The Last Whisper of the Gods Read Online Free PDF

and dirt.”
    “What did he say?” Sorial didn’t know how to feel about the prospect of returning to live at home. The stable was familiar; the farm wasn’t. And there was no thrill about the possibility of living with Kara and Lamanar, although it was something his mother obviously wanted. Still, he couldn’t deny there was something appealing about the idea of farming. Sunshine and bright skies. The smell of dirt. The feel of it between his fingers. No more being trapped within the confines of a stable. From now on, he knew he would be wary of every customer he didn’t know. There would be no such worries on a farm, where visitors were few and far between.
    “He’ll consider it.” By her tone, Sorial could tell it was unlikely. “Maybe in a few years, when you’ve come of age, you could return to live with us.”
    Sorial reflected that maybe this was a long-held fantasy of his mother’s - someday, when he was old enough to make his own decisions, he would come back. It wasn’t in his future plans as of now, nor would it likely ever be. But he wasn’t going to tell Kara that. There was no need, especially not here and now.
    “Warburm is a fair master and the work ain’t too hard. I’ll be fine,” he said.
    She took his hand in hers and pressed it to her cheek. He could feel the wetness. Very softly, she said, “I would ask the gods to protect you if there were any gods left to do the protecting.”
    Sorial’s blood turned to ice. Those words, so similar to what the priest had said… He pulled back his hand and tried to read her expression, but the darkness of the room defeated him.
    She bent to kiss him on his uninjured cheek. “Be careful. Trust no one but yourself. The world is changing.”
    “Mama, don’t be sad.” He could think of nothing else to say. If it wasn’t what she wanted to hear, he could do no better.
    At the doorway on her way out, she stopped for a moment. “I love you, Sorial. Visit as soon as you’re able.” Then she was gone.
    * * *
    When Sorial relieved Visnisk before dawn the next morning, the older boy expressed a combination of relief and annoyance. The stable was in a deplorable condition. Visnisk wasn’t as fastidious as Sorial and several days of his sole stewardship had put the place in an unacceptable state with mice roaming boldly and clumps of dung obvious amidst the straw. Sorial wondered what his bedding looked like up in the loft, especially if that’s where Visnisk had been entertaining his whore.
    After watching the sun rise, Sorial got to work and it took him most of the morning to right Visnisk’s wrongs. With the horses watered and fed, the rodents chased away, and the hay cleaned and turned, Sorial sat on a bale of straw to take a deserved break. That was when the visitors arrived.
    There were three of them - a man dressed in finery, riding as grand a horse as Sorial had ever seen; a brutish looking fellow who was obviously a hired guardian; and, mounted on a pony, a well-dressed girl perhaps two years younger than Sorial. The stableboy surmised their likes had rarely if ever been seen at The Wayfarer’s Comfort.
    “Young man,” said the rich stranger, dismounting from his animal, “Is your master a man named Warburm?”
    “Aye, sir. That he is.”
    “Then this is the right place. Would you care for my horse and my daughter’s pony?”
    Without a word, Sorial went about his business, leading the steed to one of the empty stalls and the smaller animal to another.
    “Alicia, you must stay here with Vagrum. This inn is no place for one such as you.”
    “I don’t want to!” demanded the girl, her voice midway between a shout and a screech. “It smells. And he’s dirty.” She pointed accusingly at Sorial who had the good manners not to look in her direction, although his teeth clenched involuntarily at the insult.
    “You will do as you’re told.” A note of steel entered her father’s tone. “Vagrum, see that she obeys and no harm comes