Coming Day by Rachel Starr Thomson

Author:Rachel Starr Thomson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, friendship, adventure, fantasy, speculative fiction, demons, allegory, christian fantasy, seventh world trilogy, rachel starr thomson
Publisher: Rachel Starr Thomson

* * *

Nicolas saw the great darkness as it erupted over the city, and he set his jaw and started forward.

Peter threw his arms around him and hauled him back. “No,” he grunted.

“Let me go!” Nicolas said, struggling against his friend’s grip. His struggles brought both of them to the ground, but Peter refused to release him.

“It’s no good, Nicolas!” he said. “That witch is too strong for you, you know that. She’ll want you for your Gift just like the emperor does. If you put yourself in her hands, what will happen to you? What will happen to Marja, to your children? Think!”

Nicolas stopped struggling. He breathed hard, his nose inches from the dirt. “Let me up,” he said. “Let me up; I won’t go.”

Peter hesitated a moment before releasing him. Nicolas pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. He glared at Peter. “If I had my strength…”

“You’d have knocked me flat and gone, I know,” Peter said. “But I’m talking sense, Nicolas. Listen to it.”

Nicolas nodded. There was blood in his teeth; he spit it out. “You’re right, Evelyn’s too strong for me. But she’s not too strong for us.”

“Us?” Peter asked.

“The Gifted,” Nicolas said. “All of us. Me, Maggie, Virginia, the Ploughman… all of us.” He pushed himself back onto his heels. “I learned many things when I went after the River-Daughter, Peter. This was one of them. The Gifted are meant to be woven together. Virginia inspired Pravik to come to the Gypsies’ defense. I saw the Ploughman fight in Athrom, and I’ve heard power in Maggie’s songs. We’re strong alone—stronger than any of us think we are. But together we’re strong enough to stop the witch and win back the city.”

Peter’s face betrayed his bewilderment. He shook his head. “But you’re alone,” he said. “And Maggie and the Ploughman are in Athrom.”

“Where they’ve been betrayed,” Nicolas said. “It can’t have been any other way. They’re captives, then.”

“Or they’re dead,” Peter said.

Nicolas shook his head. He knew Peter was wrong—though how he knew he could not have said. Perhaps the Gifted were already woven in some way. “They’re not dead,” he said. “So I’ll free them.”

“Like you were just now going to free Marja?” Peter said.

Nicolas made a face at him. “No, not like that. Going to free Marja now would be walking into a trap without the strength to get out again. But the emperor won’t be looking for me in Athrom. And when I find the others, we’ll be strong enough to spring any trap. Believe me.”

Peter took his pipe from his pocket and stuck it in his teeth, chewing hard on the end before he pulled it out again. “I’ll come with you.”

“No, you won’t,” Nicolas said. “You’ll stay here and watch the city. Watch my Marja. My children. Make sure they’re all right.”

“How am I supposed to do that from out here?” Peter asked.

“You’ll find a way,” Nicolas said. “Just as I’ll find mine. Promise me, Peter. You won’t leave here until I’ve come back.

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