THE FIRST TONGUE

f Elias's skull, a hot, blindi

e to s

dew and candle smoke. The flickering orange glow of

echoed in

bli

rooked crucifix on the far wall. He tried to move. His wrists were bound

cut throug

ias

voice, frag

inst the wall, hands tied like his. A gash bled from he

e said, voice crac

eak, but his t

he?" Eli

door. "Gone. But he was watchi

esh tremor craw

t the stone edge of a broken bench l

spered suddenly. "Before he hi

aused.

n't real. Couldn't be. But his mou

did he

as bone. "He said: 'Don'

-

ope s

wled to Clara, loosening her bindings. Sh

" she said. "We ha

bitterly. "The vill

wasn't just a priest in Raven Hollow-he was

aid. "To Coldmere. T

," Elias muttered. "And we'd

o they said. Travelers vanished there. Horses re

in the woods t

nod

hurch above was silent-but not dead. Candles burned on the alt

made no soun

he sa

essional

e curtain w

black. As if fire had erupted from beneath it. Symbols

hed out to

stoppe

id. "He wants

through the church's sid

hick as wool. Lights flickered behind shutters, but

t speak as

-

e forest began. Safe-or at least forgotten. They

t and the shutters latche

irst. The

he sobbed. "When Jonas said

wrapping a blanket around her shoulder

. "Why Jonas? Why

hesi

small wooden box from beneath the hearthstone.

" he said quietly. "Mo

, opened it. H

. "Confessions. Real ones. But not sins-s

hands

Elias said. "She found th

e," Clara whispered. "

voice flat. "Thorne gave her medi

to her chest. "He's been

w we know. Which mean

s a long

aid, "Then w

-

ft befo

e. Elias carried a satchel of food, rope, and the letters. Clara carried a hunting knife

ecrow leaned crookedly on its post-its hea

s fr

recrow

it slowly, h

arly: the sack was stained red. A

sped. "I

her

crucified on the post, the sack tied

s carved int

ce is

hey

path turned to gravel and then to mud. Ravens scattered as they passed. A

ey reached th

fog was

nd breath. The road stretched long and straight, flanked by t

place," Cla

ere," Elia

idn't be

for an hou

h never

didn't move. No sounds bu

head, a

d. S

d Elias's ar

y. "It's not him. Ju

oved c

gure d

s a w

air loose and wild. She stood in t

her mouth-and

scre

t the woman vanished. G

hat

dn't

ept wa

ad-anothe

bo

a man missing

Ann

s fr

hite dress soaked at the hem. He

e whispered

a step t

m back. "Don't!

ave

uted. "That's how they d

e's smi

he was

nly, so w

at the ri

ldmere lay ahead

nd them-

d. No

ndless

-

king up. On the other side, the woods grew thinn

liza

urned b

ehind them

ist re

hed the let

at?" sh

lias said. "Show him the le

doesn't b

y, now beginning to bu

said. "And we burn t