AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“These are daemons,” she gasped. She took a cautious step closer to me and sniffed again. “And you are… you are bonded to this one!” I gave her an awkward smile and a small wave.
“Hi, I’m Raven,” I said. She staggered away from me as if she had been slapped. Turning back to Rycon, eyes wide, she gaped at him. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and gave her a shrug.
“Like I said, it’s a good story.”
We stood in the clearing in silence for a beat. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Then, Rhyalla threw her head back and laughed. She laughed so hard her stomach muscles convulsed and she physically curled into herself.
Rycon rolled his eyes and strolled over to one of the corpses Amon had left on the forest floor, nudging it with his boot. I noticed that the dead shifters were wearing what looked like loin cloths held together with thick leather belts. Knives and small travel sacks had been threaded through the leather.
Rycon went to work raiding the travel sacks of the dead panthers until he found what he was looking for. A pack of Camels and some matches. I wrinkled my nose. He really was disgusting sometimes.
“Yeah, yeah,” he said, putting a cigarette to his lips and lighting it deftly with a match. He took a deep inhale and closed his eyes, savoring the smoke before letting it out through his nose. “Laugh it up, it’s all very funny.”
“You left us, because you did not want to be burdened with your responsibilities as Rhoan... and now you’re bonded to a daemon!” Her laughter had slowed, but she brushed a tear from her eyes, and seemed to still be suffering from a case of the giggles. “You’re such a fucking idiot.”
“Not just any daemon.” Kasha butted in, grinning. “Raven is The Origin’s daughter.”
Rhyalla’s eyes flashed, and she looked me over again. This time a little more carefully.
“You don’t say?” She asked, creeping forward to sniff me. Amon stepped closer to me, his face stony. Rhyalla turned her attention to him, before glancing back at Kasha and Dossidian.
“And who are you three?” She asked, taking Amon’s hint, and backing away to give us more space.
Dossidian stepped forward, sketching a bow. “I am Dossidian, Commander of the Court of Pride’s armies, and this is Kasha.” He said, gesturing to the blue haired daemon.
She smiled, dipping into a small bow of her own. “Spymaster for the Court of Pride. This is Prince Amon. Not sure he needs much of an introduction. I’m sure his name precedes him.”
Rhyalla nodded, watching Amon closely. “Yes. I have heard of you Prince Amon. You’re a mean one, if what the stories say are true.” She looked down at the ruined corpses of her fallen and the corner of her mouth turned upward. I think she was impressed. What an odd species, shifters were.
“Judging from the work you have done on my K'aalpa-kah, the stories are very much true.” She slid her gaze back to us, as Rycon lit up a second cigarette behind her.
“I am intrigued.” She admitted, looking back over at her brother. “Do you speak for this party? If I allow you and this team of daemons into Olkuyrbe, will you take responsibility for their actions? We all know responsibility isn’t exactly your strong suit.”
Kasha snorted. Rhyalla glanced at her, and they exchanged a smirk. I had a feeling Kasha and Rhyalla were going to get along well. Rycon waved his hand at his sister lazily.
“Yeah, sure. I speak for them.” He said without much concern. Rhyalla nodded and gestured for us to follow her deeper into the jungle, where the green mossy trees grew impossibly thick.
“Good. You are just in time for the Yal'duun-kala. Guests as powerful as you four will be… in high demand.”
“Yal'duun-kala? Who’s getting mated?” Rycon asked lightly. She glanced at him with a mischievous smile on her face.
“I am. To K’yen.”
Rycon choked on his cigarette.
“Fuck off!” He snarled, grabbing Rhyalla by the arm and turning her around to face him. “You are not mating with that asshole.”
“I am.” She smirked. “And when I do, the Olkuyrbe leap will finally have a Rhoan, once more.”
37
We followed Rhyalla through a thick wall of large Kapok trees. More K'aalpa-kah warriors stood watch high up in the branches, and they drew their bows as we approached. Rhyalla made a chattering sound in the back of her throat, and they immediately stood down.
One of them tossed down a bundle of what looked like animal hide. Rhyalla caught the bundle before unfurling what I realized was a rudimentary skirt and bandeau set. She stepped into the roughly stitched outfit and buckled the thick leather belt over the sensual curve of her hips. As we passed through the thick natural wall of trees, Rhyalla opened her arms and turned to face us with a smile.
“Welcome,” she purred, “to Olkuyrbe.”
I tried not to gape, as I took in the bustling community around me. The settlement was inspired by the natural environment it had been built in. Tree houses had been constructed from wood in circular patterns around the massive Kapok trees they clung too.
