Read Online Calling On Fire (Book 1) by Stephanie Beavers - Free Book Online
Authors: Stephanie Beavers
Tags: Fantasy
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doors into the keep. The statues alternated; the lines were composed of a spear- or sword-wielding soldier, his mount, and a large dog—the breeds varied. As they landed, the door to the keep swung open to admit them without any sign of anyone to open them.
"Arxus, did anything interesting happen after we left?" Toman asked as he and Esset walked down the path toward the keep.
"No, Master Toman. There were a few stray travelers that I directed around me and towards the trade road, but nothing more." The uninflected male voice came from one of the stone dogs, an intimidating mastiff that came to life as they walked past. At the shoulder, the big dog reached a grown man’s waist. Its pointed ears were pricked towards them as they walked.
"Thank you, Arxus," Toman said absently.
"Here's a thought," Esset said in a tone that made Toman anticipate an argument.
"Run this plan past Arxus. He's intelligent but unbiased, since he has no emotions. He should be able to fairly weigh the pros and cons."
"You want to ask the castle's opinion?" Toman asked. "Just because he has no emotions doesn't mean he's unbiased. He was created to protect the current animator, remember?"
"True. But it's still a valid exercise," Esset argued. The double doors of the keep swung open before them without visible aid and shut behind them after they passed through, leaving them in the great hall.
"Although advice is not my primary function, it is a service I can provide," Arxus said blandly. Toman rubbed the bridge of his nose, shook his head, and stared blankly at the great hall before them. Massive tapestries lined the walls, and the ceilings were high and vaulted, lit by torches along the walls and an expansive chandelier high above. The hall stretched to the end in a raised stage-like structure that had a grand chair on it that somehow managed to barely avoid looking like a throne—at least to most eyes. Toman knew Esset thought the piece of furniture deserved that lofty status.
Eyes didn’t usually linger on the chair, however, for behind it was an impressive tapestry of an imposing man. He wore a strange, full-face mask; it was white and had threads of color that spread around the eyes and up the forehead and then fanned down onto the cheeks. He also wore a cape and a pair of gloves that were heavily embroidered to match. The rest of his clothes seemed to be of fine make also, but they weren’t notable like the mask, cloak, and gloves. He was known as the First; he had created three castles like Toman's and two other artifacts besides Toman's gloves, which endowed Toman with his animating abilities.
The abilities that Toman felt he had to use to make this world a better place, just as Esset did. When had that become so complicated?
"Arxus, please round up any rope or chain we've got around and leave it by one of the winged horses. We'll be needing it for our next job," Toman said.
"Yes, Master." The stone mastiff didn't move, but in other parts of the castle, the stonework was coming to life to fulfill the request.
"It's a good thing we restocked before the last mission," Toman said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Toman, you're avoiding—" Esset began.
"I know. Fine, whatever, ask him. It won't make any difference," Toman said. He headed off down a side passage towards the armory, hoping to brainstorm more tactics to use against a dragon-like creature—and leaving Esset behind.
"Hey!" Esset called after him. Toman knew his brother had intended that he stick around for the "debate," but Toman was taking advantage of the fact that he hadn't actually agreed to that. He wanted to think things over. He heard Esset mutter under his breath, but since his brother didn't follow him, he didn't stop.
Two fiery birds swooped low before depositing Toman and Esset on a remote hillside around noon. The birds vanished in a small spray of sparks, and the two young men pulled travel rations out of backpacks and sat down for lunch.
"I never
"Arxus, did anything interesting happen after we left?" Toman asked as he and Esset walked down the path toward the keep.
"No, Master Toman. There were a few stray travelers that I directed around me and towards the trade road, but nothing more." The uninflected male voice came from one of the stone dogs, an intimidating mastiff that came to life as they walked past. At the shoulder, the big dog reached a grown man’s waist. Its pointed ears were pricked towards them as they walked.
"Thank you, Arxus," Toman said absently.
"Here's a thought," Esset said in a tone that made Toman anticipate an argument.
"Run this plan past Arxus. He's intelligent but unbiased, since he has no emotions. He should be able to fairly weigh the pros and cons."
"You want to ask the castle's opinion?" Toman asked. "Just because he has no emotions doesn't mean he's unbiased. He was created to protect the current animator, remember?"
"True. But it's still a valid exercise," Esset argued. The double doors of the keep swung open before them without visible aid and shut behind them after they passed through, leaving them in the great hall.
"Although advice is not my primary function, it is a service I can provide," Arxus said blandly. Toman rubbed the bridge of his nose, shook his head, and stared blankly at the great hall before them. Massive tapestries lined the walls, and the ceilings were high and vaulted, lit by torches along the walls and an expansive chandelier high above. The hall stretched to the end in a raised stage-like structure that had a grand chair on it that somehow managed to barely avoid looking like a throne—at least to most eyes. Toman knew Esset thought the piece of furniture deserved that lofty status.
Eyes didn’t usually linger on the chair, however, for behind it was an impressive tapestry of an imposing man. He wore a strange, full-face mask; it was white and had threads of color that spread around the eyes and up the forehead and then fanned down onto the cheeks. He also wore a cape and a pair of gloves that were heavily embroidered to match. The rest of his clothes seemed to be of fine make also, but they weren’t notable like the mask, cloak, and gloves. He was known as the First; he had created three castles like Toman's and two other artifacts besides Toman's gloves, which endowed Toman with his animating abilities.
The abilities that Toman felt he had to use to make this world a better place, just as Esset did. When had that become so complicated?
"Arxus, please round up any rope or chain we've got around and leave it by one of the winged horses. We'll be needing it for our next job," Toman said.
"Yes, Master." The stone mastiff didn't move, but in other parts of the castle, the stonework was coming to life to fulfill the request.
"It's a good thing we restocked before the last mission," Toman said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Toman, you're avoiding—" Esset began.
"I know. Fine, whatever, ask him. It won't make any difference," Toman said. He headed off down a side passage towards the armory, hoping to brainstorm more tactics to use against a dragon-like creature—and leaving Esset behind.
"Hey!" Esset called after him. Toman knew his brother had intended that he stick around for the "debate," but Toman was taking advantage of the fact that he hadn't actually agreed to that. He wanted to think things over. He heard Esset mutter under his breath, but since his brother didn't follow him, he didn't stop.
Two fiery birds swooped low before depositing Toman and Esset on a remote hillside around noon. The birds vanished in a small spray of sparks, and the two young men pulled travel rations out of backpacks and sat down for lunch.
"I never
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