The Dark Faith by Jeremiah W Montgomery

Author:Jeremiah W Montgomery
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fantasy, Juvenile Fiction, Christian, Religious
ISBN: 1596381876
Publisher: P and R Publishing
Published: 2012-07-20T00:00:00+00:00

PART III

EAKINGNIGHT

a

It was a glorious summer afternoon when Somnadh returned to the valley for the last time. Urien, who had been walking among the orchard outside the walls of

the keep, saw him coming from afar. At the sight of his horse emerging from the woods, her heart leapt. She dashed out from among the rows of fruit trees to meet him.

“Somnadh!” She waved.

“Urien!” A minute later he had drawn up his horse along the path where she waited. Dismounting quickly, he embraced his sister.

“It is so good to see you, brother,” she whispered into his shoulder.

“And you, dear one.”

A few minutes later the two of them walked together in Urien’s garden. A few of the servants were seeing to Somnadh’s horse. A few others, on Urien’s orders, were preparing a celebratory dinner posthaste.

“It smells delicious, whatever they are cooking.” Somnadh inhaled as the breeze carried a waft of warm air from the kitchen across the garden wall.

“Fresh venison,” replied Urien. “There is plenty of it about the forest this time of year, and we have a good supply of herbs laid back.”

“Wonderful. I brought you a bottle of wine. We’ll have it brought up to table.”

“Will you be staying long, Somnadh? A few days?” Urien’s tone grew hopeful. “A week?”

“Not long, sister.” Somnadh did not make eye contact when he spoke. There was something foreboding in his tone.

Urien stopped. “What is it, brother?”

“Let us leave it until after dinner.”

“Why? If you’re going away again tomorrow, why not just tell me? It would not be the first time.”

“It’s different this time, dear one.”

“What do you mean?” Urien’s voice rose involuntarily. Her brother’s expression was unreadable, but something in his voice alarmed her.

“Leave it for later.”

“I don’t want to leave it. Just tell me when you’re leaving again, and how long you’ll be away. I’m a grown woman, Somnadh, not a fragile little girl.”

“Trust me, Urien, this is different. For your own good, just leave—”

“Don’t!” Urien’s anger curdled in her stomach. “Don’t tell me to leave it again, Somnadh. I will not! You are always leaving!”

Somnadh took a step back, and his expression grew dark. Yet before either of them could speak again, they heard the sound of a throat clearing behind them. Turning, they saw one of the servants standing at the tower door.

“Dinner is ready, my lady.”

With an effort, Urien regained her composure. “Come, brother.” She did nothing to melt the ice in her tone. “Dinner is ready.”

The main hall of the tower keep was neither ornate nor uncomfortable. On both ends stood great stone hearths—which at this time of year were almost always left cold—and a pair of doors on either side let one out into the corridors. A wheelshaped chandelier provided light for the small table set beneath it. It was to this table that Somnadh and Urien were led.

“Thank you,” said Urien after another servant had seated her. “You may bring the food to us immediately.”

“And the wine,” reminded Somnadh as he sat himself.

Urien called to the departing man, “My brother brought a bottle of wine.

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