Page 82 of Reap the Night
We didn’t have to go far to find Godor; in fact, it was probably safe to say that he found us. He came bounding up the stairs as we barreled down, so we all came to a halt in the stairwell.
The last time I’d seen him, I’d noticed some differences in his appearance. More fingers, larger wingspan, and just him generally looking larger, but I’d brushed it off thinking I was imagining things. But now, in the light of a lamp, with him standing right in front of me, there was no doubt that he’d changed. He was taller and broader, and was that the slight protrusion of a nose?
“You are safe now,” he said. “Godor has seen to it.”
“What the heck is going on, Godor?” Hemlock said. “Why would Barin attack us?”
Godor’s gaze flicked to me for a moment. “Barin no longer wishes to serve. He and some others believe that we have served enough, that the rise of Loviator is not our issue. Godor tricked and locked them in the tunnels. Godor feed them…livestock, notpeople,” he said quickly when he caught the look of shock on my face.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Hemlock demanded.
“Master knows. Master give Godor leave to deal with the problem. Godor should have killed Barin, but…killing brother not easy.”
“He’s changed,” Hemlock said. “And so have you.”
Godor frowned. “Godor never change his allegiance to Master.”
“Your appearance, Godor,” Hemlock clarified.
Godor ran his hand down his chest as if noticing for the first time. “I change?” He touched his face, fingers skimming over his nose, then held out his hand to look at his fingers. Five now. “I have changed.” He canted his head. “What does it mean?”
“I don’t know,” Hemlock said. “We’ll have to ask Ezekiel when he wakes. But for now, I need to know where Barin and his followers are.”
Godor’s mouth turned down. “They breathe no more.”
Oh… “Godor, I’m so sorry. If I hadn’t gone down there, then?—”
“Not your fault,” Godor said. “Godor should kill sooner. Barin dangerous.”
He’d killed his brother to keep me safe, and the evidence was on his hands in the form of dried, crusted blood.
Godor followed my gaze and grimaced. “Godor will go wash now. Orina is safe.” He smiled up at me, showcasing his sharp, pointed teeth.
“Thank you.”
He inclined his head then hurried down the stairs and into darkness.
Hemlock led us back up the steps.
I fell into step behind him, hand trailing along the banister warmed by his touch. “How did Ezekiel make them? How did he become their master?”
“I don’t know, and neither does Ordell. After we got Ezekiel back, after the curse first fell hard on us all, Ezekiel disappeared. He was gone for months in that first year before his first century-long sleep. When he returned, the batlings came with him. He never told us what happened, and once his cycle started, we never asked, too afraid to trigger him.”
“But you can ask him now. When he wakes from his nightmare.”
He looked down at me with a slight smile. “Yes, when he wakes.”
Because I was more determined than ever that he would.
Sleep came swiftly onceI crawled onto the cot. Hemlock settled behind me, and his sharp inhalation told me how much pain he was in. I resolved to ask Merry if she could make a salve for him to be used at times like this. Tomorrow…I’d go see her tomorrow. It hit me that I knew so much about Ordell and Ezekiel, but Hemlock, aside from his curse and how it affected him, I knew nothing.
“Stop thinking and go to sleep,” he whispered.
“Tell me something about your past. Something that’s important.”
He was silent for several long seconds before speaking. “I created witches by accident.”
My interest was piqued. “How do you accidentally create witches?”
