Read Online Elves: Once Walked With Gods by James Barclay - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: James Barclay
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‘What do you mean?’
‘I am TaiGethen,’ said Auum. ‘I am a cleanser of the rainforest.’
Sildaan gaped. ‘It was you?’
Auum shared a look with Serrin. The Silent Priest spread his hands. He didn’t understand her either. Auum tried again.
‘There were twenty men approaching the temple. We spared one to take the story back to whoever brought him here. We tracked him here. We feared others had sacked the temple. We’re blessed to be wrong.’
Sildaan had paled but she managed a smile.
‘The temple is secure,’ she said, looking over her shoulder again.
‘What’s wrong, Sildaan? There’s no danger back there. But we need to place guards. Where are the TaiGethen?’
Sildaan gestured behind her. ‘I’ve forgotten something. If you’ll excuse me?’
‘Of course. Yniss bless you, Sildaan, we are very happy to see you alive.’
Sildaan’s smile was thin. She turned. A moment too late as it proved.
‘Sildaan. It’s time to go. I’m sick of whining mages. Where are—’
The voice belonged to a man. One of two striding out of one of the cells a few doors down the corridor and marching towards the temple dome as if he owned it. Auum’s twin blades hissed out, everything Sildaan had said, her every reaction, horribly clear now. He cursed himself blind. Serrin’s body was rigid, the rage dragging a hiss from his lips. His hands shaped into claws.
The men pulled up short just behind Sildaan, staring at Serrin and Auum. One smiled.
‘Good of you to let me live,’ he said in good modern elvish. Haleth. That’s what the others had called him. ‘Not where you thought I’d lead you, eh?’
‘Your reprieve was only ever temporary,’ said Auum.
He moved towards the man, already knowing where he would strike. Sildaan blocked his path and placed a hand on his chest. She was a priest. He could do nothing but acquiesce. For now.
‘You will not spill blood in this temple,’ she said, all traces of vagueness gone from her voice and a hard strength in its place that Auum didn’t recognise.
‘Elven blood, no,’ said Auum. ‘I will wait for you outside, cascarg. They are dead already.’
‘Back off, Auum. You don’t know what you’re dealing with,’ said Sildaan.
‘I am dealing with a man who saw all his friends die. He knows he cannot beat me. You know you cannot stop me getting him. Or his friend.’
‘Please, Auum,’ said Sildaan. ‘There are powers at work here you cannot beat. The TaiGethen are finished. Go run the rainforest. Your work in Aryndeneth is done.’
Auum recoiled as if slapped, his blades flat against his legs. Confusion roared through him. He couldn’t gainsay her. He was merely a bodyguard, not of the temple elite. Authority under Yniss had to be maintained. He was dismissed. There was nothing he could do. He backed off a pace, switching his gaze to Haleth, who flashed his eyebrows and waved a goodbye hand.
Auum could not disobey her. And Serrin should not. Within the temple walls at least. But these were times when nothing was certain. The Silent stalked into the gap and gripped Sildaan’s neck with one long-fingered hand, his sharpened nail points digging in where he gripped.
‘Auum is my guard. He does my work. I order him to ignore the words of a traitor,’ hissed Serrin, having to drag every word out under the dome.
Sildaan’s eyes widened. Her hand went to her belt only to find Serrin’s other clamping down on her wrist. Auum growled and once again looked at Haleth. The smugness was gone from the man’s face and he muttered a curse Auum did not understand. Auum’s blades came to ready.
Haleth was smart. He stepped behind Sildaan and held a dagger past the side of her head, its point coming to rest a hair’s breadth from Serrin’s left eye. Serrin froze. The other man turned and called out. Auum could not understand the human language but very quickly there was the sound of hurrying feet. Four men came down the corridor. None were warriors. There
‘I am TaiGethen,’ said Auum. ‘I am a cleanser of the rainforest.’
Sildaan gaped. ‘It was you?’
Auum shared a look with Serrin. The Silent Priest spread his hands. He didn’t understand her either. Auum tried again.
‘There were twenty men approaching the temple. We spared one to take the story back to whoever brought him here. We tracked him here. We feared others had sacked the temple. We’re blessed to be wrong.’
Sildaan had paled but she managed a smile.
‘The temple is secure,’ she said, looking over her shoulder again.
‘What’s wrong, Sildaan? There’s no danger back there. But we need to place guards. Where are the TaiGethen?’
Sildaan gestured behind her. ‘I’ve forgotten something. If you’ll excuse me?’
‘Of course. Yniss bless you, Sildaan, we are very happy to see you alive.’
Sildaan’s smile was thin. She turned. A moment too late as it proved.
‘Sildaan. It’s time to go. I’m sick of whining mages. Where are—’
The voice belonged to a man. One of two striding out of one of the cells a few doors down the corridor and marching towards the temple dome as if he owned it. Auum’s twin blades hissed out, everything Sildaan had said, her every reaction, horribly clear now. He cursed himself blind. Serrin’s body was rigid, the rage dragging a hiss from his lips. His hands shaped into claws.
The men pulled up short just behind Sildaan, staring at Serrin and Auum. One smiled.
‘Good of you to let me live,’ he said in good modern elvish. Haleth. That’s what the others had called him. ‘Not where you thought I’d lead you, eh?’
‘Your reprieve was only ever temporary,’ said Auum.
He moved towards the man, already knowing where he would strike. Sildaan blocked his path and placed a hand on his chest. She was a priest. He could do nothing but acquiesce. For now.
‘You will not spill blood in this temple,’ she said, all traces of vagueness gone from her voice and a hard strength in its place that Auum didn’t recognise.
‘Elven blood, no,’ said Auum. ‘I will wait for you outside, cascarg. They are dead already.’
‘Back off, Auum. You don’t know what you’re dealing with,’ said Sildaan.
‘I am dealing with a man who saw all his friends die. He knows he cannot beat me. You know you cannot stop me getting him. Or his friend.’
‘Please, Auum,’ said Sildaan. ‘There are powers at work here you cannot beat. The TaiGethen are finished. Go run the rainforest. Your work in Aryndeneth is done.’
Auum recoiled as if slapped, his blades flat against his legs. Confusion roared through him. He couldn’t gainsay her. He was merely a bodyguard, not of the temple elite. Authority under Yniss had to be maintained. He was dismissed. There was nothing he could do. He backed off a pace, switching his gaze to Haleth, who flashed his eyebrows and waved a goodbye hand.
Auum could not disobey her. And Serrin should not. Within the temple walls at least. But these were times when nothing was certain. The Silent stalked into the gap and gripped Sildaan’s neck with one long-fingered hand, his sharpened nail points digging in where he gripped.
‘Auum is my guard. He does my work. I order him to ignore the words of a traitor,’ hissed Serrin, having to drag every word out under the dome.
Sildaan’s eyes widened. Her hand went to her belt only to find Serrin’s other clamping down on her wrist. Auum growled and once again looked at Haleth. The smugness was gone from the man’s face and he muttered a curse Auum did not understand. Auum’s blades came to ready.
Haleth was smart. He stepped behind Sildaan and held a dagger past the side of her head, its point coming to rest a hair’s breadth from Serrin’s left eye. Serrin froze. The other man turned and called out. Auum could not understand the human language but very quickly there was the sound of hurrying feet. Four men came down the corridor. None were warriors. There
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