Free The Tragedy of Knowledge by Rachael Wade Page A

have meant she was expecting us, or at least knew we didn’t mean her harm. Silver daggers, similar to ours, sat on a small wooden table, perhaps her only defense from frozen souls since her magic was of no use against them. I gave them a discreet glance, drawing even more comfort from the fact that she didn’t seem interested in reaching for one to protect herself.
    “ Mmm ,” she turned to face Gavin once we were inside. “ Yesss , here. This is him, ain’t it Viv?”
    My heart leaped in my chest and Gavin’s eyes found mine.
    “Did you just say—?”
    “ Nuh-uh ,” the old woman grunted. “Viv’s not here , she’s here,” she tapped her temple and nodded, lifting the candle closer to Gavin’s face to get a good look. “The beginning of things to come, eh ?”
    “You talk to Vivienne?” My voice piped up at the thought of this woman being able to communicate with her. I wanted to ask a million questions, if that was the case. Too many questions. I held my tongue for a moment. “I mean, you can hear her? Or …”
    “I can’t hear her now, no.” The woman gently poked Gavin’s cheek with a weak, wrinkled finger. He just stared back at her, his gaze sliding to mine when she pulled back. “But we were linked, before she passed on. Mmmm . She sent you two to me. Yesss , right here.”
    Setting down the Book of the Ancients on her tiny wood table, I crossed my arms. “I’m sorry, I’m not sure we know what you mean.”
    “Some of our kind creates links to one another. Whether because of friendship or ancestry, doesn’t matter. When we create a link to one another, we just know we’re tied. Can feel it, ya see. It’s a, a means of communication for those we leave behind. Our link can act as a messenger, carry on information after we’re gone. Vivienne linked herself to me right before she went. Before he came for her.”
    “Before he came … you mean the man who killed her?” Gavin stuck his hands in his pockets, the floor creaking under his weight when he shifted.
    “ Piisshhh ,” the woman batted her hands in dismissal, wobbled over to the small stove where a teakettle hissed steam. “If that’s what you want to call him. An abomination is what he is, a murderer is more like it. Mmm , yesss . She linked me to her right before he killed her, gave me some news about your … situation. Something private.”
    “Really?” I stepped forward and one of the silver knives flew off the table and toward her hand. Her fragile fingers grasped it, her cloudy eyes locking with mine. I raised my hands and stepped back.
    “Not everyone enjoys being linked, you see. It can mean bad things for the receiver.”
    “Ma’am … I don’t expect you to believe anything a frozen soul tells you, but we mean you no harm.”
    Gavin cleared his throat and nodded, agreeing with me. “Yes, you have our word.”
    “ Mmm , that’s all well and good boy, but it’s not just you two I have to worry about. The messages Vivienne left me gave me no reason not to trust you, but it was clear that your situation revolves around your creator. And that’s no good for me, now. I’m old as dirt but I’m not ready to pass on to the next world just yet.”
    As much as I understood this woman’s concern, my patience was nearly gone. I wanted to know what crucial information Vivienne left for us. Why she’d gone through so much trouble to lure us here. “I understand being Vivienne’s link must be a burden for you, and what happened to her … it was wrong … horrific. I know we can’t make promises about what Gérard will or won’t do after we leave your home, but we need this information. We—”
    “ Mmm ,” the woman’s voice hummed as she poured her hot water. “Slow down, slow, now. It’s my job to tell you what I know. But first, you must realize that this is all written, but only your actions will determine if these things come to pass as they should. Fate is fate, but the outcomes can change, do you