All night, the sound of wailing wind caroused through the woods, surrounding the house and chilling Ellia. Robbie slept like a stone-- he always had-- and she was grateful tonight to hear his soft snoring in the night. She wasn't normally given to spooking, but the stillness of the deserted house and the enormity of the death of a family, an entire family, had left her thinking about ghosts and restless spirits roaming the world.
Outside, the horse whickered in complaint, but was otherwise silent.
In the morning, she and Robbie packed up their bedrolls and made a breakfast of coffee and slightly warm biscuits. Ellia broke sprigs of licorice in the corners of the main room, to ward off any tainting magics and to freshen the air.
Robbie led the horse while Ellia rode for the first shift in the morning. According to the mayor, the next house would be a half day's ride, longer since they were limited to their walking pace. |
