Read Online Shaper of Stone (The Shapers Book 1) by Keith Keffer - Free Book Online
Authors: Keith Keffer
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loitered by the doorway. The guard with the bloody
nose was there as well.
He was the one that escorted Vatrale
into the cell during my first night. He seemed to be trying to
organize the people, but was having little luck. When he saw me, he
gave up and ran over to speak.
“Morning to you, m’lord.”
Wow! I didn’t expect one of my
captors to be polite to me. I figured they would all be bullies who
I’d just have to endure.
“I’m trying to get your
servants into their quarters. Master Vatrale said to get them inside,
but they won’t stay inside. They keep wandering off. They
wander too far and they’ll be falling off the edge.”
“My servants?” I asked.
Judging from their condition these must be the people from the pit.
So, Vatrale actually kept his word and let them go.
The captives’ eyes were glazed
over and their mouths hung open. Their shuffling gait was straight
from a zombie movie. Getting them out of the pit wouldn’t be
enough if I wanted to help these people.
Turning to the guard, I asked, “What’s
your name?”
“I’m Garit, m’lord.”
“Well Garit, run back to the main
house, and find Talia. Tell her about these folks and ask her to
help. I’ll take care of them until you come back.”
Garit sprinted toward the main house
leaving me alone. He seemed to be trying to get them into the
building before I got here.
I guessed I would give that a try.
“Excuse me. Hello. Ah...
Everyone, we are going to go inside now.” I tried to get their
attention, but they didn’t even seem to be aware that I was
here. I moved through the small group as I was talking to them. I
thought if I made it to the front door they might follow me inside.
Most didn’t even look at me as I passed, but one did. He was an
older man. His hair was gone and his skin fitted him like a suit that
was too large, but it was his green eyes that drew me in.
He had green eyes. Everyone else had
this glazed over grayish look to their eyes that sucked the color
out, but this one man had eyes that look normal.
“Sir,” I said as I
approached him, “Let me help you.”
He matched each step I took forward
with a step back. This wasn’t going to get us anywhere. I
stopped no closer to him than when I started, but now I had moved
away from the building. I was standing in the middle of the shuffling
crowd.
Except now they weren’t
shuffling. Most of them stopped moving and turned to watch me, or us.
I wasn’t really sure. Their eyes were clearer now too. I could
see the color return even as I watched them, and with the return of
the color they seemed to become more aware of their surroundings.
I raised my hands with my palms open
and facing them. Slowly I turned around so that they could all see
that I was not a threat.
“I’d like to help. I’m
a friend.”
A woman behind me shouted, “Where
are we?” I turned to answer when another voice asked, “Who
are you?” and then, “When can we go home?”
Within seconds they all started
talking at once. I couldn’t make out any single voice as they
all crowded around me. I could hear the anger and pain in their
questions.
Someone grabbed my shirt from behind. I
pulled away with a jerk. Perhaps that wasn’t the best idea I’ve
had. I was boxed in with no where to go. If they turned on me, I
wouldn’t stand a chance.
A woman announced with a clear voice
that carried over the noise of the crowd, “The man before you
is Sir Devin Symms, and he is your protector.”
It was Talia. Garit was with her. He
was carrying two huge baskets, one in each hand. He placed them on
the ground as the crowd turned to face the two of them.
“I heard him last night,”
she continued. “He will only help Master Vatrale if you are
safe. He bargained his life for yours. You are free because of the
man before you.”
Hey, maybe this would work out after
all. Talia had their attention, and they were listening to her.
I didn’t even see it coming. My
head rocked back from the
nose was there as well.
He was the one that escorted Vatrale
into the cell during my first night. He seemed to be trying to
organize the people, but was having little luck. When he saw me, he
gave up and ran over to speak.
“Morning to you, m’lord.”
Wow! I didn’t expect one of my
captors to be polite to me. I figured they would all be bullies who
I’d just have to endure.
“I’m trying to get your
servants into their quarters. Master Vatrale said to get them inside,
but they won’t stay inside. They keep wandering off. They
wander too far and they’ll be falling off the edge.”
“My servants?” I asked.
Judging from their condition these must be the people from the pit.
So, Vatrale actually kept his word and let them go.
The captives’ eyes were glazed
over and their mouths hung open. Their shuffling gait was straight
from a zombie movie. Getting them out of the pit wouldn’t be
enough if I wanted to help these people.
Turning to the guard, I asked, “What’s
your name?”
“I’m Garit, m’lord.”
“Well Garit, run back to the main
house, and find Talia. Tell her about these folks and ask her to
help. I’ll take care of them until you come back.”
Garit sprinted toward the main house
leaving me alone. He seemed to be trying to get them into the
building before I got here.
I guessed I would give that a try.
“Excuse me. Hello. Ah...
Everyone, we are going to go inside now.” I tried to get their
attention, but they didn’t even seem to be aware that I was
here. I moved through the small group as I was talking to them. I
thought if I made it to the front door they might follow me inside.
Most didn’t even look at me as I passed, but one did. He was an
older man. His hair was gone and his skin fitted him like a suit that
was too large, but it was his green eyes that drew me in.
He had green eyes. Everyone else had
this glazed over grayish look to their eyes that sucked the color
out, but this one man had eyes that look normal.
“Sir,” I said as I
approached him, “Let me help you.”
He matched each step I took forward
with a step back. This wasn’t going to get us anywhere. I
stopped no closer to him than when I started, but now I had moved
away from the building. I was standing in the middle of the shuffling
crowd.
Except now they weren’t
shuffling. Most of them stopped moving and turned to watch me, or us.
I wasn’t really sure. Their eyes were clearer now too. I could
see the color return even as I watched them, and with the return of
the color they seemed to become more aware of their surroundings.
I raised my hands with my palms open
and facing them. Slowly I turned around so that they could all see
that I was not a threat.
“I’d like to help. I’m
a friend.”
A woman behind me shouted, “Where
are we?” I turned to answer when another voice asked, “Who
are you?” and then, “When can we go home?”
Within seconds they all started
talking at once. I couldn’t make out any single voice as they
all crowded around me. I could hear the anger and pain in their
questions.
Someone grabbed my shirt from behind. I
pulled away with a jerk. Perhaps that wasn’t the best idea I’ve
had. I was boxed in with no where to go. If they turned on me, I
wouldn’t stand a chance.
A woman announced with a clear voice
that carried over the noise of the crowd, “The man before you
is Sir Devin Symms, and he is your protector.”
It was Talia. Garit was with her. He
was carrying two huge baskets, one in each hand. He placed them on
the ground as the crowd turned to face the two of them.
“I heard him last night,”
she continued. “He will only help Master Vatrale if you are
safe. He bargained his life for yours. You are free because of the
man before you.”
Hey, maybe this would work out after
all. Talia had their attention, and they were listening to her.
I didn’t even see it coming. My
head rocked back from the
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