Daegan (The Age of Alandria: A Companion Novella) by Morgan Wylie Read Free Book Online Page B

felt something hard. Uncurling her fingers, he saw the same black stone he had asked her to hold and keep safe for him... and she had. He placed it in the interior pocket of his cloak—once shiny, now dulled like his heart.
    He felt them before he saw them—the Ferriers, the beings that carried the souls of those who carried magic from their death to their “beyond.” They were neutral, between darkness and light. They carried the dark souls into Exhile and those of the light through the In-between to wherever their “beyond” may be.
    The Ferriers were not exactly solid in state and neither did they seem to have gender. They were the death carriers—neither good nor evil, but something about them Daegan did not trust. He stayed, against better judgment, to watch them as they took the souls of Katéri’s parents, but then as they approached the little girl, they got a different gleam in their opalescent eyes. It gave Daegan the chills. It was understood that you were not to interfere with the Ferriers, but Daegan did.
    “She has not yet shifted. Where will you take her?” he asked as if he had the right, as if he was someone that looked out for her, not the person that just destroyed her. The pain in his chest grew.
    “It is not for you to interfere,” one of the three Ferriers rasped out in a low gravelly voice.
    “I am not interfering yet, simply asking.”
    A different one spoke with a slightly higher voice that might have even sounded more feminine than the other and even a little sad. “She has not yet matured, so we must take her to Exhile for determining.”
    Daegan had not realized that they had separate voices.
    “No.”
    “You do not get a say in this matter,” the first one with the low gravelly voice said.
    “I do.”
    Yet a different voice rasped out, “Why do you think you can speak for her?”
    “Because it is the right thing to do. I will speak on her behalf. She was pure and good and light in this short life. She needs to be sent to a proper beyond for a chance to return.”
    “You do not have that right... do you?” The fourth one spoke in an even clearer tone hinted with suspicion.
    “I do not. I will, however, give you a piece of what is good in my soul for her to carry with her. Let the higher powers of the In-between decide based on that.”
    Daegan knew he was overconfident in what he was asking as he did not know if they would listen. The Ferriers seemed to be considering amongst themselves silently. Daegan saw a glimmer of what appeared to be hope from the more feminine-sounding Ferrier. The others were hesitant.
    He heard his own voice as understanding dawned on him, “ You do not have the authority to refute my request, do you?” There was no answer for a moment.
    “We will take her as you request . But what it takes from you, it will hurt,” the feminine voice said.
    Daegan nodded. He extended his hand to that particular Ferrier. It seemed to be the only one trying to help him save this little girl’s soul. She took it, removing her hand from her long sleeve that was covered by their long cloaks. One of her long white fingers slid across the palm of his hand. Daegan tried to refrain from recoiling at the sight of what he thought was simply her finger, though it was actually a long and extremely sharp point that drew his blood and then morphed back into her finger as her hand reclaimed it. Her hand hovered over his. He felt her pulling on his soul with her specific magic to attract souls. Eyes wide, Daegan could see a thin white wisp—his soul—begin to move out of the slice in his hand where blood flowed. His first instinct to pull back was stifled when he saw Katéri’s hand lying lifeless on the ground out of the corner of his eye. He took a deep breath and prepared for what would come next. He deserved whatever pain came his way. In fact, he welcomed it.
    As soon as a little of his soul was available to the Ferrier, with her long dagger-like finger, she sliced a