Havesskadi by Ava Kelly

Author:Ava Kelly [Kelly, Ava]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General Fiction
Publisher: NineStar Press, LLC
Published: 2020-04-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

Magic

The hallway Orsie follows is silent and cold, but soon he finds himself in a large kitchen. In the far corner, a hearth burns low near the stoves under large windows. On the other side, a long bench lines the wall, and Orsie sinks appreciatively onto it, huddling as closely as possible to the wall of the hearth, seeking its warmth. He is again reminded of the frost he adores, while his human body is forced to search for heat, and he shakes his head at himself, turning his attention back to his surroundings.

The kitchen is just like any other, with cupboards and shelves and a couple of tables in the center. The pots and pans are clean, hanging on their hooks, but no one else is there. The workers and other dwellers must already be slumbering in their beds. The door leading outside is closed, but the one to the pantry is open, and Orsie’s empty belly forces him to leave the comfort of the fire for sustenance. The dragonslayer did say to help himself, so Orsie carefully chooses from the shelves enough to appease his hunger.

Soon, his eyes are closing, and he would happily sleep right here on the wooden bench if he didn’t think his presence might disturb the morning chores. So he makes his way up the stairs next to the kitchen and tiredly collapses in the first empty room with an unused bed he finds.

*

The sun is already high in the sky when Orsie wakes, and he ambles to the window to take a look at the dragonslayer’s castle in the light of day. It’s larger than he thought, a structure of gray stone with rooftops tiled in red, and crimson ivy crawling up the walls. Curious. The leaves should be falling since it’s already October, but the plants seem to be thriving.

The smell of cooking draws his attention; his stomach growls. Orsie listens to its protests and finds a full meal waiting for him in the kitchen. Soup, potatoes, warm bread, and he spares no second thought before starting to eat. He tries to pace himself, but even if the plates seem empty too soon, he’s full and content.

Something feels strange as he clears the table after himself, and the sensation follows him outside during his walk around the courtyards: one in the front where the large gates are and one nestled neatly between the buildings. No trees in the inner one, but a few stone benches in a circle. The castle walls make up three sides of the yard, while, the fourth one opens over the forest, suspended above the treetops as the structure juts out of the slope. Orsie takes a moment to gaze at the mountains, impressed by the red castle inside the sea of dark green pine trees against the sunset. Then he realizes—there is nobody else here.

No one disturbs the stillness.

The castle appears deserted, and only the muffled voices from outside the gates break the silence. It sounds like the merchants camped there are starting to recite from their scrolls again.

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