closed. Then he took Lexi’s hand and led her back into another room of the house. A shuttered candle was glowing in the second room’s far corner, casting just enough light that Lexi could see she was in a slightly larger room that served as Ennis’ living and sleeping quarters. He closed a well constructed and thick wooden door to the second room and lifted a heavy locking bar into place before speaking again.
He walked over to the candle and removed the shade, then lit a lamp that hung in the center of the room. A golden light spilled from the lamp, and Lexi could see everything around her. There were two chairs, both covered with soft cushions. A large pot hung in the cold fireplace, and a wooden table was against the far wall and piled with books. Ennis slept on a narrow bunk that was neatly made up, and the old man was sipping from wooden cup.
“I’m sorry I have nothing warm to offer you to eat or drink,” he said, settling into one of the chairs. “I’m currently out of wood for a fire.”
“I’m fine,” Lexi said. “I don’t need food, I need information.”
“I thought you left the city with the earl’s son. I would have sworn that was the case.”
“I did,” Lexi said. “Now I’m back and I need some help.”
“You survived the blighted lands,” he said, sounding amused. “That is a rare feat.”
“It wasn’t without its share of hardships, but those stories can wait. How did you know I left the city?”
“I was questioned by the new king,” Ennis said. “This was before he was king, mind you. He had spies drag me to his dungeons. I wasn’t the only one there.”
“Leonosis questioned you? About what?”
“About you, of course. He seemed quite interested in what you and his brother were up to out in the blighted lands.”
Lexi wasn’t sure what to think about that. She had never met Leonosis, and although she knew the new king of Valana wanted Tiberius and the Balestone, she couldn’t imagine why he would send spies to track down Ennis.
“What did you tell him?” she asked.
“Only the truth,” the old man explained. “He was interested in the book his brother purchased from me.”
“And you told him what it was?”
“Yes,” Ennis said.
Lexi guessed that was why Leonosis wanted Tiberius. Perhaps it was nothing more than a king trying to enforce the law. Magic was forbidden across the kingdom, after all.
“But that’s not why you tracked me down, is it?” the old man asked.
“No,” Lexi said. “I need information. You sold Tiberius the book on magic, and we both know you have things that are, shall we say, hard to find.”
“That’s a polite way of stating the truth.”
“So do you have any other books that talk about magic?”
“Perhaps,” Ennis said. “I’m not certain. Why do you ask? Was the book your friend bought not helpful?”
“It was very helpful,” Lexi explained. “But we’ve run across something, and we need to know more about it.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a magic rock. I think Tiberius called it the Balestone.”
Lexi saw the look of surprised on the old man’s face. He was usually very reserved and either passionless or affecting a tone of discouragement as he haggled with customers over his books. Even his interest in her up to that point had seemed less than authentic. She had come to him, after all, and she had thought he was merely playing along. But the mention of the Balestone had been almost like a slap to his face. His mouth hung open, and his eyes showed white all around the irises.
He stood up suddenly and paced in the small space between his bed and the table stacked with books. His face was pinched with concern, and Lexi knew better than to interrupt his train of thought. She had been right in thinking that he might know something. Now, all she could do was wait and hope that he decided to tell her what he knew.
“Why do you ask about the Balestone?” Ennis said at last, still standing up.
“We
He walked over to the candle and removed the shade, then lit a lamp that hung in the center of the room. A golden light spilled from the lamp, and Lexi could see everything around her. There were two chairs, both covered with soft cushions. A large pot hung in the cold fireplace, and a wooden table was against the far wall and piled with books. Ennis slept on a narrow bunk that was neatly made up, and the old man was sipping from wooden cup.
“I’m sorry I have nothing warm to offer you to eat or drink,” he said, settling into one of the chairs. “I’m currently out of wood for a fire.”
“I’m fine,” Lexi said. “I don’t need food, I need information.”
“I thought you left the city with the earl’s son. I would have sworn that was the case.”
“I did,” Lexi said. “Now I’m back and I need some help.”
“You survived the blighted lands,” he said, sounding amused. “That is a rare feat.”
“It wasn’t without its share of hardships, but those stories can wait. How did you know I left the city?”
“I was questioned by the new king,” Ennis said. “This was before he was king, mind you. He had spies drag me to his dungeons. I wasn’t the only one there.”
“Leonosis questioned you? About what?”
“About you, of course. He seemed quite interested in what you and his brother were up to out in the blighted lands.”
Lexi wasn’t sure what to think about that. She had never met Leonosis, and although she knew the new king of Valana wanted Tiberius and the Balestone, she couldn’t imagine why he would send spies to track down Ennis.
“What did you tell him?” she asked.
“Only the truth,” the old man explained. “He was interested in the book his brother purchased from me.”
“And you told him what it was?”
“Yes,” Ennis said.
Lexi guessed that was why Leonosis wanted Tiberius. Perhaps it was nothing more than a king trying to enforce the law. Magic was forbidden across the kingdom, after all.
“But that’s not why you tracked me down, is it?” the old man asked.
“No,” Lexi said. “I need information. You sold Tiberius the book on magic, and we both know you have things that are, shall we say, hard to find.”
“That’s a polite way of stating the truth.”
“So do you have any other books that talk about magic?”
“Perhaps,” Ennis said. “I’m not certain. Why do you ask? Was the book your friend bought not helpful?”
“It was very helpful,” Lexi explained. “But we’ve run across something, and we need to know more about it.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a magic rock. I think Tiberius called it the Balestone.”
Lexi saw the look of surprised on the old man’s face. He was usually very reserved and either passionless or affecting a tone of discouragement as he haggled with customers over his books. Even his interest in her up to that point had seemed less than authentic. She had come to him, after all, and she had thought he was merely playing along. But the mention of the Balestone had been almost like a slap to his face. His mouth hung open, and his eyes showed white all around the irises.
He stood up suddenly and paced in the small space between his bed and the table stacked with books. His face was pinched with concern, and Lexi knew better than to interrupt his train of thought. She had been right in thinking that he might know something. Now, all she could do was wait and hope that he decided to tell her what he knew.
“Why do you ask about the Balestone?” Ennis said at last, still standing up.
“We
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