Read Online Season of Sacrifice by Mindy Klasky - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Mindy Klasky
Ads: Link
Headland. “A new woodsinger holds sway at Land’s End, good folk. She…she has convinced her people that the Guardians must drink blood before the summer sun can rise.” As Reade gasped in disbelief, Duke Coren dropped his voice to a dark whisper. “They will soon come on raids to the inland, come to steal away your newborn babes. I trust no one has been taken yet?”
“No, my lord.” The red-faced woman was clearly frightened by Duke Coren’s story. “No one.”
Now, Reade was more than a little frightened himself. He’d always been afraid of Alana Woodsinger, and Sarira Woodsinger before her. There was something scary about the patched cloak the woodsingers wore, the swirling colors of brown and red, blue and white. They were always busy with the Tree, ordering people around to help them bring water, to help them bring fresh fish to lay in the earth. They could be so mean, telling Reade what he could and couldn’t do. Alana Woodsinger was much stricter than Mum, especially than Mum was now, now that Da was gone.
But Alana Woodsinger meant to kill him? She meant to give his blood to the Guardians? That made no sense at all!
“We haven’t lost children, m’lord, but I’ve had two newborn lambs taken in the past fortnight!” a shepherd shouted from the back of the room, and there was a low rumble of agreement. Other men cried out, too—four more lambs had been taken. Reade wiggled his fingers—four lambs and two lambs— six had been taken altogether.
Six lambs. That was a lot. Even Reade knew that didn’t happen by accident.
Maybe Duke Coren wasn’t making up stories. Maybe he had just misunderstood everything. The People did not want to give the Guardians the blood of children. They wanted to give the blood of lambs . It was easy to see how the duke could be confused. After all, Mum had called Reade a poor little lamb, the day that Da disappeared fishing. She had said often enough that Reade and Maida were her poor lost lambs, her poor fatherless lambs.
The People would sing their Song of Sacrifice, like they did every year, because they were grateful for the spring. The spring Song included lambs. Maybe Duke Coren thought that the Song of Sacrifice was real! Maybe he thought that the lambs in the song were real children!
Even now, the duke was nodding slowly, as if he had expected to hear about the inlanders’ missing livestock. His lips were thin with a grim smile. “It is as I feared then. The cursed outland raiders have come this far.”
Maida cried out, “My people don’t have any raiders!”
Reade saw the look that Maida cast at him across the room, saw her demand that he stand up for the People. He swallowed hard and tried to think of something to say. It was all so confusing! Duke Coren was saying one thing, and Maida understood another thing. The people in the tavern room would not know whom to believe, and Reade could not begin to figure out how he would make them all understand.
Before Reade could speak, though, Duke Coren tightened the pincers of his fingers even more. This was clearly not the time for Reade to speak, to clarify things for Maida and the men and the fat, red-faced woman.
After all, what did it really matter? Six lambs had been stolen. The inlanders had no reason to lie about that. And Mum had been talking just the other day about how she looked forward to the spring, to making stews with something other than salt fish. Who knew what had happened to those lambs?
In any case, Reade could not doubt the message that Duke Coren was sending through his fingers. It was exactly like when the bigger boys told Reade not to tattle, when they glared at him just before the elders came to see what was happening. The older boys were always threatening the little children. Only the other day, Reade had been forced to lie and say that he had trampled the new plants in the communal field. He took the blame because that bully Winder had threatened him, threatened to twist his arm
“No, my lord.” The red-faced woman was clearly frightened by Duke Coren’s story. “No one.”
Now, Reade was more than a little frightened himself. He’d always been afraid of Alana Woodsinger, and Sarira Woodsinger before her. There was something scary about the patched cloak the woodsingers wore, the swirling colors of brown and red, blue and white. They were always busy with the Tree, ordering people around to help them bring water, to help them bring fresh fish to lay in the earth. They could be so mean, telling Reade what he could and couldn’t do. Alana Woodsinger was much stricter than Mum, especially than Mum was now, now that Da was gone.
But Alana Woodsinger meant to kill him? She meant to give his blood to the Guardians? That made no sense at all!
“We haven’t lost children, m’lord, but I’ve had two newborn lambs taken in the past fortnight!” a shepherd shouted from the back of the room, and there was a low rumble of agreement. Other men cried out, too—four more lambs had been taken. Reade wiggled his fingers—four lambs and two lambs— six had been taken altogether.
Six lambs. That was a lot. Even Reade knew that didn’t happen by accident.
Maybe Duke Coren wasn’t making up stories. Maybe he had just misunderstood everything. The People did not want to give the Guardians the blood of children. They wanted to give the blood of lambs . It was easy to see how the duke could be confused. After all, Mum had called Reade a poor little lamb, the day that Da disappeared fishing. She had said often enough that Reade and Maida were her poor lost lambs, her poor fatherless lambs.
The People would sing their Song of Sacrifice, like they did every year, because they were grateful for the spring. The spring Song included lambs. Maybe Duke Coren thought that the Song of Sacrifice was real! Maybe he thought that the lambs in the song were real children!
Even now, the duke was nodding slowly, as if he had expected to hear about the inlanders’ missing livestock. His lips were thin with a grim smile. “It is as I feared then. The cursed outland raiders have come this far.”
Maida cried out, “My people don’t have any raiders!”
Reade saw the look that Maida cast at him across the room, saw her demand that he stand up for the People. He swallowed hard and tried to think of something to say. It was all so confusing! Duke Coren was saying one thing, and Maida understood another thing. The people in the tavern room would not know whom to believe, and Reade could not begin to figure out how he would make them all understand.
Before Reade could speak, though, Duke Coren tightened the pincers of his fingers even more. This was clearly not the time for Reade to speak, to clarify things for Maida and the men and the fat, red-faced woman.
After all, what did it really matter? Six lambs had been stolen. The inlanders had no reason to lie about that. And Mum had been talking just the other day about how she looked forward to the spring, to making stews with something other than salt fish. Who knew what had happened to those lambs?
In any case, Reade could not doubt the message that Duke Coren was sending through his fingers. It was exactly like when the bigger boys told Reade not to tattle, when they glared at him just before the elders came to see what was happening. The older boys were always threatening the little children. Only the other day, Reade had been forced to lie and say that he had trampled the new plants in the communal field. He took the blame because that bully Winder had threatened him, threatened to twist his arm
Similar Books
