Souls of Aredyrah 3 - The Taking of the Dawn Read Free Page B

there girl,” Dayn said,
straightening her onto the saddle.
    “Why the face?” Alicine asked, realizing her
brother’s gloomy expression. “Can’t you be happy at all? Surely
there’s room in your heart for the happier memories. You do have
some, don’t you?”
    Dayn focused his eyes on nothing as he
contemplated an answer to her question. Then he said, “Well I
remember it felt pretty good to sleep in a real bed. I do look
forward to that.”
    “That’s it? That’s all you can say? This is
your home. You grew up here for goodness sakes!”
    “No, I grew up in Tearia.” Dayn searched her
face for a hint of understanding. To his surprise, he found it.
    “I guess we both did,” she said. “Come on,
let’s go.”
    Dayn forced a smile. “You’re right; we still
have a long way to go. No sense sitting here arguing about whether
I’m happy or not. I promised I’d get you home to Mother and Father,
and that I’ll do. At least that will make me happy.”
    ****
    It took two days for their surroundings to
appear more familiar. As Dayn surveyed the peaks growing distant at
their backs, he began to chart in his mind approximately how much
further they had to travel. He had spent most of his life looking
up at the mountains. Now he just had to look at things from a
different perspective.
    The cabin of their childhoods would be
nestled just below the high forests of the clan lands. Only
affluent citizens were allowed to own property in the fertile
bottomlands or live near the thriving coastal city of Kiradyn. It
was there that the Vestry council met, and it was there that the
political and religious powers of Kirador were firmly
entrenched.
    Located on the southwestern border of Aerie
territory, their family’s cabin was closer to the thriving city
than the others of their clan. They visited Kiradyn frequently; his
mother’s healing potions were popular, and his sister had been one
of the few chosen by the Spirit Keeper for private tutoring.
Unfortunately, Dayn was frequently forced to tag along. More than
anything his parents wanted him to be accepted in spite of his
differences, so had worked hard to assimilate their ways with
Kiradyn customs and speech. But though Dayn may have sounded like a
Kiradyn, he would never look like one. As Dayn thought on it now,
he was grateful his parents had never moved closer to the city.
Though the rocky soil of their homestead had caused them nothing
but grief, at least he and Alicine wouldn’t have to pass any
Kiradyn homes to reach their own now, and there was little chance
of running into anyone other than a fellow clansman along the
way.
    They continued their descent through a
seemingly endless landscape of firs and aspens and pines. Dayn had
expected them to reach home by late afternoon, but the bright
autumn sun had turned dim with a thin layer of clouds moving in
from the north, slowing their pace with the arrival of an early
season cold front.
    The wind picked up, sending a rush of frigid
air whipping through the branches. Dayn tightened his collar around
his neck.
    “I’m freezing,” he muttered.
    “You’ve grown weak,” Alicine said.
    “I suppose I have,” he replied. “Well, Mother
will have the fire going, and I plan to plop down in Father’s chair
whether he likes it or not and plant my feet right down in front of
that hearth.”
    “Oh, so you think Father will give up his
chair for his run-away son? I don’t know…you might not have a
backside to sit on when he gets finished with you.”
    “I’d like to see him try,” Dayn grumbled.
    ****
    They did not reach the house as soon as they
had hoped. A veil of mist had descended upon them, followed by
storm clouds that ushered in stinging rain. They sat hunched on the
horses, their bedrolls wrapped around their shoulders, praying they
wouldn’t have to sleep another night on the blankets that were now
soaked through. But night was upon them before they knew it, and
they found themselves huddled against