Incarceron (Incarceron, Book 1) Read Online Free PDF
Author: Catherine Fisher
rats peered down, and a bat flicked out and back into the darkness. Unnoticed, in one corner, three children dug in the pile of grain.
Jormanric heaved himself up. He was a huge man, a head higher than anyone else. He looked down at Finn. "A loyal man would offer this woman's life to his leader."
Silence.
There was no way out. Finn knew he would have to do it. He glanced at the Maestra. She looked back, pale, her face gaunt.
But Keiro's cool voice broke the tension. "A woman's life, lord? A creature of moods and folly, a frail, helpless thing?"
She didn't look helpless. She looked furious, and Finn cursed her for it. Why couldn't she sob and beg and whimper! As if she sensed him, she dropped her head, but every inch of her was stiff with pride.
39
Keiro waved a graceful hand. "Not much strength for a man to covet, but if you want it, its yours."
This was too dangerous. Finn was appalled. No one teased Jormanric. No one made him look ridiculous. He wouldn't be so far gone on ket not to feel that thrust. If you want it. If you're that desperate. Some of the warband understood. Zoma and Amoz exchanged covert smiles.
Jormanric glowered. He looked at the woman and she glared back. Then he spat out the red weed and reached for his sword.
"I'm not as choosy as preening boys," he snarled.
Finn stepped forward. For a moment he wanted only to drag the woman away, but Keiro had his arm in a grip of iron and Jormanric had turned to the Maestra; his sword was at her neck, the sharp point whitening the delicate skin under her chin, straining her head upward. It was over. Whatever she knew, Finn thought bitterly, he would never find it out now.
A door slammed at the back.
An acid voice snapped, "Her life is worthless, man. Give her to the boy. Anyone who lies down before death is either a fool or a visionary. Either way, he deserves his reward."
The crowd parted hastily. A small man strode through, his clothes the dark green of the Sapienti. He was old but upright, and even the Comitatus moved aside for him. He came and stood by Finn; Jormanric looked down at him heavily.
40
"Gildas. What does it matter to you?"
"Do as I say." The old man's voice was harsh; he spoke as if to a child. "You'll get your last two lives soon enough. But she"--he jerked his thumb at the woman--"won't be one of them."
Anyone else would be dead. Anyone else would have been hauled out and hung down the shaft by his heels while rats ate his insides. But after a second Jormanric lowered the sword. "You promise me."
"I promise you."
"The promises of the Wise should not be broken." The old man said, "They won't be."
Jormanric looked at him. Then he sheathed the sword. "Take her."
The woman gasped.
Gildas stared at her irritably. When she didn't move, he grabbed her arm and pulled her near. "Get her out of here," he muttered.
Finn hesitated, but Keiro moved at once, pushing the woman hastily through the crowd.
The old mans grip, fast as a claw, caught Finn's arm. "Was there a vision?"
"Nothing important."
"I'll be the judge of that." Gildas looked after Keiro, then back. His small black eyes were alert; they moved with a restless intelligence. "I want every detail, boy." He glanced down at the bird-mark on Finn's wrist. Then he let go.
41
Instantly Finn pushed through the crowd and out.
The woman was waiting out in the Den, ignoring Keiro. She turned and stalked in front of Finn back to the tiny cell in the corner and he motioned the guard away with one jerk of his head.
The Maestra turned. "What sort of Scum hole is this?" she hissed.
"Listen. You're alive ..."
"No thanks to you." She drew herself up; she was taller than he was, and her anger was venomous. "Whatever you want from me, you can forget it. You murderers can rot in hell."
Behind him, Keiro leaned on the doorframe, grinning. "Some people have absolutely no gratitude," he said.
42
4
***
Finally, when all was ready, Manor convened the council of the Sapienti and asked for
Jormanric heaved himself up. He was a huge man, a head higher than anyone else. He looked down at Finn. "A loyal man would offer this woman's life to his leader."
Silence.
There was no way out. Finn knew he would have to do it. He glanced at the Maestra. She looked back, pale, her face gaunt.
But Keiro's cool voice broke the tension. "A woman's life, lord? A creature of moods and folly, a frail, helpless thing?"
She didn't look helpless. She looked furious, and Finn cursed her for it. Why couldn't she sob and beg and whimper! As if she sensed him, she dropped her head, but every inch of her was stiff with pride.
39
Keiro waved a graceful hand. "Not much strength for a man to covet, but if you want it, its yours."
This was too dangerous. Finn was appalled. No one teased Jormanric. No one made him look ridiculous. He wouldn't be so far gone on ket not to feel that thrust. If you want it. If you're that desperate. Some of the warband understood. Zoma and Amoz exchanged covert smiles.
Jormanric glowered. He looked at the woman and she glared back. Then he spat out the red weed and reached for his sword.
"I'm not as choosy as preening boys," he snarled.
Finn stepped forward. For a moment he wanted only to drag the woman away, but Keiro had his arm in a grip of iron and Jormanric had turned to the Maestra; his sword was at her neck, the sharp point whitening the delicate skin under her chin, straining her head upward. It was over. Whatever she knew, Finn thought bitterly, he would never find it out now.
A door slammed at the back.
An acid voice snapped, "Her life is worthless, man. Give her to the boy. Anyone who lies down before death is either a fool or a visionary. Either way, he deserves his reward."
The crowd parted hastily. A small man strode through, his clothes the dark green of the Sapienti. He was old but upright, and even the Comitatus moved aside for him. He came and stood by Finn; Jormanric looked down at him heavily.
40
"Gildas. What does it matter to you?"
"Do as I say." The old man's voice was harsh; he spoke as if to a child. "You'll get your last two lives soon enough. But she"--he jerked his thumb at the woman--"won't be one of them."
Anyone else would be dead. Anyone else would have been hauled out and hung down the shaft by his heels while rats ate his insides. But after a second Jormanric lowered the sword. "You promise me."
"I promise you."
"The promises of the Wise should not be broken." The old man said, "They won't be."
Jormanric looked at him. Then he sheathed the sword. "Take her."
The woman gasped.
Gildas stared at her irritably. When she didn't move, he grabbed her arm and pulled her near. "Get her out of here," he muttered.
Finn hesitated, but Keiro moved at once, pushing the woman hastily through the crowd.
The old mans grip, fast as a claw, caught Finn's arm. "Was there a vision?"
"Nothing important."
"I'll be the judge of that." Gildas looked after Keiro, then back. His small black eyes were alert; they moved with a restless intelligence. "I want every detail, boy." He glanced down at the bird-mark on Finn's wrist. Then he let go.
41
Instantly Finn pushed through the crowd and out.
The woman was waiting out in the Den, ignoring Keiro. She turned and stalked in front of Finn back to the tiny cell in the corner and he motioned the guard away with one jerk of his head.
The Maestra turned. "What sort of Scum hole is this?" she hissed.
"Listen. You're alive ..."
"No thanks to you." She drew herself up; she was taller than he was, and her anger was venomous. "Whatever you want from me, you can forget it. You murderers can rot in hell."
Behind him, Keiro leaned on the doorframe, grinning. "Some people have absolutely no gratitude," he said.
42
4
***
Finally, when all was ready, Manor convened the council of the Sapienti and asked for
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