Read Online Gama and Hest: An Ahsenthe Cycle companion novella (The Ahsenthe Cycle) by Alexes Razevich - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Alexes Razevich
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away.”
Gama’s head hurt, remembering the grain fields, and trying to imagine what could pluck up every reed, every beast that swam or crawled. Trying to think of why someone or something would do that.
Bren from Trontin lay his hand on Joh’s neck. Joh’s spots burst into color — orange-red of anticipation, blue-red of anxiety.
“Please tell your story,” Bren said.
The pinkish female covered her throat with her hand, but let it drop when she started talking. The color on her neck was as bright as before, and Gama wasn’t surprised that her voice quavered when she spoke.
“I was with my brothers in our dwelling. It was after night-meal. We were talking and playing a game — the three of us. Suddenly the air in the room took on a kind of shimmering, like pond water that’s been lightly disturbed by wind. Then my brother was gone. Vanished right in front of my eyes.”
Gama’s chest felt like a band had tightened around it. This answered Prill’s question — the soumyo were no safer than the beasts or birds.
Joh’s neck erupted in a new color — the pale-blue of despair. Bren stroked her neck, but she pushed Bren’s hand away and locked eyes with Gama. “My brother was gone. Is gone. Where did he go?”
Gama wished she had an answer for her.
Reln sighed and pulled himself up off his pillow. “We’ll be in contact,” he told the Kelroosh and Trontin guides. “Tell you anything we learn as soon as we learn it.”
Kinto and Bren rose and moved to the door, their kin following.
When they walked out, all the kin of Reev stood waiting outside the door. Gama judged by their anxious expressions that Reln’s dwelling had told the kin and structures everything said inside it. Wall likely had told the other corentas.
One of the male, Grik, stepped in front of Reln. “What are you going to do about it?” he asked. Demanded, more like. Subtlety and patience were never strong in him, but it was the question in every mind, and it needed an answer.
“We are all confused and frightened.” Reln’s eyes were on Grik but his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. “Our thoughts chase each other in useless circles and we may find ourselves caught in that fear. We may want to place blame. We must focus instead on solutions. Reach out to your corenta-kin with think-talking, so we remember that we are all one. Speak with the structures. Test your ideas. Build one thought upon another until the solution is found. For now, we are safe in this place. We have food enough to last us a while. We have time to think and plan.”
He swept his gaze across the soumyo standing before him. “All work will be suspended. Go to the communiteria and the storage houses and gather what you will need for a five-day wait. Any news from the other corentas will be shared among us all as soon as anything is known.”
A female standing next to Gama opened her mouth to speak. Reln silenced her with a look and strode through the crowd toward the communiteria. The soumyo parted for him, but stayed rooted where they stood.
“Come on,” she said to Hest. “Someone has to be first.”
They sidled their way through the crowd after Reln. Their sisters and brothers fell in behind.
-=o=-
Gama bolted awake to Home softly crooning Kroot kroot to get her attention. The night was deep and dark. Home had never woken her at night before.
Frarm was with them again. He felt more comfortable with kin who’d also seen something strange and knew the truth of it in their hearts, he’d said. Gama had guessed that his dwelling-mates still loved him, but didn’t particularly want him around, as though seeing strange things might be catching. In the thin light, she could make out Frarm-and Hest-shaped lumps on their cots. Both slept fitfully, turning first to one side and then to the other, as though they couldn’t find a way to be comfortable.
What is it ? she sent to Home.
Something is here , Home sent.
What do you mean —
Gama’s head hurt, remembering the grain fields, and trying to imagine what could pluck up every reed, every beast that swam or crawled. Trying to think of why someone or something would do that.
Bren from Trontin lay his hand on Joh’s neck. Joh’s spots burst into color — orange-red of anticipation, blue-red of anxiety.
“Please tell your story,” Bren said.
The pinkish female covered her throat with her hand, but let it drop when she started talking. The color on her neck was as bright as before, and Gama wasn’t surprised that her voice quavered when she spoke.
“I was with my brothers in our dwelling. It was after night-meal. We were talking and playing a game — the three of us. Suddenly the air in the room took on a kind of shimmering, like pond water that’s been lightly disturbed by wind. Then my brother was gone. Vanished right in front of my eyes.”
Gama’s chest felt like a band had tightened around it. This answered Prill’s question — the soumyo were no safer than the beasts or birds.
Joh’s neck erupted in a new color — the pale-blue of despair. Bren stroked her neck, but she pushed Bren’s hand away and locked eyes with Gama. “My brother was gone. Is gone. Where did he go?”
Gama wished she had an answer for her.
Reln sighed and pulled himself up off his pillow. “We’ll be in contact,” he told the Kelroosh and Trontin guides. “Tell you anything we learn as soon as we learn it.”
Kinto and Bren rose and moved to the door, their kin following.
When they walked out, all the kin of Reev stood waiting outside the door. Gama judged by their anxious expressions that Reln’s dwelling had told the kin and structures everything said inside it. Wall likely had told the other corentas.
One of the male, Grik, stepped in front of Reln. “What are you going to do about it?” he asked. Demanded, more like. Subtlety and patience were never strong in him, but it was the question in every mind, and it needed an answer.
“We are all confused and frightened.” Reln’s eyes were on Grik but his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. “Our thoughts chase each other in useless circles and we may find ourselves caught in that fear. We may want to place blame. We must focus instead on solutions. Reach out to your corenta-kin with think-talking, so we remember that we are all one. Speak with the structures. Test your ideas. Build one thought upon another until the solution is found. For now, we are safe in this place. We have food enough to last us a while. We have time to think and plan.”
He swept his gaze across the soumyo standing before him. “All work will be suspended. Go to the communiteria and the storage houses and gather what you will need for a five-day wait. Any news from the other corentas will be shared among us all as soon as anything is known.”
A female standing next to Gama opened her mouth to speak. Reln silenced her with a look and strode through the crowd toward the communiteria. The soumyo parted for him, but stayed rooted where they stood.
“Come on,” she said to Hest. “Someone has to be first.”
They sidled their way through the crowd after Reln. Their sisters and brothers fell in behind.
-=o=-
Gama bolted awake to Home softly crooning Kroot kroot to get her attention. The night was deep and dark. Home had never woken her at night before.
Frarm was with them again. He felt more comfortable with kin who’d also seen something strange and knew the truth of it in their hearts, he’d said. Gama had guessed that his dwelling-mates still loved him, but didn’t particularly want him around, as though seeing strange things might be catching. In the thin light, she could make out Frarm-and Hest-shaped lumps on their cots. Both slept fitfully, turning first to one side and then to the other, as though they couldn’t find a way to be comfortable.
What is it ? she sent to Home.
Something is here , Home sent.
What do you mean —
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