Techromancy Scrolls: Westlands by Erik Schubach

Author:Erik Schubach
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Erik Schubach

Chapter 13 – Cristea

Time seemed to stretch as there was nothing but stunned silence in the tower. I chanced a glance up at the woman at the top of that spiraling staircase. Her hand was covering her mouth, then she was in motion, hiking her colorful skirts as she marched down the stairs with purpose.

This was apparently what everyone staring down at us were waiting for as they all started murmuring to each other as they fell in behind the woman, pointing and whispering. We stood, and Elaineia moved slightly in front of us in an almost protective manner, though I could see her shaking a little as the woman spiraled down toward us.

Though her eyes flicked to us, I could tell the bulk of the woman's attentions were on her daughter. She reached the bottom of the stairway and moved swiftly to us. Reaching out to pull Elaineia away from us and interposing herself between us.

I noted that many of the men and some of the woman starting to gather behind her were armed with makeshift weapons. Some had kitchen knives, some had bookends, and the large man with the Mother held a heavy iron fire poker.

She gave us a quick look before turning to her daughter and grabbing her arms and shaking her in concern. “Elaine, where did you run off too? Who are these women?” Then she froze, a look of horror on her face when she saw the blade on her daughter's hip. She whispered in pained resignation, “The blade of Mother Racina...”

Elaineia stepped back from her grip, again moving between the gathered people and us. I glanced around and took stock of them again. There were perhaps fifteen men and woman and five or six children still up on the second level stairs watching between the balusters. One was no more than three, and he clung to the skirt of an older girl.

The Gypsy girl stood tall, her hand on the hilt of the blade. “Someone had to don the blade. To try to do something. Our people are dying, and all we do is send Greva after Greva to their deaths to try to get to the Great Mother in Old Home. I would see no more die, doing what we should be doing as the ones they look to for wisdom, for support, for protection.”

She stressed the last word like an accusation.

I swallowed. Her mother hadn't known she had taken the blade, nor donned it, making her a Femeie de Sabie, an act which couldn't be undone.

Then before the elder woman could speak, Elaineia stood taller and pleaded, her brow creased and her eyes searching, “How many must die before we stand against Avalon?”

She looked around to the people there. “I took Mother Racina's blade, and I took a Greva and rode for the Gateway.”

There was a collective gasp, and she continued, “The wheeled patrol spotted us and gave chase, Emmiril was killed. But from the shadows of the forest, five riders came charging past like wraiths.

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