The Beauty of Darkness - Mary E. Pearson Page 0,122

a habit in my thoughts, not any more welcome than a rash, but I’d find myself thinking of him before I even realized what I was doing. Banishing him from my thoughts was like learning to breathe in a new way. It was a conscious effort.

“I don’t know, Lia,” I had answered her. “But however long it takes, I will be here for you.”

I sat back and looked at the crate. The wood was smooth and sturdy. I stood and hung it from the porch rafter to dry. Yes, Kaden is right. Once a soft blanket is added, it will be quite passable.

A scream splits the air.

The pachegos have captured something,

The children cry,

The darkness too deep,

Their stomachs too empty,

The howls of the pachego too close.

Shhh, I whisper.

Tell them a story, Jafir pleads.

Tell them a story of Before.

But Before was never mine to know.

I search my memory for Ama’s words.

The hope. The journey’s end.

And I desperately add my own words to them.

Gather close children,

And I will tell you a story of Before.

Before the world was brown and barren,

When it was still a spinning blue jewel,

And sparkling towers touched the stars.

The scavengers around me scoff.

But not Jafir.

He is as starved for a story as the children.

—The Lost Words of Morrighan

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

RAFE

“She’s holed up in a little cottage not far from the citadelle with three women and Kaden. A vagabond girl too,” Tavish said.

“You disobeyed orders.”

Jeb grinned. “You knew we would.”

“And you’re glad we did,” Orrin added.

“What are those for?” Jeb asked, nodding toward the handler and three caged Valsprey.

“In case things don’t go well for us. A parting gift from General Draeger. He insisted on them. He doesn’t want us to fall off the edge of the continent again without any word.”

Tavish surveyed the details of our company with a suspicious eye and turned to Captain Azia, perhaps figuring he’d get more information out of him. “How’d you get so many horses with Morrighese tack?”

Sven cleared his throat, preempting an answer from Azia. I knew the question created as sour a taste on his tongue as it did mine. “It’s a long story,” he answered.

“I’ll explain later,” I told Tavish. “Ride back and tell the rest it’s time to split off to the eastern and northern roads into the city. And to stay in groups of no more than three or four. We can’t all descend into the city at once.”

We were farmers, merchants, tradesmen, not a battalion of a hundred armed soldiers. At least that was what we wanted them to think.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

Heave.

Heave.

I threw off my blanket and sat up, my skin hot and cold all at once. The synchronized chants, the squeal of gears, the sickening metallic clang still rang in my ears. I looked around, reassuring myself that I was still in the cottage. It was dark and silent except for Berdi’s gentle snores. Only a dream, I told myself and lay down, struggling to get back to sleep. I finally dozed in the pre-dawn hours, then slept late, but when I finally woke, I knew—the sounds and chants were real. The bridge was fixed. They were coming.

I looked around. The cottage was empty except for Gwyneth dozing in the rocker with the baby in her arms. I noticed that the melody of drips falling into buckets and bowls had stopped at last. Finally I could slip back into town. The streets would be busy again and I could pass unnoticed—and Bryn and Regan could be back. I quietly dressed, putting on my protective riding leathers and strapping on every weapon I had. If all went well, I might be leading my brothers and their comrades into Aldrid Hall by this afternoon. First I’d scour the citadelle one last time for evidence, but with the bridge fixed, confronting the cabinet couldn’t wait any longer. I threw on my cloak and tiptoed quietly outside to find the others. I found Pauline at the end of the porch, lifting a crate and hanging it from a nail on a porch timber.

“Are you sure you should be doing that?”

“I had a baby, Lia, not an accident. I’m actually feeling quite well. First time I haven’t had a foot pressing on my bladder in weeks. Besides, cleaning a crate is easy enough work. Kaden got it for me from the mill. He just went back over there to let out the animals. The oats are gone. They need to graze.”

I hoped that was all he was doing. I knew he still wanted to