The Cold Is in Her Bones by Peternelle van Arsdale

Author:Peternelle van Arsdale
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

15

NIKLAS LED MILLA TO A wooden ladder that went up to an opening in the stone ceiling. He climbed up first, and she followed. As she climbed she was struck by how quiet it had become. No howling or crying. She wondered if the girls were sleeping. When she’d climbed all the way to the second story, the moment her face was just above floor level she was hit with the overpowering scent of sour milk. It was so strong she could taste it in her mouth. She let out an involuntary grunt of disgust.

Niklas reached out a hand to help her all the way up. “Another of Ragna’s ideas. The girls get cups of milk every four daylight hours. It’s supposed to calm them. From what I can tell it just makes them angrier. None of them drink it and half of them throw it back at us. I’ve only been here three days, and I don’t think I’ll ever want to drink milk again.”

Milla didn’t think she’d ever wish to, either. They paused before continuing on. Milla realized that as badly as she’d wanted to see Iris, there was now a tremor of hesitation in her. A fear of how Iris might have changed. “Is it always so quiet at night? Do they sleep?”

“I’ve never heard it quiet like this since I’ve been here. It’s . . . strange.” Niklas looked worried. She supposed that if howling seemed normal to you, then the absence of howling might be a cause for concern. “Come. Iris’s cell is toward the middle.” He held her eyes. “I think it would be better if you didn’t look in the cells, Milla. Keep your eyes forward, on me.”

Milla nodded while knowing it was a promise she couldn’t possibly keep.

The stone hall circled the courtyard, just as the one beneath it did, and was lit by oil lamps that hung from iron hooks sunk into the walls. Milla felt the damp chill of the place in her flesh, and she thought of those poor girls, soaked to the skin and then left to huddle alone in their cells.

A whispering rose along the hallway. Milla could tell by the way he faltered for just a moment that Niklas had heard it, too. It sounded like wind through leafy branches, only sharper, crisper. Then she thought, No, that’s not what it sounds like at all. It sounds like hissing.

Then the hissing became words.

She’s here.

She’s here.

She’s here.

Niklas held one hand behind him, quickly squeezing one of hers. “Remember what I said. Don’t look. And . . . don’t listen, either. They’ll say things to you. It’s the demon talking. Remember that.”

Milla noticed he hadn’t prayed the way they’d been taught to do whenever anyone mentioned the demon. Nor was there salt around doors and windows. Come to think of it, there was none in Ragna’s cottage, either. She wondered if everyone who spent any time here realized it was pointless. The demon was already here, and would do as she wished.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.