02 To Darkness Fled by Jill Williamson

Author:Jill Williamson
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Sir Gavin shot Sir Caleb a knowing look. "An old friend."

A man's voice called out, "Sir Gavin?"

Sir Gavin stood but remained behind the shield. "Aye?"

"Stand by for the gates to open," the man said. "I'll meet you below."

That was all? "What assurances do they give that they will not attack us once we enter? Why should we trust them now?"

"It was a misunderstanding, Vrell. Do not fear."

Easy for Sir Gavin to say. If he would share who he spoke with, it might ease Vrell's apprehension.

Blessed Achan asked that very question. "Who was that?"

Sir Gavin slid his shield strap over his arm and grabbed his horse's reins. "Carmack is a young man from Tsaftown. I should like to know why he's here."

The name Carmack was familiar, though Vrell could not recall why.

Wood cracked as if a branch had been ripped from a tree. The right gatehouse door drew in, leaving a drift of snow between them and the bailey. Vrell took up her horse's reins and followed the men. By the time they reached the gate, three soldiers were shoveling the snow where it had caved in on the doorway. Sir Caleb went to retrieve his boarding hook.

Once the path was clear, Sir Gavin led the way, followed by Sir Caleb, Achan, and Inko. Vrell entered last. Snow covered the ground inside the bailey. Deep trenches crisscrossed one another like a spider's web, leading from dozens of wooden dwellings on the left of the keep to the larger outbuildings on the right.

The keep stood in the center, a dark shadow dotted with golden light gleaming from within through arrow loops and cracks in shutters. Windows also lit up each tiny wooden cottage. The scene reminded Vrell of a winter night in Carmine. A man's hearty voice drew Vrell's attention away from her surroundings. She'd heard that voice before.

"As I breathe, it's the Whitewolf himself. What brings you to Meribah Corner?"

A bear of a man approached the gate. He stood a hand taller than Achan and twice as wide. He wore a short bushy beard covered in a layer of frost, making it impossible for Vrell to guess his age. Vrell's mind spun trying to remember where she had heard his voice.

Sir Gavin greeted the man in a brief, fierce hug. "Carmack, 'tis good to see you. I feared your guardsmen might leave us to freeze if they didn't slay us first."

"Not my guardsmen, I'm afraid. But I do apologize. Lord Gershom is not himself. We've not had visitors since...well, not since I arrived."

"And why are you here, my boy, if not a guardsman? Did Lord Livna send you away?"

"Aye, in a sense. All will be explained soon enough. Let's get your horses to the stables and you all inside to thaw your beards. I wish we had the manpower to put your animals up ourselves, but...well, we're doing what we can to keep Meribah Corner on its feet."

The men took off toward the stables at a brisk pace. Vrell didn't blame them.

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