Pillars Of Grace - The God Pillars Trilogy - Book 1

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Patrols increased due to the deaths of the Hunters but, it seemed, Turotara had performed her task well. Daras had returned to the town, ears pricking for any news, but only talk of wild animals reached him. For the moment, they were still safe and undetected. The same could not be said for the Candidate. More poles were becoming erected outside the confines of Comragon, ready to carry yet more sacrifices.

Miraveh had taken a circuit of the town, staying far enough away as to not alert anyone of her presence. She needed to allow her magic its freedom in order to work out where within the town she could find the Candidate for replacing one of the Pillars and, now, she had better idea where to look, though she would have to search blind within the town once they enacted her plan.

Daras returned from yet another reconnaissance of Comragon, loaded with food, and he moved to Sialira before even looking at Miraveh. Her attempts to placate the young Witch had fallen upon deaf ears. Miraveh had crossed a line and no amount of apologies could break the girl's stone-faced attitude towards her.

"What news?" Miraveh looked across to the young Southerner thief, but Daras did not acknowledge her. "Daras! News!"

"They prepare for executions. Apparently, they like to stagger the deaths. It has more impact that way." He sneered those last words, an expression that looked odd upon the usually happy thief. "But, I have a map for you. I found a third cousin that I met once, many years ago. She was kind enough to supply the food, too."

He reached within his jacket, taking out a roll of parchment, and held it out to Miraveh. As she took it, Daras' eyes slid away from her and returned to Sialira. She had lost him as well as Sialira and now Miraveh wondered whether any of them would help in the dangerous task they were about to embark upon.

As with the ambush against the three Hunters, Miraveh needed both Daras and Sialira with her. She could only trust Turotara to watch over Brothimir, though Miraveh would prefer the heavy-set guard to stand by her side, should things not go well. Instead, Daras was the only one that could accompany her and Sialira and this fractured relationship between them did not bode well for success.

She unfurled the map, taking four loose, nearby stones to place on the corners, and began to peruse it. Another three, smaller stones marked the positions she had opened up her magic to search for the Candidate and, using those markers, she had a good idea where the they were. Within the harbour area, if she had calculated correctly.

The comforting presence of Turotara joined her and, together, they examined the map to every last house and alley. Daras' third cousin had drawn the map with great detail. They had talent. With a short, thin branch, Miraveh began to trace a route through the town, Turotara pointing out better, faster paths when needed.

"The problem, as I see it, is that we haven't seen many newcomers enter the town. Not Hunters, at least." Turotara scratched her throat as she concentrated on the map. She tapped one set of buildings, marked 'barracks'. "They may feel the presence of new Hunters odd. You'd have to circle around the barracks and that would make escape difficult if they see through your ruse."

"We'll enter just before mid-day. Daras says the entire town tend to stay indoors until the afternoon." She reached to the side, tugging one of the stolen Hunter cloaks towards her. "Those Hunters that patrol at that time wear their hoods up. White. It reflects the sunlight. That works to our advantage. If we could trust him, we could take him with us and say we caught a deserter if questioned."

She didn't look towards Brothimir, only jerking her head in his direction, but she knew the Hunter heard everything. He always heard everything and she could tell he filed away every last word, waiting for any opportunity to use those words against them. The man had a slyness about him that sickened Miraveh and she wished she had set him free as soon as they had emerged from the portal, all those days before.