Hyperion's Shield by Nathan Schivley

Author:Nathan Schivley [Schivley, Nathan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781733978613
Publisher: Blue Avenue Media
Published: 2019-05-14T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty: Loss

Gracien leaned over Septa’s body and cautiously turned her over onto her back. Her remaining eye was wide open, fixed in an unwavering stare. The rest of her body was as stiff as her gaze. The left side, from her chest to her face was charred black. Thin wisps of smoke still rose from her smoldering flesh. The smell was awful. Gracien placed his hand on the side of Septa's neck and felt for a pulse.

"Is dat it 'den?" asked a voice from behind Gracien. Declin emerged from the woods and bent over to examine the body.

"She will begin her transition soon, I think," said Gracien, releasing his fingers from her neck. "The wound is too much to recover from."

"Hmmm..." said Declin. He frowned as he poked the side of Septa's body with a stick, to see if she would react. Her body remained motionless.

"What of your friend?" asked Gracien.

Declin shook his head. "Aye, it was as ya thought."

"I'm sorry," said Gracien. Declin merely shrugged.

"Is she... dead?" called Regan from behind the two men. She was still huddled with her brother and Tinko near the hovercraft. Gracien and Declin blocked her view of the body.

Gracien shook his head. "Not yet. But soon."

Regan looked back inside the hovercraft and saw Xander seated on a bench, slumped over with his head bowed and his cuffed arms dangling between his legs. "Can't we take her with us?" she called back to Gracien. "There has to be something you can do! You could keep her prisoner! Wouldn't having her as a hostage be... valuable... or something?"

Gracien did not answer, but Regan could tell that he had no intention of bringing her back to The Hole.

"You're just going to leave her there?" said Regan, her voice choked with emotion.

"She will not be here for long," replied Gracien. "The Scales aren't far from here. I would not extend her journey needlessly."

"I can stay with 'er," said Declin. "Yous all need to get out of da open and back to da cave. Sun will be up soon and it'd be a miracle if yous haven't been spotted already." Gracien eyed the waif with hesitation. "I know, I know," said Declin. "It won't be like last time. I promise ta stay wit 'er."

"And if she wakes," said Gracien staring hard at the waif.

"Den' I will finish da job, fer good dis time." Declin picked up Septa's eüroc off the ground and released the blade with a quick snap. His eyes told Gracien everything he needed to know.

"Very well," said Gracien. He turned and walked toward the hovercraft, leaving the waif alone with the body.

Loras put his arm around his sister. She couldn't bear to look at Septa's body any longer, so she buried her head in Loras' chest and began to sob. Tinko joined them, putting his arms around his friends. The three of them huddled together for a time before Gracien told them that they had to start moving.

"It will be morning soon," said Gracien. "We need to get you all back to The Hole before someone spots us out here.

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.