The Castle (Miles Edwulfson Book 2) by Broomall Robert

Author:Broomall, Robert [Broomall, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blue Stone Media
Published: 2022-05-18T00:00:00+00:00

A imerie and his wife, Oudinette, sat at the head table in the vaulted hall of Brightwood Castle, the flickering hearth to their left. Oudinette had just been served another cup of wine when Aimerie stood and took her arm. “Come on.”

She looked up at him.

“Let’s go on the roof and watch the Hollow’s Eve fires,” he said.

“I’ve seen them before,” she told him, cradling the wine possessively.

“Not from a height like that. It should be exciting. We’ll be able to look out over half the shire.”

Aimerie got a horn lantern from one of the servants. He and Oudinette mounted the curving stairs to the roof, Aimerie taking the lead. A door opened onto the roof. Aimerie stepped outside onto the walkway and lent his wife a hand, using the lantern to light her way.

“Be careful. The workers have left all kinds of equipment up here. Don’t trip over it.”

It was breezy and cold, but the clouds were few, and Aimerie and Oudinette could see for miles, patches of light marking the villages.

“It’s beautiful,” Oudinette breathed.

On All Hollow’s Eve, the heathen English set fires to ward off evil spirits, and to light the way for good spirits to ascend to Heaven. Children paraded through the villages with lanterns made from carved turnips.

“Look.” Oudinette laughed and pointed to a string of lights that snaked along the village street below. “There go the children through Brightwood.”

Oudinette had brought her cup of wine with her. She finished it and set it on the walkway by the parapet. She didn’t want the cup to fall off the parapet and hit an unsuspecting passerby. “I’ve never been up here before, and you’re right, it’s a gorgeous view.”

“It’s full dark now,” Aimerie said. “The fires should be starting any time.”

As if in answer, a prick of light appeared in a distant field. It glimmered, then bloomed.

“Look!” Oudinette said. “There’s one!”

“Looks like Haverham,” Aimerie said.

Another fire blossomed. Another. More. All around. They lit up the night like giant glow worms.

“It’s marvelous,” Oudinette gushed. “Thank you, darling, I’d never have thought to come up here.”

“We’ll have to make it a tradition,” Aimerie said, squeezing her hand.

“Yes, let’s.”

He leaned out from the parapet. “Look at that one. They’ve made it colored somehow.”

She crowded beside him. “Where? I don’t see it.”

“To the southeast, far off, toward Badford.”

“I still don’t . . .”

He stepped aside for her. “Lean out. Hold on to the merlon there. That’s it. Don’t worry, I’ve got your shoulder.”

She craned her head. “I still don’t . . .”

“Just a bit more.”

She leaned out further.

He switched his hand to the small of her back and gave her a shove.

She lost her grip on the merlon. Her arms windmilled as she fought to regain her balance.

He gave her another shove and she went over the parapet with a scream.

The scream was followed by a loud thunk on the ground below.

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