Raven's Strike Read Free Page A

“Travelers,” he said.
    â€œTravelers?” Nona, his youngest, looked up from tending Tally. “They’ll kill it for us!”
    â€œYou’ve been listening to your mother’s stories,” Aliven said, disappointment making his voice even gruffer thanusual. “Travelers only help themselves—and they help themselves to everything they can.”
    But he unbolted the door anyway and put his head out. He’d not see anyone, not even Travelers, killed if he could help it.
    â€œLeave, Travelers!”
    Tier looked up from where Lehr had discovered the marks of a struggle. Two men, he’d said, both of them dragged around behind the pottery.
    â€œThere’s your people,” Tier told Jes, spying a man peering out from a smallish hut on the far side of the cluster of buildings.
    â€œWe mean you no harm,” Tier said, limping toward the man. “My son tells me you’ve had some people killed by an animal.”
    â€œGo away, Traveler,” said the man again. “There’s no gain to be had from this. I don’t want your deaths on my conscience.” His head retreated, and he pulled the door closed.
    Lehr and Jes both followed Tier, flanking him. Lehr kept his eyes on the ground while Jes kept up a restless sweep of their surroundings.
    â€œThis place reeks of fear and blood,” said Jes. “Fear and blood and something wrong .”
    Tier slanted a wary glance at his oldest son. “Stay back from the hut when we get there. This man sounds frightened enough. Your presence will only frighten him more.”
    Jes met his gaze but didn’t say anything.
    â€œIt’s no use, Papa,” said Lehr, not looking up. “He’s not going to leave you when he thinks you might be in danger. Trying to make him stay back is just going to frustrate you.”
    â€œI suppose I can’t keep you back either,” muttered Tier.
    That brought Lehr’s face up as he flashed a quick smile. “Mother told us to watch over you, remember?” His gaze caught on a shed set just outside the huddle of buildings, and he took a sharp intake of breath. “That’s where it’s laired,” he said. “Over there in the well house. It’s left dozens of tracks back and forth. And Jes is right, I can smell the taint, too. Whatever this thing is—it’s shadow-tainted.”
    Tier looked, but all he could see was a narrow path throughknee-length, yellowed cheatgrass. “Can you tell what it is yet?”
    Lehr shook his head. “Nothing I’ve tracked before.”
    Tier paused a moment, frowning. He loosened his sword for a quick pull if he needed it. “Lehr, keep an eye on that well while I’m trying to talk. Your mother would never let us live it down if I got you killed.”
    Lehr took his bow off his shoulder and strung it. “I’ll watch.”
    Tier knocked on the door of the greying hut. “We’re here to help if we can,” he said, sliding as much Persuasion into his voice as he felt comfortable doing. He would force no man completely against his will. “Tell me what happened here.”
    The door jerked open, releasing an unpleasant miasma of wound-rot and sweat. A wiry man, as dark as Tier himself, peered out, squinting against the light, the same man who’d tried to warn them off. His beard was still dark although grey shot plentifully through the thinning hair on the top of his head. His hands were callused and bore the kinds of small scars working hot metal could give a man. This must be the smith.
    â€œTraveler,” spat the smith. “I know what your kind does. Fool with the weather, then beggar the farmers to fix it right again. Call up a curse and remove it for payment. If you’ve visited this thing upon us for gold, I’ll see you dead myself. If you’ve not, then I’ll tell you again. If you stay, it will kill you, too—though likely it is too