Flesh and Fire by Laura Anne Gilman

Author:Laura Anne Gilman
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 2009-10-12T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

The stink of the beast was even worse up close. The last chunk of flesh—carefully wrapped in sailcloth, to keep flies away—was placed in the back of the small cart, and the guard who had overseen the loading drew one arm across his nose as though to block out the scent.

“You took this? Instead of gold?”

“I did,” Jerzy said, checking the girth on his mare’s saddle. She turned her head to look at him, as though wondering what he was thinking, and he patted the side of her neck reassuringly. The fact that she had carried him here, and not—unlike Jecq’s horse—run away when the serpent beast attacked, had gone a long way to endearing her to him. He still wasn’t looking forward to the ride back, however.

Agreeing to forego payment for the spellwines in exchange for selected portions of the sea serpent, and the cart and the donkey to ferry them home, had taken the last of Jerzy’s strength. How dare he make such a decision? Yet, he had agreed, in Master Malech’s name. The deed was done.

The guard shook his head and retreated, no doubt to consider the madness of Vinearts and all those associated with them.

It was perhaps madness. If so, Master Malech would punish him when he returned, and there was a part of Jerzy that quailed under that thought. Yet, the curiosity that overcame him when looking at the beast could not be constrained, and had his master not ordered him to take a look at what was left of the first beast? Surely a fresh sample would be even more useful, especially since the prince refused him access to the first village that had been attacked, deeming it too dangerous until the spellwine had thoroughly cleansed the area.

The small donkey attached to the cart made a chuffing noise and flicked one long ear, but otherwise did not seem perturbed. The cart was barely large enough for its gruesome burden, another canvas sail laid over it and lashed to the wood to prevent anything falling out—or anyone seeing what was being conveyed. Enough stories would come out of the day’s events; Jerzy felt no need to add to them. Not until Malech had his say on the matter.

“Young mage.”

Jerzy turned to greet the princeling—Prince Ranulf—now dressed in a sleeveless doublet of dark blue cloth and silver thread over a shirt of such whiteness Jerzy doubted it had ever been worn before, and most certainly not in any field or on any road, where dirt would find it like flies to split grapes. Two of his guards stood behind him, less ready than relaxed. Clearly, they thought their troubles had ended with the delivery of the spellwines and the seemingly effortless defeat of the sea serpent.

Jerzy, thinking back at the size and ferocity of the beast, wasn’t so certain.

“I thank you again for your aid and assistance,” the prince said. His face was calm, but his eyes showed a deeper shadowing. Unlike his men, Ranulf wasn’t certain the spellwine would be enough, either.

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.