Nightpeople Read Online Free

vaultlights.
    â€˜No.’ She tried to make her voice strong, but it came out tentative.
    â€˜I didn’t think you would.’ His smile was disturbingly confident. ‘I knew you when you were very little, but only for a few days.’
    Saria studied him, not answering. She didn’t trust the way he smiled, the way he spoke; his accent was strange and his black hair long and lank and greasy. As she watched, he picked up a shank of meat, tearing at the greasy flesh with his teeth. A dribble ofjuice ran across his lips and down his chin and he wiped it away with the back of his hand, leaving a slick, shiny smear across his cheek.
    â€˜It was long ago. When I was much younger.’
    Saria thought the man looked young now, certainly compared with Ma Lee and Dreamer Gaardi. She said nothing, though, simply watched as he continued to eat. Finally he put the bone aside and took a long swig from his water-skin before sitting back and studying her again.
    â€˜I never thought I’d see anything like her, Ma.’
    A grumbled ‘hmph’ was all the reply he drew from the old woman, who had now also settled herself by the fire, being careful to stay between Saria and the doorway. For a long time no one spoke, while the man appraised Saria.
    â€˜She looks well.’
    â€˜She should. She gets the best of the garden and spends all her time running around doing nothing.’
    Saria would have protested that she did as much as the old woman, but having decided that silence was safest she was determined to maintain it.
    â€˜You’ve done a good job, Ma.’
    â€˜But not a finished one.’
    â€˜It’s as completed as it’s going to get.’
    Ma didn’t respond, and when Saria sneaked a glance she was surprised to see the old woman sitting with eyes downcast. It was such an unusually defeated stance for the fierce old woman that she almost stared openly, and the curiosity that had carried her so far gave way to the first flutterings of fear. She leapt back to her feet, wary of this man who could make even old Ma Lee seem so … broken.
    â€˜Sit down, girl.’ The smile didn’t leave his eyes, not even for a moment.
    â€˜What’s going on? Who are you?
    â€˜I told you. I’m Dariand.’
    â€˜Why have you come here?’
    â€˜For you.’
    â€˜Me?’
    â€˜Of course. I’ve come a long way to get you.’
    â€˜Why?’
    â€˜Because, Saria, you’re special.’ Now Dariand stood, too, unstretching his long frame until it seemed to fill the entire room, his robes rustling around him. ‘More than you realise. A lot of people have been suffering for a long time so you might have a chance to live. Some have even died for it.
    â€˜For me?’
    Dariand nodded.
    â€˜There’s nothing special about me.’
    â€˜You’re more important than you can know. And time is running out for us now. That’s why I’ve been sent.’
    Saria turned to Ma Lee. ‘Ma, what’s happening? What’s going on?’
    â€˜Shush, girl. Just sit and listen, eh?’ All the fight and life seemed to have drained out of the old woman.
    â€˜But … ’
    â€˜There’s things I shoulda told you, girl. Things about the past and the future. Things about you. But I’m just an old woman, eh? Not a Dreamer like Gaardi or a nightwalker like Dariand here. It wasn’t my place to teach. Not my business. I was just lucky to get to play mother, so that’s what I did. And I did a good job, too.’ Ma lifted her head slightly, just a hint of her old defiance returning in the tilt of her chin.
    â€˜You did a fine job, Ma,’ Dariand interjected. ‘But now we’re out of time and Dreamer Wanji needs her at council. We’ve got to make decisions about her. About a lot of things.’
    â€˜What things?’
    â€˜Too many to explain now, girl. But you’ll get your