Book One – Chapter 17

The shaman made no acknowledgement of the protest. “It is necessary to honour those who came before and safeguard those who follow,” she said. “To ensure they are untouched, not only by witches, but by any affliction, latent spell, or dormant influence that could endanger those within.”

She turned from the ker to the borman. “As your companions, they entrusted their lives to you. This is the cost of such trust.”

The ker moved up the stairs.

Tirran stepped forward towards him.

The krynn shifted in response, stepping sideways, in line with the ker, as if to shield him.

Then —

“Just make,” the borman growled.

Everyone stopped.

And so, the shaman did.

She turned to the borman and opened another case, this one rose-gold, smaller than the first. From where he now stood behind her, Yu could not see the instruments inside, but he had no doubt that they were anything but more needles.

Yu tried to track her fingers, but her back and the borman’s massive arms blocked the view. Still carrying the unconscious pair, the borman adjusted his hold so she could reach where needed. She peeled back folds of fabric, exposing skin just long enough to insert the needles. From behind, Yu saw her shoulders shift, her form distort and her blades move, and he knew that she again ate the needles, one after the other. He knew, because it finally appeased the Mountain King’s hunger.

During the first reading, Yu had been fully absorbed by the shaman. Now, he looked at the others also, and saw his own horror reflected in the krynn’s face. He was the only one who looked equally disturbed.

And as Yu’s eyes flickered from him back to that essence-devouring mouth-monster, and from there to the fina-eating assassin, and then to whatever the fuck Estingar was, something hard and cold locked into place in Yu’s chest. He would not stay. No. No matter what. No matter the cost, he would not remain here, under no circumstances.