Read Online Gama and Hest: An Ahsenthe Cycle companion novella (The Ahsenthe Cycle) by Alexes Razevich - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alexes Razevich
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something ?
I can’t say . There are no words , no pictures I can send you . But something is here . I feel it .
Her breath was shallow in her chest. Home was right. Something felt wrong with the room, with the air. Wrong in the same way that the shimmer in the sky was wrong. She couldn’t put words to it either, couldn’t describe what made her skin feel suddenly clammy, or the air seem cold and thick.
Hest rolled over and sat up, a movement of shadow in the room. I feel it too .
The air grew thicker, colder, harder to breathe. Hest coughed, and Gama made out the quick movement of his hand covering his mouth, trying to stifle a second. It didn’t matter, though. Whatever was there saw them, or smelled them, or had some other way to track them. It knew every move they made — Gama felt that as true.
Frarm pulled his blanket tight around himself — a small movement that Gama could barely see in dim room Why is it so cold ? Frarm sent. I’m shivering .
Both of you , she sent, come to my cot . I think we should be close , keep hold of each other .
Hest threw off his covers but walked slowly, as if afraid to bump into something in the empty space between his cot and hers. When he reached her, he sat gingerly and took her hand. She squeezed back and made sure they both had a firm hold.
You come too , Frarm .
He slung his legs over the side of his cot, but froze there.
The air began vibrating, the individual bits bouncing against her skin. As cold as the room had felt before, it turned warm now. Sweat beaded on her scalp. She squeezed Hest’s hand tight.
Come be with us , she sent to Frarm. Quickly . It’s safer if we’re together .
Was that true? Anything that could snatch up Carding House could likely grab three little soumyo as easily as she could pick up a gathering basket. But it would feel safer if they were together.
Frarm seemed to gather his courage and jumped from his cot — the thud of his feet hitting the floor sounding as loud as thunder to her. He didn’t walk slowly as Hest had. He ran, leaning so far forward that halfway across the room he stumbled and nearly fell. He pulled himself upright and stopped. Gama locked her eyes on his, as though her gaze could drag him the rest of the way.
A strange noise joined the pressing air in the room — like whirling bugs skimming past her earholes. And behind that, a low hum. And a faint smell, like something bitter burning a distance away. Hest coughed again. Her gaze slid to him for a bare moment.
When she looked back, Frarm was gone.
“Hest!” she yelped, and thought-talked, Frarm , where are you ? Are you all right ? Frarm ! No reply came back. Worry blasted through her. Her spots flared blue-red. One spot lit soft-green-yellow — relief that it hadn’t been Hest who was taken. Or her.
Home called to the other structures, likely telling the other structures what had happened. Her chest felt tight, her muscles cramped. The heavy chill in the air lifted and she managed to send Home a request to turn up the lights. Frarm’s cot was empty of anything but his crumpled blankets. Her heart pounded against the cage of her ribs.
“What happened?” she whispered to Hest.
“I don’t know,” he whispered back. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
Are we next ?
“I don’t know,” he said.
Get out ! Home sent. Get out now !
They ran. Home threw open its door. Reln stood just outside the door and grabbed her hand as she crossed the threshold. It looked like all their sisters and brothers had fled their dwellings too. Why not? Staying indoors hadn’t protected Frarm.
“Go to Community Hall.” Reln’s voice was low and firm. “Calm yourselves. We’ll need you to tell us what happened.”
Her mouth felt dry and her neck hot from the colors flaring on her emotion spots. Hest wasn’t doing any better. He tried to send her a thought but it was jumbled. They followed Reln’s orders and went straight to Community Hall,
I can’t say . There are no words , no pictures I can send you . But something is here . I feel it .
Her breath was shallow in her chest. Home was right. Something felt wrong with the room, with the air. Wrong in the same way that the shimmer in the sky was wrong. She couldn’t put words to it either, couldn’t describe what made her skin feel suddenly clammy, or the air seem cold and thick.
Hest rolled over and sat up, a movement of shadow in the room. I feel it too .
The air grew thicker, colder, harder to breathe. Hest coughed, and Gama made out the quick movement of his hand covering his mouth, trying to stifle a second. It didn’t matter, though. Whatever was there saw them, or smelled them, or had some other way to track them. It knew every move they made — Gama felt that as true.
Frarm pulled his blanket tight around himself — a small movement that Gama could barely see in dim room Why is it so cold ? Frarm sent. I’m shivering .
Both of you , she sent, come to my cot . I think we should be close , keep hold of each other .
Hest threw off his covers but walked slowly, as if afraid to bump into something in the empty space between his cot and hers. When he reached her, he sat gingerly and took her hand. She squeezed back and made sure they both had a firm hold.
You come too , Frarm .
He slung his legs over the side of his cot, but froze there.
The air began vibrating, the individual bits bouncing against her skin. As cold as the room had felt before, it turned warm now. Sweat beaded on her scalp. She squeezed Hest’s hand tight.
Come be with us , she sent to Frarm. Quickly . It’s safer if we’re together .
Was that true? Anything that could snatch up Carding House could likely grab three little soumyo as easily as she could pick up a gathering basket. But it would feel safer if they were together.
Frarm seemed to gather his courage and jumped from his cot — the thud of his feet hitting the floor sounding as loud as thunder to her. He didn’t walk slowly as Hest had. He ran, leaning so far forward that halfway across the room he stumbled and nearly fell. He pulled himself upright and stopped. Gama locked her eyes on his, as though her gaze could drag him the rest of the way.
A strange noise joined the pressing air in the room — like whirling bugs skimming past her earholes. And behind that, a low hum. And a faint smell, like something bitter burning a distance away. Hest coughed again. Her gaze slid to him for a bare moment.
When she looked back, Frarm was gone.
“Hest!” she yelped, and thought-talked, Frarm , where are you ? Are you all right ? Frarm ! No reply came back. Worry blasted through her. Her spots flared blue-red. One spot lit soft-green-yellow — relief that it hadn’t been Hest who was taken. Or her.
Home called to the other structures, likely telling the other structures what had happened. Her chest felt tight, her muscles cramped. The heavy chill in the air lifted and she managed to send Home a request to turn up the lights. Frarm’s cot was empty of anything but his crumpled blankets. Her heart pounded against the cage of her ribs.
“What happened?” she whispered to Hest.
“I don’t know,” he whispered back. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
Are we next ?
“I don’t know,” he said.
Get out ! Home sent. Get out now !
They ran. Home threw open its door. Reln stood just outside the door and grabbed her hand as she crossed the threshold. It looked like all their sisters and brothers had fled their dwellings too. Why not? Staying indoors hadn’t protected Frarm.
“Go to Community Hall.” Reln’s voice was low and firm. “Calm yourselves. We’ll need you to tell us what happened.”
Her mouth felt dry and her neck hot from the colors flaring on her emotion spots. Hest wasn’t doing any better. He tried to send her a thought but it was jumbled. They followed Reln’s orders and went straight to Community Hall,
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