Read Online Tracked by Terror by Brad Strickland - Free Book Online Page B

other on the right.
    Augustus stood behind Jarvey, gripping the back of his shirt. Jarvey stared longingly at the Grimoire. It was just ten or twelve feet away. If he could only reach it ... but that was hopeless. Junius had not stirred from his place beside the book stand. Even if Jarvey could somehow pull himself free from Augustus’s grip, Junius would snatch the book up before Jarvey could take more than a step or two.
    Jarvey whispered to Augustus, “I wouldn’t let him send the Grimoire away if I were you. That will leave you trapped here in the theater forever.”
    â€œQuiet,” Augustus grunted, poking him.
    Jarvey felt nervous sweat creeping over his face. “I’d go crazy, acting in these stupid plays for all eternity, with nobody real at all.”
    â€œBe quiet,” Augustus warned, giving Jarvey a shake.
    Junius heard that, and he turned and took the few steps over to them. “What are you arguing about?”
    â€œI was telling him that if you send the Grimoire away, he’ll have to do just what you want him to do forever,” Jarvey replied. “I don’t think he likes that.”
    â€œYou are a fool,” Junius said. “Isn’t he, son?”
    Augustus didn’t reply for a moment. Then he said querulously, “Father, he has a point. This is the world you wanted, not the one I want.”
    â€œIt is our world, and that’s an end,” Junius pronounced. “Don’t listen to this young troublemaker, son. I don’t know how he muddled his way into our world, but he has no real power, of that I’m certain. He can’t even defend himself against a simple magical attack—”
    Jarvey jerked around, staring toward a dark corner of the wings, and yelled, “No! Leave her alone! Let her go!”
    Instantly, Junius turned, raising his arm. Augustus let go his hold on Jarvey’s shirt at the same moment, and he and Jarvey leaped forward, both reaching for the Grimoire.
    In the second or two that it took Junius to realize that Jarvey had faked him out, the book stand crashed to the stage, and Augustus and Jarvey dived to the floor, wrestling for possession of the Grimoire like two football players falling on a fumbled ball.
    â€œGet out of the way!” shouted Junius, dancing from side to side.
    Jarvey kicked and rolled and twisted, trying to wrench the tall, narrow volume from the grip of the older boy. “Let—go!”
    â€œIt’s mine!” Augustus growled, pummeling Jarvey’s shoulder with one hand while he tried to pull the book free with the other.
    Just as he lost his grip on the Grimoire, Jarvey saw Junius’s lips move, saw his pointing finger, and with all his strength rolled aside as an invisible blast of magic struck Augustus, causing him to scream in pain and drop the Grimoire. Jarvey dived for it, retrieved it like a football player recovering a fumble, and then scrambled to his feet, dreading the spell that would hit him at any moment—
    â€œHere!” Betsy’s voice! She had thrown back a trapdoor and stood in the black square. “Look out!”
    Too late. Junius’s spell made Jarvey’s legs go dead under him, and he toppled forward. Betsy grabbed his shoulders as he went sprawling, and she dropped down, hauling him with her. Dimly, Jarvey realized she had been standing almost on the top rung of a tall ladder, but she lost her footing and they both fell. Jarvey clung to the Grimoire as they spun through the air, then gasped as he landed on his back, the breath rushing from his lungs. Betsy had him by the shoulder and was dragging him, and up above he saw a square of light, the opening of the trapdoor in the stage above.
    Clutching the Grimore to his chest, Jarvey panted, “Clclose! Close now! I command it! Close and be sealed!”
    And something happened, some force rushed out of him. He felt it, and a moment later the trapdoor overhead slammed shut with