The Deathsinger: Book 2

Ch. 42: A Formal Introduction

No one spoke to me again as we rowed the boats away from the burning land. So many thoughts warred for prominence in my head, so I finally settled on attempting to orient myself. Not only were my memories of Araphel distant, but geography wouldn't have been of great importance to a child of ten. The maps Kuga had shown me during training were little more than crude drawings because the king had forbidden any knowledge of Araphel and Estrellum to be retained.

Traveling underground certainly hadn't helped. The temple had been my only frame of reference, and that was long gone. The sea was to the east, as were the mountains that bordered Estrellum. No matter how I pieced together my memories and knowledge, I could not recall such a large river; especially one that was large enough to have an inhabitable eyot.

I pulled my wet jacket around me tighter as we approached a looming shape in the darkness. Suddenly, it reminded me far too much of the palace in Edresh. Cold and stark, sitting alone and separate on the island in the river, but the moment we docked the boats, I realized this place was nothing like that.

As soon as my feet touched the ground, light bloomed all around me. From the warm glow of candlelight in windows to the brighter, silver sparks of fairy lights strung through all the trees or buzzing in street lamps. A gray cobblestone road started at the docks and wound between dozens of pristine cottage cottages with thatched roofs. Most had flower boxes beneath the windows with vibrant blooms overflowing the painted wooden boxes, despite the chill in the air.

My mouth hung open in awe as I climbed out of the boat, and because the picturesque scene captured all of my focus, I missed the subtle incline of the road. Shrieking, I pitched forward and prepared to smash into the pavement in front of all these strangers; instead, a pair of powerful arms caught me and drew me against a solid chest.

"Remy," I gasped, the scent of him overpowering me and leaving no doubt as to who had saved me.

"Stop wiggling," he huffed as I struggled to stand upright so I could throw my arms around his neck.

"Stop telling me what to do."

"You're one to talk. Stop–"

My lips on his cut off whatever flippant comment he had intended to make. As much as I had enjoyed fighting with him since I met him, I much preferred kissing him, and from the way he grabbed the back of my head and moaned against my mouth, it was obvious he agreed. We might have carried things further if not for someone clearing their throat loudly beside us.

"Well, now that we have that out of the way," the green eyed Deathsinger who had saved me said, "let's get you two somewhere warm."

"That's very kind of you." We fell in step with her as she walked toward the village. Remiel held my hand and watched me with an unreadable expression.

"It's not kindness," she replied. "It's a lot easier to understand someone when they're answering questions if their teeth aren't chattering together."

"How are there so many of you here?" Remiel asked.

"Have you hit your head?"

Remiel frowned, confused. "No."

"Then you're daft. I said I would be asking the questions."

A group of white-robed girls walked by us. The eldest among them looked no older than fourteen. Some of the younger girls saw us and whispered, but most of them kept their expressions blank and serene. To anyone else, they might have been ordinary school girls, but I felt the icy shiver of death surrounding them. Deathsingers.

So many of them when we thought they were all but gone. Had even suspected I was the last.

"Will you at least tell us your name?"