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Stryver s direction. I didn t think. Forgive me?
Can t do anything else. He glowered at his nearly empty tray
then tossed it on to the sand. God, I want you so much, it s making
me nuts.
With that comment hanging in the air between them, Stryver
tromped after Melbo.
Again, Stryver had shocked him. From his words and actions, he
gave Blue no real idea he spoke the truth. Anger didn t relate to
desire. At least, not in Blue s mind. Unable to find a reasonable way
of explaining his mood, Blue finished eating, took both trays to one of
the women, and went to where the men stood at the edge of the
jungle.
Dense foliage hid the interior of the land around the perimeter of
the village. A narrow path cut through the trees. Vines grew over the
dirt track. Shrill cries and low grunts came from the canopy. Blue
glanced up to see a band of monkeys frolicking in the upper branches
of the trees.
Rica, the little girl who d greeted him yesterday, skipped to his
side and took his hand. She tilted forward, looking up into his face.
You ready to run fast, little brouda?
Gazing into her bright brown eyes brought a smile to his lips. I
suppose.
She d never know that if he so chose, he could run the entire track
twice as fast as any human. He d never do it, though. One of the
young men stretching on the outskirts of the crowd would win, if not
Stryver. Blue would make sure to lose this competition.
You try hard, okay? She encouraged him. Without waiting for
him to answer, she released her hold and ran to where her mother sat
on the steps of their hut.
Stryver strode to his side. Ready?
Blue nodded.
Come on. They re allowing us to lead the way. You go first.
Blue Heaven 87
Oh, no. You first. Blue managed to look worried then lied. I m
not fast.
He stared at him longer than needed. Why don t I believe you?
Blue widened his eyes in what he hoped was in an innocent
manner. I have no idea.
With a shake of his head, Stryver answered with a wag of his
finger for Blue to follow. And so he did. He always seemed to be
tagging behind him. Of course, Blue loved the view from this vantage
point. Stryver s rear tightened with each of his steps. Fingers itching,
Blue wanted to run them along the solid strength.
Melbo slapped Stryver on the shoulder. Ready, broudas? Go,
then, and may the blessed Godchild keep his holy watch over ya.
Stryver s eyes widened a fraction as he glanced at him. Blue
shrugged and grinned at him with a quick nod.
He passed Blue, entering the jungle. Almost immediately, he
broke into a fast, steady lope before switching to his quickstep. Blue
remained on his heels. Soon, the sound of more running feet came
from behind him. Blue dropped back to allow the two young men
competing with them to catch up. One at a time, the two slipped by
him and soon trailed behind Stryver. He grinned. This race seemed a
perfect way to distract Stryver from his worries.
The three men disappeared around a bend. As Blue drew nearer to
the turn, a sharp force from the right tugged at his body. He slowed,
frowning at the invisible strings holding him back. He stopped and
glanced around. His gaze searched for the reason. Monkeys screamed
overhead. Bird fluttered their wings as they took flight to the clear
skies. Closing his eyes, he concentrated harder. Heartbeats later, the
source came to him. He looked to his right.
A stone monument peeked from the clinging vines. He moved to
stand in front of it. Ancient, worn glyphs decorated the vine-shielded
body of a squatting monkey. The Abbot had taught him many
languages, and most of the writings for them. These glyphs, though,
weren t familiar. He lifted a hand and touched the stone.
88 Jadette Paige
Invisible strings shot out from the stone and latched onto his hand.
He pulled, but they tightened. His gaze shot toward the direction
where Stryver ran ahead of him. Not many spells possessed the power
to hold a Godchild, and Blue had never expected to find one here.
He opened his mouth to call out but stopped. No, this time, he had
to find the strength to not be afraid of his power, to battle this unseen
force on his own.
Attempting to physically pull away from the statue, his heels
slipped on the loose dirt. More of the invisible strings touched him.
This time, they tugged him closer to the statue. He ignited a white-hot
flame of his energy into his fingers and sliced through them. Lifting
his gaze, he noticed another statue farther into the jungle. Unable to
stop, he moved toward it. Again, the unseen force pulled at him. He
repeated the same process with this one as he had with the first.
Ten more statues stood along a straight tract, each situated deeper
and deeper into the dense jungle, and all of them sought to bind him.
The trail became more difficult to traverse, but using his power, he
cleared the way. By the time he reached the last stone statue, the path
behind him had long since disappeared. He wasn t worried. He d
simply follow the statues back.
Still, why had these stone monkeys been put here, and when? His
answer came as he turned in a circle, looking for a sign. Under a wall
of trees, branches, and more vines, he made out the lines of a stone
building. So, the statues marked an avenue leading to this place.
For the first time, unease rippled through him. His inner self
insisted he leave and return to the race. But his human side needed to
discover more about the building and statues.
The headman s comment from the night before came back to him.
Could this be the spot the monks from long ago had imprisoned the
demon? The hair on his arms stood up. A demon. He d yet to come
across one in this life. What were they like? Did this one still exist?
He had to find out.
Blue Heaven 89
Blue moved to the wall and followed it in a circle, climbing over
branches and shoving the foliage out of the way. Dank, musty dust
floated around him and mixed with the rotting mulch under his feet.
There must be a door somewhere. He yearned to find it. No, he
would discover it. The desire to seek out what was in this building
turned into an obsession. He refused to turn away. Something
important waited for him there.
He d almost made an entire circle before the stone gave way to
thick, wooden beams rising vertically. Their length ran at least four
times his height, almost reaching the tops of the eaves. From this side,
the rounded copper dome over the building became visible. The
copper had long ago turned pale green, blending with the array of
greenery surrounding it. The metal on the door had rusted but still
appeared to hold the wood together. How long ago had it been since
they had built this structure? Why had they selected this spot to
construct such a place here in the jungle? Was it truly a prison for a
demon?
He eased closer, listening. He stopped, standing frozen to stare at
the imposing structure. The glyphs from the statue were absent here.
His gaze snagged on a hump against the stone next to the door. He
knelt beside the strange shape. Carefully, he moved some of the
leaves away.
A mummified face met his gaze. He fell back, landing on his rear.
His breakfast rose to the back of his throat, and he swallowed,
fighting the need to empty his belly. He stared into the black holes
where eyes were meant to rest. Was this the demon, dead many years
now? Dusty prayer beads showed against the slumped shoulders.
No, not a demon, but a man. His hands were tied close to his face
by a band of cloth. The same cloth wound from his jaw about his head
and around his neck. Even his legs were bound by the same band.
What had happened to him? Who was he? Why was he here, left
to decay, forgotten with time? Blue shifted closer, captured by the
vacant spaces of the long-dead eyes. He d seen the same type of
90 Jadette Paige [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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Stryver s direction. I didn t think. Forgive me?
Can t do anything else. He glowered at his nearly empty tray
then tossed it on to the sand. God, I want you so much, it s making
me nuts.
With that comment hanging in the air between them, Stryver
tromped after Melbo.
Again, Stryver had shocked him. From his words and actions, he
gave Blue no real idea he spoke the truth. Anger didn t relate to
desire. At least, not in Blue s mind. Unable to find a reasonable way
of explaining his mood, Blue finished eating, took both trays to one of
the women, and went to where the men stood at the edge of the
jungle.
Dense foliage hid the interior of the land around the perimeter of
the village. A narrow path cut through the trees. Vines grew over the
dirt track. Shrill cries and low grunts came from the canopy. Blue
glanced up to see a band of monkeys frolicking in the upper branches
of the trees.
Rica, the little girl who d greeted him yesterday, skipped to his
side and took his hand. She tilted forward, looking up into his face.
You ready to run fast, little brouda?
Gazing into her bright brown eyes brought a smile to his lips. I
suppose.
She d never know that if he so chose, he could run the entire track
twice as fast as any human. He d never do it, though. One of the
young men stretching on the outskirts of the crowd would win, if not
Stryver. Blue would make sure to lose this competition.
You try hard, okay? She encouraged him. Without waiting for
him to answer, she released her hold and ran to where her mother sat
on the steps of their hut.
Stryver strode to his side. Ready?
Blue nodded.
Come on. They re allowing us to lead the way. You go first.
Blue Heaven 87
Oh, no. You first. Blue managed to look worried then lied. I m
not fast.
He stared at him longer than needed. Why don t I believe you?
Blue widened his eyes in what he hoped was in an innocent
manner. I have no idea.
With a shake of his head, Stryver answered with a wag of his
finger for Blue to follow. And so he did. He always seemed to be
tagging behind him. Of course, Blue loved the view from this vantage
point. Stryver s rear tightened with each of his steps. Fingers itching,
Blue wanted to run them along the solid strength.
Melbo slapped Stryver on the shoulder. Ready, broudas? Go,
then, and may the blessed Godchild keep his holy watch over ya.
Stryver s eyes widened a fraction as he glanced at him. Blue
shrugged and grinned at him with a quick nod.
He passed Blue, entering the jungle. Almost immediately, he
broke into a fast, steady lope before switching to his quickstep. Blue
remained on his heels. Soon, the sound of more running feet came
from behind him. Blue dropped back to allow the two young men
competing with them to catch up. One at a time, the two slipped by
him and soon trailed behind Stryver. He grinned. This race seemed a
perfect way to distract Stryver from his worries.
The three men disappeared around a bend. As Blue drew nearer to
the turn, a sharp force from the right tugged at his body. He slowed,
frowning at the invisible strings holding him back. He stopped and
glanced around. His gaze searched for the reason. Monkeys screamed
overhead. Bird fluttered their wings as they took flight to the clear
skies. Closing his eyes, he concentrated harder. Heartbeats later, the
source came to him. He looked to his right.
A stone monument peeked from the clinging vines. He moved to
stand in front of it. Ancient, worn glyphs decorated the vine-shielded
body of a squatting monkey. The Abbot had taught him many
languages, and most of the writings for them. These glyphs, though,
weren t familiar. He lifted a hand and touched the stone.
88 Jadette Paige
Invisible strings shot out from the stone and latched onto his hand.
He pulled, but they tightened. His gaze shot toward the direction
where Stryver ran ahead of him. Not many spells possessed the power
to hold a Godchild, and Blue had never expected to find one here.
He opened his mouth to call out but stopped. No, this time, he had
to find the strength to not be afraid of his power, to battle this unseen
force on his own.
Attempting to physically pull away from the statue, his heels
slipped on the loose dirt. More of the invisible strings touched him.
This time, they tugged him closer to the statue. He ignited a white-hot
flame of his energy into his fingers and sliced through them. Lifting
his gaze, he noticed another statue farther into the jungle. Unable to
stop, he moved toward it. Again, the unseen force pulled at him. He
repeated the same process with this one as he had with the first.
Ten more statues stood along a straight tract, each situated deeper
and deeper into the dense jungle, and all of them sought to bind him.
The trail became more difficult to traverse, but using his power, he
cleared the way. By the time he reached the last stone statue, the path
behind him had long since disappeared. He wasn t worried. He d
simply follow the statues back.
Still, why had these stone monkeys been put here, and when? His
answer came as he turned in a circle, looking for a sign. Under a wall
of trees, branches, and more vines, he made out the lines of a stone
building. So, the statues marked an avenue leading to this place.
For the first time, unease rippled through him. His inner self
insisted he leave and return to the race. But his human side needed to
discover more about the building and statues.
The headman s comment from the night before came back to him.
Could this be the spot the monks from long ago had imprisoned the
demon? The hair on his arms stood up. A demon. He d yet to come
across one in this life. What were they like? Did this one still exist?
He had to find out.
Blue Heaven 89
Blue moved to the wall and followed it in a circle, climbing over
branches and shoving the foliage out of the way. Dank, musty dust
floated around him and mixed with the rotting mulch under his feet.
There must be a door somewhere. He yearned to find it. No, he
would discover it. The desire to seek out what was in this building
turned into an obsession. He refused to turn away. Something
important waited for him there.
He d almost made an entire circle before the stone gave way to
thick, wooden beams rising vertically. Their length ran at least four
times his height, almost reaching the tops of the eaves. From this side,
the rounded copper dome over the building became visible. The
copper had long ago turned pale green, blending with the array of
greenery surrounding it. The metal on the door had rusted but still
appeared to hold the wood together. How long ago had it been since
they had built this structure? Why had they selected this spot to
construct such a place here in the jungle? Was it truly a prison for a
demon?
He eased closer, listening. He stopped, standing frozen to stare at
the imposing structure. The glyphs from the statue were absent here.
His gaze snagged on a hump against the stone next to the door. He
knelt beside the strange shape. Carefully, he moved some of the
leaves away.
A mummified face met his gaze. He fell back, landing on his rear.
His breakfast rose to the back of his throat, and he swallowed,
fighting the need to empty his belly. He stared into the black holes
where eyes were meant to rest. Was this the demon, dead many years
now? Dusty prayer beads showed against the slumped shoulders.
No, not a demon, but a man. His hands were tied close to his face
by a band of cloth. The same cloth wound from his jaw about his head
and around his neck. Even his legs were bound by the same band.
What had happened to him? Who was he? Why was he here, left
to decay, forgotten with time? Blue shifted closer, captured by the
vacant spaces of the long-dead eyes. He d seen the same type of
90 Jadette Paige [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]