Page 26 of Shadows of Winter

“What did he say?” Frayvar asked.

“We can’t go home.”

8

The greatest danger stalks at night.

~ Elder Taybarri Seerathi

The air seemed to grow colder after Vlerion left, and it chilled Kaylina to her southern bones.

She eyed the red glow, the window thirty or forty feet off the ground. It was the only one in the tower.

The castle itself looked to have only two main levels, the lower with the vestibule, great hall, dining hall, library, and kitchen, and the upper, which likely held inn rooms. But the four towers, one at each corner, rose higher than the keep. They were wide enough to have rooms stacked atop each other, but they might also contain nothing more than a winding staircase leading up to a lone room—or guard chamber—at the top.

The single narrow window had been designed for archers to shoot through. When the castle had been built, Port Jirador might have been nothing more than a town dotted with logging and hunting shanties. Kaylina wasn’t the best history student but knew the kingdom’s original capital was farther south. The throne had transferred to the north only after the discovery of rich gold veins in the mountains. At that point, thousands of people had flowed into the area to prospect.

“Let’s see if our stuff is still inside.” Kaylina patted her brother on the shoulder.

Frayvar tore his gaze from the unwavering red glow. It might have been there during the day, but they hadn’t noticed it when the sun had been out.

“Do you think we should, ah, check that?” He pointed.

“To what end? Do you want to say hi to whatever magical doodad is making it?”

“Magical doodads don’t exist.”

“Don’t witches and alchemists make idols or artifacts or something?” Kaylina had heard of such things, though magic of any kind was scarce on the islands, unless one counted the watcher whales that used their power to protect their pods—and their hunting coves.

“The only way humans can create items with magic is to sprinkle berry powder or otherwise incorporate altered plant material into them. As far as we know, that’s what Kar’ruk shamans do too when they craft their magical weapons. What plants they use, we don’t know. Humans would pay dearly for that information.” Frayvar shrugged. “Unless you count the taybarri, the druids were the only intelligent beings born with the ability to wield magic, and they’re believed gone from this world.”

“I would count the taybarri.” Kaylina hadn’t seen them employ magic, but she’d heard of their flash power.

After finding their trunks where they’d left them in the courtyard and reassuring herself that nobody had disturbed them, she dragged them to the front door with determination. Not only would she spend the night in the cursed castle, but she would sleep like a crocodile sunning itself on the beach, then greet Vlerion rested and relaxed when he returned.

Another breeze blew down from the mountains, creating an eerie sound as it whispered through the crenellations along the outer wall.

Well, she would at least greet him. She might not be rested or relaxed, but she damn well wouldn’t be at that inn. The pompous bastard would probably check there first when he returned, certain they wouldn’t have stuck it out here.

The door opened when Kaylina pushed, and she spotted her pack on the floor where she’d left it. That was one small relief. If the city’s populace feared this place, maybe one could leave gold bullion scattered on the floor and nobody would touch it. Naybor, she remembered, hadn’t come inside with them.

But what of the criminals Targon had mentioned? Taking advantage of the castle’s reputation to make it a meeting spot? That might be another reason the ranger captain wanted Kaylina and Frayvar to open their meadery here. Their presence could make such meetings more difficult. Assuming the criminals didn’t kill them in their sleep for inconveniencing them. After all, someone had killed that lord.

A scraping sound made Kaylina jump.

Frayvar dragged in a heavy piece of rubble to prop open the door.

“Good idea.” She remembered it locking earlier.

That might have been Naybor’s doing. It might not have been. Something was making that tower window glow. There could be actual magic—a genuine curse—incorporated into the castle.

Between their long, harsh winters and the dangerous beasts that wandered down from those mountains, the northerners were tough people. She doubted stories would scare them if there wasn’t any truth to them.

“I didn’t see torches when we were in here earlier,” Frayvar said. “Do you have candles or a lantern?”

“I have both. And matches.” Kaylina rummaged in her pack for the bundle of wooden matches the alchemist in their town made with altered cinderrock plants. “I travel prepared.”

“You just wanted to make sure you could read your novels.”

---