To Be Chosen Read Online Free PDF Page B

do what you must, and in the fullness of time you will cross paths with my daughter’s son. This I have seen and so it will be.”
    “I accept your words,” he answered in the customary way.
    “As well you should,” she replied while beckoning for Sasha to open the door. “Follow your instincts, listen to your heart, and do not get yourself killed,” she added as he started down the steps.
    Sasha darted around him the moment his boots touched the ground and took off toward Enrick, who was about thirty strides away talking to Stephanus and several other men. She waited patiently for the others to take note of her and pause in their conversation, and then spoke to the chief.
    “By the frown on your face, I’m guessing the revelation was not pleasant,” David remarked and moved to stand on Daniel’s right.
    Silvia took up the position to Daniel’s left, facing the archer. “Not going to find the girl of your dreams?” she quipped.
    Daniel smiled at the notion. “No mention of dreams. I have to rearrange some priorities and arrange my chores accordingly.”
    David laughed, although it seemed more a release of tension than humor. “Spoken like a true mountaineer,” he said and lost the smile after seeing no one else laughing.
    A trumpet blasted three times and everyone in the camp stopped what they were doing and began to move toward the center of the great spiral, which also happened to be where Daniel was standing. The door closed behind him and he turned to see Ruth at the top coming down the steps. Silvia moved aside when it became obvious the Seer wanted to stand near Daniel.
    It did not take long for every man, woman, and child of the troop to make it to the center of the spiral and stand staring expectantly, clearly an announcement was about to be made. Daniel had a bad feeling in his gut, this could not be good. Enrick was in the forefront along with several other gray-haired men and Stephanus.
    “Daniel Benhannon is the Chosen Vessel, so I have seen and so it is,” Silvia proclaimed in a voice louder than Daniel thought possible from such a tiny woman. Her right arm moved across her abdomen and back, and then emphasized her last word with a loud slap on her hip, as if for punctuation.
    People began to speak at once and Enrick stepped forward and turned to face the crowd, raising his hands, signaling for silence. Stephanus produced a trumpet from behind his back and blew a long solid note. When he stopped, all was silent. Some of the people were looking at their chief but most of them were staring at Daniel. The young faces seemed to be filled with wonder while men and women with touches of gray in their hair wore solemn expressions. No one seemed shocked. Ruth had said the Seers of the Teki have been talking about the Chosen Vessel for the last twenty years; evidently they shared some of those conversations with the members of their troops.
    “No wonder he fears no yeti,” Stephanus said and then actually smiled.
    “We must bring him to the Great Carnival,” Enrick stated and most everyone shouted approval of the notion.
    The Great Carnival always took place in Ducaun, due to it being the center most of the eleven kingdoms on the continent. Hundreds of Teki troops gathered every seven years and people from all over the world came to the vicinity of Ducanton to see them perform. The tradition also drew vendors of all sorts from every realm, selling foods, arts, crafts, and the like, and plenty of coins were made while the various troops entertained the crowds. The carnival lasted seven days, but Daniel had only heard about the gathering and only knew about it second, third, and fourth hand from people who had experienced it. Since he no longer had total recall, he had actually forgotten that the last Great Carnival was held seven years ago and the current one should start fifteen days hence.
    “The honor is ours, as you say,” Ruth told the chief. “The Reshashinni are the first of the Teki to