Shattered Destiny Read Online Free Page B

consisting of nothing more than bones and feathers.
    Something is very wrong here.
    A scream pierced the quiet of the farm, and Brok's heart leaptinto his throat. He dashed to the side of the house. He saw Keera with her hands over her mouth, looking at something on the ground. Saemus stood next to Kaelin, who was dry heaving and sobbing. Jon stood stone-faced, staring at whatever was on the ground. Brok looked down and closed his eyes in a silent prayer to the good Spirits.
    The small skull was only half buried in the soil. One empty eye-socket peered from the ground and half of the mouth was open in a silent scream. A tiny hand reached up through the dirt and debris, as if trying to hold onto life. Brok could see a large area where the ground had been disturbed and shuddered when he realized who must be buried there.
    Why? Who would kill this family and leave them half-buried? Brok jumped as a voice spoke from his left.
    “What has happened here?” Gerok asked.
    “I don't know,” Brok said slowly.
    The Volgons entered the farmhouse and managed to find clothing enough for all of them to wear. They had felt vulnerable wandering about the countryside naked. The clothing they found did nothing to alleviate that feeling. It was only once they had rummaged through the kitchen and found several knives that they felt a little better. When the Astrans dropped the invisibility shield, they had to bite back snorts of laughter at what the Volgons wore.
    The Volgons were dressed in scraps of clothing taken from both the man and woman. They had simply taken the clothing they'd found and tried to cover their bodies. The result was a hodge-podge of shirts with sleeves torn out to fit the muscular arms of the male Volgons and trousers that were much too short for both men and women. Kyron had taken one of the skirts that had belonged to the wife and had managed to tug it on over his head so that the waist was tied around his broad chest. The sight of his hairy, muscular legs sticking out from beneath a light blue skirt was just too much for the Astrans.
    Saemus and Jon were holding on to each other as they doubled over in hysterics. The girls giggled into their hands at the sight of Kyron wearing the goodwife's skirt. Even Master Brok was snorting laughter as he tried to maintain his composure.
    “What's so funny?” Voilor asked menacingly.
    Brok tried to answer, but at seeing the man's arms bulging from the goodwife's lacy blouse, he doubled over in laughter. By this time, Saemus and Jon were on the ground, tears running down their faces.
    The Volgons continued to become more and more agitated until Gwen finally managed to choke out a brief explanation as to the nature of clothing being made for specific sexes.
    Gwen pointed at Kyron. “You're wearing clothing that belongs to a woman. It is a skirt and is worn around the waist.” Gwen demonstrated with gestures.
    “And the clothing is much too small for you. The trousers should fall all the way to the ground,” Keera said, still breathless.
    “How were we supposed to know?” Gerok threw up his hands. “These people did not have any clothing that resembled your robes. On Volgon, males and females wear the same armor. We do not have special clothing for each sex.”
    “We will have to think of something. If you turn up in Enisae wearing this mess, people will wonder if you have taken leave of your senses,” Brok said. He ordered Saemus and Jon to find all of the clothing that had belonged to the farmer and sent the girls to find all of the clothing that had belonged to the wife. Gwen even managed to find a sewing kit. In short order, the Astrans managed to piece together clothing that would suffice until larger garments could be found.
    “Let us make for Enisae. We will camp along the way. We must proceed with caution. Those who did this could be nearby,” Brok warned.
    Master Brok led the group away from the farm and toward Enisae. No one spoke. The Astrans were lost in