Read Molten for Free Online Page A

when she finished them both.
    She was about to exit the skimmer when she noticed a small gathering of children near it. “Hello.”
    One of the little girls came up and smiled. “Miss, we have a question.”
    Blinking in surprise, she nodded to the rainbow of hair on the half-dozen children with grey skin. “Please ask it.”
    “Why was Rand carrying you?”
    Nanette crouched down. “I accidentally burned off my shoes. That is why. He didn’t want me to hurt my feet.”
    The girls whispered, looked at the bare footprints that were noticeable in the dirt near the skimmer and one ran off.
    “Please wait with us, miss. You need shoes.”
    She looked at the small, earnest faces and cocked her head. “Why are you concerned about my feet?”
    Their little spokesperson smiled with her chin high. “Because if Guardian Rand wants to protect you, we want to protect you. You will have shoes, miss.”
    It took a few minutes, but when the girl returned, she was holding a pair of soft boots in her arms.
    The little spokesperson smiled. “Meena is an excellent judge of size, miss.”
    The girl with the boots who looked to be around eleven years old extended the soft leather. “These should fit, miss.”
    With no choice, Nanette leaned against the edge of the skimmer and pulled the boots on. The fit was perfect.
    “It was an excellent choice, Meena. They are very comfortable. Thank you. Who do I pay?”
    Meena’s skin darkened. “No one, miss. My parents said I could take them to give to Guardian Rand’s mate.”
    “I am not exactly—”
    Meena held up her hand. “I know you are not yet, miss, but I know when things fit. You and he fit, miss.”
    There was a certainty in her young eyes that Nanette wished she had had at that age. “I will trust your judgement, Meena. Thank you.”
    She smiled and thanked the rest of the short gathering, and then, she had a thought. “Do any of you know where I could be of assistance?”
    The minute spokesgirl smiled. “Come with us, miss. The people are all taken care of, but the animals might need your help.”
     
    Three hours of fixing the fences at what was a W’lyn zoo, but was actually simply a border between the woods and the city, was surprisingly fun. The girls ran down the line and found the next weak point while the young Kivikia called the animals and put them back on their side of the border.
    Each girl had to notify their parents of where they were, and once all parents were fine with their exercise, they had trooped out to the edge of the city and begun the extensive repairs to the warped and twisted fences. Nanette could do this task in her sleep.
    Three miles of fence were fixed, and the city was safe from some of the larger predators that would otherwise risk their own lives on a hunt.
    “Enough for today, Nanette. We are going to regroup at the base. All citizens are safe and the majority of services are restored.” Rand spoke from behind her.
    She turned with a smile and introduced the young ladies. “Ladies, this is Guardian Rand. Rand, this is the ersatz repair squad. They are excellent at finding weak points in metal work.”
    He bowed to the half-dozen girls staring at him with huge, fascinated eyes. “Ladies, the city of Hurano owes you a debt.”
    Loffa, the spokesperson, stepped forward. “You owe us nothing. We will be citizens and citizens help their community.”
    Rand smiled. “Yes, they do. Your parents must be very proud.”
    Loffa grinned. “They are.”
    Nanette giggled and wiped her now-cool hands on the wrap. “I think Rand has a good idea. Tomorrow is more work, and if I am able, I will return to assist with the repairs again.”
    She stumbled a little as she walked, and she heard Meena pipe up, “Guardian Rand, miss is very tired. You should carry her so that she doesn’t injure herself.”
    Nanette turned in shock to stare at the little girl, but Meena was looking smug and Rand already had her in his arms.
    He muttered against her hair,