Read Online His Cure For Magic (Book 2) by M.R. Forbes - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: M.R. Forbes
Tags: Coming of Age, Fantasy, Magic, dark fantasy, Wizards, Sword and Sorcery, young adult fantasy, epic fantasy, Magic and Wizards
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Overlords want to deny exists but allow to continue, though I've always doubted that was their original purpose."
They followed him down the ladder, into a network of torch-lit tunnels that stretched for unseen lengths below the city. There were a few others moving about, and they nodded to Davin as they passed. Eryn and Silas had both raised the hood of their cloaks, and it was effective enough to avoid stares from people accustomed to not asking questions.
A series of twists and turns brought them to another ladder. Davin climbed up first, pushing a hidden trap door out of the way and leading them all up into a tiny room that smelled of bread but was presently empty. He withdrew a key from a vest pocket and unlocked the door leading out of the room, swinging it open and bringing them into an empty kitchen.
"My home," he said. "One of them. I haven't lived here in some time. No one has."
"If I had to guess, I would say this is one of the three level apartments on Downing Street," Andreaus said. "These were said to have burned down."
"You have a fine sense of direction, merchant," Davin said. "These are those apartments. About two years past I bought the entire block under a false name. Only recently did I have all of the units except for this one torched inside and out. This one... only the outer wood was licked by flame, leading most to believe the entire structure uninhabitable."
"Why?" Silas asked. "That's a lot of trouble to go through."
"It is, but I had a good reason."
He brought them out of the kitchen and into a large, empty dining room, and then through to the foyer and up two flights of stairs to the third floor. From there, he led them down a short hallway to a door in the rear corner of the apartment.
"The biggest challenge is finding enough light. I've been able to start small fires in here when it's cloudy and the view from the ground is obscured, but the rest of the time I don't dare betray the death of this place."
Silas wasn't sure what he was talking about. Davin took a separate key from the other pocket of his vest and placed it in the lock. He was stoic as the tumblers clicked and he shoved it gently open.
Silas heard the confusion of the people behind him. If he wasn't looking at it, he wouldn't have quite believed it himself.
Across from the door was a fireplace, and in front of the fireplace was a small rug, worn in the center such that the threads were frayed and reduced to their natural color. Stacked neatly on either side of the rug were books. Hundreds and hundreds of books.
"What is this?" Silas asked.
"These are as many of the books that used to sit in the Varrow library as we managed to save, before Overlord Penzi had it and all of its contents destroyed. Many of them are of little enough value to you, but there is one that I think you may find intriguing. It was the last book that Saretta secreted away before she got caught."
He entered the room and made his way to the fireplace. Once there, he got down on his hands and knees and crawled inside. Silas heard him grunt, and the sound of stone sliding against stone. A moment later he backed out and stood, holding a square wrap of cloth in his hands.
"The book in my hands predates his Empire," he said. "It's in a language I don't understand. I've been trying to decipher it, but I'm not nearly the scholar that Saretta wa... is. I only know it is some kind of journal or diary, because each of the entries looks like it is dated and signed."
Silas reached out. "May I?"
Davin put out his hand. "I want to help you, Silas Morningstar. I want to atone for the night I painted the grass red with the blood of innocents. Talon Rast must atone as well."
He turned his shoulder to put the book further away.
" His soldiers took her, Silas. They took Saretta. I've been told they didn't kill her, that they brought her to the ore mines at Washfall. You and your Cursed companion can save her, I know you can. Do so, and I'll give you the
They followed him down the ladder, into a network of torch-lit tunnels that stretched for unseen lengths below the city. There were a few others moving about, and they nodded to Davin as they passed. Eryn and Silas had both raised the hood of their cloaks, and it was effective enough to avoid stares from people accustomed to not asking questions.
A series of twists and turns brought them to another ladder. Davin climbed up first, pushing a hidden trap door out of the way and leading them all up into a tiny room that smelled of bread but was presently empty. He withdrew a key from a vest pocket and unlocked the door leading out of the room, swinging it open and bringing them into an empty kitchen.
"My home," he said. "One of them. I haven't lived here in some time. No one has."
"If I had to guess, I would say this is one of the three level apartments on Downing Street," Andreaus said. "These were said to have burned down."
"You have a fine sense of direction, merchant," Davin said. "These are those apartments. About two years past I bought the entire block under a false name. Only recently did I have all of the units except for this one torched inside and out. This one... only the outer wood was licked by flame, leading most to believe the entire structure uninhabitable."
"Why?" Silas asked. "That's a lot of trouble to go through."
"It is, but I had a good reason."
He brought them out of the kitchen and into a large, empty dining room, and then through to the foyer and up two flights of stairs to the third floor. From there, he led them down a short hallway to a door in the rear corner of the apartment.
"The biggest challenge is finding enough light. I've been able to start small fires in here when it's cloudy and the view from the ground is obscured, but the rest of the time I don't dare betray the death of this place."
Silas wasn't sure what he was talking about. Davin took a separate key from the other pocket of his vest and placed it in the lock. He was stoic as the tumblers clicked and he shoved it gently open.
Silas heard the confusion of the people behind him. If he wasn't looking at it, he wouldn't have quite believed it himself.
Across from the door was a fireplace, and in front of the fireplace was a small rug, worn in the center such that the threads were frayed and reduced to their natural color. Stacked neatly on either side of the rug were books. Hundreds and hundreds of books.
"What is this?" Silas asked.
"These are as many of the books that used to sit in the Varrow library as we managed to save, before Overlord Penzi had it and all of its contents destroyed. Many of them are of little enough value to you, but there is one that I think you may find intriguing. It was the last book that Saretta secreted away before she got caught."
He entered the room and made his way to the fireplace. Once there, he got down on his hands and knees and crawled inside. Silas heard him grunt, and the sound of stone sliding against stone. A moment later he backed out and stood, holding a square wrap of cloth in his hands.
"The book in my hands predates his Empire," he said. "It's in a language I don't understand. I've been trying to decipher it, but I'm not nearly the scholar that Saretta wa... is. I only know it is some kind of journal or diary, because each of the entries looks like it is dated and signed."
Silas reached out. "May I?"
Davin put out his hand. "I want to help you, Silas Morningstar. I want to atone for the night I painted the grass red with the blood of innocents. Talon Rast must atone as well."
He turned his shoulder to put the book further away.
" His soldiers took her, Silas. They took Saretta. I've been told they didn't kill her, that they brought her to the ore mines at Washfall. You and your Cursed companion can save her, I know you can. Do so, and I'll give you the
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