Daughter of Ashes (Legends of Tirum Book 1) by Esther Mitchell

Author:Esther Mitchell [Mitchell, Esther]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: FyrRose Productions
Published: 2019-07-31T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Caution prickled along Telyn's skin, and she drew her mount to a stop, raising one hand to signal her companions likewise as they came within a short distance of Criva. This was a powerful trading port along the Bria River. She should hear the sounds of commerce even from here, and they should see merchant wagons and travelers along the road. At very least, she should be able to spot a sail or two on the river that wound through the fields alongside them. There was nothing.

Nacaris' horse drew alongside hers, and she sensed the tension in him. She wasn't alone in her feeling that something was dreadfully wrong.

"What do you suppose has happened?"

She shook her head. "I have no idea."

Behind them, Lysha swore beneath her breath in the Borderlander tongue. "There's somethin' amiss, is fer sure. D'ye think 'tis safe ta look inta it?"

Telyn frowned, fighting the truth even as she spoke the words. "We don't have a choice. If there's an epidemic on the rise, we'll need to spread the word."

With that, she nudged Bloodcloud forward, aware that she could be riding into the midst of her doom. The prickle of electricity along her skin told her this stillness wasn't the work of disease or natural disaster. There was Majik in the air.

Telyn drew up short in shock just inside the gates as quiet oaths rolled from her companions. They stared, aghast, at the townsfolk, who stumbled around like drunkards, babbling like lackwits.

"They look as Mistress Sele's escort was described ta me." Lysha shuddered as she delivered this news, and new dread plunged through Telyn.

"I was afraid of that." She went to swing down from her horse, but Nacaris' hand on her arm stopped her. She glanced at him curiously.

"I don't think it's safe to do that."

She shrugged. "We're not going to learn anything otherwise."

He didn't protest again as she swung down and, still holding the nervous horse's reins, approached a young man dressed in the city's colors -- a member of the local Garda.

"What's happened here?"

He blinked blankly at her, and then bowed low. Telyn glanced around in confusion, only to realize the young man wasn't bowing to her. His gaze fixed on Bloodcloud, instead. The man was bowing to a horse?

"Noble One, there's no commerce here. Someone's stolen all the grain, and the river's dried up. Can you summon the grass to grow?"

Telyn glanced back at Nacaris and Lysha. "What is he talking about?"

"I doubt it makes sense to anyone but him, Telyn," Nacaris said, then sighed. "I don't think we're going to learn anything from these people."

Telyn glanced around, and frowned. "Actually, I think we've learned quite a bit."

"How so?" Lysha wanted to know.

"We now know that whoever kidnapped Sele most likely came through this way."

"But why -- and more importantly, how -- did he incapacitate an entire city?" Nacaris shook his head. "It doesn't make any sense."

Telyn frowned. "I don't know yet, but there has to be an explanation for it."

"And where'd they go from here?"

And suddenly, Seoman's prediction made perfect sense.

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