Read Online Soulbinder (Book 3) by Ben Cassidy - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ben Cassidy
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open it?”
Galla reached up, feeling around the edge of the top. “No. It’s locked into place.” He unslung his pack, pulling several books out. “But there must be some way to open it. The writing undoubtedly holds the key.”
Joseph moved up to the bottom of the stairs. “What, like a puzzle of some kind?”
Galla nodded, flipping open the first book. “Undoubtedly. I have some books that should help me translate it.”
“You just carry those around with you in case you need them, huh?” Kendril picked one up and turned the cover around. “ Ancient Runes of the Northern Barbarian Tribes .” He tossed it back to the ground. “I hear that one’s a real page-turner.”
Kara set her lantern down on top of a nearby stone slab. “I should have seen it before,” she said with a cold smile. “You’re a thief.”
Galla jerked his head up.
“More like tomb-robber,” Maklavir said. “A pursuit which, I might add, is illegal in most of the civilized nations of Rothland.”
Galla’s face turned hard. “Do you have any idea,” he said, “how much time, how much effort, how much money I have spent finding this place? No one else believed me. No one else even thought it existed.” He got to his feet, a book still in his hand. “There may well be something of value in this box. If there is,” his gaze shifted towards the rest of the party, “then we can all profit from it. Unless, of course, you want to stop me now.”
Joseph crossed his arms, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Well,” he said after a moment, “whatever’s in there is most likely of pagan origin. I don’t really see a problem with it.”
“Exactly,” said Galla quickly. “It’s not like we’re stealing from Eru. Why not profit if we can?”
Kara gave a dark chuckle.
Kendril gave a disgusted shake of his head. “Fine, have fun robbing the temple.” He turned to Joseph. “Maybe you and I should take a look around while Galla here is pilfering the antiquities.”
Joseph gave a thoughtful nod. “Can’t hurt.” He looked over at Galla, who was already lost in translating the runes. He stepped over to Kara, and lowered his voice. “You mind keeping an eye on our Baderan friend here?”
The redhead smiled. “No problem. I’ll make sure he doesn’t try anything while you guys are gone.”
Maklavir came striding up, shaking loose cobweb strands from his cape. “I’ll stay here with Kara and Galla, I think. I’ve had enough tomb-crawling for one day.”
Kendril gave a half-smile. “Well, I’m sure we’ll miss your expertise, Maklavir, but it’s your decision.”
Joseph gave a silent smile, following the Ghostwalker towards the stairs that loomed out of the dark wall to the west.
Cracked stone pillars stood on each side of the yawning opening.
Kendril held up the lantern, looking down the winding flight of stone steps. “How far down do you think they go?”
“Only one way to find out, I suppose.”
“Right.” Kendril glanced back at Galla one last time, giving the priest a hard look.
The Baderan didn’t even notice.
“Let’s go,” Kendril said. He turned to the stairs.
They moved down the stairs in silence, save for the scuffling of their boots on the stone. The steps wound down in a tight spiral, twisting around ever deeper into the earth. Cobwebs and dust choked the passage.
Joseph kicked a rock out of his way. “So,” he said with a glance behind them at the stairs retreating into the darkness above, “you seem to know quite a bit about the Second Despair.”
Kendril kept his concentration focused on the stairs ahead of him. “I read a book on it once.”
“I noticed you also seem to know a lot about Xenin Jovar.” Joseph paused. “Not to mention the old gods.”
The Ghostwalker stopped, and turned back to his friend. The raised hood cast a deep shadow over his face in the sputtering lamp light. “Something you want to ask?”
Joseph stopped as well. “Yes, actually. Something I’ve
Galla reached up, feeling around the edge of the top. “No. It’s locked into place.” He unslung his pack, pulling several books out. “But there must be some way to open it. The writing undoubtedly holds the key.”
Joseph moved up to the bottom of the stairs. “What, like a puzzle of some kind?”
Galla nodded, flipping open the first book. “Undoubtedly. I have some books that should help me translate it.”
“You just carry those around with you in case you need them, huh?” Kendril picked one up and turned the cover around. “ Ancient Runes of the Northern Barbarian Tribes .” He tossed it back to the ground. “I hear that one’s a real page-turner.”
Kara set her lantern down on top of a nearby stone slab. “I should have seen it before,” she said with a cold smile. “You’re a thief.”
Galla jerked his head up.
“More like tomb-robber,” Maklavir said. “A pursuit which, I might add, is illegal in most of the civilized nations of Rothland.”
Galla’s face turned hard. “Do you have any idea,” he said, “how much time, how much effort, how much money I have spent finding this place? No one else believed me. No one else even thought it existed.” He got to his feet, a book still in his hand. “There may well be something of value in this box. If there is,” his gaze shifted towards the rest of the party, “then we can all profit from it. Unless, of course, you want to stop me now.”
Joseph crossed his arms, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Well,” he said after a moment, “whatever’s in there is most likely of pagan origin. I don’t really see a problem with it.”
“Exactly,” said Galla quickly. “It’s not like we’re stealing from Eru. Why not profit if we can?”
Kara gave a dark chuckle.
Kendril gave a disgusted shake of his head. “Fine, have fun robbing the temple.” He turned to Joseph. “Maybe you and I should take a look around while Galla here is pilfering the antiquities.”
Joseph gave a thoughtful nod. “Can’t hurt.” He looked over at Galla, who was already lost in translating the runes. He stepped over to Kara, and lowered his voice. “You mind keeping an eye on our Baderan friend here?”
The redhead smiled. “No problem. I’ll make sure he doesn’t try anything while you guys are gone.”
Maklavir came striding up, shaking loose cobweb strands from his cape. “I’ll stay here with Kara and Galla, I think. I’ve had enough tomb-crawling for one day.”
Kendril gave a half-smile. “Well, I’m sure we’ll miss your expertise, Maklavir, but it’s your decision.”
Joseph gave a silent smile, following the Ghostwalker towards the stairs that loomed out of the dark wall to the west.
Cracked stone pillars stood on each side of the yawning opening.
Kendril held up the lantern, looking down the winding flight of stone steps. “How far down do you think they go?”
“Only one way to find out, I suppose.”
“Right.” Kendril glanced back at Galla one last time, giving the priest a hard look.
The Baderan didn’t even notice.
“Let’s go,” Kendril said. He turned to the stairs.
They moved down the stairs in silence, save for the scuffling of their boots on the stone. The steps wound down in a tight spiral, twisting around ever deeper into the earth. Cobwebs and dust choked the passage.
Joseph kicked a rock out of his way. “So,” he said with a glance behind them at the stairs retreating into the darkness above, “you seem to know quite a bit about the Second Despair.”
Kendril kept his concentration focused on the stairs ahead of him. “I read a book on it once.”
“I noticed you also seem to know a lot about Xenin Jovar.” Joseph paused. “Not to mention the old gods.”
The Ghostwalker stopped, and turned back to his friend. The raised hood cast a deep shadow over his face in the sputtering lamp light. “Something you want to ask?”
Joseph stopped as well. “Yes, actually. Something I’ve
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