The Winterstone Plague (The Carrion Cycle) by David Scroggins Read Free Book Online Page B

brought it up.”
    Alain’s laughter was somewhat strained. “Think nothing of it. You should go warm your bones by the fire. Elyna will be back in a moment; I have a few work related items that require my attention.”
    “May I ask you something?”
    Alain nodded. “Of course. What is it?”
    “What did you need to tell my father?”
    “It’s best I keep that private,” Alain said.
    “I don’t usually like to pry, but if this is a matter of life and death, I want to know what the two of you discussed.”
    Valthian watched as the blacksmith’s expression darkened. He had not intended to bring added tension to the conversation, but he was not sure how else to proceed. He often found it difficult to glean information from his elders, and this time he was convinced that the situation demanded his understanding. It was becoming tiresome to beg or eavesdrop, hoping to capture the crumbs of discussions that might be of some importance.
    Alain took a deep breath and exhaled. “Your father will be angry with me if I tell you.”
    “Then he will never know you told me,” Valthian answered.
    “I left Elyna to watch after things here while I went for supplies. Henri Danen owed me several lengths of rope and a few scraps that I was eager to smelt. I was barely at the halfway point to Solstice when I spotted Old Man Granin running in the opposite direction. I stopped him to ask what was the matter. He grabbed me by the arm and we headed back towards the village.”
    “Why was he fleeing? And why didn’t he go to my father himself?” Valthian asked.
    “He was frightened. I’m not even sure if he knew where he was going. It was a simple stroke of luck that I happened to be on the road at that exact moment.”
    “I’m still confused,” Valthian said. “What was so urgent? Why the panic?”
    “This is the part I’m not supposed to talk about,” Alain replied. “You would have understood his horror upon witnessing what I found when we made it back to Solstice.”
    “Tell me,” Valthian said. “Make me understand. I want to know.”
    “Well,” Alain said. “It’s difficult to explain. What I can say for certain is that I found a man—an outsider to be sure—who was very sick. By the time I arrived, he was vomiting blood. It was a gruesome sight.”
    The flesh of Valthian’s arm prickled. “Blood? Are you sure? That’s a rather rare symptom; it has only been present once in the history of Solstice.”
    “ The Devil’s Plague ,” Alain answered. “But this is not the same. This outsider was violent; he lashed out at me when I approached him. I was able to dodge his advance and find several guards to restrain him, but not before he attacked a few men.”
    “Were they harmed?”
    Alain shook his head. “Not that I could see, but it was still quite unnerving. The guards bound him and carried him off in the direction of Olivar Bastrik’s place. I have no doubts that they associated his violent behavior with his illness.”
    “But you did not?” Valthian asked. “And why is that?”
    Alain gulped. “I looked into his eyes. They were black as the night is dark. There was nothing in them that spoke of a living soul. Please, don’t make me speak of it anymore!”
    Valthian placed a reassuring hand on the blacksmith’s shoulder. He felt a lump in his own throat, growing larger with each passing second; it would have been difficult to believe such a tale if it had come from any other man. Alain had never been one to exaggerate. Furthermore, the man always wore a comforting smile, even on those rare occasions when he was forced to act sternly in the name of business. Valthian had known Alain since he was a small child, and never once had he seen the look of terror that was now painted on the man’s face.
    “I’m sorry. I did not understand the unpleasant nature of your story. I will not press you further. I have just one final question, if you do not mind answering.”
    “I will do my best,” Alain