Silent Hall by NS Dolkart Read Free Book Online

had to survive this, for her nursemaid’s sake if not her own. She pushed her sadness down deep inside her, saving it for later. For now, she had to be strong.
    She opened her eyes. It took her a moment to register what she saw. The ragged girl had somehow managed to pull the wolf off Hunter, who had since risen to his feet and drawn his sword. The fisherman must have gotten involved at some point, because he was sitting back against the tiller and bleeding from his left leg. His hand was clutching a bloody knife. The boy with the crossbow had loaded his weapon and was aiming it uncertainly in the wolf’s direction, but the ragged girl was in his way. She and the wolf were pressed up against the box of tackle, which Criton had vacated. The girl was spreading her arms wide to protect the animal from harm.
    â€œNo,” she was crying. “Leave him alone!”
    Hunter made to advance on the wolf, but the girl shrieked again and he stopped. The animal was crouching behind her, alternating between whimpers and growls. It had been injured, Phaedra realized. Then she noticed Criton.
    He was crouching on the prow, clinging to the mast with his claws. Claws? Yes. Razor sharp, four-fingered claws sprouting from flesh covered in shining golden scales all the way up his forearms, fading back into skin past the elbow. Phaedra suppressed a scream. When would the horror of this voyage end?
    The boat rocked. The fisherman dropped his knife to steady the tiller, still swearing and clutching his bleeding leg with the other hand. The easterly wind that had risen up when Kelina was lost blew mercilessly against the sail, driving them ever onward.
    â€œWicked man,” the ragged girl cursed at the fisherman. “Wicked man!”
    None of the men knew how to talk to this girl; they would only make the situation more dangerous. Phaedra rose unsteadily to her feet.
    â€œWhat’s your name?” she asked the girl.
    The ragged girl looked suspicious, but Phaedra spread her arms and repeated her question. The girl seemed to take some time to think about it, as if she had not considered the subject before. “Ban-doo,” she said finally, with authority.
    Phaedra had never heard of such a name, but she thought it best to go along. “Bandu,” she repeated soothingly. “I’m Phaedra. And this is Criton, and Hunter, and… do you have a name?”
    The youth with the crossbow looked startled. “Narky,” he said.
    â€œYes,” Phaedra continued, “Bandu, this is Narky. Does your wolf have a name?”
    The girl nodded vigorously. “He is Four-foot, and he is good. Not wicked. Good.”
    â€œLike hell he is!” the fisherman spat.
    â€œFour-foot is good!” the girl shouted at him. “You are wicked! It’s not his fault he doesn’t like being on your leaf. Everybody wants to hit him!”
    Bandu’s grasp of language was tentative, Phaedra realized. Where had this girl been living?
    â€œBandu,” she said. “Nobody wants to hit Four-foot. They’re just afraid of him, because he’s big and has sharp teeth, and he jumped on Hunter. Can you control him? Can you prevent – can you make him not bite them?”
    â€œFour-foot only bites wicked people,” Bandu asserted, pretty outrageously. “I talk to him only if you throw sharp things away.”
    Behind Phaedra, Hunter snorted. “Not likely.”
    â€œYou don’t need to throw your sword away,” Phaedra snapped at him. “Just sheath it, for Karassa’s sake!”
    Kelina had always said that it didn’t do for a girl to be so forceful, but at least in this case, she had been wrong. Hunter blinked at her and slid his sword into its sheath.
    â€œThat God-cursed thing bit me!” the fisherman protested.
    Phaedra turned to glare at him. “Well, it looks like you stabbed it, so I think you’re even. Just sail your boat and shut up!”
    The man