The Elementals Read Online Free Page A

weighing selected phrases with double meanings, gradually offering more intimate caresses. The mounting excitement, the thrill of the chase …
    â€œWhich women do you want?” Kesair drawled with supreme indifference. She twisted her upper body to put back a piece of chinking that had fallen from between the timbers of the hut wall beside her. The repair had her total attention.
    Fintan got to his feet. “Not you, anyway!” he told her. He stomped furiously from the hut into slanting silver rain.
    Kesair turned her head to watch him go. A light flickered in her eyes. He’s proud, she thought. I like that in a man.
    Fintan sought Ladra, whom he found at the edge of the cliff, throwing rocks down at the sea as if he were pelting an enemy. There was hatred and anger in every throw.
    The sea had swallowed the world he knew. Ladra hated the sea. From time to time he yelled curses at it.
    â€œCome with me to the men’s hut,” Fintan said to him. “We need to talk.”
    Ladra squinted at him from beneath dark, tangled eyebrows. Ladra was slightly taller than Fintan, with long arms but disproportionately short legs. He looked as if he had been made from the parts of several men. “Is it important?”
    â€œI think so,” Fintan replied.
    Ladra hurled one last stone, then shrugged and followed Fintan. “I’m tired of being wet anyway,” he said.
    The men’s hut was empty. Byth was elsewhere. Fintan and Ladra went in out of the rain. The hut was small and dark and smelled of mud and freshly cut logs.
    â€œIt’s time we organized our social structure for the future,” Fintan began earnestly. “I’ve been giving it a lot of thought and I’ve come up with a workable, sensible plan.”
    Ladra listened, frowning, as Fintan outlined his idea. Then Ladra said, “I don’t much care for all this organizing. It smacks of a desire to control. And I think the desire to control has caused a lot of mankind’s problems, Fintan.”
    â€œThere will be more problems if we don’t agree on a plan soon
and start to follow it. You can’t put this many people together in this sort of situation without trouble, sooner or later. I’m just making the most intelligent suggestion. People need to know what to expect.”
    â€œBut Kesair wants us to use our energies for getting dug in here for the winter, making more tools and weapons, setting up some sort of defensive perimeter in case—”
    â€œWe can do all that too,” Fintan interrupted impatiently.
    â€œWhat does Kesair say to your plan? You did discuss it with her, didn’t you? She and I should be—”
    â€œYou’re making assumptions. You can’t just appropriate a woman for yourself, Kesair or anybody else. We have to be sensible about our, ah, breeding arrangements. We have to use our heads.”
    â€œOur heads? ” Ladra said with a grin. “That’s not how I do it.”
    Fintan had the grace to laugh. “You know what I mean.”
    â€œI know what you mean all right.” The other man sobered. “I suppose you expect the best women for yourself?”
    â€œTo avoid arguments I thought we might, well, draw lots for them.”
    Ladra shook his head. “I can imagine you trying to convince those women out there that it’s all right for us to draw lots for them. Good luck. I don’t want to be around when you try to sell the idea.”
    â€œYou always criticize,” Fintan complained, “but you never have a better suggestion.”
    Ladra said smugly, “As it happens, this time I do. The other women accept Kesair as leader. So have her make the assignments, just as she assigns work. If she’s willing to accept this plan of yours at all, that is. I’m not sure she is, I’d like to hear what she thinks.”
    â€œShe said we should get on with it,” Fintan said with perfect