After the Fire (After the Fire: Book the First) by J.L. Murray Read Free Book Online

can.”
    “As
you say,” said Magda.
    “I
must check on the children,” said Katalin. “Are you sure
you do not want a drink? It will warm you.”
    “I
believe,” said Magda, “that I need to speak with your
husband.”
    “No,
Grandmother,” said Katalin.
    “Don't
worry yourself, it isn't about you. Any of you. I have somewhere I
need him to go. He and all the others. It's a full moon.” Magda
knew she didn't have to tell this poor woman what phase the moon was
in. She knew all too well. She seemed to relax. Whether because
Magda wouldn't tell Elek that his wife was starving, or because Magda
would be sending Elek away when he was his most violent, Magda didn't
know.
    “I
will fetch him now,” said Katalin. She hurried off towards the
direction of her tent. After a few moments of muted voices, one a
growl and one higher-pitched, Elek came out and shambled toward her.
Magda knew that it pained him to stay human, especially during the
full moon. As much as she hated the way his people treated women and
children, she admired his ability to withstand the agony.
    “Grandmother,”
he growled. He made an attempt to bow and flinched. Magda held up her
hand and motioned for him to sit next to her. “Do you have a
task?” he said. Magda could see the yellow flashing in his dark
eyes. He was barely containing it.
    “There
is a village on the other side of the wood. Do you know it?”
said Magda.
    “Yes,”
said Elek. Magda thought that ordinarily he may have lied to her, but
he hadn't the energy. “We took some sheep on the last moon.”
    “Why
only the sheep?” said Magda. “That is not your way.”
    “There
was a girl,” he said. “We saw her kill a dark beast with
fire from her hand.”
    Magda
sighed. Under her nose the whole time. And the idiot didn't have the
sense to tell her. No matter. Nothing to be done about it now. “I
want you to go to that village again,” said Magda. “The
girl sleeps in an iron box set into the wall. Do you remember the
wall?”
    Elek
nodded. “Yes.”
    “If
you secure her in the box, she cannot hurt you. I am sorry to have
you do this, but it will free her in the long run.”
    “What
do you want from the village?” said Elek.
    “My
sister,” said Magda. “Find her if she is there, and bring
her back.
    “And
the rest of the village?” said Elek, his eyes wide, his pain
forgotten, replaced by a hungry look.
    Magda
pulled the quilt tighter around herself. She looked into the fire.
“Do as you will,” she said. Elek rose and looked like he
was restraining himself from running to tell the men.
    “Wait,”
said Magda. Elek turned, trepidation on his face. He thought she
would take it back. Magda knew how long the men had waited,
repressing their natural function. “Don't look so worried,”
said Magda. “There is one man. An old man. The girl is fond of
him, I think. Spare him. And get out as soon as you can. If the girl
gets out of her box before you are gone, she will be the end of you
all.”
    Elek
nodded eagerly. “Yes, Grandmother.”
    Magda
sighed when he had gone. She wanted to have hope that Anja had been
taken prisoner, but someone like Anja didn't get into such
situations. Not at the hands of a tiny village of humans, at any
rate. But she had to know. And Eleni. If the girl knew who she was,
not one of those humans would be alive. No one imprisoned a goddess
without incurring her wrath.

Chapter
Five
    “What
has happened to the monsters?” Eleni said the next evening. “I
have not seen a dark creature since you came.” It was the next
evening and Eleni had been up before the sun had even gone down. The
wolf had not yet joined her. But she couldn't stay away from Fin.
Just the knowledge that there was another person in the wild, and one
that would talk to her no less, she found irresistible.
    “I'm
afraid they don't much like having me around,” said Fin.
“They've most likely just migrated higher into the mountains.”
    “That
creature you were