Celandine observed the man curiously who just came out from the chamber, going downstairs. She noticed the small hand batch on his black robe, wondering what that might be meaning.  Suddenly everything around her changed. They traveled dawn to dusk, past woods and orchards and neatly tended fields, through small villages, crowded market towns, and stout holdfasts. Come dark, they would make camp and eat by the light of the moon and the lamps. The men took turns standing watch. Celandine would glimpse firelight flickering through the trees from the camps of other travelers. There seemed to be more camps every night, and more traffic on the kingsroad by day.She somehow knew it was a dream.Morning, noon, and night they came, old folks and little children, big men and small ones, barefoot girls and women with babes at their breasts. Some drove farm wagons or bumped along in the back of ox carts. More rode: draft horses

   At the same night, Hadassah had started a big fire at the middle of the Battle of Blood, while she was in the possession of little Celandine's body.  The large vessel on the fire was filled with the sacred water for witches from Black Lake. It was an inaccessible lake inside a forest, only who had witch blood in their veins, could approach there. Beside the pyre, there were some ingredients which she would need to return back to her true self"Bonesbane," she muttered and picked up the tiniest bowl contained with a few bone shaped dark green leaves. She stared at the boiling black water for a while, then dropped the leaves into it and chanted, "Confundo.   The flames exploded around the pyre when the leaves touched the water, her ragged breath quickened. She took a sharp intake and knelt in front of the pyre and picked up the next ingredient."Blood Soil," she muttered and poured the brown soil and tiny pebbles into the hissi

Lynn Vandestine He reads the letter again."Stop trying to get your brother out, Stanley. Even if you can't see, he's safe in the prison. Your attempts won't do any good. Find me Garrett Greenham, I'll think of bailing your brother out.                               - Malum Feingold"The envelope was sealed with the symbol of The Conditorem, a white swift bird, with long, pointed wings."Are you okay?" Kramer asks softly seeing his devastated look. "Did something happen?"Lynn throws the letter on the table, "I got this letter from Malum. Warned me to not help my brother and find him Mr. Greenham.""Why are you worrying? It's just a stupid threatening letter," Kramer folds his arms. "Anyway, Olive said he missed you. He also wanted you to go visit him in Santa Monica."Lynn opens a bottle of champagne, pouring a glass, "Tell him that I am sor

  The morning air was dark with the smoke of burning goods. The old dry wood and countless layers of paint and varnish blazed with a fierce hungry light. Heat rose shimmering through the chill air; behind, the gargoyles and stone dragons on the castle walls seemed blurred, as if Moriah were seeing them through a veil of tears. Or as if the beasts were trembling, stirring . . . "An ill thing," Hadassah declared, though at least she had the sense to keep her voice low.  "Silence," said Moriah. "Remember where you are."  They were heading to the Garden. Hundreds had come to the battle gates to bear witness to the burning of the Battle of Blood. The smell in the air was ugly. Even for soldiers, it was hard not to feel uneasy at such an affront to the gods most had worshiped all their lives. Moriah was thinking about his ancestors. They had overturn

  Olgarias was leaning his back on the pillow, his eyes were closed. Fever was burning through his skin all the day and at night, it had been usual for him to have nightmares lately. He would scream after midnight while sweating crazily and his whole body was shaking uncontrollably, the servants had to take care of him. The Master of Health was observing his health condition and giving him medicine for cure, also trying to figure out the disease.But only Ran knew what it was.   And he felt terribly guilty. His head was a complete mess and his feelings were heightened, wishing he could do something to help his master. He even thought of escaping from the capital, but he couldn't bring himself to imagine what would happen next. In Leafstone, he had somewhere to live, he had someone's protection on his life, but outside Leafstone, he was nothing. It would get harder to live his life there as a Night Walker.He led Elijah his way to his master's cha