Oath Breaker Read Online Free Page B

pate emerged from the fur, and the flinty eyes of the Raven Mage regarded her. "So," said Saeunn in a voice like the rattle of dead leaves. "You're leaving. You must know where he's gone."
    "No," said Renn. Saeunn could always place her talon on a weakness.
"But the Forest is vast.... You must have tried to see where he went."
She meant Magecraft. Renn's hands tightened on the gutskin. "No," she muttered.
"Why?"
"I couldn't."
"But you have the skill."
"No. I don't." Suddenly, she was close to tears. "I'm supposed to see the future," she said bitterly, "but I
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couldn't foresee his death. What's the good of being a Mage if I couldn't foresee that?"
"You might be able to do Magecraft," rasped Saeunn, "but you're not yet a Mage."
Renn blinked.
"You'll know it when you are. Though perhaps your tongue will know before you do."
Riddles, thought Renn savagely. Why always riddles?
"Yes, riddles," said Saeunn with a wheeze that was almost a laugh. "Riddles for you to solve!" She paused to catch her breath. "I've been casting the bones." Torak appeared in the doorway and threw Renn an impatient glance.
She motioned him to silence. "What did you see?" she asked Saeunn.
The Mage licked her gums with a tongue as gray as mold. "A scarlet tree. An ash-haired hunter burning inside. Demons. Scrabbling under scorched stones." "Did you see where Thiazzi went?" Torak said brusquely.
"Oh, yes ... I saw."
Fin-Kedinn appeared beside Torak, his face grim. "He's heading for the Deep Forest."
"The Deep Forest," echoed Saeunn. "Yes ..."
"A group of Boar just arrived," said Fin-Kedinn. "They came down the Widewater. At the ford, they saw a big man in a dugout, heading up the Blackwater." 38
Torak nodded. "He's Oak Clan, that's Deep Forest. Of course, that's where he'll go."
"We'll take two canoes," said Fin-Kedinn. "I've told the clan they're to stay here while we head upriver."
"We?" Torak said sharply.
"I'm coming with you," said Fin-Kedinn.
"So am I," said Renn, but they ignored her.
"W 7 hy?" Torak asked Fin-Kedinn. With a pang, Renn saw that he didn't want them. He wanted to do this on his own.
"I know the Deep Forest," said Fin-Kedinn. "You don't."
"No!" Saeunn was fierce. "Fin-Kedinn. You must not go!" They stared at her. "One thing more the bones revealed, and this is certain. Fin-Kedinn, you will not reach the Deep Forest." Renn's heart clenched. "Then--we'll go without him. Just Torak and me."
But her uncle wore the expression she dreaded: the one which told her there was no point in arguing. "No, Renn," he said with terrifying calm. "You can't do this without me."
    "Yes we can," she insisted.
Fin-Kedinn sighed. "You know there's been trouble between the Aurochs and the Forest Horses since last
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summer. They won't let in outsiders. But they know me--"
"No!" cried Renn. "Saeunn means it. She's never wrong."
The Raven Mage shook her head and gave another rattling sigh. "Ah, Fin-Kedinn ..."
"Torak, tell him!" pleaded Renn. "Tell him we can do it without him."
But Torak picked up a bag of supplies and avoided her eyes. "Come on," he muttered, "we're losing time."
Fin-Kedinn took the other bag from her hands. "Let's go," he said.
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FIVE
Wolf raced after the scent trail. Around him the Forest was waking from its long sleep, and the prey was thin from scraping away the Bright Soft Cold to get at its food. Wolf startled an elk nibbling a sycamore's juicy hide. A herd of reindeer sensed he wasn't hunting them, and raised their heads to watch him pass. The hated scent streamed over his nose. Many Lights and Darks ago, the bad tailless had trapped him in a tiny stone Den and bound his muzzle so that he couldn't howl. The bad tailless had starved him and stamped on his tail, and when Wolf yelped in pain, he'd laughed. Then
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he'd attacked Wolf's pack-brother. Wolf had leaped at the bad tailless, clamping his jaws on one hairy forepaw, crunching bones and rich, juicy flesh. Wolf loped faster. He didn't know why he sought the Bitten One--wolves do not