Page 60 of House of Pawns
Just as surprising as the falling snow, is the sky.
Dark clouds swirl in patterns, stretching out over the river, out to the south. I spin in a circle as I trace the pattern it’s making, the blood chilling in my veins.
The clouds form a dark, giant swirl, centering right over Silent Bend.
And as I stand here, the flakes drifting down, I feel the temperature dropping. It’s freezing. More than that, it has to be far below freezing.
That sky, this weather. It isn’t natural.
Curses.
The Hanging Tree.
The southern Estate, Jasmine’s cursed swamp land.
Somehow, I know. This storm, that sky. It isn’t natural. Something is coming beside the King in just a few days.
“Have you ever seen anything else like this?” I ask as I hear Rath step beside me.
“Just once,” he responds without further explanation.
I feel the temperature drop even further. My body starts to shake. “I think maybe this is exactly what we needed. People’s homes won’t be prepared for these temperatures.”
“Pipes will burst,” Rath agrees.
“People won’t be able to stay warm enough,” I continue. “And those skies, it’s going to scare a lot of people away.”
“Katina just came from the grocery store,” Rath says. “She said there was almost nothing left on the shelves. Bread and produce gone. The water bottles were cleared out.People were warned this morning that things were going to get bad.”
“Will it be enough to make them leave town?” I ask, not quite daring to hope that this will be enough.
“Not everyone.” Rath puts his arm around me as a harsh wind picks up, chilling me straight through. “But those who know the true history of this town will recognize what is happening. Many will try to warn the others.”
My thoughts turn inward as my eyes look up at that sky. A dark, depressive stone settles in my stomach and I cling tighter to Rath’s side.
“Would he be ashamed of me?” I ask quietly. “Henry. My father. Would he be ashamed of what I’m doing?”
Rath doesn’t respond right away. As usual, he thinks deeply about what he says before the words escape his lips. “Everyone has to make their own decisions about their fate and future. Your father made his, and it wasn’t easy. You must make your own decisions, Alivia. You were born into a high calling.”
“He asked me to stay away from the House and the King,” I breathe, creating a big cloud of white. “But I don’t know how he expected me to accomplish that.”
“Parents always desire what they think will be best for their offspring,” Rath says, hugging me tightly back. “But in the end, the individual must make their own choices.”
Choices. I’ve had many, many of them to make since arriving in Silent Bend. Have I made the right ones?
“We should call Sheriff McCoy,” I say, clinging to Rath for just a few moments. It’s nice, just for a little while, to have someone support and help me.
“He’s already on his way,” he responds. “He should be here any minute.”
As if on cue, the tops of the lights of his cruiser peak into view, followed by the car. We watch him as he rolls up the driveway and then park just to the side of us.
“You got a witch in that House of yours, as well?” Luke asks as he steps out into the snow beside us, as I let Rath go. I fold my arms over my chest, hugging myself tight. Luke puts his hands on his hips and stares up at the slowly swirling sky.
I shake my head. “I think something a lot bigger than us isn’t happy about something that’s going on.”
We’re all quiet for a moment, because just then the far off sound of thunder ripples through the air.
“There was a state of emergency issued for west Hipsbro County this morning,” Luke finally says. “The meteorologists are going nuts, calling this a once in a lifetime phenomenon. I’m surprised you don’t have science geeks showing up at your door yet. I swear, that storm looks like it’s centered over your house.”
