Read Online Taming the Elements: Elwin Escari Chronicles: Volume 1 by David Ekrut - Free Book Online
Authors: David Ekrut
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Elwin.”
Elwin replaced the almost empty purse back on his belt loop and turned to leave. “Thank you, kind sir.”
“Aye, and thanks to you as well,” Willem smiled. “Send my best to Drenen.”
“I will.” Elwin returned the smile and left.
As he reached the second step, a gush of cold splashed his head and traveled down his spine. His muscles froze and his heart pounded. Wiping water from his face, he looked up at the clear-blue sky. No one in the square seemed to take notice of his dilemma. A muffled giggle came from somewhere above him.
“Feffer!” Elwin accused.
Elwin backed down the steps, studying the roof line for several moments in an attempt to find his attacker. Another downpour came from above. Elwin dove to the side of the steps as if lava poured down from the heavens. He heard the splatter of water hit the steps behind him.
He stood up and ran toward the western side of the building. A bamboo ladder leaned against the backside of the building and extended just over the roof line.
A small part of his brain tried to warn him against revenge, but he ignored it. Feffer needed to pay.
Elwin ran to the ladder as fast as his feet could carry him and pulled it to the ground. It felt lighter than he thought it would be, but it felt awkward trying to run with it. But ran he did. Heart pounding, he moved around to the back of the building and across to the eastern side. He adjusted the ladder to just under the roof line and pressed the base of the ladder deep into the grass until it dug into the dirt. Throwing the strap over his shoulder to free his hands, he put his foot on the first step and grabbed hold of the sides.
Then, he looked up.
Elwin hesitated. That voice to turn around and walk away became louder. The height of the building seemed much higher with the ladder next to it. He pushed the voice away. Not more than half an arm’s length, each wrung had a comfortable distance to the next step. He could do this.
Sucking in a deep breath he took the second step. Then a third. He kept climbing, not looking down. After making it to the top, he peered over the edge. Racks and boxes were beneath an awning at the other end, but there was no sign of Feffer.
He pulled himself over the ledge and onto the roof.
Without thinking, he turned around and looked down. The ground seemed to blur and stretch further away than he thought possible. He teetered on his toes as if the roof shook. Backing away from the edge, he fell onto his backside and turned to clutch the roof with both hands. He felt as if the roof rocked beneath him. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as if trying to escape.
Elwin closed his eyes. The roof couldn’t have been moving. He had read about Fistledon the Great, a master elementalist who could conjure fire and shake all of Arinth with his powers. This wasn’t that. He had never been so high up before. He needed to be calm. There was no harm in being so high up.
No you japed-up fool! The voice in his head said. It’s the impact at the bottom that’ll dash your fool brains to bits.”
“Stop it,” he told the voice. “That isn’t going to help.”
He took several deep breaths, letting his heartbeat slow to a steady rhythm and opened his eyes. The roof no longer moved beneath him. Slow, as to not startle the roof into motion, he sat up. Behind him, he could see a couple of buckets at the front edge of the building. He began to consider his options, when he heard a scraping sound on the roof line behind him.
His breath caught in his chest. The ladder!
Scrambling forward on hands and knees, Elwin dove in an attempt to reach the end of the ladder. His hand grabbed hold of the ladder’s edge, and he pulled. The jolt on the ladder came from a tug at the other end.
A stifled laugh from below cut off with the jarring halt of the ladder. Elwin clasped a firm hand on his end and heaved with all of his might, but the ladder still didn’t give.
Once more, Elwin found
Elwin replaced the almost empty purse back on his belt loop and turned to leave. “Thank you, kind sir.”
“Aye, and thanks to you as well,” Willem smiled. “Send my best to Drenen.”
“I will.” Elwin returned the smile and left.
As he reached the second step, a gush of cold splashed his head and traveled down his spine. His muscles froze and his heart pounded. Wiping water from his face, he looked up at the clear-blue sky. No one in the square seemed to take notice of his dilemma. A muffled giggle came from somewhere above him.
“Feffer!” Elwin accused.
Elwin backed down the steps, studying the roof line for several moments in an attempt to find his attacker. Another downpour came from above. Elwin dove to the side of the steps as if lava poured down from the heavens. He heard the splatter of water hit the steps behind him.
He stood up and ran toward the western side of the building. A bamboo ladder leaned against the backside of the building and extended just over the roof line.
A small part of his brain tried to warn him against revenge, but he ignored it. Feffer needed to pay.
Elwin ran to the ladder as fast as his feet could carry him and pulled it to the ground. It felt lighter than he thought it would be, but it felt awkward trying to run with it. But ran he did. Heart pounding, he moved around to the back of the building and across to the eastern side. He adjusted the ladder to just under the roof line and pressed the base of the ladder deep into the grass until it dug into the dirt. Throwing the strap over his shoulder to free his hands, he put his foot on the first step and grabbed hold of the sides.
Then, he looked up.
Elwin hesitated. That voice to turn around and walk away became louder. The height of the building seemed much higher with the ladder next to it. He pushed the voice away. Not more than half an arm’s length, each wrung had a comfortable distance to the next step. He could do this.
Sucking in a deep breath he took the second step. Then a third. He kept climbing, not looking down. After making it to the top, he peered over the edge. Racks and boxes were beneath an awning at the other end, but there was no sign of Feffer.
He pulled himself over the ledge and onto the roof.
Without thinking, he turned around and looked down. The ground seemed to blur and stretch further away than he thought possible. He teetered on his toes as if the roof shook. Backing away from the edge, he fell onto his backside and turned to clutch the roof with both hands. He felt as if the roof rocked beneath him. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as if trying to escape.
Elwin closed his eyes. The roof couldn’t have been moving. He had read about Fistledon the Great, a master elementalist who could conjure fire and shake all of Arinth with his powers. This wasn’t that. He had never been so high up before. He needed to be calm. There was no harm in being so high up.
No you japed-up fool! The voice in his head said. It’s the impact at the bottom that’ll dash your fool brains to bits.”
“Stop it,” he told the voice. “That isn’t going to help.”
He took several deep breaths, letting his heartbeat slow to a steady rhythm and opened his eyes. The roof no longer moved beneath him. Slow, as to not startle the roof into motion, he sat up. Behind him, he could see a couple of buckets at the front edge of the building. He began to consider his options, when he heard a scraping sound on the roof line behind him.
His breath caught in his chest. The ladder!
Scrambling forward on hands and knees, Elwin dove in an attempt to reach the end of the ladder. His hand grabbed hold of the ladder’s edge, and he pulled. The jolt on the ladder came from a tug at the other end.
A stifled laugh from below cut off with the jarring halt of the ladder. Elwin clasped a firm hand on his end and heaved with all of his might, but the ladder still didn’t give.
Once more, Elwin found
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