Read Online The Second Siege by Henry H. Neff - Free Book Online Page A

desserts were set on the table, including Bellagrog’s picture-perfect soufflés. David ordered coffee from a passing faun, ignoring the creature’s disbelieving snort.
    “Since when do you drink coffee?” laughed Connor.
    “I’m tired and I need to stay up,” replied David, stirring a cube of sugar into the porcelain cup. “I’m spending some time in the Archives tonight. Kraken got me access . . . er, authorized access,” he added quickly, after Max raised an eyebrow. “I need to learn whatever I can about the Book of Thoth and Bram’s Oath. The witches will be back in a few weeks, and I want to be ready.”
    “Yeah, but Richter and Kraken didn’t know anything about Bram’s Oath,” said Max. “What makes you think there’s anything on it in the Archives?”
    “It’s worth a look,” said David. “The Archives aren’t a little bookcase—they’re huge, and there are lots of vaults. Nobody at Rowan has seen everything that’s in there, much less understood or analyzed it all.”
    “But you’re planning on it?” asked Connor.
    “I’ve got my ways,” said David lightly. “Ways that don’t require Mr. Sikes . . .”
    David pushed back from the table to wander about the dining hall. He stopped to examine a glistening portrait of a dour-faced burgher, swirling his cup of coffee like an old hand and ignoring the sniggers of several Third Years. Moments later, Max saw Amulya Jain, the visiting Scholar, approach David. The sniggers at the nearby table stopped immediately, with the students now curiously focused on their dessert. David and the Scholar were soon engrossed in conversation; Max could tell David was absorbed by the way he shifted his weight from foot to foot.
    “C’mon,” said Connor, tugging at Max’s elbow. “Let’s go say hello to the First Years. Gotta get them to sneak out tonight. It’s tradition, you know,” he said with a wink.
    “Nothing to do with the Kestrel, ” insisted Max. The previous year they had been duped into sneaking out and spending the night aboard Rowan’s ancient ship, the Kestrel, only to be thrown into the churning ocean when it was suddenly tossed about by something that screamed and wailed in the water. The experience had been terrifying and earned them an entire day of detention cleaning out the stables.
    “Naw,” said Connor dismissively. “Been done already. I’ve got something better in mind—something harmless.”
    When Max arrived at the rows of First Year tables, he immediately regretted his decision. There, sitting with the First Years, were Anna Lundgren and Sasha Ivanovich—two of three older students who had bullied Max the previous year. The third and worst of the bunch, Alex Muñoz, had been lost the previous spring—buried beneath a mound of stone and earth when Marley Augur’s tomb had collapsed. Max knew Anna and Sasha blamed him for the loss of their friend.
    “Here they are!” crowed Sasha as Max and Connor approached.
    “These are the ones we were telling you about,” said Anna, speaking to the huddling First Years in a conspiratorial tone. “Connor’s the one on the right—he’s just trash and not worth your worry. But Max? I’d stay clear of Max. Max is a murderer—killed our friend in cold blood.”
    Max felt his cheeks burn as the First Years looked at him, dumbfounded.
    “You’re kidding,” laughed a heavyset boy with a mop of red hair.
    “Wish I were,” said Anna, her pretty blue eyes glittering with malice. “But ask anyone here and they’ll tell you that Alex Muñoz is gone and Max McDaniels was the very last person to see him alive.”
    “What a load of bull!” snapped Connor, pinching his nose and waving his hand in the direction of Sasha. Several First Years grinned and giggled. “Don’t listen to these two jokers—worst pair of prats in this whole place! Rowan heaped honors on Max when he got back! You’ll see his name above Beowulf’s Gauntlet—written in fiery script, clear as