Read Online The Vlakan King (Book 3) by Jim Greenfield - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jim Greenfield
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passed peacefully.
The next morning Jaele came down the stairs and saw Davan wiping down the tables. She looked around the empty room.
"Davan, where's your father?" asked Jaele.
"He went out early, said he had something to take care of before we opened. But I haven't seen him since."
Brevin walked in the front door. "Well, I think I have everything ready to go. I'll probably be back by mid-summer."
"Jaele!" shouted Hargman. He stepped inside past Brevin. "Cragor's been murdered."
"Cragor? He doesn't have anything to steal. Who'd want to hurt him?"
"Torrey said he saw Ian walking out to Cragor's lookout. Cragor had just walked that way a few minutes earlier."
"Ian? Torrey doesn't know what he's saying," said Jaele.
"He said Ian was hunched over and moving quick almost on all fours, like an animal. A few of us are going out to search the area. We wanted to know if you or Davan want to join us."
"I will," said Davan.
"No," said Jaele. "We have work to do."
"But, they're accusing Dad."
"We aren't accusing anyone," said Hargman. "I just said he was seen heading that way and he didn't remember what happened the other day."
"No offense taken," said Jaele. "But we can't leave right now."
"We'll let you know what we find," said Hargman. He left and Jaele shut the door.
"Davan come here. I have things to tell you. No, you stay Brevin. I need your wisdom." They sat together at a corner table.
"Before you were born, your father and I went on an adventure of sorts and were mixed up in the Celaeri War in Cresida."
"You were there?."
"Cresida is your father's ancestral home. Your father has a bit of Celaeri blood in him and so do you. He wanted to go back to Greyrawk Mountain to see the ruins of the old castle. Well, there was more there than just the castle. The Celaeri were trying to regain their former power and your father was caught up in it. There were a lot of magic and strange creatures which I will not recall if I have a choice."
"How is this connected to Dad's behavior?"
"I am not sure, but I have suspicions. One thing I do know is what Cragor said your father said is a name."
"Vera-lyre?"
"You have heard of the Talos Company."
"Yes, half my childhood stories were of them. A company of warriors from immortal or long-lived races. Zidar, Daerlan, Tuor, Anethean, sorcerers. Stories of heroes. I've outgrown them."
"Well, they are not just a story Davan, they are real. Remember those people who helped build the new part of the inn?"
"Uncle Loric's friends? You're not telling me the truth."
"Yes, she is," said Brevin. "I have met them. I know some of them very well."
"Your father was saying he needed to contact Kerreth Veralier, the leader of the Talos Company. The Talos Company fought with us against the Celaeri."
"You fought with the Talos Company? Did I fall and hit my head? Perhaps it is me that is feverish, not Father. Cragor said Father mentioned Veralier. Why?"
"I do not know, but something was troubling him and he wouldn't mention it to me."
"You think he's gone after this Veralier?"
"No. I think it's too late. Whatever he was worried about must have happened. I don't know where he would go. We need to find Kerreth and ask for his help."
"I do not understand you."
"One of the creatures we fought in the Celaeri War was called Vlakan, a creature that some of the Celaeri changed into. It was like a disease, an uncontrollable thing. Some could change back to their original form but some remained Vlakan. I believe your father may have this disease. His father had it."
Davan looked from Jaele to Brevin, unable to speak.
"If I may," said Brevin. "Ian may be under the throes of a transformation and he may have killed Cragor without knowing it. Jaele is suggesting we do what Ian suggested: contact Kerreth Veralier. Only the Talos Company could find Ian in the wide world. No one else."
"Davan, you must do this," said Jaele. "I will stay here with Tera and Aravan in case Ian comes back."
"Me? I've
The next morning Jaele came down the stairs and saw Davan wiping down the tables. She looked around the empty room.
"Davan, where's your father?" asked Jaele.
"He went out early, said he had something to take care of before we opened. But I haven't seen him since."
Brevin walked in the front door. "Well, I think I have everything ready to go. I'll probably be back by mid-summer."
"Jaele!" shouted Hargman. He stepped inside past Brevin. "Cragor's been murdered."
"Cragor? He doesn't have anything to steal. Who'd want to hurt him?"
"Torrey said he saw Ian walking out to Cragor's lookout. Cragor had just walked that way a few minutes earlier."
"Ian? Torrey doesn't know what he's saying," said Jaele.
"He said Ian was hunched over and moving quick almost on all fours, like an animal. A few of us are going out to search the area. We wanted to know if you or Davan want to join us."
"I will," said Davan.
"No," said Jaele. "We have work to do."
"But, they're accusing Dad."
"We aren't accusing anyone," said Hargman. "I just said he was seen heading that way and he didn't remember what happened the other day."
"No offense taken," said Jaele. "But we can't leave right now."
"We'll let you know what we find," said Hargman. He left and Jaele shut the door.
"Davan come here. I have things to tell you. No, you stay Brevin. I need your wisdom." They sat together at a corner table.
"Before you were born, your father and I went on an adventure of sorts and were mixed up in the Celaeri War in Cresida."
"You were there?."
"Cresida is your father's ancestral home. Your father has a bit of Celaeri blood in him and so do you. He wanted to go back to Greyrawk Mountain to see the ruins of the old castle. Well, there was more there than just the castle. The Celaeri were trying to regain their former power and your father was caught up in it. There were a lot of magic and strange creatures which I will not recall if I have a choice."
"How is this connected to Dad's behavior?"
"I am not sure, but I have suspicions. One thing I do know is what Cragor said your father said is a name."
"Vera-lyre?"
"You have heard of the Talos Company."
"Yes, half my childhood stories were of them. A company of warriors from immortal or long-lived races. Zidar, Daerlan, Tuor, Anethean, sorcerers. Stories of heroes. I've outgrown them."
"Well, they are not just a story Davan, they are real. Remember those people who helped build the new part of the inn?"
"Uncle Loric's friends? You're not telling me the truth."
"Yes, she is," said Brevin. "I have met them. I know some of them very well."
"Your father was saying he needed to contact Kerreth Veralier, the leader of the Talos Company. The Talos Company fought with us against the Celaeri."
"You fought with the Talos Company? Did I fall and hit my head? Perhaps it is me that is feverish, not Father. Cragor said Father mentioned Veralier. Why?"
"I do not know, but something was troubling him and he wouldn't mention it to me."
"You think he's gone after this Veralier?"
"No. I think it's too late. Whatever he was worried about must have happened. I don't know where he would go. We need to find Kerreth and ask for his help."
"I do not understand you."
"One of the creatures we fought in the Celaeri War was called Vlakan, a creature that some of the Celaeri changed into. It was like a disease, an uncontrollable thing. Some could change back to their original form but some remained Vlakan. I believe your father may have this disease. His father had it."
Davan looked from Jaele to Brevin, unable to speak.
"If I may," said Brevin. "Ian may be under the throes of a transformation and he may have killed Cragor without knowing it. Jaele is suggesting we do what Ian suggested: contact Kerreth Veralier. Only the Talos Company could find Ian in the wide world. No one else."
"Davan, you must do this," said Jaele. "I will stay here with Tera and Aravan in case Ian comes back."
"Me? I've
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