Читать книгу Element. Flame of Elisar - - Страница 11

In the morning, Nargara announced she had to leave for a couple of days just to sort something out, yet never said where exactly she was going. And then she reminded, “We live the way we did before, as if nothing had happened.” And instructed us, “Girls, please, just stay out of harm’s way, okay? No more trouble. Quiet as lambs. And no magic whatsoever!”

Finally, apparently to keep us busy, she gave us a whole list of chores to tackle.

However, it was no longer possible to live as before, at least because the entire city was buzzing like a bunch of angry bees discussing the recent events.

There were more people than ever on the marketplace, and of course the major thing under discussion was the battle of the fire people and the burnt down desert instead of green meadows at the path leading out of the valley.

“Where are the guards looking?! We have to comb through the city. They still may be walking among us, and we don’t even have the least idea! What the heck brought them here? This is our World and we don’t want any of their stupid fights. Get them roll outta here and burn their own place, we don’t care!” someone was shouting as the crowd roared with approval.

I pulled my head into shoulders as I passed by, and walked even faster.

The scrap of paper that Mammy gave me had a whole list of foods and various glass vessels for elixirs to get at the market.

As I approached a counter with vegetables I saw two women standing there, one of them whispering, “I hear the news has reached the capital… They say people in the Palace are very much worried about all this!”

“They should be, I guess,” the other one replied, “those fire folks have gone too far this time! How could they ever do that in our lands? And it killed our guards! Earlier that might have ended in huge conflict between the Worlds. But now you can’t say a thing to anyone. Just look at what is going on here in our own World. Complete mess!”

As I walked on, two men passed by, both discussing still the same thing, and I could only catch a bit of that, “Poor Kold… So young, just a boy. And this…”

As the name reached my ears I froze and nearly got crashed into by a woman. I knew the one they were talking about – Tonar, Kold the Baker’s son. The guy who would always treat me all those buns after each training session.

I remembered that he had just been put on duty at the Eagle’s Nest fortress gate. And then he fell prey to that terrible night. I felt everything inside clench with pain and guilt, and before I knew it my legs were already taking me to the southern part of the city, getting faster and faster with each step.

The bakery was closed, and the shelves ever-smelling of fresh and hot buns and bread were empty. But I still had the courage and knocked on the door. The door swung open a moment later, and Mr. Kold appeared in the doorway, his face pale, and dark areas under the eyes.

He tried to smile, as always, but it turned out too forced. Running his hand over his face, he waved to me inviting me in. I followed and even wanted to say something, but a lump in the throat would not give way to even a sigh.