The Dark Connection Collection (Books 1, 2, & 3) by William Stadler

Author:William Stadler [Stadler, William]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-12-31T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

THE LOG LATTICE

Jesekah threw her hand up, annoyed. “What do you know? You’re just an errand boy.”

Not letting her words pierce him, Ian remained as calm as before. “What reason would I have to lie to you, Lord Sekah? You have wounded me badly enough already.” He quickly motioned to the place where he had been stabbed, where the wound had once been, now healed by the Black Lands. “I’ve already risked my life trying to rescue you. What more do I have to lose?”

Jesekah fumbled around for a few words that didn’t come. She must have seen that Ian had nothing left to give. He had nearly been slain trying to rescue her from Dreyshore.

Still resisting acceptance, Jesekah asked, “If the Haunt does spawn from me, then why do I only hear tales of its exploits? Hm? Not once have I known it to come from my being.”

Menja dusted off her stunted pants. “The Haunt spawns from your blood. Whenever your blood is mixed with the blood of another, the Haunt is released. Whoever mixes the blood, controls the Haunt for one night.”

Seeming more intrigued now, Jesekah asked, “How does my father gain access to my…” As the realization came, she covered her opened mouth with her fist, turning to face Ian who was nodding regretfully.

“The bloodletting,” he said. “Every week we let your blood, and then we sent it back to your father.”

“How did the blood get back to him?” Menja asked, stepping towards them.

“Dreyshore’s men took it to him,” Jesekah said.

Menja grabbed Jesekah’s arms and shook her. “Tell me this, and I need you to answer me truthfully. Did you ever witness a golden light near you?”

“A golden light? What do you mean?”

“Falling from the sky. Did you ever see one?” Menja was clearly growing impatient.

“Not that I can recall,” Jesekah replied, thinking back.

Meekly, Eva said, “I did.”

Menja slowly turned to Eva and then stepped towards her. “One that was not your own?”

Eva nodded.

“Where?” Menja asked.

“Not too long ago, when I was rescuing my brother, Edward. Well, I wasn’t rescuing him,” she said sadly. “I tried to, but I couldn’t. He forced me away fearing that we might both be captured. But over the snowy hills, I saw a golden beam streak down from the sky. I was confused because I hadn’t summoned the Beast. I didn’t know what to think of it at the time, but now I see that the streak came because the Haunt was being released.”

Menja turned back to Jesekah. “When they carried your blood, did anyone else escort Dreyshore’s men back to the king, or did they travel alone?”

Ian answered for the queen. “They traveled alone, I suppose. We had no reason to believe anything ill about it.”

“Until now,” Menja replied. “Don’t think that Dreyshore turned over all the blood to King Oden.”

“If Dreyshore didn’t turn the blood over to the king, then what do you think he intends to do with the Haunt?” Eva asked.

Menja squinted. “I don’t know…”

Jesekah was still in disbelief.

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