Huntsman Read Online Free

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    “Is something wrong?”
    He shook his head. “No, you have just reminded me of someone that I had almost forgotten.”
    Since he was stunned, she took the lead. “My name is Harka Tweel, Monitor of Horalthia.”
    He smiled slowly. “It is a lovely name. I am Archivist Derin Conic of Edinar.”
    She extended her hand and he took it, turning her palm over as if he would see something there. He stroked her hand gently, and while she was a little embarrassed, she also felt a nearly audible click in her soul.
    They sat in silence with her hand in his while the room filled around them. She finally pulled her hand from his when she caught a glimpse of Ohra across the room. Harka waved at her and she waved back.
    Jolted back to reality, Harka sat with her hands in her lap and listened to the conversations around her.
    “You are surprisingly quiet, Ms. Tweel.”
    “Archivist, call me Harka, please. I am on my best behaviour.” She smiled shyly at her dinner companion.
    “Well, Harka, you are being too quiet. What have you been up to since you were a monitor?”
    It was a safe enough topic, so she told him about her business plan and the success of her small café.
    By the time she was finished with her details, the monitors were being asked to stand up for a round of applause.
    When she was back in her chair, the woken Edinar were asked to rise.
    Archivist Conic rose to his feet and nodded to those around. When he sat back down, he smiled at her. “What do you dream for yourself?”
    She shrugged. “I already have my dreams. What do you dream of?”
    He blinked his deep brown eyes and smiled. “I dream of unending reading material, a cabin in the woods and a woman distracting the hell out of me.”
    “That is a fairly general dream.”
    “Ah, but this woman is special. She haunts me and makes me ache and laugh in turn.”
    “Aching sounds painful.”
    “I can manage it. The promise of pleasure later makes many things bearable.”
    To Harka’s surprise, dinner and dessert had come and gone without her noting it. She had eaten mechanically because she felt full and could taste the dessert.
    She sipped her wine and swallowed hard. “Pleasure?”
    “Indeed. Horalthians and Edinar are compatible.”
    “Oh, so your woman is a Horalthian.”
    “She is.” He smiled and propped his head on his fist, staring at her.
    She sought to change the topic. “How was your physiotherapy after your long sleep?”
    “It was short. One of our healers had been woken just before me. He was able to assist with the building of muscle and coordination.”
    Harka looked him over. “I think he may have overdone it on the muscle building.”
    Archivist Conic laughed and Harka blushed.
    “I am sorry, Archivist Conic, my mouth runs away with me sometimes.”
    “Call me Derin. I find your ability to share your thoughts very admirable.”
    She didn’t know where to look, so she watched the people heading to the dance floor.
    “Harka, would you dance with me?”
    She blinked rapidly while she composed an answer. “I am not very good.”
    “I can take a few knocks. Come with me.”
    He stood and extended his hand to her. She placed her skin along his and, once again, felt the electric shock that ran up her arm, into her brain, to her heart and then moved lower.
    She eased to her feet and walked with him to the dance floor. With a smooth motion, he turned her into his arms and they moved with the rest of the crowd on the floor.
    Harka lost track of time. She danced, paused, had a few sips of wine and returned to the dance floor with Derin as an enthusiastic and graceful partner.
    By the end of the night, her feet ached, her throat was sore from talking about anything that entered her mind and she was ready to head home.
    “Well, Derin, I have had a wonderful time, but I think it is time for me to be on my way. Have you seen Sno around? I gave her a lift and told her I would take her home.”
    “I believe that her dance partner is