Read Online Foundling Wizard (Book 1) by James Eggebeen - Free Book Online Page A

from the heat of the morning sun as they made their way towards the river.
    The river was wide and deep despite the lateness of the season. The water crashed among the rocks violently, making its way south. There was no way to cross the river here.
    “There’s a ford to the north of here,” Lorit explained. “Zhimosom showed me the route on the map before I came for you.”
    “How did he teach you these things?” Chedel asked. “I was only able to see him faintly, as if through a dusty glass. I wasn’t able to make out much of what he said beyond his assurance that someone was coming to get me.”
    “You should be glad you got that much,” Lorit explained. “The temple is shielded. It was difficult for him to make even that slight contact.
    “I was fortunate,” Lorit continued. “Zhimosom was able to reach me the other night. That made it easy for him to contact me last night. He showed me a few things he thought would help us in our quest. We have to go to Amedon, to meet with him in person.”
    Lorit paused and grasped Chedel’s arm, stopping him in his tracks. “Do you smell that?” he asked.
    “It smells like smoke.”
    “Be quiet,” Lorit said. “Let’s see who’s up ahead. Don’t let them see you.”
    Lorit crept from tree trunk to tree trunk, scanning the forest. The smell of smoke grew stronger as he made his way northward along the bank of the river.
     
     
    He came to an area where the trees had been cleared to make way for the road, as it drove straight for the river. Crossing the water was a ford that had been built up by depositing loose stones in the river until there was a solid roadbed just beneath the surface. The water splashed as it crossed the ford, accelerating across the rocks and rushing downstream.
    In the clearing, Lorit could make out a small knot of people surrounding a smoking camp fire. Lorit stayed hidden as he watched them. There were three patrollers in their armor, with their shields and staffs placed carefully within reach. They sat in a circle around the fire, chatting in low voices.
    Just outside the circle was a lone figure dressed in black robes. His hood was pulled over his head, but Lorit was pretty sure the man’s head would be shaved.
    “Just what I needed,” Lorit muttered to himself, “another priest.” He turned and quietly made his way back to Chedel.
    “There are three patrollers and a priest at the ford,” Lorit said. “If we can get past them, we can make it across the ford. I don’t know where else we can cross the river. I think the next crossing is leagues to the north of here.”
    “Can’t we just use your shields so that they can’t see us?” Chedel asked.
    “The priest will be able to see us. That’s why I had to wait until Morning Prayer, so the priest would be busy.”
    Lorit shook his head in disbelief. All the effort to hide and make their way out of town and here was another priest baring the way. ”Where did this one come from?”
    “There is another town just across the river from here. Maybe he came from there,” Chedel offered.
    “I am not sure how we’re going to get across the ford. Do you have any ideas?”
    “Maybe we should wait until they’re asleep.” Chedel shrugged his shoulders. He seemed quite happy to let Lorit do all the thinking for him.
    “How good are you at conjuration?” Lorit asked.
    “Me, I can’t conjure anything,” he replied. “Why would you ask me that?”
    “The priests came for you. Didn’t you conjure something? How else did they detect you?” Lorit asked.
    “I didn’t conjure anything. I wasn’t even aware that I had the potential to be a wizard until they grabbed me,” he explained. “They knew who I was, where I lived, and everything. Said they’d been watching me and started to sense the beginnings of something. I never did any wizardry.”
    Chedel looked at Lorit questioningly. “What did you do that they detected you?”
    “I conjured an apple. I was just sitting