Mara headed for the stable, leaving the farmer to stare at the floor. He thought about having the farmer kill himself, maybe even burn down his own farm. Instead, the farmer would see glimpses of his dead son, crying and in pain, for the rest of his days.
Strange whispers floated through Mara’s mind. It was them that gave him the ideas, without even saying a word. He knew they were part of him now, here to help and protect him. Nobody will ever hurt me again.
He unhitched the skinny, grey-flecked, brown horse and patted its nose. “We’re going to the Shadow Castle. You just take me as far as you can.”
Silas felt like he’d been trampled by fifty horses. His muscles throbbed, joints ached, cuts and grazes stung. He headed for the farm he’d stayed at before many of his assignments in Talon. He’d built up a decent relationship with the farmer, James, by helping plough, pick, carry, or whatever else needed doing on a visit.
James would likely give Silas a meal and a fresh set of clothes, maybe even patch up his stinging eyebrow. He could see the farm in the distance, underneath a blue sky. A complete contrast to the smoke-filled sky behind him. He hoped he’d left Mara behind in the city. He needed to beat him to the Shadow Castle, to warn them of Mara’s intent. James will lend me his horse. He has to.
James stared at the floor in front of the barn.
“It’s been a while, James,” Silas said.
James slowly twisted his neck to look at Silas. “My boy,” he whispered.
Silas could see a wet patch on James’s crotch. Has he pissed himself? “What’s the matter, James?”
Tears dripped from James’s chin. “My boy, I can see my boy. In pain, but I cannot help him.”
His boy? He died years ago. “James, he’s gone. It is all in your mind. You miss him is all. Come sit.”
Silas led James to the fire pit by the hand like a child, James sobbing and mumbling to himself. Silas fetched water, wine, and a dry pair of trousers. He held a mug of wine out to James. “Drink.”
James looked at the mug but didn’t take it. “The boy, he showed me. He knew I’d lost him.”
“You’re not making any sense, James.”
“I found him by the barn. His eyes.” James put his head in his hands. “I can’t stop seeing him.”
“Eyes? What about them? Grey eyes? He was here?”
James looked up and swallowed. “You know him? I need to see more. I need to help my boy.”
“When was he here?”
“I need to bring my boy home.”
“James, when was he here? The grey-eyed boy. Where did he go?”
“Vespen.”
Silas stood. “Your horse, I must take it. I will return it, I promise.”
“No horse. It has gone to die. It’s old. It will die in the mountains.”
“The boy, Mara, he took it?”
“Mara?”
“Yes
, did he take the horse?”
James stared at the floor. “Mara.”
Silas shook James’s shoulder. “James, did he take the horse?”
“Mara,” James whispered.