Read Online WesternWind 4 - Tears of the Reaper by Charlotte Boyett-Compo - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Charlotte Boyett-Compo
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about it. I will take you to the infirmary. We can get your weapons later.”
Going out into the bright light of the late morning, Owen had to shield his eyes with his hand and not for the first time wished he’d take Lord Kheelan up on the offer of a pair of the dark spectacles that Glyn Kullen was known to wear on occasion. At that moment, he could see the wisdom in shading his sensitive eyes from the glare of the sun.
“It isn’t far,” the elder said, seeing how the brightness was affecting the man beside him.
Owen got a look at the compound as they walked across a cobblestone pathway from what Elder Barrow told him was the bachelor men’s barracks to the infirmary. He saw women gathered in front of another long building beside the infirmary and rightly surmised that was the bachelor women’s living area. Other buildings must be the school, the church and the meeting hall. At the far end of the compound he saw the stables and smith, which Edward owned.
The people of the Colony stopped what they were doing to stare at the Reaper as he walked beside the elder. He did not feel the same dislike and fear he felt from the people he was sworn to protect but rather a deep disapproval and perhaps a touch of pity. No one looked away from him when he met their eye but neither did they greet him with the feigned respect his own people did.
“They sure as hell don’t like having me here, do they?” he could not keep from asking Elder Barrow.
“You are an outsider, Lord Owen, and a Reaper. You are something completely unknown to them. They mean you no disrespect so please excuse their curiosity,” the older man replied.
He saw Rachel standing beside a well in the center of the compound. She glanced at him then quickly away, lowering her head as she cranked the handle to bring up a pail of water. He felt as though she’d slapped him and put a hand up to his cheek. He had to tear his mind from her as Elder Barrow ushered him into the infirmary.
The healer came toward them, bowing slightly. “I am Healer Benjamin Tate,” he introduced himself. “It is an honor to meet you, Lord Owen.”
Owen clenched his teeth at the title. Where it hadn’t bothered him on his home turf, it irritated the hell out of him here in Manontaque.
“He needs Sustenance,” Elder Barrow said. “Taken from the arms of volunteers.”
“Taken as you would a normal blood transfusion,” Owen was quick to say for the healer’s face had blanched.
“Ah!” Healer Benjamin said. “That we can do.”
“Male, preferably strong males such as Edward,” Owen insisted.
“I will gather the men while you get things ready,” Elder Barrow said, and didn’t wait for agreement from the healer before hurrying out of the infirmary.
“I wish we could have placed you here in the infirmary but we have two men who are dying and…”
“I was making too much noise,” Owen said. “I understand. Can you tell me where the body of Elder Carlton is?”
“Through there,” Healer Benjamin answered, pointing to a door at the end of the room. “Do you wish to see him?”
Owen nodded. “Are you the mortician as well?”
“We call that job Diener,” the healer replied as he began laying out the instruments necessary to transfuse blood. “It is assigned to my cousin Gilbreth.”
“Has he started preparing the body?”
“Not as yet.”
“Good, then perhaps I can find clues to track his murderer.”
Owen went through the door into the embalming room and wasn’t surprised that the healer followed him.
“He was found in his field?”
Healer Benjamin replied that he had. “His family are dairy farmers and he was out inspecting his herd. When he did not return for the morning meal, his five-year-old son went looking for him.”
“A bad way for your child to find you,” Owen observed as he stared down at the horrible pallor of the dead
Going out into the bright light of the late morning, Owen had to shield his eyes with his hand and not for the first time wished he’d take Lord Kheelan up on the offer of a pair of the dark spectacles that Glyn Kullen was known to wear on occasion. At that moment, he could see the wisdom in shading his sensitive eyes from the glare of the sun.
“It isn’t far,” the elder said, seeing how the brightness was affecting the man beside him.
Owen got a look at the compound as they walked across a cobblestone pathway from what Elder Barrow told him was the bachelor men’s barracks to the infirmary. He saw women gathered in front of another long building beside the infirmary and rightly surmised that was the bachelor women’s living area. Other buildings must be the school, the church and the meeting hall. At the far end of the compound he saw the stables and smith, which Edward owned.
The people of the Colony stopped what they were doing to stare at the Reaper as he walked beside the elder. He did not feel the same dislike and fear he felt from the people he was sworn to protect but rather a deep disapproval and perhaps a touch of pity. No one looked away from him when he met their eye but neither did they greet him with the feigned respect his own people did.
“They sure as hell don’t like having me here, do they?” he could not keep from asking Elder Barrow.
“You are an outsider, Lord Owen, and a Reaper. You are something completely unknown to them. They mean you no disrespect so please excuse their curiosity,” the older man replied.
He saw Rachel standing beside a well in the center of the compound. She glanced at him then quickly away, lowering her head as she cranked the handle to bring up a pail of water. He felt as though she’d slapped him and put a hand up to his cheek. He had to tear his mind from her as Elder Barrow ushered him into the infirmary.
The healer came toward them, bowing slightly. “I am Healer Benjamin Tate,” he introduced himself. “It is an honor to meet you, Lord Owen.”
Owen clenched his teeth at the title. Where it hadn’t bothered him on his home turf, it irritated the hell out of him here in Manontaque.
“He needs Sustenance,” Elder Barrow said. “Taken from the arms of volunteers.”
“Taken as you would a normal blood transfusion,” Owen was quick to say for the healer’s face had blanched.
“Ah!” Healer Benjamin said. “That we can do.”
“Male, preferably strong males such as Edward,” Owen insisted.
“I will gather the men while you get things ready,” Elder Barrow said, and didn’t wait for agreement from the healer before hurrying out of the infirmary.
“I wish we could have placed you here in the infirmary but we have two men who are dying and…”
“I was making too much noise,” Owen said. “I understand. Can you tell me where the body of Elder Carlton is?”
“Through there,” Healer Benjamin answered, pointing to a door at the end of the room. “Do you wish to see him?”
Owen nodded. “Are you the mortician as well?”
“We call that job Diener,” the healer replied as he began laying out the instruments necessary to transfuse blood. “It is assigned to my cousin Gilbreth.”
“Has he started preparing the body?”
“Not as yet.”
“Good, then perhaps I can find clues to track his murderer.”
Owen went through the door into the embalming room and wasn’t surprised that the healer followed him.
“He was found in his field?”
Healer Benjamin replied that he had. “His family are dairy farmers and he was out inspecting his herd. When he did not return for the morning meal, his five-year-old son went looking for him.”
“A bad way for your child to find you,” Owen observed as he stared down at the horrible pallor of the dead
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