RONNAs far as stories go, this one sure has got a lot of weight with it. My throat itches for more of ale, or something considerably stronger; anything to blank out mind; but one look at Keilen and what she had become in the last few minutes turns my stomach to lead. I almost wish it was a dream. That she had not switched to some demon wolf at the verge of ripping me in two. That she had not said what she just told me, speculated that the annis had possessed her. Either is too wild to be true. "It's not possible," I had said. All she did was laugh, in a dark, dark manner that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand. I begin pacing the room, one hand in my pocket, closed around the stone. It's cold in my grasp but at the same time, comforting. 'Why? Why would she…do whatever she did to you?' She cocks a brow. 'You mean amplify my powers?' 'Amplify?' I stop pacing, throwing a glance her way, 'Well that's one way to put it. Turn you to a monster more like….or amplified the mosnte
CAIVAN'What do you reckon would have happened, what news Seirmon bears? Something bad? Do you think those raveners had gotten to them?' I groan at the thought; I'd avoided it altogether back at the plateau when I had looked out over the plain. Inevitable, it seems. 'If it's bad, Charlin would let us know. Or you'd smell it on her, the anxiety,' I state, and she scoffs. 'I'm good at masking my emotions,' she chips. 'And she wouldn't be making jokes,' I add. Father's hut looms in front of us like some ill bringer of doom. It certainly has played the part over the years…since mother's death. I fervently hope Seirmon doesn't bring more than we can bear. Inside, I spot his dark sienna hair behind a dining chair, and look around instinctively for a body. There's none, and I stifle a tremendous sigh of relief. Gylen pats him on the shoulder as he turns, his mouth quite full with what looks to be shellfish. He looks perfectly fine, thank the gods. 'Seirmon, you old bastard,' I mutter, mas
SAELYNA'I said it the first night we came here,' he says softly, 'We should leave'. He looks very convinced, I have no choice but to hear him out. 'Leave? Why would we leave? Where to, Cyran? Believe it or not, our lives are forfeit once we leave these people, once we are in the open field for Xanwed'. 'We go to Asthan, then. Or we go further north, we take the grasslands, and board a ship from one of the port cities. Anywhere but here'. 'This is our home, Cyran,' I snap, 'I won't leave it for the usurper'. He purses his lips, and puffs out a long gasp of air, like he was expecting my response. His eyes turn contemplative, and he says, 'The more we stay, Saelyna, the more we bring more harm to people who love us. Don't you see it, yet?' I reach out for his hand impulsively, and squeeze it tight. 'They stand very little chance beside us. The least we can do is carry on what father and mother left behind. The elves deserve better than this, and so do the wolvens,' I say with a smile.
CAIVANJenna pours him another glass of mead when Seirmon finishes. All Haron does is utter a grunt, while Veesa remains as she had been in the rocking chair since she came into the hut with Jenna. And father doesn't move from his position over the fireplace.I hate it when he takes up that posture; hands behind his back, eyes fixed on the flickering flames like nothing else mattered. That was how I found him the night she died. He didn't so much as look at me, not when I began sobbing, asking where mother was now. All he did was look. And look.Gylen's voice shakes me back to the present. 'So what are we waiting for?' he asks, 'The road is clearest in the day, we can move as swiftly as we can….' 'The road makes us easier targets in the day, think, boy,' Haron snaps, 'If what Seirmon says is true, we'd be sitting ducks for the Abominations. We cannot risk it'.If what Seirmon says is true, we should all be fleeing Eldad as we speak. If the Abominations slaughtered a pack west of Henna
CYRANIt doesn't tickle anymore. It doesn't hurt. It lies dormant under my palms, my chest, like a cooling ember, waiting to be called upon.I have no idea what the book did to me, but it seems to have the same effect on Saelyna. She isn't as tentative as she had been minutes ago when I told her what I meant to do. I can almost feel the iden waiting on her call like mine, can see it behind her eyes. Or it's Halden, and the thought of losing our friends. At least this channels the rage.She squats before them, peering and searching through the blue leaves, picking small, pea-sized balls, what we used to call kingpeas. Tiny little buggers, the start of our troubles as well. I recall the weird feeling I'd get when around them back in the glade. It was one of the reasons I opted to be among the "food crew", even though Camille made me less comfortable. At least I was far away from the cursed things.And here we are.I scoff at the voice in my head, as she stands erect. She holds a handful
RONNProbably not a good idea to smash a fist into someone's skull…. especially if it's a fucked up winter wolven.I try flexing the joints in my fingers, but sharp pain lances through my hand. It would take longer than usual to heal then.The stone.I reach inside my coat, closing my palm tightly around the warmness of the stone. I wince at the pain that follows, but it's temporary; the next second, I feel the muscles tighten, the bones lock into place, followed by renewed strength.I flex the fingers again, smiling lightly. 'Well what do you know?' I mutter, 'A healing stone'. 'You really are the white on black,' he mutters.Instinctively, I jump, curling my fist into a ball to strike again, as he rears his head. Now that was fast, even for a wolven; considering the force of the blow he would have a concussion. Or worse.He groans softly, raising his brows when he spots the stone in my hand. 'You really do have it,' he sighs. 'What's it for?' He scoffs, throwing his head backwards w
KEILENHere again.I fall to my knees, replaying the events of the past few minutes. None of it makes sense. The sharp hit of unconsciousness, followed by intermittent flashes of waking awareness before going back under. Thrice in a day, that should be a record. A bad one.'Please,' I mutter, cringing at how pathetic I sound, 'Help me'. There's no reply. Just the crushing web darkness, and that invisible spider hovering above me. 'What the fuck do you want with me?!' I scream suddenly. I'm at my wits end, and I'm very sure I would plunge my already protracted claws at anything, anyone unfortunate enough to show themselves to me.The darkness swirls suddenly, as if I'm answer to my plea and my rage, and I'm on my hands and knees, in a deserted street. A cobblestone path that stretches as far as I can see, winding down between empty, dark houses and curves into the distance.I push to my feet, squinting at the impossibility of it all. I've never been in a city before, but I know enough
CYRANIt is Elwyn. I'd know those brown laughing, eyes anywhere. But not the raggedy look, the torn clothes and the coldness in his gaze. His hair is matted to his skull with sweat, and even from this distance, he smells dirty.I wish I'd known, had believed earlier when Veesa had said so. I'd have shielded Saelyna from the sight on time. But then, it would not have been any good.She's staring, wide-eyed in his direction, not quite as rigid as she had been at Halden. I look over her head, at Quain and he stares back with something akin to ruth. 'I tried to tell you,' he says, 'He killed Allos'.Fareedah is cursing under her breath, while Filen is actually holding Edril back from attacking Elwyn, while he looks on with an amused expression, like he is watching a very entertaining play. Those eyes, the sharpness to hisfeatures…I do not know this man at all.I look to Caivan, but he's staring directly at Pedran, and Ronn, both of whom seem not to notice. I hold my breath as a stone sai