As they reached camp, the men at the fire rose, and their monk hurried forward to explain, leaving Ashyn and Ronan staring at the boxes.
“They’re moving,” Ashyn whispered.
“Hmm.” Ronan moved closer and lowered his lips to her ear. “Shadow stalkers?”
“I… I don’t think so. Shadow stalkers take the form of that dark smoke to enter bodies, and they can leave it the same way. Why stay in those boxes?”
“Hoping someone will open them?”
“But no one has.”
“And we’ll not do it either,” he said.
“I believe we must look —”
“I said we’ll not.”
She glanced at him. “Were you not just chastising Simeon for questioning my decisions?”
“Simeon? Is that his name?” A derisive snort. Then his dark eyes narrowed. “I don’t believe you ever explained why you were with him in the first place.”
“No, I did not.” She stepped toward the monks as they approached. The one who’d brought them performed introductions. His own name was Ivo. The other two monks barely stayed long enough for Ashyn to greet them properly before they slipped back to the fire. They’d spoken not a word. Silence was part of their penance, Ivo explained, as he led Ashyn to the boxes.
“Can they be opened?” she asked.
Ivo stared as if she’d asked him to crawl into one. “I do not believe that’s necessary, my lady. If you were simply to placate the spirits, they would leave the bodies, without any need to look within.”
“But if I do that, how do we understand what has happened?”
Ivo’s expression said he could live the remainder of his days quite happily without ever knowing.
Ashyn continued, “Do you not think we ought to bear witness? Otherwise, if we are to tell someone, they will think we were duped.”
“Is there any need to tell someone?” Ivo said.
“Yes. An occurrence such as this must be documented.”
“The Seeker wants a box opened,” Ronan said. “Stop arguing and open one.”
“They are sealed and —”
“You said you open them at the shrine. It’s easily done then. Just pry off a lid.”
ELEVEN
At first, Ivo claimed they had no tools. But after some arguing, one of the other monks came over with a strong shovel. Apparently, withdrawing into silence did not prevent one from eavesdropping.
As Ronan worked at the lid, Ashyn asked Ivo the route they’d taken from their monastery. It was as she feared – they’d passed so close to Fairview that they’d seen the shimmering white town beyond the wall. They’d not entered nor even drawn close, having been warned of an illness there.
When Moria arrived with Tyrus, she said to Ronan, “You? What are you doing here?” proving she had not secretly sent him a message.
“It’s good to see you, too, Moria.”
She turned to Ashyn. “We left Simeon behind, but he said something about mummies. Penitent monks who mistakenly believe their dead are about to rise —”
A fresh scratching sounded from the box.
“That is, apparently, the mummy,” Ashyn said. “I’ve asked Ronan to open the box to confirm it.”
The thing within began to thump on the lid.
Moria glanced at her sister. “Unless they’ve accidentally interred giant rats, I think we can safely say it’s the mummy.”
“I would agree.” Tyrus moved toward the box, paying no attention to the monks dropping into the dirt at his approach. “But Ashyn is right. We must confirm it.” He glanced at Ashyn. “Are there any preparations we should make before it opens?”
“Yes, of course,” she said. “I ought to begin the rituals of soothing.”
Ashyn whispered ancient words to acknowledge and soothe the spirits. Beside her, Moria stood at alert, ready to use her own power of banishment, should something evil arise from that box. Ronan prepared to open the lid while Tyrus moved in on the other side, taking hold.
When it seemed as if whatever lay in the box was calming – the scratches and thumps fewer and weaker – Moria nodded and Ashyn said, “Now. Open the box.”
The young men heaved on the stone lid. It rose half a hand, and Ashyn peered in.
“We need a lantern,” Moria said.
As Ivo scuttled off, Moria told the young men to hold the lid until a light could be brought.
“We’ll try,” Tyrus grunted. “This isn’t exactly as light as silk.”
“Set it back down then. We just need to get a glimpse inside before the opening’s big enough for the thing to spring out.”
“It’s a bag of dried bones,” Ronan said. “I don’t think it’ll be doing much —”
The lid flew off. A gust hit Ashyn with the force of a blow, dust and dirt blinding her, and she reeled back, hands going to her face as she coughed. She heard a curse. An oath. Then a thud and a yowl. She forced her eyes open and saw Tyrus and Ronan on the ground, the stone lid atop Ronan’s leg. She raced over to pull it off. Tyrus sprang up to do the same. The first in motion, though, was Moria, sprinting to… look in the box.
“Your help is vastly appreciated,” Ronan grunted to Moria.
“If your leg’s broken, moving the lid faster will hardly help.”
Tyrus heaved it off, with Ashyn doing what she could. As they helped Ronan to his feet, Moria said, “Blast it!”