Candace Sams - Tales of the Order 05 by The Craftsman

Author:The Craftsman
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2012-02-10T14:48:07+00:00

Chapter Ten

During the cab ride back to the hotel, Gawain held her hand tightly. Neither of them spoke until they were back in their suite. Wren felt exhausted, but she wasn’t used to sleeping where tall city buildings loomed and noises from the street constantly filled the air. How outsiders did it, she couldn’t fathom. Long ago, it was said they possessed some of the same magic as members of the Order, but they’d given it up. Some said it was because they were afraid of intolerance and the consequences of being a creature of magic. Others said it was their own free choice, preferring science and technology over nature and the elements. Whatever it was that separated them from what had once been their heritage, she could see the result in some of their faces. Many of the people wore harried expressions and exhibited impatience with themselves and others around them. When driving, someone was always honking a horn or waving an arm in frustration. She had even been told that their lives were dramatically shortened, probably a punishment for failing to embrace nature and all its splendors and for putting possessions ahead of loved ones. She contemplated thoughts of what the world might have been like were it not so.

Gawain watched as she stared out the window. Something in her expression was very sad. “What’s wrong?” he asked and handed her a freshly brewed mug of tea.

Wren looked at the mug and then at him.

“Don’t worry. It’s tea from the Order. Not this packaged London stuff.”

She smiled and took the mug he offered. “Thank you. I was just wondering how outsiders live like this.”

He looked out the window, picked up his mug and sipped. “They don’t know any better. For most of them, finding a place to sleep by a small stream or near an old oak would be as foreign as this is to you.” A wave of his hand encompassed the hotel room in which they stood.

“And yet they seem to love art that depicts nature and hints of magic. Why is that?” she asked.

“I’ve often wondered about that myself.” He used the hook on his right arm to lift a thick portion of her hair and let it fall again.

“Do you think it’s because they miss it? Deep down, I mean?”

He considered it for a moment. “I think some part of them does. With every year that passes, it seems outsiders become more aware of their dwindling resources and go to great lengths to try to save them, even small plants and animals and ancient forests. Maybe they’re coming to realize they can’t live without them, just as we can’t.”

“But they’d still fear and hunt us if they knew about the Order?” She turned to look up into his face.

“Outsiders have always seemed threatened by anything new, anything they don’t understand. Yet, those few the Sorceress has allowed among us have adapted beautifully. They’ve even been of great benefit to the Order.”

“I’m not afraid of the Goblin Leader’s mate.

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.