Death Mask (The Three Lands) by Dusk Peterson

Author:Dusk Peterson [Peterson, Dusk]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction / Fantasy / Historical
Publisher: Love in Dark Settings Press
Published: 2019-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOUR

Kester left me at the entrance to the passage. I thought he might offer me a prolonged farewell, or even a prayer over me. But he gave me a only a nod, as though we would be meeting again soon to chat.

I was glad for the opportunity to make my own way to the sanctuary, and not only for symbolic reasons. I needed time to think.

I did not have to worry about making a last-minute decision over whether to offer up my spirit to the gods. I had seen enough dead-eyed slaves by now to be sure that such a sacrifice was real and potent, whatever its cause. But from what Kester had said, I would be provided the opportunity to make such a sacrifice, not merely once, but every day. If I came to regret my decision to keep my spirit in the Land of the Living, I would have the chance to easily reverse that choice.

As for my body, I knew that I would not spend my final moments as a free-man searching for an instrument of death. After ten days of consideration, my mind remained firm on this matter: it was my duty to remain alive if I could.

It took me some time to determine the actual cause of the sickening of my stomach. Then I recognized the sensation, though it had been nineteen years since I last felt it.

It was the panic I had experienced as a young man of sixteen, on the day I left my village to join the patrol. It was the panic of knowing that I was willingly walking into a trap.

I had reached the door to the sanctuary. I took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

The sanctuary was much brighter than it had been on my previous visit. Candles were lit everywhere, while burning oil lamps surrounded the floor around the altar. The room was more crowded too, filled with boys in peasant-brown, loose-waisted tunics. A couple of them noticed me and nudged each other, but they were apparently too well-trained to voice their interest. I guessed that these boys must be a few of the orphans that the Koretian priests were said to care for at their central house of worship, which was located on Capital Mountain, just outside the city.

Lovell had been busy lighting the last of the candles, but as I closed the door behind me, he turned. He was dressed in the same manner as I had seen before, in brown cloth matching that of the orphan boys. His hood shadowed his face. At his beckoning I came forward, wondering at what point the rite began.

He must have read the uncertainty on my face, for he said, “You may continue to speak until the rite begins. I understand that Kester has been giving you instructions for your time as the Living Dead. Do you have any questions about that for me?”

“No, sir. He has been most helpful.”

Unexpectedly, Lovell smiled, his smile a faint shining amidst the shadows over his face.

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.