Read Online Furnaces of Forge (The Land's Tale) by Alan Skinner - Free Book Online Page B

you,’ said Touch. He was surprised to find that the pain eased immediately.
    Hazlitt walked across to the stone of fire. He examined the glowing pick head.
    ‘Well, you two,’ he said. ‘It looks like you’ve been trying to break off a piece. I’m not surprised you were burned. In fact, I’m rather surprised that you weren’t injured more seriously.’
    A look of surprise came to Edith’s face. ‘But whatever could you want with a piece of cinerite?’
    Cres’s eyebrows rose. ‘Cinerite? Is that what it’s called?’
    ‘That’s what we call it. And since you don’t appear to have a name for it, then that’s as good a one to use as any,’ said Edith.
    ‘Exactly,’ Hazlitt agreed, and then turning to Edith he said, ‘Don’t you think it a bit strange that this is the only land where cinerite is found and they don’t even have a name for it?’
    ‘We often ignore things right under our noses,’ Edith replied with an air of regret.
    ‘Excuse me,’ Touch interrupted politely. ‘But who are you?’
    ‘I do believe we introduced ourselves earlier,’ Hazlitt said, with just a hint of exasperation.
    ‘What I meant is, where are you from? Are you Muddles?’
    The couple exchanged a quick smile and then laughed. ‘Oh dear! What a thought!’ Edith exclaimed. ‘No, my dear. We’re Myrmidots. Like you.’
    ‘Myrmidots? But we’ve never seen you before and I thought I knew everyone in Myrmidia,’ Touch said. A thought struck him. ‘How do you know we’re Myrmidots?’
    ‘Well, you’re not Beadles, that’s for sure. Not stout enough. And too tall. You seem to be what you are, so you can’t be Muddles. I believe that only leaves Myrmidots,’ Hazlitt explained.
    ‘We’re Myrmidots, too – original Myrmidots,’ continued Edith, ‘but not from Myrmidia. Whether that makes us still Myrmidots is a matter of opinion, I suppose.’
    Warily, Touch asked, ‘Are you from the same place as. . . as. . . that lady. . .’
    ‘Amelia,’ said Cres.
    ‘As a matter of fact, yes. That’s why we’re here,’ answered Hazlitt.
    Touch felt very uncomfortable. ‘Well, it was nice to meet you, but we had better go.’ He nudged Cres. ‘We said we’d be back by tonight and we don’t want them to come looking for us when we’re perfectly OK and not in any danger and . . .’ Touch’s voice trailed off. ‘And quite safe, really.’
    ‘Edith, we seem to have made them nervous. It is obvious that we’ve arrived too late and that Amelia has been some trouble,’ said Hazlitt. He put his hand on his heart. ‘I promise you, young Touch, that we have come to take Amelia back with us and we don’t wish you any harm. You don’t know where she is, do you?’
    Touch nodded. He pointed to the burning stone. ‘There.’
    Hazlitt’s eyes widened with surprise. ‘There?’ he asked.
    Edith’s mouth opened in horror. ‘You don’t mean she . . .?’
    ‘She jumped. I wasn’t here when it happened. The others said she tried to throw a Beadle in there and they stopped her. Then she jumped on to the stone. She thought it would make her stronger or something. I’m sorry. Was she a friend of yours?’
    ‘Poor Amelia,’ said Edith. ‘No, Touch, she wasn’t exactly a friend. But we were responsible for her. Oh dear. However shall I tell her cat?’
    ‘And she tried to throw a Beadle on the stone, did she? One of her own, I hope, not a local.’ Hazlitt tutted. ‘Perhaps you can tell us all about it, and the trouble you say she caused.’
    Touch and Cres related all that had happened: how Amelia had set fire to buildings in Beadledom, how the companions had come to the High Mountains for the blue ice, how Amelia had tried to kill Brian and how she had met her end.
    ‘And her Beadle, Kevin, he still lives in Beadledom?’ asked Hazlitt.
    ‘I believe so,’ Cres answered. ‘We’ve not actually met him.’
    ‘I don’t believe you got around to telling us why you wanted some cinerite,’ said Edith.
    Touch and