Read Online Birthright (The Stone Legacy Series Book 5) by Theresa Dalayne - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Theresa Dalayne
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fables as he played outside. She said the markings would one day save mankind. “My mother told me so.”
Chapter Ten
Zanya
Again, losing sight of her first rule only proved to blind her from the inevitable.
Zanya sat on the bed, watching Arwan shove supplies into his hiking pack. He worked feverishly—blindly, even—as if the rest of the world no longer existed. Sweat collected on his brow and his eyes were narrow while he carefully counted the rest of their protein bars and divided them into rations for the day’s hike to the Temple of Inscriptions.
“Arwan…” She stood, lingering beside the bed. He didn’t look up from the supplies, nor did he give any kind of indication he even heard her call his name. She took a hesitant step forward. “Arwan.” She was careful to keep her tone gentle. “Are you okay?”
He finally looked up at her. “What?”
“I…” She bit the inside of her cheek. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” He grabbed one stack of protein bars and slipped them into a small pouch in his pack, then zipped it shut. “You should get your things. We could leave tonight…” He paused, seemingly considering their options. “No. That’s too dangerous. We need the daylight. More roots could rise, and we may not see them in time in the dark.”
Zanya twisted her fingers. Maybe he was fine, but her gut wrenched over the fact he didn’t notice she was absolutely not okay. “I don’t know if I can do this.” She shook her head, replaying the horrific scene of the birds being pulled underground. “I can’t—” She choked on her words and lowered herself back onto the mattress. “How could this be happening?”
“It’s happening.” He stood and tossed his pack on the foot of the bed. “We need to be ready for it.”
“I just…” She cradled her head in her hands, struggling for every breath. “It’s all happening so fast.”
Arwan walked toward her and sat on the mattress beside her. “Zanya…” He draped his hand over her leg.
She pulled away. “No.” She buried her fingers deeper into her hair. “Just…give me a minute.” She swallowed down the acid in her throat and pushed back tears, all to conquer the onset of a panic attack. It was just like when she was in the orphanage, except this time Tara wasn’t there to talk her through it.
Her stone grew cold against her wrist, filling her with the peace she needed to steady her breath. She lowered her hands to her lap. When she finally looked at Arwan, his fingers were laced together with his forearms on his knees. He sat in absolute silence, his tense features and focused stare making it clear he had dived deep into thought.
She ached to know exactly what was trolling through his mind. Where his imagination had wandered and if he was thinking about her. But after a lifetime of knowing his mother was raped, then carried him for nine months in disgust, only to abandon him before subjecting herself to death—this new revelation proved there was more to his mother’s story than he believed.
That he was more to her than he believed.
Zanya hung her head. How selfish could she be? “I’m sorry. It’s just been a lot of change in a short amount of time, and I’m still wrapping my mind around it all.”
He laced his fingers between hers. “I know. It’s been a lot for me too.” He squeezed her hand. “And I know you miss Renato and your mother.”
Zanya pursed her lips. “I spent my entire childhood missing my mother.” She huffed. “It’s ironic, isn’t it? She was gone all those years, and now that she’s back, a part of me wishes she weren’t.”
“Don’t say that.”
“It’s true. If she weren’t here, we would still be in Belize with Renato, Tara, Peter, Jay, and Hawa…” Her stomach tightened, sending another pulse of bile up her throat. “I’d probably be training right now, learning how to use my abilities
Chapter Ten
Zanya
Again, losing sight of her first rule only proved to blind her from the inevitable.
Zanya sat on the bed, watching Arwan shove supplies into his hiking pack. He worked feverishly—blindly, even—as if the rest of the world no longer existed. Sweat collected on his brow and his eyes were narrow while he carefully counted the rest of their protein bars and divided them into rations for the day’s hike to the Temple of Inscriptions.
“Arwan…” She stood, lingering beside the bed. He didn’t look up from the supplies, nor did he give any kind of indication he even heard her call his name. She took a hesitant step forward. “Arwan.” She was careful to keep her tone gentle. “Are you okay?”
He finally looked up at her. “What?”
“I…” She bit the inside of her cheek. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” He grabbed one stack of protein bars and slipped them into a small pouch in his pack, then zipped it shut. “You should get your things. We could leave tonight…” He paused, seemingly considering their options. “No. That’s too dangerous. We need the daylight. More roots could rise, and we may not see them in time in the dark.”
Zanya twisted her fingers. Maybe he was fine, but her gut wrenched over the fact he didn’t notice she was absolutely not okay. “I don’t know if I can do this.” She shook her head, replaying the horrific scene of the birds being pulled underground. “I can’t—” She choked on her words and lowered herself back onto the mattress. “How could this be happening?”
“It’s happening.” He stood and tossed his pack on the foot of the bed. “We need to be ready for it.”
“I just…” She cradled her head in her hands, struggling for every breath. “It’s all happening so fast.”
Arwan walked toward her and sat on the mattress beside her. “Zanya…” He draped his hand over her leg.
She pulled away. “No.” She buried her fingers deeper into her hair. “Just…give me a minute.” She swallowed down the acid in her throat and pushed back tears, all to conquer the onset of a panic attack. It was just like when she was in the orphanage, except this time Tara wasn’t there to talk her through it.
Her stone grew cold against her wrist, filling her with the peace she needed to steady her breath. She lowered her hands to her lap. When she finally looked at Arwan, his fingers were laced together with his forearms on his knees. He sat in absolute silence, his tense features and focused stare making it clear he had dived deep into thought.
She ached to know exactly what was trolling through his mind. Where his imagination had wandered and if he was thinking about her. But after a lifetime of knowing his mother was raped, then carried him for nine months in disgust, only to abandon him before subjecting herself to death—this new revelation proved there was more to his mother’s story than he believed.
That he was more to her than he believed.
Zanya hung her head. How selfish could she be? “I’m sorry. It’s just been a lot of change in a short amount of time, and I’m still wrapping my mind around it all.”
He laced his fingers between hers. “I know. It’s been a lot for me too.” He squeezed her hand. “And I know you miss Renato and your mother.”
Zanya pursed her lips. “I spent my entire childhood missing my mother.” She huffed. “It’s ironic, isn’t it? She was gone all those years, and now that she’s back, a part of me wishes she weren’t.”
“Don’t say that.”
“It’s true. If she weren’t here, we would still be in Belize with Renato, Tara, Peter, Jay, and Hawa…” Her stomach tightened, sending another pulse of bile up her throat. “I’d probably be training right now, learning how to use my abilities
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