And
Calli saw dozens of winged horses. Once again a flood of affection came from
them.
    Bastien
urged her forward, but as soon as she took a step outside into the yard, the horses
trumpeted in greeting.
    She
couldn’t help herself. Fascination at their beauty mesmerized her. She threw
off Bastien’s hold and strode into the yard and was immediately surrounded by
horseflesh. No, volaran flesh. Warm and fragrant and strong and just
completely marvelous.
    They
pushed against her, noses snuffling at her hair, her shoulders, everywhere.
    She
was buffeted and…passed around.
    What
was even more fabulous was that she heard—whisperings—brushing her mind.
    Our
Exotique.
    Our
Calli.
    Our
friend.
    She
reached out and stroked a neck, patted a nose and finally touched the wing of
the dappled gray stallion.
    The
volarans moved several lengths away from her and the gray. The courtyard fell
silent. Quietly, with infinite grace, the gray stretched out his wing for her
to study.
    It
was simply the most beautiful thing Calli had ever seen. Huge and soft with
feathers. But this was a big horse. She didn’t know how it could fly.
    Magic. She heard the
word clearly in her mind. And our bones are strong but hollow.
    She
swallowed.
    Quick,
small footsteps advanced and Alexa joined her. The woman’s face was alight with
wonder.
    “They
love you,” Alexa said. “You’ve only just met them and they all love you.”
    Once
more Calli became aware of the delight emanating from them. This time it wasn’t
words or just a feeling. This time it was a Song of welcome, blended of
harmonies that sang of wild flight with the wind, of running, of pirouetting
and playing in the air.
    Like
the sound that she had heard as a child when riding free and fast across a
mountain meadow. A