Days Of Light And Shadow by Greg Curtis Read Free Book Online Page A

her.
     
    “The temple. Somewhere out there is a temple where the black priests of the Reaver raise their army of abominations. For ten years now we’ve know it existed. Ever since the reports of abominations started trickling in. It’s been only a few here and there, but still the fact of any could only mean that the demon is stretching forth his maw into our world once more. And that means he has at least one temple and some priests to do his bidding. But we can’t find it.”
     
    “The reports have come from all over Elaris, and some reports have come from even further away. And now the reports are coming in faster than before. Yours is the third this month.” That didn’t please Dura. She knew the stories of the ancient demon and the plague of living death he’d inflicted upon the world a thousand years before. Everyone did. And no one wanted him to be back.
     
    “Is there no clue elder?” Foolishly Dura interrupted the conversation and received an unhappy glance from the captain for it. But she was curious.
     
    “One child. Only one. And his name is Y’aris.” The elder suddenly stared at the ground for a moment, lost in thought. No one interrupted her until she was ready to speak. But they all knew whom she meant.
     
    “He is an evil little toad. A murderer and a poisoner. And cunning with it. But if that were all he was, the Grove would not worry about him so. But there is something wrong with his watchmen. Something that speaks of evil clutching at their souls.”
     
    “It’s not obvious yet. But there is a taint. Something evil. Something perhaps even demonic. And if there was any man of sufficient wickedness to have consort with the demon it would be him.”
     
    “Then -?” Dura’s words trailed off before she finished the question as she realised that she knew the answer.
     
    “He does not show the signs child. He has neither black eyes nor veins. He has neither faith nor magic. And until he shows something the ancient accord between the Grove and the Throne must stand. We cannot interfere.”
     
    The elder was right of course. Fifteen hundred years of custom, history and law could not be set aside so lightly. But it was a shame. In the two short years since Finell had ascended to the Heartwood Throne the realm had fallen apart, and the watchmen on the streets and that terrible prison were only the most obvious signs of its fall. The people cried out for fairness and decency. And the Grove remained silent. As they had to.
     
    And as she realised, that included the rangers. The rangers rode for the Grove. They had freedom in many things, but they could not go against the wishes of the Grove. So they would follow the elder’s lead and do nothing.
     
    But as she carried the head on the end of her pike to the fire pit to be destroyed, Dura couldn’t help but think that it was damnably unfair. These things and whatever had created them, needed to be put to the sword. And the elder was right about Y’aris. He was a black blood.
     
    Even if he wasn’t involved, he should probably have been put to the sword. And the high lord with him. Too young they’d said, and they’d been right. But it wasn’t his age that truly offended. It was his heart. Every bit as black as that of his advisor.
     
    And when she tossed the head into the burning pit where the elder was disposing of her garden wastes, she could easily see two more heads joining them. Unelven or not, she would cheerfully have killed them both. Especially if they had something to do with this evil.
     
    Of course if she did, the captain would likely have her doing chores in the chapter house for the rest of her life.
     
     
     
     

 
     
    Chapter Six.
     
     
    It was a lovely day in the early spring. The sun was up high in the sky, beaming down upon them all, the sky was blue, the air warm, and for once Iros was almost enjoying his duty. Almost.
     
    True being an envoy wasn’t usually an arduous duty. But it did require