Hall of Bones (The Brotherhood of the Eagle Book 1) by Tim Hardie

Author:Tim Hardie [Hardie, Tim]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: TJH Publications UK
Published: 2020-11-24T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 25

I couldn’t say how long I’d been lying on the cold, damp stone floor. Gauging from the chill and my aching muscles, it must have been several hours. I put a shaking hand up to my face, unable to make it out in the darkness, lightly running my fingers over my split mouth. At least I’d kept all my teeth. Why was I here? In answer the memories came flooding back as a jumble of images and sounds, like a waterfall swollen by the spring rains, battering and crushing me under their weight. Fresh tears ran down my face and I called out for someone to come and free me. The dungeons lay deep in the bowels of Ulfkell’s Keep and beneath that great mass of stone no sound could penetrate, my cries going unanswered. Eventually I drifted into an uneasy and fitful sleep.

I awoke to the sound of voices and faint orange light filtering through a small barred window set in the door to my cell. Stiffly I sat up, straining to hear what was being said.

“… no you listen, boy. Tyrfingr be damned, he has a right to know the case against him.” Etta, I was sure of it. Then another voice spoke in reply, lower and muffled, so I was unable to make out the words. I certainly caught Etta’s sharp answer.

“Last I heard, Haarl, you weren’t a coward, so don’t let Blackeyes of all people tell you what to do. If your friendship with Rothgar counted for anything at all, let me speak to the lad before he’s brought to the hall.”

This time I heard Haarl’s voice clearly. “Etta, you may be town elder but that don’t give you the right to defy Blackeyes, not for the likes of him. Brunn told us to follow orders till the clan moot, or we’ll have a blood bath on our hands.”

I heard a swish and a sharp crack followed by a yelp from Haarl. I was no stranger to Etta’s stick and couldn’t help the painful smile spreading over my bruised face as she showed Haarl no quarter.

“Idiot. You really are all muscle and no brains, aren’t you? We’ve already had a blood bath and, might I remind you, it was on your watch. By the clan moot it will be too late. It’s probably too late anyway but I’ll be damned if I don’t try to do something. Now, are you going to stand aside or do I have to beat you to death?” Haarl muttered something inaudible and a moment later there was a rattle in the lock and the door swung open, filling the cell with dull orange light from a torch burning in a bracket on the opposite wall.

“I’ll have to lock you in, Etta,” Haarl muttered apologetically. Etta tutted as she made her slow way down to where I was sitting. The door slammed shut behind her and the room was dark once more, with just the faint light from the window set in the door illuminating Etta’s craggy features.

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