Read Online Rise of the Mages (Rise of the Mages 2) by Brian W. Foster - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Brian W. Foster
Ads: Link
almost falling, and tightened his legs.
Honey swerved, and he tumbled. He clutched at the horse and caught hold of leather. Safe.
The leather gave way. He fell.
Xan landed back first. Air exploded from his lungs at the same time a wave of pain hit. Paralysis gripped his chest.
He gasped. Nothing happened. Flailing about, he arched his back trying to find any position that would allow him to breathe.
It didn’t work. His body refused to obey his frantic need. Agonizing seconds passed before he tasted sweet air. More time passed before his panic subsided.
He looked around. Honey had vanished. His means of getting to Ashley and away from Justav. His precious saddlebags. His survival. Gone.
Xan had to find the horse but didn’t know which way she had run. He buried his face in his hands. Shameful tears flowed.
“Stop it! Get up, idiot. For Ashley.”
He stood and checked himself. Other than a tender spot on his back to go with the ones on his sides, nothing hurt. No gaping wounds.
A dark shape caught his eye. One of the saddlebags. It must have been the leather he’d grabbed. He moved into a small clearing that allowed enough moonlight through for him to see and opened the bag, hoping for something to help him survive.
“Paper!”
He pulled out fists of unbound pages. His hands roamed the bottom of the case for coins, a hunk of cheese, anything. Nothing.
Xan sank to the ground and angled the first page to catch the pale light. He barely made out words in Master Rae’s handwriting.
“My letter? I’m a master apothecary?”
He had three years left as a journeyman. It wasn’t possible that he was ready. But Master Rae wouldn’t declare it if it weren’t true. Xan’s vision blurred as moisture formed.
With so many foreseeable difficulties in his future, though, he had a hard time comprehending the possibility of settling down somewhere as an apothecary. Did he even want that life anymore? No matter how respected he became or how vital a role he played in a community, any noble could uproot the life of an ordinary citizen on a whim. His imprisonment had taught him that well.
Xan carefully tucked away the letter and examined the rest of the stack. Judging by the frayed edges, most had been torn from book bindings.
He stood to move the top page into brighter moonlight.
Alexander,
Time and age have sapped much knowledge from my old mind that may have been of use to you, and the nobles long ago burned any books containing real magic instruction. However, I have access to a few bindings they overlooked. I’ve taken notes where time permitted and given you the source material where it did not. I hope this information proves adequate should you choose this course.
Rae
Xan shook his head. That irritable, crotchety, wonderful old man. He carefully placed the page on the bottom of the stack and examined the next one.
Behind him, dead leaves crunched. Limbs and bushes rustled. He leapt up. Maybe it was Honey.
The noise grew closer and got louder. And louder. Many leaves crunched. Many limbs and bushes moved. No one horse could produce such a commotion.
Justav!
Xan froze. If he ran, he’d likely trip and hurt himself further. What to do? There was a branch on the ground. Maybe he could use it to fight.
It crumbled in his hands. Couldn’t he even pick out a good stick in a forest full of them? And he thought he’d be able to get away from a catcher and rescue a girl? Idiot!
He discarded another as too small before finding one that might work. If it were Justav, Xan wasn’t going to be taken without a fight.
Instead, Brant broke into view. He looked ticked. Lainey and Dylan followed, their expressions no happier.
“No!” Xan threw the stick at Brant. It missed hitting anything by several feet. “Get away from me!”
“You are not going anywhere without me.” Lainey’s quiet hurt battered at him.
Brant grabbed a rope hanging from his saddle.
Xan wasn’t going to win an argument. His friends were
Honey swerved, and he tumbled. He clutched at the horse and caught hold of leather. Safe.
The leather gave way. He fell.
Xan landed back first. Air exploded from his lungs at the same time a wave of pain hit. Paralysis gripped his chest.
He gasped. Nothing happened. Flailing about, he arched his back trying to find any position that would allow him to breathe.
It didn’t work. His body refused to obey his frantic need. Agonizing seconds passed before he tasted sweet air. More time passed before his panic subsided.
He looked around. Honey had vanished. His means of getting to Ashley and away from Justav. His precious saddlebags. His survival. Gone.
Xan had to find the horse but didn’t know which way she had run. He buried his face in his hands. Shameful tears flowed.
“Stop it! Get up, idiot. For Ashley.”
He stood and checked himself. Other than a tender spot on his back to go with the ones on his sides, nothing hurt. No gaping wounds.
A dark shape caught his eye. One of the saddlebags. It must have been the leather he’d grabbed. He moved into a small clearing that allowed enough moonlight through for him to see and opened the bag, hoping for something to help him survive.
“Paper!”
He pulled out fists of unbound pages. His hands roamed the bottom of the case for coins, a hunk of cheese, anything. Nothing.
Xan sank to the ground and angled the first page to catch the pale light. He barely made out words in Master Rae’s handwriting.
“My letter? I’m a master apothecary?”
He had three years left as a journeyman. It wasn’t possible that he was ready. But Master Rae wouldn’t declare it if it weren’t true. Xan’s vision blurred as moisture formed.
With so many foreseeable difficulties in his future, though, he had a hard time comprehending the possibility of settling down somewhere as an apothecary. Did he even want that life anymore? No matter how respected he became or how vital a role he played in a community, any noble could uproot the life of an ordinary citizen on a whim. His imprisonment had taught him that well.
Xan carefully tucked away the letter and examined the rest of the stack. Judging by the frayed edges, most had been torn from book bindings.
He stood to move the top page into brighter moonlight.
Alexander,
Time and age have sapped much knowledge from my old mind that may have been of use to you, and the nobles long ago burned any books containing real magic instruction. However, I have access to a few bindings they overlooked. I’ve taken notes where time permitted and given you the source material where it did not. I hope this information proves adequate should you choose this course.
Rae
Xan shook his head. That irritable, crotchety, wonderful old man. He carefully placed the page on the bottom of the stack and examined the next one.
Behind him, dead leaves crunched. Limbs and bushes rustled. He leapt up. Maybe it was Honey.
The noise grew closer and got louder. And louder. Many leaves crunched. Many limbs and bushes moved. No one horse could produce such a commotion.
Justav!
Xan froze. If he ran, he’d likely trip and hurt himself further. What to do? There was a branch on the ground. Maybe he could use it to fight.
It crumbled in his hands. Couldn’t he even pick out a good stick in a forest full of them? And he thought he’d be able to get away from a catcher and rescue a girl? Idiot!
He discarded another as too small before finding one that might work. If it were Justav, Xan wasn’t going to be taken without a fight.
Instead, Brant broke into view. He looked ticked. Lainey and Dylan followed, their expressions no happier.
“No!” Xan threw the stick at Brant. It missed hitting anything by several feet. “Get away from me!”
“You are not going anywhere without me.” Lainey’s quiet hurt battered at him.
Brant grabbed a rope hanging from his saddle.
Xan wasn’t going to win an argument. His friends were
Similar Books
