The Ferryman - Book 1

Chapter 43:

Sunstones

Correb had extended a wing over her, in a comforting motion – but as near as he was to Moth, he felt far away as he pondered in careful, deliberate, thought, until he resigned himself and looked down at Moth.

    “It will be difficult – it is not something I would ask of you with if there was another able or willing. Its cruel to ask it of someone who has only just arrived past my threshold.”

    “I may be a stranger to you,” began Moth, hesitantly, “but I believe we share something in common – we both love Hiren.”

    Correb was pleased by what she said. The red threads stretched around his inflamed gums in something like a smile. “Then I will burden you with this task of helping Hiren.”

    He stood up from the couch, careful not to knock her off as he moved, and searched around until he found a lantern that was hung up by the door. He returned to sit by her and showed her the lantern.

    It was, though dusty and neglected, beautiful – ornately carved, with panes made of flattened cow horns, and on its base was embedded with four bright sunstones. Taking his powerful talons, the ferryman – one by one – pried off the sunstones, tearing up the lantern in the process.

    He held them out to Moth, and she – bewildered – felt the four heavy sunstones drop and clink into her palm.

    “The parasite that travels through me is repelled by sunlight. You may not be able to see it with your current eyes, but these sunstones emit light – a great deal more than you would assume, given their size.”

    Moth stared down in amazement at the fiery sunstones – the same type of gem she used to wear on hairpins during offering day. They glittered and winked, even in the low, dim light.

“If sunstones were buried in a ring around Hiren, it would drive the parasite out, and prevent the fog.”

Moth’s hand curled around the precious sunstones. She was flooded with delight and horrible doubts. “Please, Lord Correb; where will we get enough sunstones to wrap around all of Hiren? We’re just farmers.”

“The regions have been offering me sunstones for centuries. I will scrape my storehouses for each one – I believe, with more given by the farmers, it will be enough to redirect the fog.”

Her throat tightened, and she stared at her shoes. How could I convince the farmers? They’re already hungry and desperate. How could they be persuaded to plant gemstones in the earth?

Seeing her expression, Correb murmured, “It is not going to be easy. I will do everything I can to give you aid, but I believe the act of you bringing thousands of sunstones back to Hiren – after being offered – will be persuasive.”

The enormity of her task spread before Moth – a mob of disbelieving farmers stared back at her, in her mind’s eye.

They will not believe me.

This thought throbbed in her head, but she said shakily, “I’ll leave today.”

“No,” the ferryman said. “You’ve only just had a night’s rest after the welkworm, and as for me it will take some more time to plan this through – and I need to rest. Allow me a month.”

“O-of course.”

He bowed his head gratefully. “And may I ask something more of you, during this next month? Would you continue your work in the garden – it brings me great joy.”

She hastily bowed. “Yes, Lord Correb. Are there specific times you’d want me not to be in here, so you can rest?”

“No. You may come and go whenever you please, I appreciate the company, though at times you’ll find me unresponsive.”

Moth stood up from the couch and bowed again, awkwardly, and placed down her teacup.

“You’ll probably be hungry,” said Correb, and Moth realized she was – in fact – starving. “I asked Dueluck to make you something in the kitchen. The guiles are about to have their dinner, so it should be ready for you. And Lander will want to see you.”

This cut through Moth’s thoughts. “Lander?” she exclaimed. “Is she…her body, does she have one?”

“Last night I brought her a new effigy. She is tired, but no more than the first time she woke up here.”

Moth was halfway across the greenhouse before the ferryman said, “And one last thing – a small correction.”

Worried, Moth turned to look at him.

“While we do have a love of Hiren in common, but you are no stranger to me, Moth.”