Rise of the Mare (Fall of Man Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

am.” Davis produced a cocky smile.
“And I’m tired. Get some sleep. We’ll hear from her soon.”
    “You think?”
    “Oh, yeah. She has them traveling
powers. She’ll pop by soon.” Davis winked, leaned over, and planted
his lips to my forehead. “Get some rest. Good night.” I laughed as
he struggled to get up with a good balance. “Damn you making me get
on the ground. You know I’ve got bad knees.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “I’ll let it go.” He smiled. “Good
night. Get some sleep.”
    I stared into the small fire that had
started to dwindle. The sky was getting lighter. Light meant
safety.
    I would get some sleep, there was
still something I had to do first. Knowing Davis would not allow
it, I waited for him to slip into the building. I gathered some
things and headed out of the inner city . I needed transportation.
Even though I’d probably never catch up, I had to try one more time
to talk to Vala.

NINE – VALA
     
    Iry
stood on the pier. I could see him as my floater drifted closer. He
was dressed in typical Ancient clothing, like something I had seen
in the books of America Colonial times. We all dressed that way,
only the people of Akana were more peasant. Girls who were not
married wore the same pants and same white blouse that the males
did.
    I stopped guiding the floater and
allowed it to make its own way there with the help of the waves.
While he wasn’t alone, he did wait solo at the edge for me, arms to
his sides, his shoulder length hair catching the breeze. Behind him
were two Sybaris Elders in their black cloaks, their hideous faces
hidden.
    As the wind whipped I caught the
stench of Sybaris. Iry included. I had forgotten about his musky
odor. My only visits to him were ethereal, and there were no
smells. He had told me to focus and I would smell him. I didn’t see
how that was possible.
    I wondered why the Elders were
present. That worried me some.
    My floatation device made it to the
wooden pier and knocked into it.
    “It’s good to see you, Vala,” Iry
said. “Toss me that rope so I can secure this.”
    After tossing up my bag, I threw the
rope his way and he secured it, then reached down his hand. After
some hesitancy, I took it. Before he pulled me to the pier, he
squeezed my hand, closed his eyes, and smiled.
    I knew at the moment, he was drawing
that ‘feel good’ that a Mare was capable of delivering. A part of
me felt violated by him taking my energy without asking. As soon as
I gained my footing, I pulled my hand from him. It was then I
looked up and saw her.
    Nito.
    She walked forward in all her tribal
robe glory. I shifted a dagger filled stare to Iry. “You betrayed
me?” I asked.
    He squinted in confusion and
murmured, “What?” then looked behind him.
    It was apparent to me that he was
just as shocked as I was to see her standing there.
    “Vala,” he said, “I did no such
thing.”
    I wanted to tell him that I believed
him, then Nito rushed over.
    “ You should be placed under
arrest,” she said, “and not allowed into the village or any village for that
matter.”
    “She has the right to return,” Iry
said.
    “She has lost that right.”
    “Why?” Iry asked. “Because she
defended herself against when you sought her out
unjustifiably?”
    “Sharp is your tongue, little man. I
shall have it. Do you know to whom you speak?”
    “ I know our laws. I teach our
laws.”
    “There are no laws when it pertains
to humans,” she snapped. “They are not protected.”
    She spun and looked behind her.
“Elders, have him hand this human to me for apprehension.”
    “No,” Iry insisted. “Elders, she has
returned to be chosen in ceremony tomorrow.”
    “She is no more than a criminal and a
threat to the community,” Nito argued.
    “She…” Iry stated, “she is a Mare,
and in all fairness should be allowed to be chosen. It is a mark of
greed that Her Highness wants her apprehended. Surely you can see
she wants the Mare for herself?”
    Nito hissed.