J.C. & Barb Hendee D 3 Sister of the Dead (BD) (v1.2)

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and offered little reason why they waited. He did, however, insist Chane never
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move too far away from him.
Whenever they had needed to hide from the dhampir or the dog, Chane had
noticed that Welstiel absently touched the brass ring on his finger.
Chane saw movement coming from the village, and he focused. A flash of silver
fur passed through the trees near the road.
"It's Chap, " Welstiel said. "Magiere's dog is coming. "
To Chane's surprise, Welstiel reached out and grasped his cloak, pulling him
close. "Get down. "
Chane did not care for the idea, but obeyed. He heard a door slam shut. The
rat in his pocket began squirming, so he took it out and let it sit on his
shoulder. It wrinkled its whiskers and sniffed at his face.
Magiere strode out of the keep's courtyard and down the hill toward the
village. She looked pale and defeated. The sight of her made Chane's jaw ache.
Her smooth skin and black hair drew his full attention. Victims who fought
back excited Chane, and no one had ever fought like Magiere. She drew closer
and walked right by their position. Welstiel was studying her face as she
passed.
"We should withdraw, " he said. "There is nothing we can do. "
"Was there something you planned to do?"
Welstiel ignored his question. "Look at her face. Her search here is over,
and there is nothing more for her to seek I suspect she will leave this place
in the morning. We should find a place to rest for the day. When we wake
tomorrow night, I believe she will finally head north. "
Chane looked down along the road, but the dog had not joined her. It had
disappeared. Welstiel backed into the trees holding tight to Chane's cloak,
keeping them close together.
Wynncompleted her rubbings of the vat's symbols. The millweed paper Jan had
brought her was too rough for the work, but she made do, her hands shaking as
she'd worked the charcoal against the paper. It was unlikely that Cadell would
allow them to remain long enough for her to scribe out all the vat's markings,
and she did not wish to be here any longer than necessary.
Somehow, all of this was connected to Magiere's birth.
Magiere had been sired by an undead, birthed to be its enemy and predator.
That much they knew, but now it seemed that a vampire had committed a blood
sacrifice for that purpose. The brass vat was a conjuring vessel of some kind,
but its size and the number of victims were baffling. What was truly needed to
birth the child of an undead?
"If you're finished, we should go, " Leesil said as he paced, glancing at an
impatient Cadell near the room's entrance. "I don't want to leave Magiere on
her own for too long. "
Wynn had not studied the last two strange remains. Her sage's nature and need
for all pieces of the puzzle were greater than her own dread of the answer.
"Another moment..., " she said. "I need "
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"Isn't this enough?" asked Jan.
His charm and attention toward her had waned, and Wynn saw him staring at the
tarnished vat and the roll of rubbings she held close.
"Yes, I think you've got quite enough, " Cadell said. "It is no wonder there
have been few masters of this place with such tragedy hidden beneath it. I
must report this to the Antes. "
"Then you're a fool, " Leesil said, swinging his arm in a wide arc,
indicating the whole chamber. "Or do you think you'll remain caretaker long
after bringing this to their attention?"
"How can I not?" Cadell asked. "You've unearthed a curse upon us, and I'm at
a loss for how it will ever be cleansed. "
Wynn recoiled at the zupan's words. She felt responsible for placing him in
this situation.
"He is right, Father, " Jan said. "Prince Rodek would send one of his
vassals, and even troops perhaps, and you would never regain stewardship of
the fief. Your presence is far more important to the people here than some
noble servant of the Antes. No, we will keep this to ourselves, and not even
our own clan should hear of it. "
"How is that possible?" Cadell asked, turning his anger on his own son. "Look
about you!"
Jan did so, with one last brief pause at Wynn. "I will see to it, gather and
contain the bones. Mother can send word to her people. They will take me into
the mountains, so I can lay these remains to final rest where no one will
disturb them. "
Cadell regained composure from his son's words. "All right then, we will do
as you say, " he answered, and turned to Leesil. "Now get out, and let us deal
with this. "
"Soon... in a moment, " Leesil answered with forced calm and a frown at Wynn.
"Finish, please. "
Wynn returned to the winged remains among the wooden frame with its shreds of
aged canvas. What would Domin Tilswith do if he was faced with these bodies...
with these sacrifices? He had sent her on this journey with his deepest trust.
She was determined to try to act as he would. There was still something lost
in her memories that stirred when she looked at the physical make of this
winged body, and, as she knelt with her back to the others, she did something
that shamed her.
She quietly loosened one of its finger bones to secret it in her palm.
Wynn kept her hands in front of herself, so the others could not see. She [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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