Waterborne Exile by Susan Murray

Author:Susan Murray [Murray, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: royal politics, War, treason, Fantasy
ISBN: 9780857664389
Google: 46Y7rgEACAAJ
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 23636614
Publisher: Angry Robot
Published: 2015-06-13T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Alwenna sat up in the dark, her forehead pounding. The mattress rustled beneath her. She was on her narrow bed in the cave. Barely a glow escaped from the embers of the fire, not enough to make out even the familiar furniture in the room. A faint snuffling sound, and an uneven inhalation told her someone else was in the room with her. As her eyes adjusted she could make out a shape huddled over the table.

“Erin? Is that you?”

The shape moved, unfolding and lifting as whoever it was straightened up. “You’re awake?” It was Marten’s voice, clouded by sleep and more harshly formed than usual as a result of the wine he’d drunk.

“Yes, I suppose so.” Her head pounded with the effort of speaking. What had happened? All she could remember was… what? Ripples spreading across the surface of the wine… She’d put water on to boil… “Have I been asleep long?”

“You collapsed. Do you not remember?” Marten had moved to stand between her and the fire.

She sensed he was uncertain – he’d never witnessed the sight overcome her before. His hesitancy now suggested he found it every bit as repellant as Weaver once had. She swung her feet down to the floor and sat up straight. “I remember.” The dryness of her mouth told her she must have spent some time in the grip of her sight. It hadn’t seized her like that for a long time. She’d begun to hope–

“Did you have some kind of vision?” Marten’s question was almost casual. And she had nothing to gain by lying. He knew what she was – he’d known even before she had herself. “I tried to wake you – but I couldn’t. And yet you weren’t asleep.”

“It was a vision. But there was no clarity to it.” There in the dark she could hope he might not see her lie for what it was.

Marten snorted. “That means, I take it, you will not trust me with what you saw.”

“I– No.” And yet didn’t he speak the truth? “Sometimes visions are sharp and clear. This one was all confusion. I was swimming through dark water, free, swimming towards a cairn. And when I got closer I could see the cairn was made of bones – bones of all different sizes. Bones of men, and women… And children. And on the top rested the ornate dagger you still have in your possession.”

She heard Marten snatch in his breath. “Why does that startle you? The dagger? You do still have it, don’t you?”

“After a fashion. My wife tried to surrender it to the elders’ care, but they refused to take it.” His voice was tired. “There’s still no sign of your servant.”

“Erin? She’s not my servant.” Was Marten trying to change the subject? “Sometimes she stays out all night.”

“So you’re not expecting her back?”

“She’ll be back at first light, if not before.”

“You shouldn’t be left here alone.”

“I’m not a child that needs to be watched over lest it hurt itself.”

“I know you’re not a child.

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