Read Online Children of the Blood by Michelle Sagara West - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Michelle Sagara West
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it hurt me?”
“Well...” Darin turned back to the desk.
“I’m not asking you to be happy, at least not yet. But we’re alive, and there’s still some good in that.” Stev started to whistle.
Six weeks later, Darin began to join him. He was young.
“You’re lucky,” Kerren mumbled, his voice muffled neatly by the thin pillow that adorned his bunk.
“Hmmm?” Darin looked up at the darkness that was the bottom of Kerren’s bed. “How’s that?”
“Lucky,” Kerren repeated.
David and Stev laughed from across the room.
“Kitchen duty,” David got out, by way of explanation. “Kerren was assigned to me, and I was transferred to the kitchen.” He gave a theatrical groan. “It’s the price for being too competent. Stev’d never get transferred there. He’s barely capable enough not to have himself killed.”
Stev whacked his detractor soundly with a pillow.
“Stev’s good at what he does,” Darin insisted, jumping to his new friend’s defense.
“See?” Stev said to David. “I’ve got support.”
“Aye, and you need it.” David chuckled. “But I’m teasing
him, Darin. He’s a better slave than most. Stupider than most as well.”
“Has to be,” Kerren muttered. “He’s always smiling.” He rolled onto his elbows. “I’d trade places with you any day.”
Darin laughed. “No way.”
“I’ll second it.”
Across the room, Stev laughed. Kerren picked up his pillow. They had half an hour before they’d need to sleep, and he and Darin used the time as any children might. Darin almost forgot where he was, and why; it had been a long time since he could play this way.
But in the morning, he remembered.
The slaves were summoned en masse, with the exception of the kitchen staff. Korven sent the word around, and Stev frowned upon receiving it. It was rare that he frowned, and Darin felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
“Come on,” Stev said shortly. “We’d best be quick; summons or no, we’ll still be expected to finish what we’ve started here.” He set the rag and bucket neatly away in one comer and gripped Darin’s shoulder firmly. “The masters’ll be there; maybe all of them. Remember what Korven taught you and don’t make any mistakes.”
Frightened, Darin nodded. “Why are they calling us?”
Stev looked down at Darin and shook his head. “It’s that time, Darin. In a week or two, they’ll blood the stones.”
“Blood the—you mean sacrifices?”
“Yes and no,” Stev replied. “The brown stains on the flagstones in the courtyard are blood. They spill it in the grooves of the house crest.” His frown deepened. “They don’t usually choose among the house slaves; we’re trained enough to be of some value.”
From somewhere in memory, Stev’s words returned to Darin: We could be on stone duty . He thought he understood now. If they chose him, though, his blood wouldn’t flow for them; it was frozen in his veins.
Together they walked to the main hall in unnatural silence. They joined a slowly growing group of slaves. Darin saw Kerren standing beside David. Kerren smiled uneasily.
“I thought the kitchen staff—”
“Shhh.”
He silenced himself, but the knots in his stomach grew.
In silence they waited. Just as the tension seemed to become
unbearable, the large doors of the sitting room opened. Darin knew them well; he’d cleaned them every other day for seven weeks.
Instantly, the slaves fell in one neat motion to rest upon their knees.
Lord Vellen, Lord Damion, and a young girl entered the hall. Vellen was dressed in the black and red of the Karnari and moved like a shadow. Lord Damion chose instead the blue, black, and silver of his house. Of the two, the elder looked more finely accoutred, but the young lord carried himself more strongly.
The girl, on the other hand, wore a pale green dress. She must be of House Damion, Darin reasoned, but not even the house crest was in evidence upon her clothing. One
“Well...” Darin turned back to the desk.
“I’m not asking you to be happy, at least not yet. But we’re alive, and there’s still some good in that.” Stev started to whistle.
Six weeks later, Darin began to join him. He was young.
“You’re lucky,” Kerren mumbled, his voice muffled neatly by the thin pillow that adorned his bunk.
“Hmmm?” Darin looked up at the darkness that was the bottom of Kerren’s bed. “How’s that?”
“Lucky,” Kerren repeated.
David and Stev laughed from across the room.
“Kitchen duty,” David got out, by way of explanation. “Kerren was assigned to me, and I was transferred to the kitchen.” He gave a theatrical groan. “It’s the price for being too competent. Stev’d never get transferred there. He’s barely capable enough not to have himself killed.”
Stev whacked his detractor soundly with a pillow.
“Stev’s good at what he does,” Darin insisted, jumping to his new friend’s defense.
“See?” Stev said to David. “I’ve got support.”
“Aye, and you need it.” David chuckled. “But I’m teasing
him, Darin. He’s a better slave than most. Stupider than most as well.”
“Has to be,” Kerren muttered. “He’s always smiling.” He rolled onto his elbows. “I’d trade places with you any day.”
Darin laughed. “No way.”
“I’ll second it.”
Across the room, Stev laughed. Kerren picked up his pillow. They had half an hour before they’d need to sleep, and he and Darin used the time as any children might. Darin almost forgot where he was, and why; it had been a long time since he could play this way.
But in the morning, he remembered.
The slaves were summoned en masse, with the exception of the kitchen staff. Korven sent the word around, and Stev frowned upon receiving it. It was rare that he frowned, and Darin felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
“Come on,” Stev said shortly. “We’d best be quick; summons or no, we’ll still be expected to finish what we’ve started here.” He set the rag and bucket neatly away in one comer and gripped Darin’s shoulder firmly. “The masters’ll be there; maybe all of them. Remember what Korven taught you and don’t make any mistakes.”
Frightened, Darin nodded. “Why are they calling us?”
Stev looked down at Darin and shook his head. “It’s that time, Darin. In a week or two, they’ll blood the stones.”
“Blood the—you mean sacrifices?”
“Yes and no,” Stev replied. “The brown stains on the flagstones in the courtyard are blood. They spill it in the grooves of the house crest.” His frown deepened. “They don’t usually choose among the house slaves; we’re trained enough to be of some value.”
From somewhere in memory, Stev’s words returned to Darin: We could be on stone duty . He thought he understood now. If they chose him, though, his blood wouldn’t flow for them; it was frozen in his veins.
Together they walked to the main hall in unnatural silence. They joined a slowly growing group of slaves. Darin saw Kerren standing beside David. Kerren smiled uneasily.
“I thought the kitchen staff—”
“Shhh.”
He silenced himself, but the knots in his stomach grew.
In silence they waited. Just as the tension seemed to become
unbearable, the large doors of the sitting room opened. Darin knew them well; he’d cleaned them every other day for seven weeks.
Instantly, the slaves fell in one neat motion to rest upon their knees.
Lord Vellen, Lord Damion, and a young girl entered the hall. Vellen was dressed in the black and red of the Karnari and moved like a shadow. Lord Damion chose instead the blue, black, and silver of his house. Of the two, the elder looked more finely accoutred, but the young lord carried himself more strongly.
The girl, on the other hand, wore a pale green dress. She must be of House Damion, Darin reasoned, but not even the house crest was in evidence upon her clothing. One
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