Free The Journeys of a Different Necromancer by James J. Crofoot Page A

into the shape of a
translucent man.
    Dawshawn stopped his ridicule and his eyes grew wide. He
glanced at the people around him and then back at the glowing
figure.
    Thomas reached down, picked up a stick, and finished the glyph
with a small line.
    “ Daddy,” cried the little boy as he recognized his
father.
    The spirit looked around at the awed faces gathered around it
until he came to Angela. It pointed at her.
    “ I will torment you till the end of your days,
murderess.”
    “ I didn’t do it, Raymond,” she cried out and fell to her
knees.
    “ The whole town knows you did, that’s what they’re all
saying,” said the ghost.
    With Christina’s help, Thomas got to his feet. “My name is
Thomas, Raymond. I’ve summoned you and you can’t leave until I
allow it. Do you understand?”
    “ Why?” the ghost Raymond asked.
    “ Your wife didn’t kill you and you’re tormenting
her.”
    “ I couldn’t leave her, you know,” Raymond said. His face
formed into a sneer. “I couldn’t leave the woman and child I loved
so. So I stayed. I stayed and listened. Everyone in town was saying
she did it. Everyone.”
    “ You killed my boy,” the mother said, and she, too, started to
sob.
    “ I didn’t. Why won’t anyone believe me?” Angela buried her
face in her hands. “I loved you, Raymond.”
    “ Murderess! Why can’t you say where you were then?” the mother
screamed.
    Angela did not reply.
    “ Everyone be quiet,” Thomas commanded. “Raymond, do you
remember what happened?”
    The ghost looked puzzled. “No, but the whole town
says…”
    “ So you’re going on what the townspeople say?”
    “ Well, yes.” The ghost seemed even more puzzled.
    “ You don’t remember where you were killed?”
    “ No, I don’t,” Raymond answered. “Why is that?”
    “ Sometimes the dead don’t remember dying, if it’s a violent
death like yours,” the necromancer replied, gently pushing
Christina away. “We must walk you through it. Where was the body
found?”
    “ In the field, by the cattle well north of town,” Cedric spoke
up.
    “ I don’t remember getting there,” the ghost said. “I remember
drinking at the inn.”
    “ Were you with someone?”
    “ Why do I have to go through this,” the ghost yelled. “The
whole town knows she did it.”
    “ Why would your wife kill you, Raymond?” Thomas
asked.
    “ Raymond, she didn’t do it,” Cedric said. “I know because she
was with me by the old keep. I’m sorry, but I can’t stay silent any
longer. She didn’t do it.”
    Angela broke into tears again and bowed her head in shame.
“I’m so sorry, husband. We had been meeting there for several
months.”
    Raymond looked down at her and then to Cedric. “I
knew.”
    Angela looked up with tears streaking her face. “Then why
didn’t…”
    “ Why didn’t I say something? Because I knew Cedric loved you,
too. I’ve known for years how you two felt. He always stepped aside
for me.”
    “ Who did you leave the inn with, Raymond?” Thomas questioned
further.
    “ I left alone. Something about a sick heifer.”
    Thomas took a deep breath. “Now we’re getting somewhere. What
about a sick heifer?”
    “ Someone…” The ghost looked at Dashawn. “You told me there was
a sick heifer, you said it couldn’t wait till morning.”
    “ There was no sick heifer, Dashawn,” Cedric said, looking at
his brother.
    Dashawn picked up the end of a broken axe handle as the look
of a trapped animal came into his eyes.
    “ Why?” Cedric asked. “Why did you do it, brother? What did
Raymond ever do to you?”
    “ He took you,” Dashawn yelled. “All I ever wanted was to be
your brother. Now he’s gone. Don’t you see? Now we can be the
brothers you two were. Is blood not more binding? How was I to know
Raymond wouldn’t just leave? Don’t tell me you’re not happy he’s
dead, she yours now.”
    “ How could you think such madness?” Cedric shook his head.
“How could you think… Put