Death of a Darklord Read Free Page A

“True?”
    “Yes.”
    Jonathan did not argue that it was impossible. “Do you think your warning was in time?”
    Elaine clutched at him. “I don’t know.”
    “What do you want me to do?”
    “Find Blaine and Thordin.”
    “Child, by the time we could reach them by the great tree, the fight will be won or lost.”
    Her hand dug into his tunic. Her eyes were wild. “Then bring back the bodies for burial.”
    He stared down into her face. He nodded slowly. “That we can do.” Jonathan turned to the boy, Alan. “Find Tereza, tell her what you saw. She will know what to do.”
    The boy ran from the kitchen.
    “Can you stand if I help you, child?”
    Elaine nodded.
    Jonathan stood, lifting her to her feet as he moved. The cook, Mala, pushed a straight-backed chair near the fire. Jonathan eased Elaine into the chair, tucking the slightly charred blanket tighter around her. Mala shoved a mug of hot tea in Elaine’s hands.
    Elaine cupped her hands around the mug, as if it had no handle, warming her cold hands. She was always cold after a vision. Blankets, hot drinks, bed for an hour or so, then she was as good as new. But today she had seen her brother’s death. No, he wasn’t dead, she’d know that, but he could be hurt, dying, while she sat and sipped tea. She didn’t have time to recover, to be weak. She had to know what had happened to Blaine.
    Tereza entered the kitchen bundled against the cold. A second coat was flung over one arm. She held the clothes out to Jonathan without saying a word.
    He slipped into the coat and tucked a hat over his bald head.
    “I’m going with you,” Elaine said.
    Jonathan froze in the middle of pulling on mittens. They both looked at her.
    “You haven’t recovered from your vision, Elaine. You aren’t well enough to travel,” Jonathan said. He finished tugging on his mittens.
    “He’s my brother, all the family I have. I have to go.”
    “You will slow us down,” Tereza said.
    “The fight will be over before anyone can help them. Jonathan said so. If that’s true, then it doesn’t matter if I slow you down, does it?”
    It was very sensible. A great deal more sensible than Elaine felt. She could taste her pulse in her throat. If Blaine were badly hurt in the cold snow, they couldn’t get to him in time. The cold would finish what the animated tree had started. So why was her stomach tight, her heart pounding? She had to go with them. She couldn’t just wait here in the kitchen, safe.
    Tereza looked at her husband. “Jonathan?”
    He looked almost embarrassed. “It is the truth.”
    “We can’t wait for hours. The wolves might find them, dead or alive.”
    “We can go now,” Elaine said.
    The look on Tereza’s face said she doubted that, but she didn’t argue. “I will fetch your coat. But you must be ready to go when I get back. We won’t wait on you, Elaine.” She left, back very straight. Tereza did not like waiting on anyone, especially if she thought it was silly.
    It wasn’t silly, but Elaine knew she couldn’t explain that to Tereza. Or to Jonathan. Blaine would have understood, but he was out in the snow, bleeding, hurt, or worse. Elaine tried to convince herself she would know if her twin brother were dead, but somehow she didn’t believe it. She wasn’t sure. Once the vision was past, she didn’t trust her feelings. Feelings lied; they couldtell you what you wanted to believe, not what was true.
    “She doesn’t mean to be harsh with you.” Jonathan took off his knit cap, a sheen of sweat already glistening on his forehead.
    “I have to go, Jonathan.” She gulped the last of the tea. It was too hot and burned the roof of her mouth, but she needed the warmth. She really didn’t feel well enough to go. Tereza was right, but it didn’t matter. Elaine would go. She had to go.
    Tereza returned with a white fur cloak that was the twin of the one Blaine had worn in the vision. Elaine glanced up. She wasn’t completely sure she could stand,