Read Online Have 2 Sky Magic (Haven Series 2) by B. V. Larson - Free Book Online Page A

changeling eyed him and the dagger which had now appeared in his hand. In an instant, it’s manner changed drastically. It sucked in a great gout of air and bellowed with wild cries and screams. Outside on the landing, they heard running footsteps. Lanet was at the door. She rattled the knob, but of course Thilfox had locked it.
    “Please father, don’t hurt him.”
    “Go downstairs, daughter,” he said in a commanding voice.
    Brand heard Telyn talking to Lanet, but she wouldn’t be consoled. She pounded on the door again.
    “You must be skilled, to so convince my daughter so quickly,” said Thilfox.
    “Sir,” said Brand at his shoulder. “Should we prep an egg? don’t we need to perform an exorcism?”
    Thilfox smiled grimly and shook his head. He slapped his dagger into his palm. “There is no need. We have the child back.”
    At this news, the changeling waited no longer. It sprang out of the cradle and raced around the room. Thilfox slashed the air behind the creature. Still in the guise of his grandson, as it flew about the place in great leaps and hops.
    Brand made a grab for it, but it ducked and slipped under him. In a moment, it had found the second window, which they had not thought to secure. It flew out into the courtyard. They leaned out after it, and watched it bound by the befuddled guardsman. He’d never seen a naked baby, performing ten foot leaps as it cleared the outer wall and disappeared into the forest.
    “We lost it,” said Brand, “I’m sorry about that, sir.”
    “You have nothing to be sorry about. I dithered, rather than striking at once. I suppose, I just wanted to be sure. I am in your debt, Brand Rabing.”
    Brand nodded, not knowing what else to say.
    At the door, Lanet finally made her way in. She held her real child, but still felt the hurt of losing the other. Tears ran down her face.
    “You were bewitched, my daughter,” said Thilfox gently, “but we’ve chased the faker out. We must be more careful.”
    “But I had wards,” said Lanet. Telyn inspected her wards. There was indeed a flat river rock on a fresh thong in the child’s cradle. She looked at it closely.
    “This hole,” she said, “it’s been drilled. Where did you get it?”
    “I don’t know…my husband bought it for me before he went away.”
    Telyn and Brand exchanged glances. Both knew there was only one man who sold wards in Riverton.

Chapter Nine
    The Riot

    They spent a relatively peaceful night at Drake Manor. The beds were warm and the sheets fresh. There seemed to be no end to the fresh food. In the morning, however, they heard that many bad events had occurred over the evening across the Haven.
    A giant had killed a farmer, young people had been led astray, changelings were discovered. Every mother in the Haven eyed her own infant with suspicion and sick worry.
    Before midday, Tylag struck out with Brand and his companions to the docks. They would set off from the harbor to search for Myrddin immediately. There were no surprises on the trip to the docks until they passed into the winding section of road where the rickety houses of the Hoots and the Silures were perched. There they met a great party of folk dressed in the simple dirty garments of dockworkers and miners. They had gathered around Old Tad Silure’s shack, and they were in an ugly mood.
    As they rolled their cart down the road past Old Tad’s place, the oldster himself pointed them out to the crowd. “There they are! They provided me with the wards! Seek your refunds from them!”
    The crowd surged forward to surround them.
    “What do you want?” demanded Brand, speaking in a commanding voice as he thought his brother Jak might have.
    One among them was Slet, the skinny unkempt dock worker that had gotten into an argument with Jak back at the Spotted Hog a few days ago. Brand could tell that it was partly due to his humiliation on that day that he headed up this mob now. “We are arresting you!  That Fob girl is a cheat