Halfstone: A Tale of the Narathlands by Daniel White Read Free Book Online Page B

could not. He lay on
his back, dazed and subdued in the dark. The night was long.

 
     
     
     
     
    5
    STORM
     
     
     
    Coldness had seeped into Aldrick’s bones by morning. His body was
exhausted, overtired. His mind was no better. They had risen early for there
was unavoidable work to be done before they departed—the bodies of the
intruders had to be removed. Télia asked him to help examine them first.
    Easily visible, engraved into the men’s cuirasses, was the outline
of the same butterfly that had been branded on the ka-zchen which attacked him.
He noticed now that their wings were outlandishly jagged and appeared
profoundly sinister. The cuirasses enhanced this look as they too had a sharp,
menacing look about them. From their plated pauldrons the men wore capes which
also bore Selayna’s sign.
    There was nothing of great interest in their possession, only some
gold which he and Télia chose to leave, and their swords. These were uniquely
fashioned with long, thin blades and no cross-guards. Télia said they would
attract unwanted attention so they left them too. The men’s horses had bolted
in the night.
    “They were aera servants of Selayna,” said Télia, getting back to
her feet. “Only they would wear her sign.”
    Aldrick found himself more concerned with how these men had
tracked them to the inn.
    “If they have been hunting me they might have found my family
first!” he exclaimed. “We have to go back and see that they are safe!”
    “No. These aeras would have been well behind the pace of the
ka-zchen. They probably only arrived in the south yesterday, seeking to confirm
it had already killed you. Even if they had been to Rain they would have
avoided unnecessary altercation.”
    Aldrick remained apprehensive but trusted in Télia’s judgement. He
still felt she was keeping things from him but was willing to let this go,
presuming they were things that mustn’t need urgent utterance.
    They buried the aeras behind the stables and did what they could
to conceal the tracks leading to their shallow graves.
    “If this had happened in the heart of the wilderness I would
probably have left them where they fell,” said Télia, raising one last patch of
trodden grass with her foot. “Here, we must leave no evidence of our passing.”
    Back inside the inn they washed all blood from the floor, then
Télia gave Roan generous gold and apologised profusely for what had occurred.
The innkeeper was shaken but understanding and agreed not to notify any
officials of the incident.
    They departed immediately after eating and continued on their way
along the woodland road toward Farguard. The rain had ceased in the early hours
of the morning and the air was fresh and cool. Their pace was a trot. Télia
didn’t think there would be any more imminent danger.
    “How are you feeling?” Aldrick heard her ask him after about an
hour of travel.
    He lifted his eyes from the road.
    “I’m all right. I… it just didn’t feel right,” he murmured. His
mind had been swamped in murky, black water—an endless flood of images of that
aera lying on the floor with his knife lodged in him, lifeless.
    Télia looked on with a faraway expression.
    “Killing never feels right,” she said sombrely. “Try not to dwell
on it, Aldrick. It was them or us.”
    He tried not to but couldn’t help it.
    “Had you killed before?” he asked.
    She shifted uncomfortably in her saddle. “Let us talk no more of
this. The day is new, the air is fresh. We may as well enjoy the journey.”
    Aldrick looked at her and wondered what stories about herself she
had kept unknown to him. He wondered how such a fair and kind young woman had
come to wield the ability to take life. Perhaps one day she would tell him. He
hoped they would still know each other in times beyond whatever lay ahead of
them now.
     
     
    They came into view of Farguard in the early afternoon. The
woodland trees had given way to patchwork fields of yellow and brown.