Read Online Crystal (Silver Hills #2) by Jacqueline Gardner - Free Book Online

muttered.  "But you only met me an hour ago."  Rimar smirked.
    "I select Keepers based on the strength I see in them," he chuckled.  "I've been doing it for a millennia.  Trust me, child.  You should not doubt yourself.  You have what it takes succeed."
    "I guess I'll find out," I mumbled.  I was the girl who never talked back (out loud).  I couldn't even muster the courage to talk to Brett until I'd endured two years of silence. I couldn't imagine myself doing anything of any use to anyone .
    "Do you promise me that you will help Quar in any way you can?"
    "I guess," I sighed.
    "Not 'I guess'," Rimar protested.  "You must promise."  He reached out his charcoal hand.  I hesita ted but as my heavy chest rose with anticipation, I knew it was the right thing to do.  Nuum was a psycho.  For all I knew he could've transported himself anywhere in the galaxy by now.
    " Yes," I said, shaking his rough hand.  "I promise."
    "Then it is time for you to go home," he smiled.  The two of us turned and started walking back the way we came.
    "I do have a question though," I said as a sudden thought occurred to me.  " The verse that will transport me, does anyone else have access to it?"
    "Only me and the Keeper s I have chosen," Rimar stated.  I thought about my conversation with Nuum.  He'd acquired the spell somehow.  He had to have.
    "Then I suggest you use caution," I replied, scanning the ling hall for anyone listeners.  "You have a double agent in your organization."
    "Double agent?" he repeated.
    "Someone has been passing secret information without your knowledge.  You have a mole."
     

 
     
    Chapter Nine
    The Pink Stone
     
    Zircon and I walked past Sard's wooden gates and back to the tele-tree.  There were no tele-trees inside the city gates.  A square paper sat in my pocket next to my knife.  It was the verse that would take me home.  Once read, the paper would destroy itself.  I only had one shot.
    "What did he want?" Zircon asked as we approached the massive tree outside the wooden gates.  The heat from the city slowly left my face as a chill breeze cooled my body off.
    "Rimar?  He just told me some stuff for when I get home."
    "You think things will be different when you go back?" he continued.  He pushed a dark spot on the tree trunk, letting a rounded door form.  I watched in awe.
    "Uh . . .yeah," I replied.  "I mean, I never knew this place existed until now."  Z grinned as he stepped into the tree.  We entered a large foyer with the same desk at the center.
    "Zite," Zircon said under his breath.  My heart raced as he wrapped his bulky arm around my shoulders.  "Act like you ' r e ill."  I gulped, as the place echoed with the frequent footsteps of travelers.  There was a line in front of the front desk.
    " Zir - "
    "Don't," he immediately interrupted.  "Don't say my name.  Call me something else."
    "Bob?" I suggested.  He looked at me funny.
    " Strange," he whispered.  "But yes."  We took a step forward.  Zircon squeezed me tight as travelers in bright suit coats passed by us.   My forehead started to sweat.  I could feel my mus c les getting tense as we stepped forward a second time.  The line was moving fast.
    The room wasn't as dark as before and the lady at the middle desk was searching through the destination book and pressing the codes for everyone.   I just hoped she wouldn't do a double take when she got to us.  I kept my head down, doing my best to fill my eyes with tears.
    "Destination," the lady at the desk recited.  Her blouse was a vibrant yellow, and combined with the black in her eyes she looked like a bumblebee.
    "Norig," Zircon stated.  The lady looked up at me.  I forced myself to cry.
    "Is she alright to travel?" the lady inquired.  I hushed my sobs and started coughing.
    "Yes," Zircon replied.  "She's fine."   The lady let out a sigh as she flipped a few pages.
    "Block number eight," she said.  Zircon pulled me to the eighth rectangle on the floor