Silent Hall by NS Dolkart Page B

the mesh. Obviously it’s a lot more complicated than that, but that’s why I love Katinaras’ analogy. It makes so much sense, even if it is a little simplistic.”
    Hunter scratched at his scalp, where the hair was just beginning to grow back. “My father once said that when the men of Ardis conquered the plainsfolk to their north, they killed their Gods. Are you saying those Gods were actually killed on Their own side of the mesh by the Ardismen’s God?”
    â€œYes, exactly.”
    Hunter considered this. He thought he was beginning to understand the analogy, but he suspected that his understanding would dissipate as soon as Phaedra stopped explaining it all. He also couldn’t help but notice that now everyone but Bandu seemed interested in the conversation. The girl’s eyes had glazed over and she was tromping along silently, her gaze fixed on the road ahead.
    â€œBut if someone insults the Gods,” asked Criton, “that can’t possibly weaken the fingers all on its own, can it? What harm can it do?”
    â€œI guess it humiliates Them in front of everyone They know,” Narky said suddenly.
    â€œYes,” said Phaedra, surprised. “Yes, I guess it must.”
    They were traveling due north, not quite the same way they had come, but their journey still took them through the same thick forest of guardian trees and tall milk-rimmed shrubs. The road here became a narrow path through the undergrowth, at times barely discernable. Their progress was slow and loud, until Bandu tapped Hunter on the shoulder and whispered, “Stop.”
    Hunter looked about, trying to find whatever was distressing her, but he could see and hear nothing out of the ordinary. Then Bandu pointed and he saw, in the branches high above the path, two creatures silently watching them. They were tall as men, with bald heads and teeth filed down to points, and their hands and feet were great birdlike talons. Their bodies were pale, and at first he thought that they were wearing black cloaks, but then he realized that those were actually huge black wings, folded at rest.
    Hunter unslung his shield from his back as quickly as he could, and tightened the straps around his arm. “What are those things?” he whispered.
    Bandu shook her head, and Narky said, “What things?” followed by, “Oh hell!”
    At this, the pale monsters spread their wings and leapt from their boughs, screeching like birds of prey. Hunter drew his sword, and in an instant the things were upon them. His sword caught one in the chest as it flew at him, and the force of it knocked him off his feet and wrenched the sword from his hand.
    Criton had not ducked as quickly as the others, and the second monster caught him by the shoulders with its lower talons. Its wings beat the air, and its upper claws made to tear at his face. Yet before they could, the pale thing had suddenly let go and flipped backward onto the ground, ducking under a burst of flame from the young man’s mouth.
    Hunter had never seen Criton’s fire before, though Narky had told him about the bandit leader. For a moment he just stared. But the monster had dodged the flames unharmed, and it now leapt at Criton again, knocking him onto his back and tearing at his flesh. Hunter rose to his feet and charged the creature, throwing his weight against his shield. At the impact, the thing let go of Criton and fell against the ground next to Hunter, who rolled to his feet and was ready once more. The monster shrieked and its claws reached out, but Hunter knocked them aside with his shield and caught the monster’s face with it on his backswing. While it reeled, his hand found the knife that he kept in a sheath at the small of his back. After another bash of his shield against its head, he ran the blade across the monster’s throat.
    Blood spattered and the thing collapsed on the ground, shrinking away from him. Then the strangest thing