Christopher Golden & Thomas E. Sniegoski - Outcast 03 by Ghostfire

Author:Ghostfire [Ghostfire]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2012-01-07T12:57:09+00:00

Night had fallen, and a kind of celebration was going on in the village. Torchlight illuminated the entire encampment, and music drifted with the cool evening breeze coming down from the forest hills.

“I’m curious what they’re celebrating,” Caiaphas said as he shifted his position to get comfortable.

“Perhaps they had a successful day on the lake,” Timothy suggested. “Or maybe they’re celebrating our capture.”

“Do you really believe that Alhazred is alive?” Caiaphas asked.

“I don’t want to, but I heard what I heard. One of the men who captured us said he was their master. And you saw Grimshaw’s reaction.”

“Yes,” the navigation mage replied. “He was not at all pleased. Maybe it is true. For the sake of the world, I hope it is not. Most mages still believe Alhazred was a great man, but if even half of the stories about him are true, he was a monster.”

They were quiet for several minutes after that, neither knowing what more to say about this troubling news. Timothy heard a faint grumbling coming from Caiaphas’s stomach.

“Pardon me,” the navigator said. “But it has been quite some time since last we ate. My belly is telling me that a meal is long past due.”

“I’ve been wondering that myself,” Timothy said. “In fact, a meal will play a big part in how we manage to escape.”

“A meal?” Caiaphas echoed in disbelief. “How will feeding us—”

“Trust me,” Timothy said. “If we’re lucky, we may be free soon.”

“And if we are not?” Caiaphas asked.

“Let’s pray we are.”

Timothy was the first to notice the two shapes coming toward them in the distance. The two men were coming from the direction of the celebration, and one was holding two plates. “I hope this is what I think it is,” he said in an excited whisper.

“And so do I,” Caiaphas agreed. “Even though I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re up to, I’m still rather hungry.”

Timothy watched eagerly as the two men approached the shore and waded out toward them. The one who wasn’t holding plates had brought along a ladder that he balanced against the side of their cage.

“Are we famished?” asked the man holding their supper. “If I had my way, you’d not be sharing the wealth of our bounty this night,” he growled, starting up the ladder, one plate atop the other. He was an ugly man, covered in filth, and Timothy could not help but wonder when he had last bathed.

When he reached the cage, the filthy man leaned into the ladder and used his free hand to work the knot that held the door in place. “It’d be moss soup for ya if it was up to me,” he spat as he pulled the door open. “This meal is too good for the likes of prisoners.”

He set the plates down inside the cage and Timothy nearly yelped with joy, but managed to contain his outburst. They had been given fish to eat, the same disgusting fish that he had watched being cleaned in the lake below them.

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