Merlin's Children (The Children and the Blood) Read Free

Everything else was just nonsense she was amazed anyone was taking time for.
    Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair and glanced around the yard in the twilight. Several acres of grass and trees surrounded them, centered around a dilapidated blue mobile home and an equally dilapidated blue garage. All of it belonged to yet another friend of Elias’, though unlike Joe’s restaurant back in Croftsburg, this place looked as if it’d been abandoned for years. The survivors had quickly turned the property into their camp, however, and with the help of her assistant, Ermengarde, Katherine had methodically sorted the worst wounded into groups looked after by those still able to walk. Nathaniel’s guards encircled them, watching the country road beyond the property while, by the far side of the garage, several teenagers kept the littler children distracted with games invented on the spot.
    Ashe paused as she caught sight of Lily. The center of attention whether she realized it or not, the girl sat picking at leaves beneath a young oak tree a few yards from the garage. Cornelius stood some distance off, watching Lily as he’d done since the moment they arrived, and it was anyone’s guess what was going on behind his eyes. Nathaniel waited closer by, as protective as Ashe had asked him to be, while Cole sat beside Lily and studied them all as if taking odds on whether the wizards would suddenly attack.
    “What do you think is happening, you old fool?” Elias barked, causing several people to glance over at the noise.
    Ashe shook her head, not bothering to turn around.
    “He’s going to get himself killed,” Katherine murmured, coming up beside her.
    “Tell me something I don’t know,” she retorted. A heartbeat passed and she closed her eyes, regretting the sharp tone. “How’s it coming?”
    “The wounded should be ready in another few minutes. Ermengarde and I will stay with the worst injured, but the rest should be able to travel with friends, families… whoever remains.”
    Ashe glanced to her.
    “Most hope their relatives escaped through other portals,” the woman supplied. “And for those who know their loved ones did not…” She sighed. “They go on.”
    By the steps, the overweight councilman snarled something incoherent at Elias and then stormed away.
    “Guess that ends the debate,” Katherine commented.
    Ashe looked over, taken back by the closest thing to a joke she’d ever heard the woman say.
    The suggestion of a smile hovering on her lips, Katherine bowed her head. “Whenever you wish to leave, your majesty.”
    Turning, she headed for the injured.
    “Of all the stupid, incompetent…” Elias muttered, stalking across the yard.
    “So how’d that go?” Ashe asked dryly.
    An annoyed breath escaped him, degenerating into a scoff by the end. “They say they’ll run, though I’d not recommend putting them in any group that wants to stay away from Croftsburg for long.”
    She sighed.
    “Katherine got the others ready to travel?” he asked.
    “In a few minutes.”
    Elias nodded. “Then we need to decide what to do about…”
    He trailed off skeptically.
    She followed his gaze to Cole. “What?”
    “He presents an issue for transport,” Elias said carefully.
    “He still needs to come with us.”
    “Your highness–”
    “No, Elias,” she cut in, exasperation hitting her. “He’s coming with us.”
    The man grimaced.
    “You know why,” she said.
    “He’s a cripple.”
    “And we need his help to identify Blood wizards.”
    “So we bring him wherever you go. We can’t put you and Lily in danger by traveling slowly on his account.” He paused. “Your highness, the city was one thing. But we need to get you both as far from this part of the country as we can, and the time it would take–”
    “Is better than the possibility of going someplace and having no one to point out the Blood wizard waiting there.” She paused, the edge in her voice fading. “We stay together,