Tomb of the Six by Richard Parry

Author:Richard Parry [Parry, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Mondegreen
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Their path led them upward. Natural caverns gave way to hewn stone, then brickwork. The air smelled fresher and felt a little warmer. Jinglewood nattered on, oblivious, until they came to another shattered tomb door set into the corridor.

Geneve poked her head inside. The sarcophagus in here was broken like the last, but still held remnants. She walked on weary feet to take a closer look. The body inside was in pieces, and some of those were missing. Perhaps rodents or other scavengers found a way to get inside. “This one of the Six won’t be coming back from the dead.”

“Humans don’t work without a chest?” Jinglewood hovered above the miserable remains. “Makes sense. I don’t think I’d feel good either.”

Geneve bent, running her fingers over the runes on the broken sarcophagus lid. “I wish I knew what these said.”

“I bet they say, ‘Behold, here lies a summoner.’ Makes sense since they want my Melody.” Jinglewood landed on her knee. “I figure they didn’t seal this one up well enough, or someone tried for a souvenir.”

She snorted. “That’s one less to worry about. Let’s find the final one.”

“Hold a moment, Tresward.” Jinglewood fluttered at her eye line, wringing his hands. “If they’ve got Melody—”

“I’ll do what must be done, fairy.”

“Could you … not?”

“You what?”

“I mean, you’re very effective. Good with a sword, perhaps better than any I’ve seen. You don’t lack courage! Brains, maybe—”

“Fairy,” Geneve warned.

“Aye, perhaps that level of honesty’s uncalled for—”

“Fairy!”

He flew a loop. “It’s just, she’s my Melody. The one, you know?” His tone grew wistful. “She doesn’t ask anything from me and gives everything in return. I don’t want her to die.”

Two worlds, a little closer together. Love others don’t understand, but it bears the label well enough. Melody’s human lifespan is short as measured in their kingdom. She’ll die sooner than any fairy, yet he desires it even knowing what’s at journey’s end. Geneve stood, then held her unarmored hand out. “I’ll do everything I can.”

He landed on her palm. “Will it be enough?”

If only he knew how often I ask myself that. “I don’t know. If Israel or Vertiline were here…” She trailed off.

“Your friends are good?”

“Better than me.”

“Shame you left them with your brains at the village.” He sighed. “Thank you, Tresward. Let’s find out how broken my heart will be.”

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