Read Online Aster Wood and the Book of Leveling (Volume 2) by J B Cantwell - Free Book Online
Authors: J B Cantwell
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impatiently over us. His eyes scoured the road that ran in front of the castle, and a look of great concern came over his face.
“There’s nobody here,” he said, pacing. “Where have they all gone?”
As my breathing steadied, I pushed myself to my elbows and looked around.
The granite road was deserted, and it looked like it had been for a long time. Down the road in the distance, I saw the gates of the city swung wide. Whoever had fled, or arrived, hadn’t thought it necessary to lock up.
Jade stood up and trained her eyes on the towering mass of stone above us. One window in particular seemed to dominate her gaze, and a moment later her little feet were flying across the stone towards the nearest entrance to the castle.
Like the gates, the great wood and iron doors to the castle were open. She slipped between them and vanished into the mountain. I ran after her, willing my exhausted body to keep up. Erod’s enormous feet plodded the stone as he followed us.
“Jade! Wait up!” I hissed, trying to keep my voice quiet. This place may look empty, but until we knew for sure there was no need to broadcast our arrival. But she continued on, ignoring my request.
I pushed through the door and stopped, unable to keep myself from gaping at the magnificent hall I had just stepped into.
The interior of the castle was colossal. The ceiling stretched several hundred feet above our heads, and as each pebble that flung out beneath Jade’s flying feet found the floor again, a shower of echoing taps bounced off the smooth walls. Every surface was the same cold, blue stone of the mountain, just as it had been cut so long ago. Sunlight shone in magnificent beams from what seemed like a thousand windows overhead, and as Jade ran, thin plumes of dust raised in her wake, swirling in the morning light.
Erod stood in the entrance, a combination of relief and worry on his face. He knew this place, but had never known it like this.
Across from the entrance, a great, curving staircase was carved into the stone, each spindle in the railing a masterpiece of strength and art united.
Jade made for the stairs, too far away to bother or care about my protests.
I shook myself. I had to stay focused, to follow her. I went after her as fast as my spent body would allow. I climbed to the top and stumbled into the hallway she had disappeared into.
It was darker up here, the rooms less grand than the entrance hall, but all still ornately, lovingly carved.
“Jade!” I called out in a tense whisper. I poked my head into each room as I searched the empty caverns of what was once her home.
It didn’t take long to find her, her flight halted. She stood in one of the smaller rooms and stared out the window. The sound of the wind whistling through the hall and my labored breathing were all that filled the space. I walked to her side.
“Don’t do that,” I complained. “You can’t just run off like that. What if something—”
But I stopped abruptly when I saw the giant tears that were streaming down her face.
I sighed.
“Jade,” I began.
“This was our family’s home,” she said softly. “Father always told me that I would find him here. One day. That here we would meet.” She gestured to the empty room.
All that remained here was the great stone fireplace. I imagined their little family, before the sickness began to spread. Maybe they had sat on that very hearth, planning out the day’s adventures. Jade would have been small, maybe five. Brendan just becoming a young man. Almara, in my imagination, had always been old.
“He’s not here,” she sobbed. “What are we going to do now?” The haze she had been moving beneath seemed to release her, and her emotions spilled out of her.
I put my arm around her shoulder, still taking in the details of what was once her home. A large picture frame hung empty on one wall. A single, tattered curtain hung from one of the windows.
“One
“There’s nobody here,” he said, pacing. “Where have they all gone?”
As my breathing steadied, I pushed myself to my elbows and looked around.
The granite road was deserted, and it looked like it had been for a long time. Down the road in the distance, I saw the gates of the city swung wide. Whoever had fled, or arrived, hadn’t thought it necessary to lock up.
Jade stood up and trained her eyes on the towering mass of stone above us. One window in particular seemed to dominate her gaze, and a moment later her little feet were flying across the stone towards the nearest entrance to the castle.
Like the gates, the great wood and iron doors to the castle were open. She slipped between them and vanished into the mountain. I ran after her, willing my exhausted body to keep up. Erod’s enormous feet plodded the stone as he followed us.
“Jade! Wait up!” I hissed, trying to keep my voice quiet. This place may look empty, but until we knew for sure there was no need to broadcast our arrival. But she continued on, ignoring my request.
I pushed through the door and stopped, unable to keep myself from gaping at the magnificent hall I had just stepped into.
The interior of the castle was colossal. The ceiling stretched several hundred feet above our heads, and as each pebble that flung out beneath Jade’s flying feet found the floor again, a shower of echoing taps bounced off the smooth walls. Every surface was the same cold, blue stone of the mountain, just as it had been cut so long ago. Sunlight shone in magnificent beams from what seemed like a thousand windows overhead, and as Jade ran, thin plumes of dust raised in her wake, swirling in the morning light.
Erod stood in the entrance, a combination of relief and worry on his face. He knew this place, but had never known it like this.
Across from the entrance, a great, curving staircase was carved into the stone, each spindle in the railing a masterpiece of strength and art united.
Jade made for the stairs, too far away to bother or care about my protests.
I shook myself. I had to stay focused, to follow her. I went after her as fast as my spent body would allow. I climbed to the top and stumbled into the hallway she had disappeared into.
It was darker up here, the rooms less grand than the entrance hall, but all still ornately, lovingly carved.
“Jade!” I called out in a tense whisper. I poked my head into each room as I searched the empty caverns of what was once her home.
It didn’t take long to find her, her flight halted. She stood in one of the smaller rooms and stared out the window. The sound of the wind whistling through the hall and my labored breathing were all that filled the space. I walked to her side.
“Don’t do that,” I complained. “You can’t just run off like that. What if something—”
But I stopped abruptly when I saw the giant tears that were streaming down her face.
I sighed.
“Jade,” I began.
“This was our family’s home,” she said softly. “Father always told me that I would find him here. One day. That here we would meet.” She gestured to the empty room.
All that remained here was the great stone fireplace. I imagined their little family, before the sickness began to spread. Maybe they had sat on that very hearth, planning out the day’s adventures. Jade would have been small, maybe five. Brendan just becoming a young man. Almara, in my imagination, had always been old.
“He’s not here,” she sobbed. “What are we going to do now?” The haze she had been moving beneath seemed to release her, and her emotions spilled out of her.
I put my arm around her shoulder, still taking in the details of what was once her home. A large picture frame hung empty on one wall. A single, tattered curtain hung from one of the windows.
“One
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