Sentinel - Cyndi Friberg Page 0,1
she said, “Share the stew with Mirra. She spends too much time alone.”
Natalie saw her out, then sighed as she shut the door. She hoped the crisis was nothing serious. Natalie didn’t know Roshi well, but she seemed to be a lot like her mom, and Liandria was one of the most selfless people Natalie had ever met.
The lights were on in Mirra’s house, Natalie discovered as she looked out the front window. Six cottages were built in a semi-circle around a shared grassy area. Most of the homes in Lake Walker Village were arranged in similar clusters. Unlike Riverside, the oldest and largest of the Sarronti villages, Lake Walker Village was not entirely underground. Large multi-use rooms and a variety of workshops were subterranean, but most of the homes had been built aboveground. Lake Walkers used the deep shade of a dense forest to filter out the sun. Even with the natural barrier, the inhabitants needed to limit the amount of time they spent outdoors. The entire village shut down during the heat of the day when the sun’s rays were the strongest, rather like an expanded siesta.
Life among the Sarronti was slower and less stressful than it had been with the Outcasts. Natalie felt more at home here. She’d started dressing like the female elves in long skirts and sleeveless blouses, and hoped to catch the eye of one of the Sarronti males. Until that happened, she would focus on her cooking and enjoy the company of her new friends.
Natalie turned from the window with a sigh. Liandria was right. It didn’t make sense for Mirra and Natalie to spend the evening alone. Natalie had tasted each ingredient in the stew, so she was relatively sure it was palatable. If she stayed here, she’d spend the rest of the night worrying about Liandria and Roshi. Instead, Natalie grabbed the potholders and picked up the stew. If Mirra wasn’t there or didn’t want company, Natalie would just return to Liandria’s cottage.
A cool breeze played across Natalie’s skin, and the verdant scents of leaves and moist dirt teased her nostrils. Unseen creatures scurried about, their rhythmic chatter oddly soothing. Lulled by the tranquil setting, it took Natalie a moment to realize how quickly heat from the earthenware dish was penetrating the potholders. Steam from the oven must have dampened the quilted material. She rushed to Mirra’s door and knocked with the toe of her shoe. “Mirra, can I come in?” Her hands started to sting, so she pushed against the door with her shoulder. Thankfully, it swung inward, allowing her to enter. She ran to the nearest table and set down the dish. “Sorry for busting in on you, but this stupid thing is burning my—” She turned around and froze. “What’s going on?”
Mirra sat in front of a multi-view surveillance system that hadn’t been there earlier in the day. Salvo Xett, Mirra’s nephew, sat beside her and Jaron, her son, stood behind her chair.
“Close the door,” Jaron urged as he turned back to the monitors.
“You can stay, dear,” Mirra told her, “but we need you to be quiet.”
Natalie’s brow furrowed, but she remained silent as she closed the door. She buried her hands in the pockets of her skirt and crept closer to the surveillance station. Who were they spying on, and why was it necessary to surveil them?
All three Sarronti were members of one of the most powerful families in the world below. Mirra’s older sister Arpovae Xett was Prime Healer, which meant she ran a large hospital in Riverside Village and was responsible for all the other healers. Salvo’s older brother was General Malik Xett, commander of the entire Sarronti military. Malik was also soul-bonded with Natalie’s best friend Kara, which was why Natalie knew so much about the Xett family. Salvo was a sentinel and she’d been intrigued by him since they met. He could form portals, instantaneously connecting two vastly different locations. Natalie had yet to see the spectacle for herself, but she’d heard others describe it.
Jaron, Mirra’s son and Salvo’s cousin, had paranormal abilities, but he refused to divulge the exact nature of his gift or gifts. Mirra was a healer like her sister, but Arpovae’s abilities were second to none. Mirra hadn’t come right out and said so. Still, Natalie suspected that the frustration of living in Arpovae’s shadow was the reason she moved to Lake Walker Village and would not even consider returning to the capital.
The three Sarronti silently watched the displays,