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- Cuthbert Renowden of Billerbeck Abbey

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE:

The Fallen

Lia awoke to the prodding of a staff into the small of her back "Wake up Wake up, sister It is over and I a You missed the rest Can you hear me? Eh? Wake up!"

It was Maderos Lia sat up slowly, her head a fog of thoughts Drained – she was co her eyes, she looked over at hiround near her on the hillside next to the battlefield Maderos brushed the crinkled shavings of aurichalcuain, running his fingers over the etchings, as if savoring some delicious dish When he saw he had her attention, he spoke softly, clearly

"The battle of Winterrowd did not last past the e was littered with the slaughter Many fro escaped into the Bearden Muir, rather than be captured or ransomed, but many were devoured by the moors instead of lory of victory to Garen Deement of his soldiers and tactics How they shied horses and used rings of spears to protect each other Others will say it was because Demont only allowed mastons to serve him, that they orthy to call upon the Mediu’s wrath These are near to the truth The husk but not the kernel The battle of Winterroon by a wretched from Muirwood Abbey None of the witnesses of the battle ever knew about her or what she did that day, how she used the Mediu No one but I alone and those who read this record The world may never know the secret But I, Maderos, know the secret just as I know the wretched I will not reveal her name"

Then he closed the to tools, folded the sheepskin, and lifted the heavy tome back into his pack Lia watched, a little jealous still of his ability to read She wanted to read the other things he had written She eyed the toainst her like a blacksmith’s hammer

"How many of Demont’s men fell in the battle?" she asked him

"How many pethets? Perhaps they all deserved to die But you will learn soon enough, little sister" He slowly stood, resting his ar’s army - it was defeated then?"

Maderos nodded, then waved his staff at the field "It was a slaughter, just as I told you Do not suppose that Demont’stheht bravely But they do not knohy they won" His eyes narrowed pointedly "They would not believe you, even if you told thely

He sered near Muirwood too long now I knehen I saw you, sister The Mediudom It is in your blood, I think Go find the pethet, child Go down amidst the corpses"

"Is he dead?" She didn’t want Maderos to leave her alone Her stomach turned into ice She wanted him to stay and answer questions, to calnized he would never reveal more than he should

"Use the orb He is down there Then you must return to Muirwood The Aldermaston expects you There, I have said it The Alderh"

Lia rose, sick orry, and brushed dirt froh it was still filthy She saw soldiers wandering through the mist and fields below It was littered with the dead

Find Colvin

Lia focused on the orb and her thoughts of hi ankle She tried cal tears froe luht to the center of the field It was strange seeing little childrenhaze burned away slowly, leaving wisps of s about the hinterlands

The smell in the air – there was no way to describe the smell of death She had been raised in an Abbey kitchen and knew her work by the way things s The smell of cinders and ash as she swept out the fireplaces Of fragrant spices and pungent aromas mixed, matched, baked, and burned The stench of the field was overpowering She gagged, even after she covered her mouth with her hand

The spindle on the orb led her into the thickest part of the battlefield Neriting appeared on it Lia stopped, looked ahead, searching the faces of the dead h the haze He walked ponderously, as if he dragged a weight of stones behind him His face was black with smoke and scabs, his tunic a mess of stains, but his smile when he saw her was radiant It was the sunrise after an endless night As he drew near, she saw the glea froainst the mail of his hauberk