Outcast Read Free

said. "Renn says there's a rite."
    "Which can only be done when the moon is full. We're in the moon's dark. You've run out of time."
A gust of wind brought the smell of rain, and Torak shivered. "Fin-Kedinn. I'm not a Soul-Eater. You know this."
The scraper stilled. "But how will you prove it?" He met Torak's eyes, and his own were filled with a sorrow that was even more frightening than his anger. "Don't you understand, Torak? It doesn't matter what I believe. It's everyone else you've got to convince. This is out of my hands. Only your own clan can vouch for you now." Torak's heart sank. He was Wolf Clan, but his father had kept him apart from them, and he'd never even seen the rest of his clan. Few had. The Wolf Clan had been deeply ashamed when its Mage--Torak's father-
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turned Soul-Eater. Since then, it had stayed hidden, becoming as shadowy and elusive as its clan-creature.
Torak touched the tattered scrap of wolf fur sewn to his jerkin. Fa had prepared it for him, so it was precious. It was also his only link with his clan. "How do I find them?" he said.
    "You don't," said Fin-Kedinn. "Not if they don't want to be found."
"But what if they don't come? If they don't vouch for me--"
"Then I'll have no choice. I'll have to obey clan law and cast you out."
The wind strengthened, and the birch trees lifted their branches, as if Torak was already outcast, and they feared to touch him.
"Do you understand what it means," said Fin-Kedinn, "to be outcast?"
Torak shook his head.
"It means you would be as one dead. Cut off from everyone. Hunted like prey. No one could help you. Not me. Not Renn. We couldn't talk to you, give you food. If we did, we'd be outcast too. If we saw you in the Forest, we'd have to kill you."
    Torak went cold. "But I didn't do anything!"
"It's the law," said Fin-Kedinn. "Many winters ago, after the great fire which scattered the Soul-Eaters, the clan elders made this law to stop them coming back. To 25
stop others joining them."
The first spots of rain pattered onto the reindeer hide. "Go to your shelter," said the Raven Leader without looking up.
"But Fin-Kedinn--"
"Go. The clans will gather. The elders will decide."
Torak swallowed. "What about Thull and Luta and Dari? It's their shelter too."
"They'll build another. From now on, don't talk to anyone. Stay in the shelter. Wait for the clans to decide."
"How long will that be?"
"As long as it takes. And Torak ... don't try to escape. You'll only make it worse."
Torak stared at him. "How could it be worse?"
"It can always get worse," said the Raven Leader.
Torak learned the truth of that two days later, when Renn finally came to see him.
Until then, he hadn't caught a glimpse of her. His shelter faced away from camp, so he couldn't see much except by peering through gaps in the hides, or when he went to the midden. The rest of the time he sat and watched the small fire before the opening, and listened to the clans gather.
    Late on the second day, Renn stalked up to the shelter. Her face was pale, the blue-black bars of her
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clan-tattoos livid on her cheekbones. "You should have told me," she said stonily. "I know."
"You should've told me!" She kicked the doorpost, and the shelter shook.
"I thought I could get rid of it in secret."
Squatting by the fire, she glowered at the embers. "You lied to me for two whole moons. And don't tell me that keeping silent isn't lying, because it is!" "I know. I'm sorry."
She didn't reply. Over the winter, she'd developed a tiny freckle at the corner of her mouth, and he'd teased her, asking if it was a birch seed and why didn't she wipe it off. He couldn't imagine teasing her now. He'd never felt so bad.
    "Renn," he said. "You've got to believe me. I'm not a Soul-Eater."
"Well of course you're not!"
He drew a breath. "So--can you forgive me?"
She picked at a scab on her elbow. Then she gave a curt nod.
Relief flooded through him. "I didn't think you would."
She went on picking at the scab. "We've all got secrets,