A Forest of Stars - Kevin J. Anderson [45]
Wyverns were the most feared predators on Theroc, huge attackers with a broad crystalline wingspan, gemlike chitinous body armor, and scanning eyes that could lock onto any movement. But human flesh was not part of their normal diet, and purportedly bore a flavor offensive to the insect predators. After taking a bite, the displeased wyvern usually discarded the human victim from a great height, dropping him down to the trees.
Only one Theron—Rossia—had ever survived such an ordeal. His falling body, still barely alive, had been caught by the worldtrees, and the green priests had patched up his horrendous wound. Though the trees had allowed him to become one of their green priests, Rossia had never been the same, injured in his spirit as well as his leg.
Now Estarra wondered why Rossia spent so much time out in the open if he was so frightened of wyverns. “So…what do you want to accomplish with your life?” she said, trying to distract him.
“Isn’t serving the worldforest a powerful enough purpose? Why should I worry about other accomplishments?”
“Because I’m thinking of my future, and I don’t know what to do.” She liked Rossia, and after returning from her visit to the Looking Glass Lakes and other forest cities, she often went off with him, just to talk and learn. She missed similar times with her brother Beneto.
Beneto had always wanted to serve the worldforest and was happy serving a small Hansa agricultural colony on far-off Corvus Landing. He’d never doubted his calling in life, any more than Reynald questioned that he would be the next Theron leader. Sarein had always been interested in commerce.
Estarra, though curious about everything, was obsessed with no particular subject. Now that she was eighteen and therefore a full adult in Theron society, she would have to choose a direction for her life very soon.
She missed Beneto. He often sent messages through the worldforest, sharing with his family all the small but satisfying activities that filled his days. Estarra had expected him to come home after a few years—to visit, at the very least—but because of restrictions on interstellar travel, she was afraid he would stay on Corvus Landing for a long time.
Instead, she talked with Rossia. “I just want to accomplish something with my life. I’ll devote myself and all my energy…if only I can figure out what it is.” She knew he would never repeat her musings to anyone.
He finally turned his attention from the skies and fixed her with his popeyed gaze. “Every life has a destiny, Estarra. The trick is to discover it before the end of your life. Otherwise, you will die with too many regrets.” With a strange smile, he glanced up to the skies. “Perhaps the purpose of my life was to give another wyvern a bad taste of human flesh.” He spread his hands, keeping a precarious balance on the thin green fronds. “Who knows?”
Brushing a hand across her face to wipe away sweat, she pulled back her clump of braids. “I was hoping to do something a little more…substantial than that.” She and Rossia both turned their heads upward to stare watchfully into the skies again.
“So was I,” he said.
22
BENETO
Corvus Landing was far from the chaos of the hydrogue war, and that was fine with Beneto. His job here was important, and every day brought proof of how much the colonists appreciated him.
The fledgling settlement provided no vital exports to the Hanseatic League; after fourteen years, though, at least they no longer relied on merchant ships for every need. Their farmers grew enough food to support the small population.
Sam Hendy, the town’s mayor, called everyone at dusk when most of the day’s work had been completed, though some settlers still had emergency labor that would carry them far into the night. Mayor Hendy, a middle-aged man