Eternal Darkness (The Cimmerian Cycle #1)

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Mik raised his hand immediately but the others took longer to decide. Leo put his hand up next. Kiayani could feel her heart beating in her throat. Koran would not raise his hand so she looked at the twins they were talking to each other in their deep voices quietly before nodding. What was their decision? To the girls surprise they both raised their hands.

"Majority," Koran said bitterly, "the girl stays."

Mik then spoke directly to Koran, "I know why you are doing this Koran, but she's made her choice."

The others seemed to ignore what he had said, as if it was an unspeakable topic. Kiayani frowned in puzzlement. What had happened that had made him like this? However the two said no more, Koran stalking off to his hut on one of the exterior platforms. What could past events between them have to do with her? She had never met the boys before now.

Then she remembered why she was allowed to stay with them, the tension of the decision had made her forget briefly, "Do you want me to tell you what I know?" she asked Mik.

"Later," he said, "we all need rest and it's no good telling us without Koran here, he needs to know too."

Kiayani looked in the direction of Koran's hut sadly; did he have something against her? She felt slightly hurt.

"Are you going to eat that?" asked Leo, who was eyeing off the rest of Kiayani's meat.

"No, you can have it," she said, standing up and heading back to her hut.

She felt very tired and was looking forward to some sleep. When she was only a few paces away the heat of the fire stopped and the cold air stung her skin. Shivering, she went back across the rope bridge so that she could bury herself beneath the furs and finally rest.

She awoke quite some time later and her watch told her that it was nearly noon, not that that meant much. When the world around you was always dark you just ate when you were hungry and slept when you were tired. She emerged from her hut feeling very well rested and was surprised to see the fire gone. The twins were eating leftovers from earlier and Leo was trying to snatch piece of meat to nibble on. Kiayani looked at Leo; he was a very strange boy. Definitely the youngest out of the lot, probably around fifteen or sixteen. She wished that she had him as a brother instead of her own. He was far more likable.

She made her way across the rope bridge confidently. She felt like she was getting the hang of it now. For some reason living in the trees felt very natural to her. Leo looked up at her and grinned. As he did so one of twins was able to pull a stolen piece of meat from between her fingers and he snapped back at them. Kiayani giggled and went to sit next them, keeping her distance in case a fight broke out.

"Leo," she said and he looked up at her, "I want to ask you something."

"Sure," he said very awkwardly.

She stood and walked away from the twins who were wrestling over the last piece of meat. Leo followed her looking very confused.

"What Mik talking about before? What did he mean when he spoke to Koran," she asked, she needed to know why Koran didn't want her with them.

Leo looked very torn, "I can't tell you that. Sorry. Don't take it personally though."

Those words should have relaxed her but they didn't. She really did want to know what they meant but she held her tongue, it was really not her business to pry into their lives.

"That's okay, thanks anyway," she said.

Awkwardly Leo tried to speak but he gave up and went to talk to the twins. They are all definitely hiding something, she thought, but what?