Blood and Memory by Fiona McIntosh

Author:Fiona McIntosh [McIntosh, Fiona]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Epic, Fantasy, Fantasy fiction, General, Fiction
ISBN: 9780060747596
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2006-06-07T23:00:00+00:00

The Duke rose imperiously. “You expect us to believe that Wyl Thirsk was killed by magic?” he blustered.

“Forgive me, sir,” Elspyth said calmly. “Perhaps I haven’t explained it well. Wyl Thirsk was struck down by a man called Romen Koreldy, who—”

“Yes, yes! Whom Thirsk apparently became—I hear quite well,” the Duke retorted, angry and disturbed by the stranger’s news.

Elspyth opened her mouth to reply and closed it again. A brittle retort would not aid understanding here.

“Father, please!” Crys said from the fireplace.

“Jeryb.” It was Aleda’s placating tone. “I can’t imagine this young woman has trekked from the far north of Deakyn to Felrawthy in order to make some jest at your expense.”

The Duke muttered something beneath his breath.

Pil’s complexion had paled. “This is mystifying,” he murmured.

“Yes, it is,” Elspyth replied softly, eyeing each in turn. “It is, however, the truth.”

Her gaze came to rest on Ylena, who, so far, had made no comment.

Now she did. “My brother is alive?” Everyone could hear the muted shock in her tone.

Elspyth could feel her heart pounding, suddenly hoping it had been a good idea to contradict Wyl’s instructions. She nodded slowly, watching Ylena carefully.

“And you say your aunt saw this…this affliction in him?”

Elspyth nodded. “She is a seer. She called it the Quickening.”

Ylena looked thoughtful. “Do you know I can remember the night you speak of. It was after the tournament…the day following my marriage to Alyd.”

Her listeners tensed at the mention of his name, but Ylena’s voice was steady and Aleda was proud to see the young woman so in control of her emotions. She alone knew how much her son had loved Ylena, having read his gushing letters many times. And Alyd had impressed upon his parents her devotion to him. They had had plans to set up their estate near to Tenterdyn. That would not happen now, Aleda thought, sorrow knifing through her once again.

Nevertheless she was impressed with Ylena and could only imagine how much suffering the young woman had already endured. She was remarkably composed, considering she was now learning more painful news of her brother. Aleda returned her thoughts to Ylena’s voice.

“They went into Sideshow Alley. Young men, letting off steam…celebrating. Alyd was drunk.” At this she laughed bitterly. “Poor fool. I believe he was more intoxicated with life than ale. Wyl brought him back to my chambers, and after settling my brand-new husband, we talked, late into the night. My brother told me of what had occurred in the tent that night. If I recall correctly”—she screwed her face in thought—“her name was Widow Ilyk.”

Elspyth nodded so that everyone could see their two stories matched.

Ylena continued. “Wyl was disturbed. Very unsettled by what she had said. Neither of us had forgotten the episode with Myrren,” she explained. “Although I was not present, I did hear of it. He collapsed at her death and Gueryn—that’s our guardian—the man you met in the Mountain Kingdom—he admitted to me that Wyl’s eyes had changed color. It had frightened him

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.