Marlene found him motionless, staring into the fire. She had never seen flames that colour.
Blue.
Simon Keller turned to her with a faint smile, took a pinch of powder from a pouch and threw it on the fire. The blue became brighter. It turned a deep navy blue.
Kobolds, Marlene thought.
She looked at Simon Keller’s face. It was a skull. She shuddered and raised her hand to her belly, protectively.
“We’ve been doing this forever,” the skull muttered.
Marlene said nothing.
Simon Keller stood up. He was still wearing his greatcoat, which was dripping wet. He had been out all night, in the frost. “When someone dies we light a fire like this – blue.”
Marlene’s heart skipped a beat. “Who’s dead?”
“Nobody. Not yet.”
Head bowed, he walked out.