Archiwum
- Index
- Dianne Robins The Hollow Earth And Underground Cities
- Eden Cole Heal my Wolf
- Treatise of Astral Projection
- Hardy Kate MiśÂ‚ośÂ›ć‡ w Patagonii
- Ostatni calus dla mamy Watson Casey
- Jack Vance The Gray Prince
- Auguste Maquet La belle Gabrielle, vol. 2
- Day Leclaire Noc cudów
- Chalker Jack L W śÂšwiecie Studni 5 Zmierzch przy Studni Dusz (pdf)
- 112c1_LL3A
- zanotowane.pl
- doc.pisz.pl
- pdf.pisz.pl
- gim12gda.pev.pl
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around her.
They weren t like the lush plant life that grew on Tanviera. There were a few scraggly trees scattered
along their path and various species of thin, prickly looking plants with spiky leaves. Many appeared to
have cactus like needles protruding from their entire surface. Sa Rah was extra careful to watch where
she walked. Bumping into these plants would not be a pleasant experience.
Staring up into the sky, she noticed that Dihara had only one sun, like Earth, and unlike Tanviera, which
had two. Yet this sun looked gigantic compared to the two small Tanvieran suns. Based on the size of the
Diharan sun, she knew the planet must be closer to its sun. That explained the intense heat.
Yet despite it all, the burning sand, relentless heat and dangerous plants, Sa Rah would win this war.
Tristan would soon discover just how tough she was. She wasn t some pampered princess who would
just lie down and die when things got rough.
Chapter 8
Sa Rah wanted to lie down and die.
She was still walking forward, but that was by sheer will alone. Had it been hours or days? She didn t
know anymore. Tristan hadn t spoken another word to her since leaving the transport station. Each time
she moved, every muscle screamed. The burning sand no longer bothered her feet, because they had
gone blissfully numb. Though the robe protected her from its harsh rays, the intense heat had eventually
caused her to break out in sweat that soaked her whole body. Rivulets constantly ran down the back of
her neck, while more spilled over her forehead into her face. Her eyes stung from each salty drop,
blurring her vision.
Keeping her head down, she concentrated on one thing. The sight of Tristan s feet as he took each step
forward. One foot, then the other, one foot, then the other. Stop for a quick drink which Tristan silently
offered her from his flask. One foot, then the other, one foot, then another. After a while that became
everything to her. Her whole life had narrowed down to one thing. Keeping up with those feet.
She was so focused on it that when Tristan abruptly stopped, she almost ran into him. The effort to stop
so suddenly caused her to sway on her feet.
"We ll rest here tonight," he declared, turning around to face her.
Reaching up, he removed her hood. Sa Rah dimly realized the sun was setting before her legs gave out
beneath her and she crumpled to the ground. Cursing, Tristan caught her in his strong arms before she hit
the ground. She struggled to keep her eyes open, but it was no use. Consciousness escaped her.
* * * *
He was a fool.
He had let anger overcome him. Looking down at the unconscious woman in his arms, Tristan knew that
he had pushed her too hard. Sa Rah lay limp and lifeless against him as he carried her into the visitor s inn
at the edge of town.
"I need one room for the night," he said, approaching the front desk.
The innkeeper eyed Sa Rah where she lay in his arms, but he said nothing. Tristan knew he would ask
no questions. Visitors inns were not known for housing the best type of people. They were a temporary
stopover for travelers, and nothing more.
The man led them upstairs to a room and opened the door.
"Do you want dinner and a bath also?"
"Yes, for both of us," Tristan said as he laid Sa Rah on the large bed in the center of the room.
Removing her sandals, he noticed her bleeding feet and grimaced. "We ll also need some healing
ointment and reviving tea."
Silently nodding, the innkeeper set the room key on a table. Walking toward a computer panel on the
wall, he punched several buttons.
"Everything has been made ready for you," the man explained then held his hand out. "Payment is due on
arrival."
Tristan reached into his carry pouch and paid the innkeeper.
"Safe passage," the man said in the traditional Diharan greeting to travelers before walking from the
room.
Tristan set his gear down and walked over to the control panel. Punching a button, a cup of steaming tea
appeared in a tray. Taking it, he walked back to the bed and sat down by Sa Rah. He studied her face,
letting his gaze linger on each and every one of her lovely features. In sleep, she looked like a fallen angel.
Despite the fact that he knew Sa Rah was a strong and spirited woman, capable of ruling a planet, if need
be, she appeared incredibly fragile and vulnerable in her sleep.
Setting the tea on the nightstand, he took the scanner out of his pocket. It was always better to be safe.
Running it over Sa Rah s body, he waited for the loud beep he expected to hear. When it sounded he
smiled with a grim savagery. The bastard had implanted a locator chip in Sa Rah. He would pay for that.
As gently as possible Tristan extricated the chip, then cleaned and bandaged the area it came out of.
Now let the guy try to find them.
That taken care of, he pulled a syringe from his pocket and injected a Diharan translation chip into the
skin behind Sa Rah s ear. She didn t stir. He knew the chip would help her with the adjustment to his
planet. With everything else he would be putting her through, he wanted her to at least know the language
so she could understand what was going on around her. And if anything happened to him, she would at
least be able to communicate with others of his kind.
That would not necessarily be a good thing, but it was all he could offer her. He knew that the Diharan
sent to kill Sa Rah would eventually find them. Their destination may temporarily delay him, but not for
long. Shadow men rarely, if ever, lost their prey. And usually found them within a matter of hours again.
This was not some leisurely trek they were on. He had to reach the council and plead Sa Rah s case
before they were found again. The alternative would not be pleasant. If the other shadow man located
them, Tristan would fight to the death to protect Sa Rah.
His opponent s death.
As much as he didn t want to kill a Diharan brother, he would do so to protect his woman. Tristan knew
that reasoning didn t work with a shadow man on the hunt. They had one mission, one goal, which they
focused entirely on. Finding and killing their prey was all they knew. A shadow man s honor and even his
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