Read Online Soul Seeker (The World of Lasniniar Book 1) by Jacquelyn Smith - Free Book Online
Authors: Jacquelyn Smith
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to look like silver vines. The surface of the doors was smooth, with no sign of knob or handle. Both doors were shut.
“Who built this incredible structure?” Barlo’s eyes were wide as he ran his hands over the smooth stone.
“The Earth Elves built it long ago.” Iarion looked off into the distance as he remembered.
Linwyn gave the doors a push, but nothing happened. They must be locked from the inside. She stepped back, looking to Lysandir.
After a moment of consideration, the Learnéd One raised one hand and spoke some muttered words. The doors swung inward without a sound.
“I do not know whether this is a good sign,” Lysandir said. “On the one hand, the doors being locked means no one has entered here since Numarin left, so any clues will have remained undisturbed. This makes it seem as though Numarin left of his own accord. But the doors might have locked themselves behind Numarin’s abductor, if someone managed to take him by force.” He stood for a moment in thought.
“We will split up and search the tower,” he said after a pause. “Do not touch anything. If you find something of interest, call for me.” Lysandir stepped across the threshold without looking back. One by one, the rest of them filed in after him.
As they entered, the tower filled with light. Silver torches lining the walls gave off a strange, white glow. Otherwise, the entrance was empty of furnishings. The arched ceiling was so high, Iarion could have stood on Lysandir’s shoulders and he still would not have been able to reach it. The floor was made of the same white and blue stone as the walls and ceiling, and was perfectly smooth. Its polished surface reflected the light of the ethereal torches. Three stairways led upward from the main hall.
Barlo looked around, his mouth agape. Silvaranwyn’s golden eyes were also wide. Iarion hid a smile. They were the only ones in their group who had never been inside Mar Arin.
Iarion glanced around. Nothing seemed disturbed. There were no signs of a struggle.
Lysandir headed to the middle stairway and began to climb, leaving the rest of them to sort themselves out. Linwyn and Golaron took the spire on the left. Iarion led the way up the rightmost spiral staircase. Barlo and Silvaranwyn followed.
The winding stairs led to an open room. It was filled with empty bird perches of stone that appeared to have sprouted from the floor. A huge balcony carved right out of the rock of the tower overlooked the Jagged Mountains. The floor was covered with bird droppings. Barlo raised one of his soiled boots with a groan.
“Well there’s nothing here worth investigating,” he said.
“I disagree,” Iarion said.
“Oh, really? Tell me, oh wise and ancient elf, what can there possibly be here of interest? Other than the bird dung.” Barlo made a face as he lifted his foot to scrape his boot clean on the doorjamb.
“It’s the bird dung that interests me.” Iarion frowned. “It tells me Numarin has been away for some time. Some of these droppings are months old and Numarin would never allow them to remain here while he was still in his tower. They also tell me the birds who communicated with him have come back several times to look for him.”
“The Sintadar have not seen Numarin for some time,” Silvaranwyn said, reminding them of her presence. “And they have always been close to him.” Silvaranwyn did not say what they were all thinking. If the Sky Elves could not find Numarin, he was truly missing.
“I wish we could talk to one of his birds,” Iarion said. “Perhaps they could tell us something.”
A flash of inspiration crossed Silvaranwyn’s features. Ignoring the mess, she stepped onto the balcony and threw her head back, giving a long, piercing cry. Barlo almost jumped out of his soiled boots at the sound.
After several moments, a large, golden hawk flew onto the balcony and landed on one of the perches. Barlo took a step backward, but Silvaranwyn moved forward until
“Who built this incredible structure?” Barlo’s eyes were wide as he ran his hands over the smooth stone.
“The Earth Elves built it long ago.” Iarion looked off into the distance as he remembered.
Linwyn gave the doors a push, but nothing happened. They must be locked from the inside. She stepped back, looking to Lysandir.
After a moment of consideration, the Learnéd One raised one hand and spoke some muttered words. The doors swung inward without a sound.
“I do not know whether this is a good sign,” Lysandir said. “On the one hand, the doors being locked means no one has entered here since Numarin left, so any clues will have remained undisturbed. This makes it seem as though Numarin left of his own accord. But the doors might have locked themselves behind Numarin’s abductor, if someone managed to take him by force.” He stood for a moment in thought.
“We will split up and search the tower,” he said after a pause. “Do not touch anything. If you find something of interest, call for me.” Lysandir stepped across the threshold without looking back. One by one, the rest of them filed in after him.
As they entered, the tower filled with light. Silver torches lining the walls gave off a strange, white glow. Otherwise, the entrance was empty of furnishings. The arched ceiling was so high, Iarion could have stood on Lysandir’s shoulders and he still would not have been able to reach it. The floor was made of the same white and blue stone as the walls and ceiling, and was perfectly smooth. Its polished surface reflected the light of the ethereal torches. Three stairways led upward from the main hall.
Barlo looked around, his mouth agape. Silvaranwyn’s golden eyes were also wide. Iarion hid a smile. They were the only ones in their group who had never been inside Mar Arin.
Iarion glanced around. Nothing seemed disturbed. There were no signs of a struggle.
Lysandir headed to the middle stairway and began to climb, leaving the rest of them to sort themselves out. Linwyn and Golaron took the spire on the left. Iarion led the way up the rightmost spiral staircase. Barlo and Silvaranwyn followed.
The winding stairs led to an open room. It was filled with empty bird perches of stone that appeared to have sprouted from the floor. A huge balcony carved right out of the rock of the tower overlooked the Jagged Mountains. The floor was covered with bird droppings. Barlo raised one of his soiled boots with a groan.
“Well there’s nothing here worth investigating,” he said.
“I disagree,” Iarion said.
“Oh, really? Tell me, oh wise and ancient elf, what can there possibly be here of interest? Other than the bird dung.” Barlo made a face as he lifted his foot to scrape his boot clean on the doorjamb.
“It’s the bird dung that interests me.” Iarion frowned. “It tells me Numarin has been away for some time. Some of these droppings are months old and Numarin would never allow them to remain here while he was still in his tower. They also tell me the birds who communicated with him have come back several times to look for him.”
“The Sintadar have not seen Numarin for some time,” Silvaranwyn said, reminding them of her presence. “And they have always been close to him.” Silvaranwyn did not say what they were all thinking. If the Sky Elves could not find Numarin, he was truly missing.
“I wish we could talk to one of his birds,” Iarion said. “Perhaps they could tell us something.”
A flash of inspiration crossed Silvaranwyn’s features. Ignoring the mess, she stepped onto the balcony and threw her head back, giving a long, piercing cry. Barlo almost jumped out of his soiled boots at the sound.
After several moments, a large, golden hawk flew onto the balcony and landed on one of the perches. Barlo took a step backward, but Silvaranwyn moved forward until
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