Endfall by Colin Ososki Read Free Book Online

spirits. The sun emitted a glow that shined through the clouds, forcing Lyrah and Milo to look away. She spoke softly, “Milo?” Milo, adrift in his thoughts, didn’t respond. He was staring with a dazed look in his now fully blue eyes.
                  Milo? It was Lyrah’s voice in his head. He instantly looked back down and turned at Lyrah. “What is it?”
                  “There is a calamity coming.” She said. The look in her eyes had shifted from wonder into a look that was more apprehensive. “Mr. Charlie will not stop until he finds you, and I’m distressed to say that bloodshed is coming.”
                  “What?” Milo had never seen war.
                  Lyrah spoke even quieter now, “I’m afraid so. The Parliament has sent spies so Hallowmere for some reason. I think there’s going to be another war.”
                  “Spies? Hallowmere?” Milo was deeply confused. Hallowmere was a small snow-covered city across the bay from Salem. He had seen it from a distance before. “Why war?”
                  “Mr. Charlie is not for a united Pæraleth. He wants things that only his supporters agree with.”
                  “Not everyone always agrees with a leader,” Milo said. “I never got into politics but I thought everyone could understand that simple truth.”
                  “People don’t stop to think of all the angles usually,” said Lyrah. “They are lured by emotion. Everyone wants to feel important.”
                  “So a war; of what?” Milo asked. “Over the eyes?”
                  “That,” said Lyrah, slowing her speech, “and there’s more.”
                  Milo took a step back, looking down at the ground. He was sent deeply back into his thoughts. Lyrah sensed a bit of trust was lost between them. “It confuses me as well.” Lyrah said.
                  “Is there anything we can do?”
    She stepped slowly towards him. “I know where the rebels are meeting to prepare for the uprising. I can take you there,” She said.
    “So soon, there’s a plot?” asked Milo.
    “Someone knew Charlie was going to be elected,” said Lyrah.
    “Well,” said Milo, turning his head back towards Salem, “I suppose I don’t have a choice.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
    HAVENSHEIL
     
     
    Lyrah and Milo had walked more than halfway through the Aldusk Forest when the treetops were ambushed by a massive wave of snowfall. It was unlike the gentle, frosty snows of the past few weeks. This time, it was a whistling blizzard that blinded them as they stepped through. The wind howled harshly at them, making it difficult to hear each other at times, and branches broke free from trees and came crashing down.
                  Large puffs of snow came up from the ground in waves and threw ice in their eyes. It had been a long walk, most of it with the absence of talking. The two were both simply struck by their own thoughts and sent on a train of thought that was unlikely to be lost with a simple distraction. Both of them were used to this, thinking to themselves without speech and getting lost in their ideas and observations. Milo trailed behind Lyrah quite a far length, but she turned back every so often to make sure he was still following.
                  Unfair. Milo thought, without the care of Lyrah's ability to read his mind. He simply thought what he wanted; it didn't matter to him to keep things secret anymore. How could a man do that? And what of the doctors in Salem? I suppose he won't keep his word. Now Milo was scared for his father, one of three doctors in Salem.
                  The skies had become darker, and the glow from the sun had disappeared behind the shadowy clouds. The wind was cold, probably colder than Milo had ever experienced before. Milo quickened his pace to catch up to Lyrah. He