Read Online Endless Night by D.K. Holmberg - Free Book Online
Authors: D.K. Holmberg
Tags: BluA
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and a way down that few knew about. He gathered what he could, debating what essentials he had, and started stuffing books he wanted to bring with him into a bag.
Foolish. He’d been foolish to go to the Seat unprepared.
He had heard the rumors of change happening within Atenas but hadn’t wanted to believe it. Change that had started the moment the commander had taken over from Nolan as first of the order. Now it seemed clear the commander had done something to the rest of the council, twisting them in some way.
Only he didn’t know how .
There would be time to question later. First he had to get to safety, but where would that be? Where could he go that would be safe?
Nowhere in Atenas. The city itself was under the control of the order. Even the city watch consisted of shapers not skilled enough to join the order but who still wanted to serve. Each one of them would have to be suspect.
What of the guild?
Oliver hesitated. The guild might still be intact, but how would he know? The Seat had asked for him separately, almost as if knowing that they needed to pull him away from the guild. Had they come for him first… or last?
Regardless of the answer, he needed help, and not the kind he would find in Atenas. He hated to ask, but what choice did he have? Now that he didn’t know who he could count on within Atenas, where could he go but there?
The only question he had was whether Eldridge would answer his call.
* * *
T he tavern was in a section of Atenas near the outer edge of the city. Oliver wore loose wool pants and an ill-fitting jacket, but they were all he could find. The jacket barely covered his stomach, and the pants were much too large. Likely they did more to make him stand out than fit in.
Except here. In this place, a dingy place with barely enough light for him to see, he doubted that anyone cared what he wore just so long as he paid. He looked up at each person who entered, wondering if the next person would be Eldridge, or the next, but so far, the man hadn’t come.
Stars, but what would he do if Eldridge didn’t answer? He knew the scholar from his earliest days in the college, back before either of them had been raised very high. Oliver had been a different man—a much lighter man—then. And Eldridge, he had been a flurry of energy and hope even then.
The door opened and an older man tottered in, leaning on his cane. The filth coming off the man could be smelled where Oliver sat.
Why had Eldridge ever suggested this place to meet if they needed to meet? Not that Oliver ever expected that he would. He had thought Eldridge would be the one needing his help, sort of like the time he brought Wyath to him. Not much that he’d managed to do for him though. Without the assistance of Volth and his impressive connection to water, Wyath would have died.
The old man made his way toward Oliver.
Did the old man recognize him? As head of the guild, he was recognizable in the city even when he didn’t want anyone to know that he was there. Changing his clothes and attempting to disappear didn’t really suit him, and he wasn’t sure he could do much if someone did recognize him anyway. He would have to leave, he suspected. Only, the more he thought about it, the less interested he was in leaving Atenas. This was his home. And he needed to understand what happened here.
Balls! The old man decided to sit across from him.
Up close, his wrinkled face was covered with dirt or feces. With some of the folk from outside the city, it could be difficult to tell. Hygiene was not as important with them as it was in Atenas. He rested his cane against the table and leaned back into the booth with a groan.
Oliver turned his attention away from the man and looked instead at his cane. Surprisingly, he noted symbols burned into it. Many he recognized, but not all.
“Eldridge said you had a keen eye.”
Oliver jerked his head around and stared at the old man. Balls! Had Eldridge been compromised? Was that
Foolish. He’d been foolish to go to the Seat unprepared.
He had heard the rumors of change happening within Atenas but hadn’t wanted to believe it. Change that had started the moment the commander had taken over from Nolan as first of the order. Now it seemed clear the commander had done something to the rest of the council, twisting them in some way.
Only he didn’t know how .
There would be time to question later. First he had to get to safety, but where would that be? Where could he go that would be safe?
Nowhere in Atenas. The city itself was under the control of the order. Even the city watch consisted of shapers not skilled enough to join the order but who still wanted to serve. Each one of them would have to be suspect.
What of the guild?
Oliver hesitated. The guild might still be intact, but how would he know? The Seat had asked for him separately, almost as if knowing that they needed to pull him away from the guild. Had they come for him first… or last?
Regardless of the answer, he needed help, and not the kind he would find in Atenas. He hated to ask, but what choice did he have? Now that he didn’t know who he could count on within Atenas, where could he go but there?
The only question he had was whether Eldridge would answer his call.
* * *
T he tavern was in a section of Atenas near the outer edge of the city. Oliver wore loose wool pants and an ill-fitting jacket, but they were all he could find. The jacket barely covered his stomach, and the pants were much too large. Likely they did more to make him stand out than fit in.
Except here. In this place, a dingy place with barely enough light for him to see, he doubted that anyone cared what he wore just so long as he paid. He looked up at each person who entered, wondering if the next person would be Eldridge, or the next, but so far, the man hadn’t come.
Stars, but what would he do if Eldridge didn’t answer? He knew the scholar from his earliest days in the college, back before either of them had been raised very high. Oliver had been a different man—a much lighter man—then. And Eldridge, he had been a flurry of energy and hope even then.
The door opened and an older man tottered in, leaning on his cane. The filth coming off the man could be smelled where Oliver sat.
Why had Eldridge ever suggested this place to meet if they needed to meet? Not that Oliver ever expected that he would. He had thought Eldridge would be the one needing his help, sort of like the time he brought Wyath to him. Not much that he’d managed to do for him though. Without the assistance of Volth and his impressive connection to water, Wyath would have died.
The old man made his way toward Oliver.
Did the old man recognize him? As head of the guild, he was recognizable in the city even when he didn’t want anyone to know that he was there. Changing his clothes and attempting to disappear didn’t really suit him, and he wasn’t sure he could do much if someone did recognize him anyway. He would have to leave, he suspected. Only, the more he thought about it, the less interested he was in leaving Atenas. This was his home. And he needed to understand what happened here.
Balls! The old man decided to sit across from him.
Up close, his wrinkled face was covered with dirt or feces. With some of the folk from outside the city, it could be difficult to tell. Hygiene was not as important with them as it was in Atenas. He rested his cane against the table and leaned back into the booth with a groan.
Oliver turned his attention away from the man and looked instead at his cane. Surprisingly, he noted symbols burned into it. Many he recognized, but not all.
“Eldridge said you had a keen eye.”
Oliver jerked his head around and stared at the old man. Balls! Had Eldridge been compromised? Was that
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