Betrayal Read Free Page B

between her teeth. Marya regained consciousness and began whimpering, her tongue pinned down painfully by the bar. They snapped the lock at the back and hammered the two pins firmly into place. Rough hands pulled her to her feet and ripped her clothes from her body. She stood unsteadily; naked, bridled and trembling, silenced by fear.
    Many of the men from the village who knew her looked away, ashamed for the girl’s bared flesh and of themselves for not being able to protect their own.
    Torkyn could feel himself losing control when the soothing voice entered his head again. This isnot your time boy. Do not reveal yourself now , it warned.
    Once more Tor sensed the stranger’s eyes boring into him from across the street. He was so taken aback by the intrusion on his thoughts that the well of power within him temporarily subsided. As he watched, the village blacksmith was escorted to the humiliating scene. He carried a brand bearing the mark of a sentient: the hated star sign.
    ‘Now brand her as you’ve been instructed, blacksmith…or die.’
    The smith knew Marya well. His only son, a serious lad, was very fond of the girl and had begun to talk of marriage. He could not move.
    ‘Do it!’ shrieked Goth, his high voice almost snapping with the tension.
    He leapt down from his horse in a fury when the command was ignored for the second time, and pulled the smoking brand from the blacksmith’s limp grip.
    ‘Kill him,’ he said.
    Rhus did not hesitate. He hacked off the smith’s head with such force it rolled down the street, coming to rest next to the mangled Boj. People began to scream. Goth barely paid any notice to the twitching, headless body from which the lifeblood gushed. Making sure two of his men were holding Marya firmly by the arms, Goth savagely pressed the smoking brand against each of her small breasts. As the smell of fresh blood mingled with that of smoking flesh, he finished his handiwork, pressing the brand between her legs.
    Goth addressed his pale, shocked audience. ‘Another evil one, safely delivered. Now she’ll tempt men no more to spawn evil sentient bastards.’
    Satisfied, he threw the brand aside and suggested to innkeeper Pawl that he and his men had acquired quite a thirst from this afternoon’s dusty ride. The trembling man gestured towards the door of his inn.
    Marya’s wreck of a body was thrown into a waiting wagon by two of the riders. One by one the villagers ignored the risk and covered her with their own clothes, touching her tenderly and whispering promises to take care of her family. She heard none of them.
    One of the village men picked up the smith’s head and reverently placed it on the chest of the pitiful, blood-drenched corpse, which was carried away quietly by his fellow folk.
    No one bothered with Boj.
    Tor knew he must get as far away from this harrowing scene as quickly as he could. Striding towards his father’s small wagon, he threw his belongings into the back and grabbed the reins. He dared not look at the old man. As soon as his father had climbed into the seat next to him, he guided Lady out of the village towards the safety of Flat Meadows several miles to the east.
    Tor and Jhon Gynt shared not a word on the journey home.

2
The Floral Dance
    The Midsummer Floral Dance was Tor’s favourite local event. In spite of his distracted, melancholy mood since the bridling, his spirits lifted greatly as he guided the wagon to Minstead Green that morning.
    One of his earliest memories was holding his mother’s hand, watching while the village girls weaved their intricate patterns of steps. He still loved the colour and pageantry of the festival.
    This was the first year he would attend Minstead on his own and the sense of freedom was seductive. It was made particularly intoxicating by the fact that Alyssandra Qyn would dance for the first time this year. She had reached womanhood and was permitted to take a husband if she chose.
    He longingly watched her gossiping