The Beasts of Grimheart by Kieran Larwood

Author:Kieran Larwood [Kieran Larwood]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780571328468
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Published: 2018-10-22T16:00:00+00:00

INTERLUDE

Sythica raises a hand and the bard stops mid-tale, his head tilted up as if he is about to howl like a wolf himself. The bonedancers all turn their eyes to their Mother Superior, leaving Rue as the only one still lost in the story, still hearing the cries of the wolf pack as they fade into the quiet stillness of the forest.

‘Is there a problem?’ the bard asks. He is hoping this isn’t the part where he gets pushed backwards into the weasel pit.

‘No,’ replies Sythica. ‘Your tale is adequate. It is simply time for our ritual.’

‘Adequate,’ mutters the bard. ‘Thank you so much.’

He watches warily as his audience of bonedancers all reach into the leather pouches at their belts and draw out a termite or beetle. They hold them up as an offering and, as one, reach across with their other hands to twist off the insects’ heads. The dead creatures are then thrown to the floor in a patter of shells and twitching thoraxes.

‘Well,’ says the bard, once the bonedancers have finished, ‘I must say that’s a relief. If you’ve all killed something today, then you probably won’t be killing me.’

‘I haven’t killed anything yet,’ says Sythica, making the bard freeze in mid-chuckle. She watches with a twinkle in her eyes as the bard gulps and blinks for a moment, then makes a gesture to her sisters. The bonedancers all stand and begin to leave the chamber in rows.

‘Is it over?’ Rue calls out, jumping from his seat and wringing his paws. ‘Don’t say it’s over! The story isn’t finished yet!’

Sythica turns her masked face to the little rabbit. When she speaks, her voice is almost kindly. Or, at least, slightly less threatening than usual. ‘It is not over, little bard. We are just stopping for lunch. You will be led back to your chamber to eat.’

With that, their bonedancer escorts reappear and shepherd Rue and the bard back to their cell. Someone has already put out a simple meal of dandelion leaves and diced radish for them, and once they are inside, the bonedancers shut and lock the door, leaving them alone.

Without saying a word, the pair of them sit down on one of the beds and begin sharing out the food.

They eat in silence for a while, crunching leaves the only sound. The bard is just beginning to wonder why Rue is being so quiet when the little rabbit suddenly bursts into tears.

‘Rue!’ says the bard. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘They’re going to kill you!’ Rue wails. ‘They hate your story and they’re going to throw you in the weasel pit!’

‘Now, now,’ says the bard. ‘Don’t … um … cry.’ He hasn’t had much experience with emotional children. Thinking he should do something, he pats a hand on his apprentice’s shoulder. Rue instantly throws himself into the bard’s arms and begins to dribble tears and snot on his shoulder.

‘You’re going to be torn to pieces! The weasel will chew off your ears and suck out your eyeballs!’

‘All right, all right!’ says the bard.

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