THE FIRST TONGUE

ing old stone building that smelled of mold and tobacco. He wore spectacles thick enough to distort his eyes, and when Eli

t speak

t r

re

w: a baker who saw Thorne bless a man then bury him in the same hour. A mother whose child bled from

, darker th

his voice was cold. "Thes

Elias said. "The

eplied, tapping the page. "A

face pale but firm. "Th

e's gaze ling

arecrow. Blood carved with scripture. Jonas, in

his fingers

n s

nd my men to Raven Ho

said. "You

arrowed his eyes

he'll vanish. Or worse

-

dmere guards, each carrying crossbows and sabers. Elias walked

ind in a covered carria

y reached th

g had

silence

No cricket

of boots on b

near the border of Raven Hol

en, pointing to the we

erged from his ca

ell w

e d

g glistened

peered

scre

eyes sta

. Lif

en, faces twisted in terr

was ful

guard whispered,

d away, fis

eren't

were

-

en Hollow just b

s too

king. Just rows of dark houses and a church that

d. "Where i

g," Clara mutt

hing homes. One returned min

mpty. Beds made. Tabl

We found food still warm. B

r creeping in. "He

pered, "He

his men. "Sea

-

ed the squ

rs of the chu

burned

entere

tar gleaming. But the air was thick, heavy-li

d onto the dais and pull

ecoi

tead of holy re

them. Pile

ed. Some stil

ifix above th

against

and from inside

. Fra

ned away,

didn't

shattered pieces,

ng had

the confes

ly blackened floor remained, b

less. T

ootsteps b

ar

te's voice: "This

said. "It's

-

doors sla

of t

dows da

dles bl

silence.

oed through

alm. F

trangers into

s tu

he baptismal font, his rob

raised th

dn't

ward. "You are under investigation for murder,

only

"You speak of murd

raised h

alls bega

-

ped from

cracks, soaked the floor, p

ards s

ired

Thorne in

't even

rom his flesh slowly

church

and flame. The walls shook. Pews flew backwa

instantly, shrieking

ers ope

el

oor, long and clawed. It rose up lik

, they wer

ran to

she s

doors we

y s

d. "This is

e lau

his is

-

hall, through the vest

s follo

adow-h

t passage Jonas had shown them. The torch

spot where Jonas

em

emained. Blac

dead," Cla

said. "He's

they

unbu

room beyond

s of candles, bu

inst walls, each stitched at the

men. Ch

the same words

th shal

steppe

re not

bodies turn

bed her ha

-

h the rusted grate

above sti

all-dozens, maybe hundreds.

ll to he

't-I c

eside her. "W

't figh

But we can destr

letters from

ut the last o

't read

g hands, he

ga

ed in. "Wh

whispered. "She

-

wasn't a confessio

rit

vic

e unb

from beyond the Eastern marshes, carrying

s no

a col

ions not to abso

between death

gave him owner

nce gave

the

would un

-

d to re

the holy book

scri

edg

side matched

a date of dea

it open in

it a

ttered t

urned, the church

fell

-

ned in the

r of wood

hin step

. Eyes blee

smi

coll

caug

spered, "

truly

-

the church be

one at

re. N

col

had peeled the s