Free Quest for the Sun Orb by Laura Jo Phillips Page A

her small, dark hut.  On that matter she was absolutely and irrevocably decided.  She would fight to the death before she allowed anyone to lock her away again.
    Tiari released her grip on the saddle and cautiously raised her right leg up and over the neck of the diplo.  Knowing that Tomas was standing beside her, ready to catch her if she fell, made her feel safe, though she wasn’t sure why since she barely knew him. 
    Once she had her leg over and was sitting sideways on the saddle, she breathed a soft sigh of relief and smiled down at Tomas.  “I did it,” she said.
    “Yes, you did,” Tomas said, returning her smile.  “Now, just let yourself slide down and I’ll catch you.”
    Tiari nodded, then swallowed hard before pressing her hands against the saddle, pushing herself into a slide.  She’d slid only a few inches before Tomas caught her around the waist and lifted her away from the diplo, setting her gently on the ground. 
    “Thank you, Sir Tomas,” she said after he released her and stepped back, remembering what Karma and Kapia had told her about using first names without permission.  She’d forgotten earlier, and called Tomas by name at least once.  She’d have to be more careful, she admonished herself.  She needed to memorize all the rules, and quickly, so she didn’t offend anyone.
    “You are most welcome, Hara Tiari,” he replied with a polite bow.  They stood quietly, staring into each other’s eyes for a long moment, drinking each other in.
    “May I ask you a question?” Tomas asked.
    “Of course,” Tiari replied.  “What would you like to know?”
    “I don’t mean to be rude, and if I am, I apologize beforehand,” Tomas said, feeling nervous all of a sudden, “but, how well can you see?”
    “That’s not a rude question,” Tiari replied.  “I know my eyes look different.”
    “That’s a relief,” Tomas said.  “ I didn’t want to hurt your feelings or upset you.  But I am curious.”
    “As far as I know I see as well as anyone,” she replied.  “The only difference is that I can only see in the light of the sun.”
    “You can’t see at night, not even by the light of a flame?” Tomas asked. 
    “No, I can’t,” Tiari replied.  “Nor by moonlight, or starlight.  Only sunlight.”
    “What if it’s daytime, but the sky is dark with clouds?”
    “Even the small amount of light that filters through the clouds is sunlight, so I can still see, though not as clearly as when the sky is clear,” Tiari explained. 
    Tomas thought of the tiny hut she’d been locked inside of.  After he’d helped her into her saddle and returned to his own diplo, he’d hung back a little to look at it.  He now realized that she would have been completely blind whenever she was inside, and that thought made him angry. 
    “Thank you for not being offended,” Tomas said, hiding his anger carefully.  “Sometimes I say things that I shouldn’t, and don’t realize it until too late.  Social situations are often difficult for me.”
    “I can certainly understand that,” Tiari replied.  “Everything is new to me.  I have no real idea of how I’m supposed to behave.” 
    “You need only be yourself,” Tomas said.  “I have no doubt that everyone will like you within moments of meeting you.”
    Tiari felt her face heat.  She wasn’t sure if what he said was true or not, but she liked that he said it.  She realized she was staring at him again and shifted her gaze, feeling her cheeks heat further. 
    “Greetings, Cousin Tomas,” Kapia said, approaching them with a faint smile.  “Our tent is ready, Tiari, if you’d like to go inside now.”
    “All right,” Tiari said.  “Thank you, Sir Tomas, for your assistance.”
    “You are most welcome, Hara Tiari,” Tomas said with another bow.  He nodded to Kapia, then turned and walked away.  Tiari watched after him for a moment, then turned to Kapia.  “He is your cousin?”
    “Yes, he is,” Kapia