The Days of the Deer by Liliana Bodoc

Author:Liliana Bodoc [Bodoc, Liliana]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Atlantic Books Ltd
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

18

THE SIDERESIANS

They were bringing the storm with them.

A fleet was crossing the Yentru Sea towards the Fertile Lands: many small ships with triangular sails that appeared on the crests of the waves, dropped into the troughs, and then bobbed back up again. The cloudy, moonless night sky was black; black the capes covering the men on board. And black, jet-black the dogs with frothing mouths that were crammed into cages on their decks.

On one of those decks, a man strolled slowly, beating the palm of one hand with the leather glove he had just removed. Leogrós, admiral of the Sideresian fleet, paced up and down without looking round him. He completely ignored the crew, who shrank back to leave him a free path, holding their breath. These beings mattered to him little more than the scraps of food he kicked towards the side of the ship. It was only when he met Drimus, who was heading in the opposite direction holding a bunch of living mice between his fingers, that Leogrós deigned to nod his head slightly in a sign of recognition.

Leogrós had to accept the Doctrinator, without really knowing what his powers were. He had to be content knowing that Misáianes had appointed him to command the three ships that were to aim straight for the port of Beleram. Although Leogrós was repelled by this misshapen being who knew nothing of weapons or wars, he did not try to oppose him, nor would he have been able to. So far, Drimus had not confronted him in any way. And yet a certain haughtiness about the way he behaved suggested Leogrós should beware of him. No one would have dared mention it, but everyone knew that the Doctrinator was protected by and obeyed One who was not on any of their ships. He and only He was Drimus’s master.

The Doctrinator walked to the stern of the ship. This was where he spent most of his time, curled up among the cages, feeding the black dogs. As soon as they saw him coming, the animals stirred. Backs bristling, jaws slathering, without even so much as growling, they kept a close watch on the man bringing them food. They knew the banquet was never enough for all of them, that only the quickest and fiercest would enjoy the taste of hot entrails. Today, however, the man was in a playful mood. He walked round the cages slowly, a smile on a face as lopsided as his hunched body. Picking one out of the bunch of mice he was now clutching to his chest, he held it up by the tail and swung it in front of the dogs. They all followed its movements intently, fascinated by the smell of fear.

‘Oh, my little ones! Your hunger will soon be sated, because all flesh that opposes Misáianes will end up in your guts.’

Drimus the Doctrinator threw the mouse into a cage. The dogs fought a short but vicious battle over it. The winner stalked off, clutching the prey between its teeth.

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