Read Online The Wizard's Secret by Rain Oxford - Free Book Online Page A

wizard.
    “What’s wrong?” I asked Asiago when I saw him
frowning at me.
    “Nothing.” He looked at Magnus. “Did you go on a lot
of adventures when you were Ayden’s age?”
    Magnus shook his head regrettably. “I was raised very
secluded. My parents only allowed me to practice magic and read books. When I
was ten, I began sneaking out and made friends. My best friends, Hokis and Leo,
were a necromancer and a warrior. Unfortunately, Leo was killed when he was
thirteen. He was the one who kept us out of trouble. Hokis and I were both
rebellious and it didn’t take long for us to get in trouble. My parents
relocated to the middle of the Misty Mountains so that I couldn’t have any
friends. They believed, as most wizards do, that a wizard is not supposed to
have adventures.”
    I hadn’t known that, but it made sense. Sorcerers
usually had stationary or mobile businesses, but they often went out and did
their own dirty work. People went to wizards when they needed help, but wizards
didn’t usually leave their castles. Warriors were the ones who went on heroic
quests. Sometimes they weren’t that heroic. Nevertheless, sorcerers didn’t like
to outsource villainous quests if they could help it. My mother always said it
was because sorcerers believed in power whereas wizards believed in hope and
dreams.
    “This is the crystal Veronica is after,” Magnus said,
pulling it from one of the pockets of his robe.
    I took it carefully. It was the length of my palm and
half as wide as it was long. The crystal itself was clear, but inside it was
what looked like glowing red smoke, which swirled slowly. “This is dark magic?”
    “The red smoke is the manifestation of her dark
magic, yes.”
    “It isn’t much, is it?”
    “There is more dark magic in the crystal than
Veronica has. In fact, it contains more dark magic than all of your brothers
put together.”
    I gaped. “Are you sure I should be holding this? The
dark magic can’t get out, can it? I don’t think I should hold it.”
    “As long as you don’t break it, you will be fine. The
magic doesn’t make you malevolent.” He turned to Asiago and pulled a ribbon
made of dried herbs out of his pocket. “I made you something to help you with
your zombie problem.” When he let the strand go, it flew to Asiago and tied
itself around his wrist.
    “Thank you!” he said.
    “It won’t keep them away completely, but it should
make you more difficult for them to find and it should repel them enough to
keep them off of you. Now, I think you should meet Sam,” Magnus said, standing.
We followed him out to the main room, where the unicorn was playing with an
even rarer beast. I was surprised to see the unicorn with a slim saddle, but
even more surprised to see his playmate.
    Sam was a griffon. He had the body, tail, and back
legs of a lion, and the head, wings, and front legs of an eagle. Asiago gaped.
“Is it safe to ride?”
    “If you’re polite. With all magical creatures, you
have to show them respect. Approach him slowly, but don’t touch him. He will
let you know when he’s ready to be touched.”
    “What if he’s never ready? Do griffons even like
necromancers?”
    “If you show him respect, he will reciprocate. I have
already discussed it with them this morning. If you get attacked by an animal
under Veronica’s control, Sam can protect you and Kirin can help you escape.”
    At that point, the griffon cautiously approached
Asiago and sniffed him. Asiago very slowly reached out and pet him. Soon, the
griffon stretched out his wings and lowered himself.
    “He’s allowing you to climb on.”
    Asiago studied the position of the wing carefully
before gently stepping up onto the base of the griffon’s wing and swinging his
left leg over. It took him a moment to get into a comfortable position, and
then the griffon stood.
    I slipped my bag and wand into the saddlebag. There
was also a hook for my staff. It wasn’t perfect, but it was better than