The Cleric Scribe (Dragon Speaker Series Book 5) by Devin Hanson

Author:Devin Hanson [Hanson, Devin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Devin Hanson
Published: 2017-12-22T05:00:00+00:00

Arana watched from a rooftop as workers hammered together two semi-circles of tiered seating. The tall stake centered between the stands was already piled high with cordwood. Iron manacles on a chain hung from the top of the stake and additional ironmongery lay in careless piles, should it be needed.

Rumor had flown through the city of Reywood and the faithful were starting to gather. There was a festive air to it all; carts were out selling fresh buns and fruit, a group of musicians were playing, and a man in a checkered suit was juggling pins to the delight of watching children.

The scene below seemed to be enveloped in a bubble of unreality. How could these people celebrate burning a man to death? On an analytical level, she knew it wasn’t Sebastian’s death they were happy about. Rather it was the celebration of being stronger than the lurking darkness of their own nebulous fears. Their entire lives, the priests had been building up the threat of demonic possession. Now, not only had the priests succeeded in capturing such a horror, they were about to dispel it forever.

The smell of a barbeque cart selling grilled skewers of meat floated up on the breeze and Arana’s stomach turned over.

“These people,” Ana said darkly from her perch beside Arana, “have no idea what they are doing. How can they turn Sebastian’s death into pageantry?”

Arana felt an urge to defend her people well up inside her. What they were doing was abhorrent, but she couldn’t really blame them. A month ago, she would have been right beside them celebrating. “They don’t know any better,” she said softly. “Most don’t know how to read and have no education beyond the requirements of their profession. How could they learn of anything beyond what the priests tell them?”

Ana muttered something under her breath.

“Is there nothing in your culture that you would destroy immediately given the opportunity?” Arana pressed.

“Only the Incantors,” Ana said with a grim smile. “And if you knew what I know of them, you would be happy to see them executed as well. And ranno kossar, but that’s different. Not even the alchemists execute for that and they have the most cause to do so.”

“Egg thieves?” Arana asked dubiously. “There’s a lot of theft that occurs in the markets, but having a specialized punishment just for… what?”

Ana was staring at her, her eyes wide with shock.

“Sorry, did I say something?” Arana couldn’t help but lean away from Ana.

“How did you know what ranno kossar means?” Ana demanded.

“I don’t understand,” Arana swallowed. The intensity of Ana’s gaze was making her uncomfortable. “There’s no mystery there. People get hungry and eggs are an easy thing to steal.”

“Not ‘egg thief,’” Ana said slowly and clearly, “ranno kossar.”

This time, Arana heard the difference. Or, rather, she saw Ana’s lips move in an unfamiliar cadence and her mind finally grasped what was being said aloud.

“You are a Dragon Speaker,” Ana said wonderingly. Her eyes widened again as sudden understanding crashed through her.

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