Free High The Vanes (The Change Book 2) by David Kearns Page B

think was the best sleep I had had since we arrived. Two days later, having spent the day huddled under a blanket, I was able to pull on a fresh shift, which felt wonderful. She also cooked a delicious stew every day.

    I offered to help her, but of course my offer was refused. I rooted through Nefyn’s books, discovering, as he had said, that most were incomprehensible. I did not even understand the titles of most of them. One was actually in ClassLat, which startled me when I first opened it. I didn’t bother to struggle with that. The only two that were of any real interest were the two Nefyn had mentioned. A story book with strange tales, written in English, but supposedly translated from the old Welsh. I flicked through a few of them, until I found the story of Macsen Wledig, which I read. The other was a book of poems, this time translated from what the writer called ‘Anglo-Saxon’. I had no idea what that meant, so I left it.

    Most days, as the weather stayed fine, I took the story book, went outside, found a quiet corner amongst the walls, and read. Sometimes, if the sun was warm enough, I found myself dozing off. One afternoon I must have slept longer because when I awoke the sun had gone down and it was growing quickly dark. On the odd days when it rained, I stayed inside, reading by the light of a candle, although this annoyed Eluned who complained that I was using too many of the candles.

    For most of this time I had not had a chance to talk to Nefyn. I saw him in the mornings as he rose and crawled out of the tunnel. Once I tried to follow him, but he told me, angrily, to go back. I decided that I would sit outside and wait for him to return. All day I waited. I sat reading at first. Growing restless, I got up and wandered about the site, discovering parts I had never seen before. I even ventured as far as the edge of the woods where I knew Nefyn spent his days. I called his name, softly, once, but I heard nothing.

    As night began to fall I returned to my original place, picked up the book and was about to continue reading. I had just turned to the page where I had left off when I heard a loud cracking noise. A fierce pain raced through my head. Everything went black.

    When I opened my eyes I could see nothing. The back of my head throbbed with pain. When I attempted to move my hand to touch it nothing happened. Both hands, I discovered, were tied to something behind my back. I appeared to be lying on my back. When I tried to lift my head the pain shot through it again. Everything was in complete darkness. I was desperate to swallow but something gagged my mouth.

    I heard movement and froze. Something seemed to be tied to my feet as well as my hands and I could sense that my legs were held apart. The movement again. Despite the shooting pain I lifted my head a little. Nothing. Whatever was moving had stopped. I tried to struggle. The only things I could move were my head and, very slightly, my shoulders. I closed my eyes again. Surely this was a dream.

    I think I drifted off again, because when I opened my eyes there was some light. I was in the Room. When I turned my head to the side I could see the remains of the fire, still slightly glowing. I seemed to be stretched out on the floor of the Room. To my other side I could make out Nefyn, sitting in the shadow of a guttering candle. The table and chairs must have been moved as his chair was now in the corner.

    I tried to speak but could utter nothing other than a loan groan because of the gag that restricted my mouth. My groan was met by another. It did not seem to come from Nefyn, but from the opposite side of the room to where I lay. I craned my neck, but could not lift my head enough to see in that direction. Doing so only sent the sharp pain through my head again, so I gave up.

    Suddenly, Nefyn started to speak. At least, I thought he was speaking at first, but soon realised he was reading aloud.

    “So they set forth and conquered lands, and