Death and the Lady by Tarr Judith

Author:Tarr, Judith [Tarr, Judith]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Black Death, magic, medieval, The Hound and the Falcon, women's history, Judith Tarr, Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
ISBN: 9781611382853
Publisher: Book View Cafe
Published: 2013-07-30T07:00:00+00:00

III.

The Wood was cold in the grey light of evening. No bird sang. No wind stirred the branches of the trees.

Lys had tried to slip away alone. She should have known better. This time it was not my fault, not entirely: I had followed Francha. So we stood on the porch of the ruined chapel, Francha with both arms about her waist, I simply facing her.

“If the walls can open at all,” Lys said, careful and cold, “your mortal presence will assure that they stay shut.”

I heard her, but I was not listening. “Are you going to leave Francha again?”

Lys frowned and looked down at the child who clung to her. “She can’t go, even if I can get in.”

“Why not?”

“She’s human.”

“She can’t live in this world,” I said. “She was barely doing it when you came. When you go, she’ll die.”

“We are forbidden—”

“You were forbidden to leave. But you did it.”

Lys had her arms around Francha, almost as if she could not help it. She gathered the child up and held her. “Oh, God! If I could only be the hard cold creature that I pretend to be!”

“You’re cold enough,” I said, “and as heartless as a cat. But even a cat has its weaknesses.”

Lys looked at me. “You should have been one of us.”

I shivered. “Thank God He spared me that.” I glanced at the sky. “You’d best do it if you’re going to. Before it’s dark.”

Lys might have argued, but even she could not keep the sun from setting.

She did not go into the chapel as I had thought she would. She stood outside of it, facing the Wood, still holding Francha. It was already dark under the trees; a grey mist wound up, twining through the branches.

Lys’ eyes opened wide. “It’s open,” she said. “The walls are down. But—”

“Stop talking,” I said. My throat hurt. “Just go.”

She stayed where she was. “It’s a trap. Or a deception. The ban is clever; it knows what it is for.”

Francha struggled in her arms. She let the child go. Francha slid down the curve of her, keeping a grip on her hand. Pulling her toward the Wood.

She looked into wide eyes as human as hers were not. “No, Francha. It’s a trap.”

Francha set her chin and leaned, putting all her weight into it. It was as loud as a shout. Come!

“Go,” I said. “How will you know it’s a trap till you’ve tried it? Go!”

Lys glared at me. “How can humans know—”

I said a word that shocked her into silence. While she wavered I pushed, and Francha pulled. Dragging her toward the thing she wanted most in the world.

Later it would hurt. Now I only wanted her gone. Before I gave in. Before I let her stay.

She was walking by herself now, if slowly. The trees were close. I could smell the mist, dank and cold, like the breath of the dead.

“No!” cried Lys, flinging up her hand.

Light flew from it. The mist withered and fled. The trees towered higher than any mortal trees, great pillars upholding a roof of gold.

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