Read Online Summer's Cauldron by G. L. Breedon - Free Book Online

Koji, Earl, and Mai sauntered across the worn-down grass, heading straight for Alex and the Guild. Although it was not the distraction he would have hoped for, Alex realized he would much rather face a confrontation with the Mad Mages than spend another moment thinking about the look on Victoria’s face when she had seen Nathan. What was that look? Was she happy to see him? Was she mad? What did Nathan mean when he had referred to Victoria’s last letter? What had been in the letter? And did he have to be so good-looking? No, Anna and the Mad Mages were much easier to deal with than the emotions causing his stomach to churn.
    “I told you we’d find them here,” Dillon said, flipping his hair back from his long, pale face. “They’ve probably already joined the circus.”
    “It’s a carnival,” Alex said, drawing his attention back from his romantic concerns as he glared up at Dillon.
    “It’s a show for freaks,” Anna said in her usual sweetly sarcastic tone. “It doesn’t matter what it’s called.”
    “You must feel right at home,” Earl said, a sneering grin on his thin, dark face. “They even have cages for you.”
    “We saw you with that centaur boy,” Koji said, spitting into the grass between the two groups of young mages. “Is he part of your freak family?”
    “Maybe he’s her boyfriend,” Mai said with a giggle. “Maybe they’re going to get married.”
    “Yea,” Earl said with a throaty laugh. “And have little horse babies.”
    “They’re called foals, Earl,” Anna said, smiling as Victoria’s cheeks reddened and her face darkened. “At least if they’re horses. In her case they’d have to be called monsters.”
    “You are the only monsters here,” Victoria said, glaring at Anna.
    “We should put you creatures in a cage,” Dillon said. “To keep the town safe.” After his embarrassment at the cave, when the Guild had saved the town, Anna had been able to push Dillon aside and assume command of the Mad Mages Club. It was easy to see how much Dillon resented Anna’s new position, and his own, but for the time being, there didn’t seem to be anything he could do about it.
    “You could try,” Alex said, stepping forward to stand between Victoria and the Mad Mages. Dillon thrust his chest out and took a step closer to Alex.
    “Oh, I have a much better plan for them than cages,” Anna said, stepping in front of Dillon and staring at Alex. “The famous boy loves his fame a little too much.”
    “And the jealous girl loves herself a little too much,” Alex said. Anna’s eyes flickered with fire and Alex knew he had struck a nerve. He wanted to strike something else, but he held back. He and the Guild could not be the first ones to start a fight. Not with the Mad Mages. Not with Dillon being the Mayor’s son.
    “Oi!” a voice shouted from beside them. Alex and Anna continued to stare at each other, unwilling to look aside. “What are you lot doing here?”
    The owner of the Scottish accented voice stepped between Anna and Alex and looked at them both. The voice belonged to a tall girl about fifteen years old. Not a human girl, Alex realized. An elf. A mountain elf, he guessed, by the stone gray color of her eyes and the midnight black hair pulled back in a long ponytail that hung to the middle of her back. She carried a long wooden bow in one hand and had a quiver of arrows slung over her shoulder. Another girl stood beside her. This one had the same dark African features as Clark and Earl, and stood as tall as Alex.
    “Who let you in?” the elven girl repeated, this time turning and facing Anna and the Mad Mages.
    “Who are you?” Anna said, straightening herself slightly.
    “I’m the one what’s asking you who you are,” the elven girl said, her eyes squinting as she stared down at Anna.
    “We have permission to be here,” Dillon said, stepping forward to stand beside Anna.
    “Not from me, you don’t,” the elven girl said. “So move it