Elven Winter by Bernhard Hennen

Author:Bernhard Hennen [Hennen, Bernhard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781503949119
Publisher: Amazon Crossing
Published: 2018-01-29T22:00:00+00:00

OF STRANGERS AND FRIENDS

Lyndwyn tugged carefully at the reed in his throat. It pinched a little, then slid out of the wound. She laid the palm of her hand on the place it had been. Her fingers radiated a benevolent warmth. Three days. Three days that he’d had to put up with the stick in his throat. The sorceress claimed that the journey along the Albenpaths had exhausted her. Ollowain did not believe a word of it!

Lyndwyn removed her hand and looked expectantly at him. “You should be able to speak again now.”

The swordmaster’s mouth was as dry as dust. He cleared his throat softly. Everyone was standing around him, watching him as he sat on one of the three rough chairs in Alfadas’s house.

Ollowain cautiously lifted his fingers to his throat and felt the place where the reed had been. Lyndwyn had removed the leather strips holding it in place. There was neither hard scar tissue nor a rough scab to remind him of where she had sliced into his throat. It was as if the reed had never been there. “Everything seems to be healed.” His voice was hoarse and sounded foreign to him.

“Your throat still has to recover a little,” said Lyndwyn confidently. “Any pain will soon pass. Don’t go looking for anything still wrong. You will see—everything is sorting itself out.”

Ollowain looked to the sleeping niche where they had prepared a bed for the queen. Nothing was sorting itself out! How could she talk this way when Emerelle lay there like that? The queen’s wounds were healing, but she lay in a deep sleep from which no one and nothing was able to wake her. To Ollowain, her sleep seemed like a flight from the cruel reality of their situation. Or was it Lyndwyn’s handiwork? He no longer knew what to think of the sorceress. Without her help, they would never have made it to safety. And Silwyna? In her quiver were arrows that looked exactly like the two that had been shot at Emerelle. Each of them, Lyndwyn and Silwyna, had saved his life during their escape. But what were they supposed to do now? Everyone was still looking at him—now that he could speak again, they expected decisions.

Ollowain smiled. “I would like to express my gratitude to our two hosts,” he said calmly. “I am well aware that our presence is a burden on your family’s peace, Asla. We will not overstay our welcome, I assure you.”

The human looked at him with no warmth in her eyes. “The laws of hospitality are sacred to us. You are welcome in this house.”

Ollowain did not know what he had personally done to upset the young woman, but he had sensed her aversion to them ever since their arrival. Had Alfadas told her about Silwyna? No, he would certainly not do anything that stupid.

But their appearance had caused a deep disruption in the lives of the humans. People came from miles around to gape at the strange guests who had come to visit the jarl of Firnstayn.

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