Season of Sacrifice (Blood of Azure Book 1) Jonathan Michael (red novels .txt) 📖

about telling him I spoke of him in such a way. That wouldn’t do me any good. I’d have to retrain him all over, and I’m not sure if I have the seasons left to make that happen.” I nod in acknowledgment. “There are times when I feel the need to lay him a good one right upside his squirrely head, but that’s typical with any man, I suppose. If I can give you a word of my own wisdom, don’t piss him off again.”

“Graytu? Is he angry with me?”

“No. Of course not. For as old as he is, you’d think he’d learn to fit his role and be old and crotchety, but no. Graytu doesn’t understand what anger is. The Redcliffe Guardian, however… An ape, yes, but he is one of our own. If you force us to choose between the two of you, you won’t like the decision.” She pauses momentarily while I try to take in what she’s saying. “Well…I am not a selfish woman. I can see you have a busy day ahead of you, so as much as I enjoy your company and your flirtatious behavior, I think you best be on your way. My students are beginning to arrive anyways.”

“Flirtatious behavior?” My brow creases as I run my fingers through my hair, scratching at my scalp. She may be as mad as Graytu. A few little ones rustle past me and plop themselves on the ground in front of Fairview. She greets them with a joyous smile and laughter.

With only a moment’s passing, she acts surprised to see me lingering. “Go now. You have much to do,” she says and gestures for me to move along with a few forceful waves of her arms. Rather than argue, I follow her instruction.

Instead of heading to the crossing, I first seek out another villager I feel obligated to greet daily. The village is remarkably robust for being spread amongst the canopy of the forest, but I’m able to locate her without waste. After visiting her hollow and the village commons without luck, I find her at the range alongside a few of the Redcliffe Warriors. Even in the short time I’ve known her, I feel ashamed for not searching here first.

“Good morning, Zoie. How’s your aim today?”

“An insult to start the day?” she scoffs at me. “Why do I deserve such a greeting? I could split the hairs on a squirrel’s tail. Would you expect anything less of me?”

“Of course not.” I smile and ruffle her hair. She forces my hand away.

Her spunk and her physical features are too similar to Jay’s. Short, dark-brown hair that remains unkempt unless an elder has combed their fingers through it, a beautiful smile that contrasts her dark features wonderfully, and a lanky, petite frame that doesn’t appear worthy of handling a bow. I expect to see radiant amber every time I look into her eyes, but Zoie’s are quite opposite being forest green. A beautiful girl, nonetheless, just like Jay.

“How’s the bow working for you? Have you managed to bring home any dinner yet?” she asks.

Zoie’s gift to me is another example of the generosity that plagues this village. However, I soon discovered her gift was more than I anticipated. Every moment I’m not at the crossing, Zoie has been by my side. She eats with me. She’s by my side at the ever-recurring evening festivities. I even meandered through the intertwining bridges aimlessly one day, thinking she would trail off, but she kept right by my side. I’m sure she’d follow me to my sleeping quarters if I allowed it. I rather enjoy her company, though, despite the lack of freedom she awards me. The familiarity she brings is comforting.

“The bow is fantastic, but I haven’t had the time.”

“Sounds like tiger dung to me. How ‘bout right now? It’s yet early enough to get something more than a lousy hare or a few squirrels. Don’t tell Graytu I said that,” she adds quickly.

I find her resistance to her authorities amusing.

“You know I would love a hunt, but I have responsibilities, Zoie.”

“Stop being a Sheela. You think climbing a cliff is a responsibility? Killing a doe to feed your family is a responsibility. C’mon. Let’s go kill a doe.”

“Zoie, I don’t expect you to understand, but scaling that cliff is a means for my family to be free. I must figure out how to conquer it, and Graytu has repeatedly made it clear I must do it on my own. Believe me, I would much rather kill a doe, but I need to do this. How about this evening? Deal?”

“Yeah, I guess I understand.”

“Give me half the day to do what I need, then I’m all yours.”

“This evening, then! You promise?” Zoie perks up again.

“Yeah, I promise.”

“You should always be equipped with your bow, you know. Especially when tramping through the wood. You never know when you’re going to need it. Dinner could be just on the grey side of the bark.”

Zoie embraces me around the waist then grabs her yew bow and runs off.

I drop below to the forest floor and make way to the crossing. I get comfortable on a little ledge that has become my typical lookout.

I’m not too familiar with this course of action—planning out my next act. Stone is the man you’d find sitting on a pondering rock, not me. But I don’t have much of a choice. My impulses give me nothing here. I’ve always relied on instinct, but what instinct is there to be had here? It’s intolerable.

The sun has risen high enough to penetrate deep into the ravine, revealing the intricacies and deformations of the wall. I have mapped out a path to reach the top. The way is clear. It won’t be easy, but I can handle it. I just need to determine how