The Geomancer by Griffith Clay

Author:Griffith, Clay [Griffith, Clay]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781633880955
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Published: 2015-10-08T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 22

Adele jerked away from the grip of her nightmare. Her chest rose and fell painfully and her heart pounded. The fires of the dream rifts that had just been scorching the world and burning Gareth to bones faded into the thin, crisp cold of the mountains. The disturbing music of the Earth lingered.

Sunlight streamed around the edges of heavy yak-skin rugs that draped the windows. Her breath misted into the air above the makeshift bed. Gareth was not beside her. Turning her head, she saw him standing with General Anhalt next to the low fire pit in the center of the plain room. The smell of smoldering yak dung rose from the brick ring, but so did heat. Adele hurriedly slipped from under the dense pile of hides; luckily she was sufficiently dressed. She jammed into her boots and, dragging a thick blanket, scurried next to the glowing pile.

Gareth moved behind her and wrapped his arms tightly around her shoulders. He spoke in Arabic. “Are you all right?”

She nodded, not bothering to mention her dreams again.

Anhalt bowed his head toward a clay pot of simmering water on the glowing coals. “There will be tea soon, Majesty.”

“Thank you, General.” She glanced back at Gareth. “Do you think they have herds here?”

“If you mean humans, I don’t smell any.”

“Why would they have animals for dung otherwise?”

“I don’t know. I don’t smell animals either.”

“I dreamed I heard musical instruments, but I think I still hear them. Maybe the altitude is affecting my ears.”

“You aren’t dreaming, but it isn’t music. It’s vampiric language.”

Adele furrowed her brows. “It is? It was so melodic. Are they singing?”

“I don’t know.” Gareth sounded irritable at not having answers.

Anhalt poured tea. “Have you been able to locate this Tear of Death?”

“No.” Adele moved to the edge of the low fire pit, enjoying the radiating heat from the bricks. The thick dung smoke wasn’t rank enough to drive her from the warmth. “I have a limited connection to the rifts here, but I didn’t sense anything unique.”

“Is it possible,” the general asked cautiously, “that this entire mission is for nothing?”

“Yes. However, the risk of not coming was too great.”

“Of course, ma’am.” Anhalt strapped on his sword belt. “If what Selkirk said about this object is true, I rather hope it is for nothing.”

“I do too,” Adele admitted. “But it isn’t a fruitless trip in any case because we’ve found this clutch of unusual vampires. Another clutch of unusual vampires.”

Gareth went to peer out of the window. “I’ve told you, my kind is going mad. But at least these lunatics haven’t talked about me as their guide for the future.”

Adele paused, listening. “Now I hear bells. Do you?”

“Yes.” Gareth moved to the door. “Let’s have a look around. I’m tired of waiting.”

Sunlight blasted through a blue sky, but the air was dangerously frigid. The sound of small bells bubbled without a source, as if an invisible herd of sheep wandered the courtyard. Several vampires lifted off the rooftops and slipped into an open window in the largest temple above.

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