Read Online Kormak 01 - Stealer of Flesh by William King - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: William King
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left of a rebel army riding around and plundering.”
“That’s how it started. Have you decided whether you are going to kill me or not?”
“Not yet. Keep talking.”
“You could be one of them, you know. You’ve got the eyes.”
“Have I?”
“Flat and cold and with a real distance in them. You’ve killed a lot of people, haven’t you?”
“Yes.”
“And you don’t even have to think about it or look embarrassed or ashamed when you say it?”
“Should I?”
“You obviously don’t think so. You’re proud of it, aren’t you?”
“No. It’s my calling. You were telling me about the Wolves.”
“They used to be called that because of the wolf’s head on Jaro’s banner. But since they started following his lieutenant, Massimo, the sorcerer, some of them have become real wolves. You heard of Massimo?”
“No.”
“He’s a bad one, has made pacts with the Shadow, so they say, and if you really are a Guardian you should take a look at him.”
“I might.”
“You would never get within a hundred feet of him. The Wolves would tear you apart.”
“His pets are nasty?”
She laughed bitterly. “They’re not pets. They are men. Or at least they once were men. He did something to them during the rebellion, changed them in some way. Now they are something different. At night, they can change into monsters. You know, I really am starting to believe you are a Guardian. A normal man would be back on his horse and riding for his life about now. You just stand there as if you’ve heard this sort of thing all before.”
“I have.”
“So are you going to do anything about it? Somebody ought to make Massimo and his bastard monsters pay for what they are doing.”
“It sounds like it will take more than one lone Guardian to do that.”
“I thought you lot were supposed to be heroes, sneer in the face of danger, defy demons, that sort of thing.”
“I am sorry to disappoint. I already have one monster I am tracking. Are you going to tell me what you know about it?”
“So you are convinced that I am not it?”
“Maybe.”
“Cagey bastard, aren’t you?”
“It’s how I have lived to my advanced age.”
“It’s a skill I wish you would teach me.”
“What is your name, girl?”
“Petra.”
“What are you doing on this road?”
“My brother and I were fleeing, trying to get away.”
“From where?”
“Oakbridge. It was our village back along the road. The Wolves burned it.”
“You fled?”
“We fled. We were the only ones left alive. Luck really. Our house was on the edge of the village furthest from where they broke in. Tam smelled the burning, woke me. We crept out and hid, dived into the millpond. That way the Wolves could not smell us.”
“Clever.”
“Tam was a good hunter. He knew about such things. He taught me what he could after our parents died.”
“Where is he now?”
“You already know, don’t you?”
“The demon took him, or it took his body.”
“It was horrible. I could hear him screaming. He told me to run then he told me to come back. The voice did not sound like him at all.”
“It wasn’t. It was the thing that killed him.”
“He’s dead then.”
“His body is walking the world. His soul is not in it though.”
“Then I can’t even give him a proper burning.”
“You follow the Solar rites here?”
“Our village did. It’s all mixed up here though in the mountains. Some are moondogs. There’s old hatred here. Massimo is a moondog, so are his Wolves. You’d better hope they don’t see you. You’re sworn to the Sun, aren’t you?”
“I was. A long time ago.”
“You going to kill me or not?” Kormak looked at her. She was just a girl, with eyes that looked as if they were about to brim with tears, who had been hungry for too long. At least as far as he could tell.
“How did Razhak catch you?”
“Razhak? Is that the sort of demon you are chasing?”
“It’s his name.”
If she was curious as to how
“That’s how it started. Have you decided whether you are going to kill me or not?”
“Not yet. Keep talking.”
“You could be one of them, you know. You’ve got the eyes.”
“Have I?”
“Flat and cold and with a real distance in them. You’ve killed a lot of people, haven’t you?”
“Yes.”
“And you don’t even have to think about it or look embarrassed or ashamed when you say it?”
“Should I?”
“You obviously don’t think so. You’re proud of it, aren’t you?”
“No. It’s my calling. You were telling me about the Wolves.”
“They used to be called that because of the wolf’s head on Jaro’s banner. But since they started following his lieutenant, Massimo, the sorcerer, some of them have become real wolves. You heard of Massimo?”
“No.”
“He’s a bad one, has made pacts with the Shadow, so they say, and if you really are a Guardian you should take a look at him.”
“I might.”
“You would never get within a hundred feet of him. The Wolves would tear you apart.”
“His pets are nasty?”
She laughed bitterly. “They’re not pets. They are men. Or at least they once were men. He did something to them during the rebellion, changed them in some way. Now they are something different. At night, they can change into monsters. You know, I really am starting to believe you are a Guardian. A normal man would be back on his horse and riding for his life about now. You just stand there as if you’ve heard this sort of thing all before.”
“I have.”
“So are you going to do anything about it? Somebody ought to make Massimo and his bastard monsters pay for what they are doing.”
“It sounds like it will take more than one lone Guardian to do that.”
“I thought you lot were supposed to be heroes, sneer in the face of danger, defy demons, that sort of thing.”
“I am sorry to disappoint. I already have one monster I am tracking. Are you going to tell me what you know about it?”
“So you are convinced that I am not it?”
“Maybe.”
“Cagey bastard, aren’t you?”
“It’s how I have lived to my advanced age.”
“It’s a skill I wish you would teach me.”
“What is your name, girl?”
“Petra.”
“What are you doing on this road?”
“My brother and I were fleeing, trying to get away.”
“From where?”
“Oakbridge. It was our village back along the road. The Wolves burned it.”
“You fled?”
“We fled. We were the only ones left alive. Luck really. Our house was on the edge of the village furthest from where they broke in. Tam smelled the burning, woke me. We crept out and hid, dived into the millpond. That way the Wolves could not smell us.”
“Clever.”
“Tam was a good hunter. He knew about such things. He taught me what he could after our parents died.”
“Where is he now?”
“You already know, don’t you?”
“The demon took him, or it took his body.”
“It was horrible. I could hear him screaming. He told me to run then he told me to come back. The voice did not sound like him at all.”
“It wasn’t. It was the thing that killed him.”
“He’s dead then.”
“His body is walking the world. His soul is not in it though.”
“Then I can’t even give him a proper burning.”
“You follow the Solar rites here?”
“Our village did. It’s all mixed up here though in the mountains. Some are moondogs. There’s old hatred here. Massimo is a moondog, so are his Wolves. You’d better hope they don’t see you. You’re sworn to the Sun, aren’t you?”
“I was. A long time ago.”
“You going to kill me or not?” Kormak looked at her. She was just a girl, with eyes that looked as if they were about to brim with tears, who had been hungry for too long. At least as far as he could tell.
“How did Razhak catch you?”
“Razhak? Is that the sort of demon you are chasing?”
“It’s his name.”
If she was curious as to how
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