Read The Chronicles of Lumineia: Book 02 - The Gathering for Free Online

lake before them. He frowned,
frustrated with himself. Why would Jack risk his life for Siarra? What did he
want from her?
    His annoyance
preoccupied his mind enough that he wasn't paying attention to the rest of
Liri's comments, so he was surprised when she rose and departed. The look she
gave him left him even more irritated. Did he say something wrong? It wasn't
the first time he felt he had, and just as before, he wondered what he should
have done differently.
    He wished he
had Murai to talk to. His adoptive uncle and the other masters of Sri Rosen would
certainly be called in for the coming war, but Taryn would not be there to see
him. While Murai would be coming to Azertorn, he would be traveling to
Xshaltheria. For the first time he realized that if he failed, it would kill
Murai just as much as if he'd wielded the weapon that slew him. Then his mouth
went dry as another idea struck.
    If he failed .
. . Liri would die as well.

 
    Chapter
4: Newhawk
     
     
    Taryn snapped
awake when Mae touched him on the shoulder. Alert, he scanned his perimeter to
find they were still on the Lake Road. Seeing no danger he yawned and checked
his weapons just in case. Around him the rest of the group were already
breaking camp.
    Throughout the
morning Taryn listened to Liri share stories of her time before Sri Rosen—and
before the plague of fear that Draeken’s assassin had spread. The picture she
painted brought sorrow to his heart, even though he’d never seen it.
    “This road
used to be a major throughway,” she said at one point, indicating the empty
road before them. “Dwarven caravans, brimming with weapons and armor, traveled
south to market in the human kingdoms. Humans from the south, so prone to
wander, traveled north and were welcomed into the druid and dwarven cities.”
She sighed. “There was a time when the three races mingled without fear, when
it was not uncommon to find a dwarf, elf, or human, almost anywhere.” Her tone
saddened. “It is a time I fear we may never see again.”
     “Perhaps not,"
Siarra said. "When the races gather at Azertorn, they will be forced to
work together.” Her laugh was ironic. “If they don’t kill each other—and if
they survive—then I believe a time of peace could return.”
    Mae agreed,
her tone pensive. “It would be good to see such a time again.”
    Trin laughed
out loud. “I’d like to see elves and dwarves mingle with humans.” He threw a
sly glance at Taryn. “Although the sight isn’t pretty when they do . . .”
    His laughter
was contagious, and Taryn couldn’t help but join in. Yet even as he chuckled he
found his eyes drawn to the east. The mention of his heritage served as a cold reminder
of who he had to face.
    They took a
short break around noon and were on the road soon after. Liri continued to
share information about the surface races, as well as the ones that lived
underground or in the water. Taryn was especially intrigued by the description
of the black skinned elves that were the mortal enemy of their surface cousins.
Although they rarely came to the surface, when they did it was to pillage or
destroy. Liri also described the deep gnomes, who were rumored to be just as
vicious as the dark elves.
    When Trin
asked how she knew so much about the different races, she flushed and responded,
“My . . . position . . . required that I learn of all the races.”
    Taryn smiled,
recalling the conversation when she'd revealed her status in Azertorn. She had
been born a princess, and even though there were three elven women closer to
the Queen, she had still been groomed for leadership.
    Liri changed
the subject and went on to talk about the dark skinned tribes of humans that
lived on the central islands of the Blue Lake. Constantly at war with each
other, they rarely ventured out.
    "It is
unfortunate," Siarra sighed, "because united the Azüre people would
be one of the strongest nations. Ultimately, their pride prevents them from
achieving such a