The Raven's Price by Ashley Capes

Author:Ashley Capes [Capes, Ashley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Close-Up Books
Published: 2019-04-13T16:00:00+00:00

25. Notch

Notch left the hard road and approached weather-worn posts that once would have been part of a fence, protecting travellers from a steep drop into a stretching ravine of sandy stone. White butterflies flickered from tiny flower to flower – too tranquil for the aftermath of a battle.

Or slaughter.

Footsteps crunched behind him. “Think you can do that again?”

Corvus. The man’s face was impassive. He stood with one hand resting on the hilt of his weapon, greatmask nowhere to be seen. Much of the Ganthra blood had been cleaned from his breastplate of bone but it still stained his robes.

“Yes.” Notch glanced back to where bodies lay strewn across the earth before the walls of Edessa. Mostly Ganthra but horses and blue robes were part of the carnage. Supposedly, the town had sallied forth too, though he had no memory of it.

Details were scant now... blood, green scales and the crunch of bones.

“And a hundred more times?” Corvus asked. “A thousand?”

Notch clenched his jaw. For Sofia, he could. “If need be.”

“Good.”

Notch faced the man. “And then I can pass your lands for my search.”

“With my blessing,” Corvus said. “Though it will be a futile one, Anaskari.”

“What do you know of Qu-Sitka?”

“Nothing. But the Pimrali people to the north are secretive. They slaughter outsiders. If you go there, perhaps even the keeper of the Fura Leones will die.”

“Then I die in the attempt.”

Corvus nodded and returned to his men; some of who had gathered around their horses, where others were setting up the camp and tending to the wounded. Yet more seemed to be working with townsfolk and local Os-Bellator to set up mighty bonfires for the Ganthra.

Was it all thanks to the Fura Leones?

He’d survived due to them, that much was clear. On the bracers, the lions stood tall now, manes grown longer. Flashes of blood swam before his eyes, shadows and shattering bone too... like the Glass War; it didn’t fade quickly enough and his very fingertips seemed to twitch for more violence.

A bottle would deal with that – but Corvus ran a dry camp. “Luckily.”

One of the Ecsoli approached, and handed Notch water and a bright, red apple, before bowing, hands over his mask in what seemed to be a gesture indicating some reverence. “Thank you.” Notch bit into the flesh as the man left without a word, the sweetness welcome after the dust of the battle. He took a drink too.

Once again, footfalls approached. He did not turn; no doubt it was Inquisitor Emisa since no-one else seemed willing to speak to him. Before, it had perhaps been contempt or indifference but now, was it something else?

Respect? Fear?

The whispers had not stopped in the aftermath of the fighting.

He glanced aside; it was her. She stopped before him, her form-hugging purple robe pleasant enough but the mask was not – the painted face still unnerving.

He took another few bites. “Out of range, are we?”

“You know we are.”

Maybe it was true; he hadn’t heard from Casselli since before the travel-stone.

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