Read Online The Echidna's Scale (Alchemy's Apprentice) by Jeffrey Quyle - Free Book Online
Authors: Jeffrey Quyle
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island, traveling with an untrained sorcerer who is going on a suicide mission?” Neptin asked.
“He is my arnelli,” Kreewhite spoke up. “I know what the Corsairs of the sorcerer did to him, how they abused him. He is the enemy of our enemy, and he is a good person, a friend. He speaks and swims with the dolphins, and you know they would not help him if they did not trust him.”
The fire continued to burn on the platform behind Marco. He felt its warmth on his back, and realized that his shirt was dry from the heat of the fire. He hoped Porenn was at least feeling drier and warmer as a result of the fire. He hoped he could talk to her soon to find out more about the prophecy from Ophiuchus, which she seemed to know.
“I will hear from the dolphins. Let them come to testify on his behalf,” Neptin proposed suddenly, seeming to accept some of the outrageous claims that were being put forth. “Call on them – call for the dolphins to come testify in your favor,” he directed Marco.
“My friend Kieweeooee just married the prince of the dolphin pod in the waters where the sun rises,” Marco explained. “Shall we call her to come all the way here from her home? It may take days to send a message there and get her answer back.”
“Tell me about this wedding,” Neptin suggested. “I know a thing or two about dolphins.”
“They took me across the sea for days to get to the spot where they held the wedding. Usually the wedding is held deep underwater, but because I need air, they held it on the surface.”
“Who presided at the wedding?” Neptin asked.
“The king, now Kieweeooee’s father-in-law, led the ceremony, while Kieweeooee and her betrothed swam in circles around him,” Marco remembered how moving the ceremony had been to watch.
“I will mostly accept your claims,” Neptin shocked Marco by saying, “for it happens that I know the king of the dolphins where the sun rises, and I know that a human did attend, and the ceremony was as you say.”
“You will be allowed to leave our village, but you must leave something behind so that we can trust you not to betray us,” the leader of the mermen said.
Marco sighed in relief. He had little he could leave behind, but as long as he didn’t have to give up the enchanted sword, he saw no problems with such an arrangement.
“Your two companions shall remain here with us, as our guests until you return,” Neptin shocked Marco by saying.
“I have to go with Marco!” Glaze protested. “He’s betrothed to my sister, and he’s like a brother to me already.”
“I have to go with Marco!” Porenn simultaneously protested. “The prophecy needs to be explained and interpreted to him on this quest. I’m the only one who can.”
You two will stay here, and I will send two others to be this human’s companions on this journey,” Neptin rejected the protests.
“They shouldn’t be held as captives!” Marco protested. “They are innocent of all things. They are only along on this journey as my companions, and Porenn didn’t even intend to travel with me. Don’t do this to them; send them home if you have to do something.”
Neptin was implacable. “I will keep them with me until you return, so that I know you will not betray us. They will be treated fairly while they are here. You would be advised to travel quickly and to not dally along your route.
“Your companions will be,” Neptin paused as he looked around the village, “Cassius and Pesino,” he pointed at a young merman and a mermaid who were in the crowd.
Marco’s gaze followed the direction of the leader’s finger. Cassius was a serious-looking man, who bobbed his head discreetly in acknowledgement of his assignment.
“Really? I’m going to show the two-legs just how fun a journey the mermaid way can be!” the girl spoke exuberantly. Marco observed Cassius wince as she spoke.
“But I will have to go on land,”
“He is my arnelli,” Kreewhite spoke up. “I know what the Corsairs of the sorcerer did to him, how they abused him. He is the enemy of our enemy, and he is a good person, a friend. He speaks and swims with the dolphins, and you know they would not help him if they did not trust him.”
The fire continued to burn on the platform behind Marco. He felt its warmth on his back, and realized that his shirt was dry from the heat of the fire. He hoped Porenn was at least feeling drier and warmer as a result of the fire. He hoped he could talk to her soon to find out more about the prophecy from Ophiuchus, which she seemed to know.
“I will hear from the dolphins. Let them come to testify on his behalf,” Neptin proposed suddenly, seeming to accept some of the outrageous claims that were being put forth. “Call on them – call for the dolphins to come testify in your favor,” he directed Marco.
“My friend Kieweeooee just married the prince of the dolphin pod in the waters where the sun rises,” Marco explained. “Shall we call her to come all the way here from her home? It may take days to send a message there and get her answer back.”
“Tell me about this wedding,” Neptin suggested. “I know a thing or two about dolphins.”
“They took me across the sea for days to get to the spot where they held the wedding. Usually the wedding is held deep underwater, but because I need air, they held it on the surface.”
“Who presided at the wedding?” Neptin asked.
“The king, now Kieweeooee’s father-in-law, led the ceremony, while Kieweeooee and her betrothed swam in circles around him,” Marco remembered how moving the ceremony had been to watch.
“I will mostly accept your claims,” Neptin shocked Marco by saying, “for it happens that I know the king of the dolphins where the sun rises, and I know that a human did attend, and the ceremony was as you say.”
“You will be allowed to leave our village, but you must leave something behind so that we can trust you not to betray us,” the leader of the mermen said.
Marco sighed in relief. He had little he could leave behind, but as long as he didn’t have to give up the enchanted sword, he saw no problems with such an arrangement.
“Your two companions shall remain here with us, as our guests until you return,” Neptin shocked Marco by saying.
“I have to go with Marco!” Glaze protested. “He’s betrothed to my sister, and he’s like a brother to me already.”
“I have to go with Marco!” Porenn simultaneously protested. “The prophecy needs to be explained and interpreted to him on this quest. I’m the only one who can.”
You two will stay here, and I will send two others to be this human’s companions on this journey,” Neptin rejected the protests.
“They shouldn’t be held as captives!” Marco protested. “They are innocent of all things. They are only along on this journey as my companions, and Porenn didn’t even intend to travel with me. Don’t do this to them; send them home if you have to do something.”
Neptin was implacable. “I will keep them with me until you return, so that I know you will not betray us. They will be treated fairly while they are here. You would be advised to travel quickly and to not dally along your route.
“Your companions will be,” Neptin paused as he looked around the village, “Cassius and Pesino,” he pointed at a young merman and a mermaid who were in the crowd.
Marco’s gaze followed the direction of the leader’s finger. Cassius was a serious-looking man, who bobbed his head discreetly in acknowledgement of his assignment.
“Really? I’m going to show the two-legs just how fun a journey the mermaid way can be!” the girl spoke exuberantly. Marco observed Cassius wince as she spoke.
“But I will have to go on land,”
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