Fear of Fire and Shadow (The Fade #1) - Samantha Young Page 0,85
porch. It was the homeliest-looking place I’d seen since venturing into the mountains, like something from a fairy tale. As we hobbled up the rough-hewn path, the door to the house burst open, candlelight from inside streaming out to greet us. I almost wept in relief. A woman’s silhouette framed the doorway, a child’s face appearing from behind her skirts.
“Thank haven,” the woman whispered into the night. “I was gettin’ worried.”
“Ma, we need some o’ yer medicine,” L called out as we drew toward the porch. Jonas and L helped me hobble up the steps until I faced the woman. Her expression changed as she took me in, her smile morphing into angry concern.
“Dear haven, what did he do to that child? Get her in here.” She gestured us inside. It was easy to see who L had inherited her gruffness from.
As I stepped inside, I glanced down at the little boy who stared at me in horror.
I must look horrendous.
I looked away from him to take in my surroundings. We were in the main room of their home, it included a sitting area and kitchen. Two rocking chairs sat on either side of a large, glowing fire. There were two doors, one at the back and the other on the wall opposite the fire. I gathered it led to their bedrooms.
L guided me over to the table that took up most of the room. There were empty plates and cups on it. From the kitchen, the smell of stew wafted past my nostrils and my stomach clenched.
Their home was warm and welcoming and cozy.
And safe.
I crumpled between Jonas and L, both of them crying out as they moved to catch me.
“For haven’s sake,” L complained.
They picked me up and helped me into a seat at the table. I slumped back in it, thankful to be off my feet.
“L, there’s water boiling over the fire. Bring it.” L’s mother scooted into a chair opposite me and smiled softly. “Ye be Rogan, that right?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied politely.
Her grin widened. “Ma’am. Ye be hearin’ that, L? Perhaps ye can be learnin’ some manners.”
L grunted.
“I be Sarah Moss. Ye met L—Elizabeth, but she be preferrin’ L—and my husband Jonas. And that one there”—she nodded warmly at the little boy—“is Jonas Jr. We just be callin’ him Jr.”
“I’m pleased to meet all of you,” I wheezed. “You have no idea.” Tears I couldn’t control spilled over.
“Aw, lass,” Sarah tutted. She turned to L, who had placed the hot water before her. I watched through blurry eyes as Sarah rolled up a cloth and dipped it into the water. “L, why don’t ye and yer papa make us up some bowls o’ stew, eh?”
L and Jonas did so without complaint.
I, on the other hand, waited warily as Sarah leaned over with the wet cloth and dabbed at the blood on my face. I winced as she touched my bruises. My nose must have been swollen as well because it hurt horribly.
I was so glad there was no mirror in the room.
For a while, all Sarah did was wash away the blood from my cuts. She drew a deep breath and put the cloth aside. Then she reached for me with her bare hands. At the touch of her soft fingertips on my face, my eyes widened at the tingling rush of energy that shot through my nose. My eyes teared as the swelling disappeared, as my cheeks returned to normal, as the cut on my lip sealed. I said not a word as she turned those healing hands to all my wounds, even my feet.
Sarah looked exhausted by the time she settled back in her chair. L and Jonas had ladled out the stew and were already busy eating.
“You’re a Dravilec,” I whispered in amazement.
She nodded. I shook my head, glancing between Sarah and L. A Dravilec and a Glava in the same family. L caught my look and seemed to understand. She smirked.
“How is that possible?” I asked.
Jonas replied, “I have Glava in my family history. Sarah, Dravilec.”
That really wasn’t what I meant. What I had meant was that, for a world whose mages were apparently dying out, I’d encountered many of them. Haydyn’s evocation wasn’t the only thing in Phaedra changing.
More mages were being born.
I chewed my lip as I wondered what this meant.
Of course, the Moss family didn’t know I’d encountered many more like them, so my puzzlement was bemusing for them. I shrugged it off. This wasn’t the time.