Read Online Trinity Rising: Book Two of the Wild Hunt (Wild Hunt Trilogy 2) by Elspeth Cooper - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elspeth Cooper
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shoulder, massive in the shadows. ‘Leave her be. She’s naught but a girl.’
Ytha’s grip on Teia’s skull did not relent. ‘She may have the power!’
‘So?’
‘It is clan law! A girl with the power is surrendered to her Speaker. If she is not, she is exiled. To breach clan law is to be stripped of honour unto the child of the child’s generation. This is the word of the law, Drwyn, and even you are bound by it.’
The chief laid a hand on Ytha’s shoulder and held it there. None but the chief would dare to lay hands on the Speaker and the flash of cold fury in her eyes showed she resented even that.
‘Let her be, Ytha. If you insist that she be tested I will give her to you, but for now, let her be. The rest of the clans will be here tomorrow; I’ve too much to think on without having to come back to a cold hearth and an empty bed every night of the Gathering. Besides,’ he added, ‘my supper is bleeding over your robe.’
Ytha recoiled with an exclamation of disgust at the dark blood beading her furs. She shot Teia a look, as if the fault was all hers, then turned a frigid face to the chief.
‘I await the day, my chief. She should have been sent to me long ago.’
With a stiff inclination of her head, Ytha stalked away.
Drwyn came forward into the firelight and Teia’s knees turned to water. With a sob of relief she slumped into his arms, grateful for his rough embrace though he would never know why.
‘Did she frighten you?’ he asked, in a clumsy attempt at comfort. Teia nodded, scrubbing her hand across her eyes. ‘Well, there’s no need to be afraid. The Speaker means you no harm.’
About as little harm as a crag-cat means a kid . ‘She was inside my head. It hurt.’
‘She was just testing you for the power,’ Drwyn said. ‘Perhaps you should be glad you do not have it. Now what about that supper?’
So much for comfort.
Resigned to her mundane tasks, Teia plucked and cleaned the fowl then rubbed their skins with honey and salt before setting them to roast. As she worked, she contemplated what she had seen in the water. It had not clarified her earlier scrying at all, simply posed more questions she was incapable of answering.
If only she’d had more time. She was certain further scrying would have given her other images, clues to help her puzzle out her future. Had the visions come to her in dreams she might have gone to the Speaker for an interpretation, except she could not be sure Ytha would not see it as evidence that she had the Talent – and once she learned that, Teia would have no choice but to show her all that she’d seen. The boy with chieftain’s gold around his neck, all of it.
That night, when Drwyn was fed and bedded and sleeping the sleep of the sated, she thought about running away. The idea daunted her: leaving her family, everything she had ever known, for an uncertain fate. She had no idea where she would go or how she would survive the winter on her own, but she was filled with a dreadful certainty that she would not be able to remain where she was for very much longer.
6
THE GATHERING
After a fitful night filled with fractious dreams, Teia woke on the first day of the Gathering feeling stiff as sun-dried elk-meat. Drwyn looked little better; he choked down a mouthful of bread to break his fast and then paced the tent with a cup of ale in his fist whilst she heated water for washing.
Afterwards he dressed with unusual care in his best plaid trews and cloak, which he fastened at his shoulder with a large gold pin. His beard was combed, his hair tied back from his face; even the spear that was his badge of rank was polished and gleaming. He looked almost handsome, were it not for the nervous chewing at his moustaches as he prowled back and forth like a hound on a short leash.
Teia sensed that he would need little provocation to lash out at her, so she picked up an armful of clean clothes and took herself into the curtained-off sleeping quarters to
Ytha’s grip on Teia’s skull did not relent. ‘She may have the power!’
‘So?’
‘It is clan law! A girl with the power is surrendered to her Speaker. If she is not, she is exiled. To breach clan law is to be stripped of honour unto the child of the child’s generation. This is the word of the law, Drwyn, and even you are bound by it.’
The chief laid a hand on Ytha’s shoulder and held it there. None but the chief would dare to lay hands on the Speaker and the flash of cold fury in her eyes showed she resented even that.
‘Let her be, Ytha. If you insist that she be tested I will give her to you, but for now, let her be. The rest of the clans will be here tomorrow; I’ve too much to think on without having to come back to a cold hearth and an empty bed every night of the Gathering. Besides,’ he added, ‘my supper is bleeding over your robe.’
Ytha recoiled with an exclamation of disgust at the dark blood beading her furs. She shot Teia a look, as if the fault was all hers, then turned a frigid face to the chief.
‘I await the day, my chief. She should have been sent to me long ago.’
With a stiff inclination of her head, Ytha stalked away.
Drwyn came forward into the firelight and Teia’s knees turned to water. With a sob of relief she slumped into his arms, grateful for his rough embrace though he would never know why.
‘Did she frighten you?’ he asked, in a clumsy attempt at comfort. Teia nodded, scrubbing her hand across her eyes. ‘Well, there’s no need to be afraid. The Speaker means you no harm.’
About as little harm as a crag-cat means a kid . ‘She was inside my head. It hurt.’
‘She was just testing you for the power,’ Drwyn said. ‘Perhaps you should be glad you do not have it. Now what about that supper?’
So much for comfort.
Resigned to her mundane tasks, Teia plucked and cleaned the fowl then rubbed their skins with honey and salt before setting them to roast. As she worked, she contemplated what she had seen in the water. It had not clarified her earlier scrying at all, simply posed more questions she was incapable of answering.
If only she’d had more time. She was certain further scrying would have given her other images, clues to help her puzzle out her future. Had the visions come to her in dreams she might have gone to the Speaker for an interpretation, except she could not be sure Ytha would not see it as evidence that she had the Talent – and once she learned that, Teia would have no choice but to show her all that she’d seen. The boy with chieftain’s gold around his neck, all of it.
That night, when Drwyn was fed and bedded and sleeping the sleep of the sated, she thought about running away. The idea daunted her: leaving her family, everything she had ever known, for an uncertain fate. She had no idea where she would go or how she would survive the winter on her own, but she was filled with a dreadful certainty that she would not be able to remain where she was for very much longer.
6
THE GATHERING
After a fitful night filled with fractious dreams, Teia woke on the first day of the Gathering feeling stiff as sun-dried elk-meat. Drwyn looked little better; he choked down a mouthful of bread to break his fast and then paced the tent with a cup of ale in his fist whilst she heated water for washing.
Afterwards he dressed with unusual care in his best plaid trews and cloak, which he fastened at his shoulder with a large gold pin. His beard was combed, his hair tied back from his face; even the spear that was his badge of rank was polished and gleaming. He looked almost handsome, were it not for the nervous chewing at his moustaches as he prowled back and forth like a hound on a short leash.
Teia sensed that he would need little provocation to lash out at her, so she picked up an armful of clean clothes and took herself into the curtained-off sleeping quarters to
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