Souls of Aredyrah 2 - The Search for the Unnamed One Read Free

the help I
usually do, thanks to him.” He shot Reiv a look, then continued
tearing into the fish.
    But Reiv refused the bait; arguing with Torin
would only prolong his departure for Pobu, and it was already
taking long enough. He pulled his fish off the flames and sat
cross-legged in the sand as he used his thumb to split the
fish.
    “You, too?” Jensa shook her head. “I see I
will have two bellies to medicate.”
    “Tearians eat raw fish all the time,” Reiv
said. “It is considered a delicacy.”
    “Hmmph,” she said. “The only thing delicate
about it is the feeling in the gut that follows.”
    Reiv rolled his eyes and dug his teeth into
the fish, chewing quickly and swallowing it down in gulps. He
tossed the remains onto the fire and started to wipe his greasy
hands down his tunic. But then he thought better of it. He had
worked too hard to make himself look presentable that morning. He
raked his hands through the sand, then rose and folded his arms
across his chest. “So, are we ready to go then?”
    “Do you mind if I finish mine first?” Jensa
asked with annoyance.
    Reiv sighed.
    “You might as well grab some palm nut while
you’re waiting,” she said. “That fish won’t hold you for long.”
    “She’s right, you know,” Torin said. “You’re
going to need all the strength you can muster when you face Alicine
today.” He laughed.
    “You find that amusing, do you?” Reiv said.
“Well I think I can handle one girl, and a rather small one at
that.”
    “You didn’t do such a good job of handling
her before,” Kerrik piped in.
    “What do you know about it?” Reiv asked.
    “I know you ran away because of her.”
    “I did no such thing!”
    “Oh yes you did,” Torin interjected.
“Hopefully when you run away from her this time, you’ll run in the
opposite direction of Meirla.”
    “Gods…enough!” Jensa said, rising. “Come
Reiv. I can stand no more of this. Let us get you to Pobu before I
am forced to kill the both of you.”
    Reiv nodded and turned to leave, but Kerrik
called for him to stop. Reiv complied grudgingly. “What is it?” he
said.
    “Do you have the bracelet for Alicine?”
Kerrik asked.
    “Yes, in my money pouch.”
    “And some coin in case you want to buy her
something?”
    “Yes, yes.”
    “You’d better let me check your kohl,” Kerrik
said.
    Reiv heaved a sigh and leaned down to give
Kerrik a closer look at the black design painted around his
eyes.
    “Looks good,” Kerrik said. “Your hair, too.
Those cockles look really nice wound in your red hair like that. I
don’t know about the tunic, though. It doesn’t look like something
a Shell Seeker would wear. But the necklaces make up for it I
guess.”
    “Thank you. May I go now?”
    “I’m only trying to help,” Kerrik said. “You
do want to get her back, don’t you?”
    “Since when is a seven-year-old an expert on
women?”
    “Since I started paying attention.”
     
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Chapter 3: Painted Faces
     
    T he Jecta city of
Pobu was a dismal-looking place from a distance, its brown
buildings huddled against an even browner countryside. The
population that lived there didn’t have the luxury of spending
their hard-earned coin on adornment. They were barely able to put
food in their mouths much less color into their lives.
    Pobu was only a short distance east of the
Shell Seeker encampment, not a far walk, but Jensa insisted she
escort Reiv there nonetheless. There were too many disgruntled
Jecta who resented his past life as a prince. Strangely enough,
Torin had agreed, and he rarely showed any interest in Reiv’s well
being.
    Reiv and Jensa reached the courtyard past the
main entrance to the city and headed though an alley that led them
to a side street. They saw few residents; most had already gone to
the Market grounds to make preparations for the following day.
Although the Shell Seekers were always the most popular vendors,
the Tearian patrons were still willing to pick through