Free The Journey of the Marked (The Miyran Heir Book 1) by Rebecca P. McCray Page B

lined the left half of each face,
several of them appearing to be the work of some sort of instrument or even the
mark of a Graelith’s claw. Sometimes the marking damaged the left eye and other
times ran down the length of the neck. The Tyrnott scarring marked the coming
of age. He heard if the boy or girl showed any hesitation, even a flinch, they
ripped out the child’s throat.
    He swallowed slowly. “I never saw
the mark, as her red hair covered the area behind her left ear, but she left
the diner and joined a Liput boy. I work that diner day and night and have for
twenty years, and never once has a Krystic entered before. Never once have I
seen one on foot in our part of the city. They only dare to venture into the
lower district in their fancy day-transports. But a female Krystic, alone and
in my part of town on foot? She must bear the mark.” He looked to the other
Tyrnotts for confirmation his theory was sound.
    Nord stared at the man for a time,
then walked across the room to speak to another Tyrnott. The man didn’t dare to
stare at the Tyrnotts, leaving him to glance nervously around the room. The
room was well lit, which meant the power here was strong, unlike his part of
the city. A number of objects decorated the room that must be priceless
treasures. The rumors passing throughout the city often focused on the wealth
and power of the Tyrnotts. The diner owner always thought they were exaggerated.
Apparently, he was mistaken. As long as the Tyrnotts kept peace in the city,
they earned their keep.
    Nord returned, stared for a moment
at the man, and said, “Fair enough, old man. Marked or not, she knows the
location of the undergrounders. They fought with her against our men.” He
walked toward the man, who took one step back only to bump against another
Tyrnott standing directly behind him. He looked nervously up at Nord, who said
with a strained pleasantness, “Take these coins, my good man. If you see either
the Krystic or the Liput again, contact one of my men immediately. Natal will
provide you with a communication bracelet,” he added as he nodded to the
Tyrnott standing to the man’s left.
    The man took the coins offered him,
not daring to count them at this time. He nodded multiple times and stammered,
“Yes, sir. If I see them again, I’ll certainly notify you at once. Thank you,
sir.”
    Nord dismissed him with a nod and Natal indicated with a wave of his hand that the man should follow him through the door on
the side of the room. Natal escorted the man through the well-lit corridors and
provided him with a communication bracelet and instructions before showing him
back to the street.
    The man stumbled out into the
daylight and the door closed swiftly behind him. Only then did he dare to look
at the coins in his hand. He squealed with joy, as it was more than he earned
in the diner in a week. He was most fortunate to be in Nord’s good graces. He
skipped down the street, determined to identify more of the marked.
     
    *******
     
    Natal returned to the chamber and
found Nord sitting in his throne-like chair, deep in thought. He knew better
than to interrupt Nord’s thoughts, as he still bore scars from his earlier
mistakes. He merely stood beside Nord and waited for the man to speak.
    After time passed, Nord stood and
turned to Natal. “I want the Krystic.”
    Natal stared at Nord for a moment
and, knowing his leader, he asked, “Dead or alive?”
    “Alive,” he cackled with a faraway
look in his eyes.
    “And the others?”
    Nord sneered, “Kill them. Marked or
not.”
    Natal nodded at the orders and left
the room to provide the team leaders with their new instructions. He ensured
the streets were heavily guarded this morning, as he guessed these marked ones
remained in the city last night. The Liput boy’s injuries were grave, if the
Graeliths’ reports were to be believed. Today, the marked ones would seek a
healer for the boy and then they would try to escape to the great forest