Read Online The Fathomless Fire by Thomas Wharton - Free Book Online

been gone for years instead of a few weeks. Fable was home to a people known as Wayfarers, descendants of travellers from Will’s world, which people here called the Untold. A few Wayfarers had come to the Perilous Realm on purpose, but most, like Will, had found this world by accident. Of those, some had chosen to stay in the Realm, like Rowen’s father. He had met Rowen’s mother and had never gone back to the Untold. When Rowen was a small child her parents had died in a raid by Nightbane, vicious creatures from the dark side of Story who served Malabron. Rowen had grown up in the care of her grandfather, Nicholas Pendrake, the loremaster.
    Balor raised a hand and shouted something that Will guessed was a password. A moment later the tall wooden doors braced with iron swung slowly open. Will glimpsed sentries just inside, and more on the parapet above the turreted gatehouse. He was surprised to see the gates guarded like this. When he came to Fable the first time, they were open for travellers and countryfolk to pass in and out, even at night. He knew from something Rowen had hinted at that the gate was watched or protected in some mysterious way, but whatever that protection was, clearly the people of Fable no longer thought it enough.
    Two of the sentries approached the wildman with astonished looks on their faces.
    “Balor Gruff?” the younger of the two said hesitantly.
    “Gared Bamble,” the wildman replied. “What are you gaping at?”
    “Nothing,” the sentry stammered. “I mean, you’ve been missing for three days, Balor. Nobody had any idea what had happened to you.”
    “Three days,” the wildman echoed. He looked stunned for a moment, then gave Will an uneasy glance.
    “Finn Madoc and some of the other knights are out looking for you right now,” the sentry said. “They’ve been searching everywhere.”
    Balor glowered at the sentry. “If you’re trying to pull one over on me, Gared Bamble…”
    “It’s the truth, Balor, I swear.”
    “Well, I’d better report in at Appleyard,” Balor said grimly. “And this young lad is coming with me.”
    “Who is he?” the older sentry asked.
    “You’ve heard of Will Lightfoot, pathfinder, wolf-friend, vanquisher of Nightbane, haven’t you?”
    “We’ve heard of him,” the older sentry said.
    “Well here he is, in the flesh.”
    The sentries exchanged a doubtful glance.
    “I don’t know, Balor…” the younger one said. “We’ll have to get permission from Appleyard first. You know Captain Thorne’s new orders. No strangers allowed past the gate without his approval.”
    “Well, I will go and get his approval,” Balor snapped. “And to save time I’ll take Will with me.”
    They left the sentries staring after them and hastened up the long curve of the main street.
    “Will you get in trouble for this?” Will asked.
    “The captain of the guard – Captain Thorne – has been much more strict about these things lately,” Balor said, then he winked. “Don’t worry about me. I may be peeling potatoes for a while but it won’t be the first time. And not likely the last.”
    The hour was late but even so, Will was surprised at how quiet and empty the streets were. The first time he’d come to Fable the city had been crowded and busy at night, with shops open selling food and drink, mostly to folk who had come to Fable from far away. Tonight he saw only a few people hurrying through the streets, and the occasional messenger wisp zinging overhead. And one other sight that was unfamiliar: sentries on almost every corner.
    “Curfew,” Balor explained. “Another of Captain Thorne’s new orders. Strange folk have been seen in and around Fable lately. Storyfolk passing through on their way elsewhere, a lot more than usual. The whole Realm seems to be restless.”
    When they neared the gates of Appleyard, Will stopped.
    “The toyshop is this way,” he said, nodding towards the narrow lane. “I have to see if Rowen and her