Inferno by Leslie Tyre

Author:Leslie Tyre [Tyre, Leslie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: -
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2021-06-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Doctor Seiver roused them just before midday. After being chased by a Tsa’lmav, none of them were too keen to remain in one place for long, and they were on the road within the hour. After the events of the last few days, the color in Caelyn’s face had worsened, and she had developed a cough. All the stress was affecting her health. Though she tried to hide it, Alastair could see the subtle differences—the change in her complexion, her demeanor, her new sluggishness.

Caelyn rode with Mydia, likely having sensed the unease and tension between Alastair and his father. Alastair trailed behind the other two horses, lost in his own thoughts. Kylar’s ring felt heavy in his palm. He turned the silver band over, staring at the crest. It evoked bravery and prestige, which was befitting of an aspiring knight. An emptiness settled in the pit of Alastair’s stomach. He should have been the one who died. Those two fateful moments replayed over and over in his mind—the moment Kylar was gravely wounded, and his last breath in the woods. If only Alastair had held his ground better, the way he always did during practice. He was a better swordsman than Kylar; he should have been able to keep the soldier at bay. Now he saw how weak he really was. Because of him, he would never be able to spar with Kylar or hear him joke about his relationship with Caelyn. He didn’t want to think about how he would never see his best friend again, to laugh with him, to cross swords. Kylar was gone. All he had left of his friend was his ring and the promise he had made to return it.

As the day dragged on, something nagged at Alastair. It felt like his father was skirting his questions, avoiding direct answers. It was aggravating how Doctor Seiver treated him like an ignorant child—like he didn’t entirely trust him. Though he was unsure exactly what it was, he knew his father was hiding something from him. But he held back his questions as they rode toward Breadan.

When they stopped for the day, Alastair watched his father carefully. Alastair lit a fire while Mydia and Caelyn started a stew with the few herbs and dried roots they had brought with them. Doctor Seiver, however, set off to catch a rabbit for their meal. There were hundreds of questions eating away at Alastair, many of which he suspected his father might avoid answering. Alastair squeezed the heel of his hand, rubbing his thumb in circles until the skin was sore. Finally, he stood and followed him. His father had not gone far, still within view of the camp.

“Dad?”

“What is it?” Doctor Seiver asked, not even bothering to look at him.

“Before Isha…died, she said you would know what was happening to me.”

Doctor Seiver crouched low to the ground to examine a set of animal tracks.

Alastair cleared his throat. It didn’t seem like his father was going to talk without more prodding.

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