Read Online Debt of Bones by Terry Goodkind - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Terry Goodkind
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already captured. The army set up camp in the hills beyond.”
Zedd stood at the window, gazing out at the distant hills. “Soon, I hope, this war will be ended. Dear spirits, let it end.”
Remembering the Mother Confessor’s admonition not to repeat the story she told, Abby never asked about the wizard’s daughter or murdered wife. When on their swift journey back to Coney Crossing she spoke of her love for Jana, it must have broken his heart to think of his own daughter in the brutal hands of the enemy, knowing that he had left her to death lest many more die.
Zedd pushed open the bedroom door. “And back here?” he asked as he put his head into the room beyond.
Abby looked up from her thoughts. “The bedroom. In the rear is a door back to the garden and the barn.”
Though he never once mentioned his dead wife or missing daughter, Abby’s knowledge of them ate away at her as a swelling spring river ate at a hole in the ice.
Zedd stepped back in from the bedroom as Delora came silently slipping in through the front doorway. “As Abigail said, the town across the river has been sacked,” the sorceress reported. “From the looks of it, the people were all taken.”
Zedd brushed back his wavy hair. “How close is the river?”
Abby gestured out the window. Night was falling. “Just there. A walk of five minutes.”
In the valley, on its way to join the Kern, the Coney River slowed and spread wide, so that it became shallow enough to cross easily. There was no bridge; the road simply led to the river’s edge and took up again on the other side. Though the river was near to a quarter mile across in most of the valley, it was in no place much more than knee-deep. Only in the spring melt was it occasionally treacherous to cross. The town of Coney Crossing was two miles beyond, up on the rise of hills, safe from spring floods, as was the knoll where Abby’s farmyard stood.
Zedd took Delora by the elbow. “Ride back and tell everyone to hold station. If anything goes wrong … well, if anything goes wrong, then they must attack. Anargo’s legion must be stopped, even if they have to go into D’Hara after them.”
Delora did not look pleased. “Before we left, the Mother Confessor made me promise that I would be sure that you were not left alone. She told me to see to it that gifted were always near if you needed them.”
Abby, too, had heard the Mother Confessor issue the orders. Looking back at the Keep as they had crossed the stone bridge, Abby had seen the Mother Confessor up on a high rampart, watching them leave. The Mother Confessor had helped when Abby had feared all was lost. She wondered what would become of the woman.
Then she remembered that she didn’t have to wonder. She knew.
The wizard ignored what the sorceress had said. “As soon as I help Abby, I’ll send her back, too. I don’t want anyone near when I unleash the spell.”
Delora gripped his collar and pulled him close. She looked as if she might be about to give him a heated scolding. Instead she drew him into an embrace.
“Please, Zedd,” she whispered, “don’t leave us without you as First Wizard.”
Zedd smoothed back her dark hair. “And abandon you all to Thomas?” He smirked. “Never.”
The dust from Delora’s horse drifted away into the gathering darkness as Zedd and Abby descended the slope toward the river. Abby led him along the path through the tall grasses and rushes, explaining that the path would offer them better concealment than the road. Abby was thankful that he didn’t argue for the road. Her eyes darted from the deep shadows on one side to the shadows on the other as they were swallowed into the brush. Her pulse raced. She flinched whenever a twig snapped underfoot.
It happened as she feared it would, as she knew it would.
A figure enfolded in a long hooded cloak darted out of nowhere, knocking Abby aside. She saw the flash of a blade as Zedd flipped the attacker into the brush. He squatted,
Zedd stood at the window, gazing out at the distant hills. “Soon, I hope, this war will be ended. Dear spirits, let it end.”
Remembering the Mother Confessor’s admonition not to repeat the story she told, Abby never asked about the wizard’s daughter or murdered wife. When on their swift journey back to Coney Crossing she spoke of her love for Jana, it must have broken his heart to think of his own daughter in the brutal hands of the enemy, knowing that he had left her to death lest many more die.
Zedd pushed open the bedroom door. “And back here?” he asked as he put his head into the room beyond.
Abby looked up from her thoughts. “The bedroom. In the rear is a door back to the garden and the barn.”
Though he never once mentioned his dead wife or missing daughter, Abby’s knowledge of them ate away at her as a swelling spring river ate at a hole in the ice.
Zedd stepped back in from the bedroom as Delora came silently slipping in through the front doorway. “As Abigail said, the town across the river has been sacked,” the sorceress reported. “From the looks of it, the people were all taken.”
Zedd brushed back his wavy hair. “How close is the river?”
Abby gestured out the window. Night was falling. “Just there. A walk of five minutes.”
In the valley, on its way to join the Kern, the Coney River slowed and spread wide, so that it became shallow enough to cross easily. There was no bridge; the road simply led to the river’s edge and took up again on the other side. Though the river was near to a quarter mile across in most of the valley, it was in no place much more than knee-deep. Only in the spring melt was it occasionally treacherous to cross. The town of Coney Crossing was two miles beyond, up on the rise of hills, safe from spring floods, as was the knoll where Abby’s farmyard stood.
Zedd took Delora by the elbow. “Ride back and tell everyone to hold station. If anything goes wrong … well, if anything goes wrong, then they must attack. Anargo’s legion must be stopped, even if they have to go into D’Hara after them.”
Delora did not look pleased. “Before we left, the Mother Confessor made me promise that I would be sure that you were not left alone. She told me to see to it that gifted were always near if you needed them.”
Abby, too, had heard the Mother Confessor issue the orders. Looking back at the Keep as they had crossed the stone bridge, Abby had seen the Mother Confessor up on a high rampart, watching them leave. The Mother Confessor had helped when Abby had feared all was lost. She wondered what would become of the woman.
Then she remembered that she didn’t have to wonder. She knew.
The wizard ignored what the sorceress had said. “As soon as I help Abby, I’ll send her back, too. I don’t want anyone near when I unleash the spell.”
Delora gripped his collar and pulled him close. She looked as if she might be about to give him a heated scolding. Instead she drew him into an embrace.
“Please, Zedd,” she whispered, “don’t leave us without you as First Wizard.”
Zedd smoothed back her dark hair. “And abandon you all to Thomas?” He smirked. “Never.”
The dust from Delora’s horse drifted away into the gathering darkness as Zedd and Abby descended the slope toward the river. Abby led him along the path through the tall grasses and rushes, explaining that the path would offer them better concealment than the road. Abby was thankful that he didn’t argue for the road. Her eyes darted from the deep shadows on one side to the shadows on the other as they were swallowed into the brush. Her pulse raced. She flinched whenever a twig snapped underfoot.
It happened as she feared it would, as she knew it would.
A figure enfolded in a long hooded cloak darted out of nowhere, knocking Abby aside. She saw the flash of a blade as Zedd flipped the attacker into the brush. He squatted,
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