It s time, Bol.
As his tears welled, her image swirled. Then it s true! he said.
No tears. She still wore her no-nonsense grimness. Are you prepared?
I& I expected more time, years still.
We all did. But it begins now. Time to put aside your books, old man.
You leave me this chore? he asked pleadingly. To do alone?
Her stern look softened. Brother, you know I have my own role.
I know: to seek the cursed bridge. But do you truly think you can find it?
If it exists, I will find it, she said fiercely.
He sighed and looked upon his sister. Always the will of cold iron, he said
with sadness, even in death.
Always the caster of dreams, she answered with a hint of a smile, even
alive.
Their lips formed twin smiles at the old argument, both so alike and yet so
different. The pain of loss shone clear in each one s eyes.
Fila s apparition began to grow faint at the edges. I can t hold here any
longer. Watch over her. Her image faded to a vague glow. Her last words
trailed as the light was vanquished by the library s shadows.
I love you, Bol.
Goodbye, Sister, he mumbled to a room far emptier and lonelier than before.
Elena rushed toward her struggling brother. Time seemed to thicken and slow
like sap in a winter s
maple. She watched Joach s face turn a purplish hue, his throat closed in the
claws of the skal tum. Elena leaped and grabbed at the creature s wrist, a cry
trapped in her chest. Blind with fear, she dug her fingers into its clammy
skin, refusing to lose her brother to the beast.
Let go
! she shrieked to the world.
In answer, her hand burst with flame. Heat like the touch of molten rock
flowed from her fingers. She clenched her fist and found her fingers flowing
through the beast s wrist through skin, muscle, and bone.
The creature howled and tugged its arm away, pulling back only a seared stump.
Screeching, panicked by its maiming, it tumbled away from Elena and her
brother.
Joach stumbled forward, pawing the severed hand from his neck. He threw it to
the street. Sweet
Mother! he blurted and dashed to Elena s side.
Elena s eyes flashed to her hand, expecting to see blackened bones and burned
flesh, but all was normal not even a hint of the red stain remained. Was she
free of that curse?
Run, El! Joach cried. He hauled Elena toward the charred beams of the
bakery.
But the howling beast was not the only menace on this street.
Joach skidded to a stop and pulled Elena to him. Between them and refuge stood
the cowled man leaning on his staff. He wore a smile, as if this all served
his purpose perfectly.
Come to me, child. I ve waited long enough. With surprising speed, he
whipped the heel of his staff toward Elena s head.
Elena, her mind still muddled by the flow of power through her hand, could not
quite comprehend the danger.
She stood frozen until Joach knocked her aside. With a gasp, she fell to the
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street, her knee striking the hard cobblestones. From the corner of her eye,
she saw the staff smite Joach a glancing blow on the shoulder.
She scrambled to her feet, roused now, and began to flee. Joach, however,
failed to follow. Elena swung to a stop and stared. Her brother s upper body
tried to heave his legs into motion, but like two rooted trees, his legs would
not obey.
He looked up, eyes filled with horror, and saw that Elena had stopped running.
Go! he yelled.
She stumbled back as she saw the bewit ching spread through her brother s
body. Now even his arms couldn t move, and in a heartbeat, his neck and head
froze in position. Only a single tear rolled down his cheek.
Do you abandon your brother, child? The old man beckoned to her with a
gnarled finger. Come!
Townspeople fled past Er ril as he fought his way toward the screaming. Like a
rock in a fast-flowing river, he was buffeted by elbows and knees and could
make no headway. Finally, Krai pushed forward and used his large bulk to forge
a path ahead.
One of the townspeople, Er ril judged him a butcher from his bloody apron,
tried to pound Krai aside.
But with a shrug of the mountain man s shoulder, the heavy man flew far. His
head hit the brick wall, and he fell limp to the ground. Krai ignored him and
continued on.
Run! another townsman called to them. The demon has come!
Krai gave Er ril a stern stare, then hastened his pace forward. Er ril, with
Nee lahn in his shadow, followed in the mountain man s wake. After several
heartbeats, the street emptied around them, the crowd now fleeing behind.
Use caution, Krai, Er ril said softly. We re close.
They crept to the next corner and used a farrier s wagon for cover. Er ril
peered over the edge of the cart to the street beyond.
His blood went cold. Only a stone s toss away, before the burned-out skeleton
of a building, stood a beast he had hoped never to see again. Wings stretched
taut in pain, the skal tum howled and held a wounded arm to its chest.
Wounded? Er ril slunk back under cover. Who could harm such a beast?
Er ril saw Krai begin to pull the ax from his belt. It was too small a weapon
against a dreadlord. Er ril raised a palm toward the mountain man, warning
caution and patience. Krai s brows knitted heavily.
Nee lahn knelt beside them, peering down the street from under the wagon.
There are the children, she whispered, pointing between the spokes of the
wagon s wheel. Who is that man, the robed one?
Er ril looked and spied the two youngsters crouched before a cowled figure [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]