Read Online A Charm for Draius: A Novel of the Broken Kaskea (The Broken Kaskea Series Book 1) by Laura E. Reeve - Free Book Online

sail to the ports of Chikirmo, not Illus, as my employer instructed. Of course, we already knew that, but not the fact the Sareenian registered the ship and cargo with underwriters.
    I focused on capturing the energy of pain and death. The magic streamed through my bloodstream and pounded in my heart, so I paid no heed to the Sareenian’s screams, pleas, or eventual prayers. Being careful, I sealed the power into the pieces of flesh using purified silver and ensured the circle and signs were drawn correctly.
    During cleanup, my employer blocked my view of the room with his bulk. I thought he wanted my attention. “Any suggestions, Taalo? What can be done, if the Groygans have the lodestone?”
    “You’re assuming the ship arrived safely in Chikirmo with its cargo.” The Sareenian’s death still sang in my head, so my voice had a slight tremor. I caressed the cold metal of my tools as I cleaned and reluctantly packed them away. Their surfaces, smooth and sharp, made my skin tingle.
    “Do you know otherwise?” My employer’s voice was sharp.
    “I suggest we wait for the news from our contacts in Chikirmo. If the lodestone is lost, we’ve got a bigger problem.”
    My employer rubbed the side of his head. “I hate to do nothing but take the defensive.”
    “We can always talk to the Groygan. We can confront him with his bribery, and warn him that no one can yet control the lodestone.”
    “Humph.” My employer obviously couldn’t admit this might be our only option.
    There was a muffled yelp and the scuffling of boot heels on the floor. I leaned sideways, around him, to see one of his men roughly forcing my apprentice out the door.
    “What’s happening?” I moved to interfere, but my employer blocked me. Being large and brawny, he can easily best me.
    “He’s outlived his usefulness.”
    “But he’s my apprentice. You’re not allowed to touch him.”
    “Not allowed?” His bushy eyebrows arched higher. “You gave me permission the moment you involved him in our rites of power.”
    You mean my rites. You have done nothing but issue orders, which weren’t even obeyed. With effort, I held my tongue. It would be undignified to struggle with my employer over a pubescent pimpled boy, so I tried reason. “I need him in the shop. I can’t afford to train another, not at this time.”
    “He’s too young, too much of a risk—believe me, he does better service as a floater, blamed on Haversar. We need a diversion for the City Guard’s investigation. If you need help preparing the rite, I’ve learned enough to assist you.”
    I winced, for several reasons: I now knew how my apprentice would die, and I never like to hear that name. Everyone knew that someone ran the darker side of this city, someone who commanded the criminals, the disaffected, and any nunetton who might not yet qualify as one of the former. His name shouldn’t be uttered, not out loud and not near the wharves.
    The boy struggled, but he wasn’t strong enough to prevent the men from binding his arms behind his back and lowering a hood over his head. Before I turned away, the hope died in his eyes. I grappled for control, reached for the cold protection of dispassion that I’ve cultivated in my heart. I concentrated on my employer’s last sentence. “Are you mad? Suggesting we do another rite, so soon? You’ve already cautioned us about the new Officer of Investigation.”
    “This Sareenian went to underwriters and may have said too much about the cargo. More purging is necessary to remove the stench of betrayal. Why aren’t you, of all people, champing at the bit to do more? Didn’t you say you needed more magic for working charms?”
    “Yes, but we risk death if the Guard connects us to these rites. Not a quick death, but death by the rack.”
    “I’m aware of the price.” His enigmatic answer was the end of our conversation as we quit the dockside office where we’d left bloody havoc.
    Now, in the bright morning light of