Soul of Skulls (Book 6) Read Online Free PDF

are.”
    “Mighty Tervingar himself,” said Riothamus, “could not have done better.”
    Molly snickered, and Earnachar shot them both a dark look. 
    “Your folk should be safe enough now,” said Mazael. “We destroyed almost all of the runedead, along with the undead San-keth that controlled them. You will have no more organized runedead attacks on your villages.”
    Unless more runedead wandered into these hills. Or desperate refugees, fleeing from the chaos the Great Rising had unleashed, decided to claim these lands as their own. 
    To his surprise, Earnachar bowed. “My thanks, hrould. A hrould swears to protect to his folk, and you have defended my thains and bondsmen from the undead.”
    Mazael inclined his head. “It is my duty.” 
    “Though now that this village has been reclaimed,” said Earnachar, “perhaps I might settle some of my bondsmen there? The village would be a strong place, once the walls are rebuilt, and these hills would offer good grazing.”
    Mazael stifled a laugh. He might have cleared out the runedead, but once Earnachar settled some of his people here, they would give the headman credit. And perhaps Earnachar would start to whisper that a man of Tervingi birth ought to be the hrould of the Tervingi nation. From there it was a short step to arguing that the Tervingi ought to conquer the Grim Marches for themselves. 
    Ragnachar was dead, his dream of conquest in ruin…but not all of his followers had taken the lesson to heart.
    “I shall consider it,” said Mazael. “This land once belonged to Sir Gaith Kalborn, a vassal of mine, and I reclaimed it after he betrayed me. I shall bestow it as a fief once I find a suitable vassal.”
    “Of course,” said Earnachar with another bow, a twitching of his eyelid the only sign of his disappointment.
    “Send word if you need further aid,” said Mazael. “Until then, I will return to Castle Cravenlock.” 

    ###

    That night Mazael lay in his tent, staring at the canvas overhead. 
    Romaria rested against him, her head on his chest.
    “You cannot sleep?” she murmured. 
    “It will take decades,” said Mazael. “Maybe even centuries.” 
    “To do what?”
    “To rid the lands of the runedead,” said Mazael. 
    “We’ve made good progress,” said Romaria. “Most of the infested villages have been cleared, and the remaining runedead are in lonely places. They will not disturb anyone unless they are first disturbed.”
    “Unless a renegade wizard or a San-keth takes control of them,” said Mazael. “Or more runedead wander into the Grim Marches. Or we are attacked by another barbarian nation like the Tervingi. Or more Malrags come down from the mountains.” He rubbed his face, his beard scratching beneath his palms. “Gods, Romaria, Lucan raised so many runedead.”
    “But the Grim Marches have survived,” said Romaria. 
    “I wonder how many other lands can say the same,” said Mazael.
    There had been scattered reports and rumors as bold merchants braved the runedead-haunted roads. Mazael had heard stories of entire towns overrun, now haunted by walking corpses with symbols of green fire upon their foreheads. Of forests where no one dared to go, for the runedead killed any that entered. Of lands and lordships thrown into chaos. The Prince of Travia had been killed in the Great Rising, and his sons battled each other for his throne. The rumors claimed that a great host of runedead marched through Mastaria, and Lord Malden could not hold them back. Mazael had sent a letter to Knightcastle, but there had been no response, and he wondered how Gerald and Rachel fared. His nephew Aldane would be over three years old by now, and Rachel would have birthed her second child months ago.
    Assuming they were still alive. 
    “Not as many,” said Romaria. 
    “And all of it,” said Mazael, “because I did not kill Lucan when I had the chance.” 
    Romaria sighed. “Are you going to blame yourself for this again? Who killed