A Quill Ladder Read Online Free PDF Page B

you ’ re trying to forge new ground, you may have to go in a different direction. ”
    “ I thought you didn ’ t know anything about the ‘ internal net. ’” Simon twisted the final two words.
    “ I don ’ t. But I do know the meaning of numbers. ”
    “ Then why can ’ t you do that to find Jake ’ s address? ”
    “ I could, if you ’ d be willing to write down some numbers for me again. ”
    “ So the numbers I write down, and the order I write them in, enable you to read my mind. ”
    “ Not exactly. They help me to read reality, and your mind has been a conscious or subconscious observer of that reality, which is why the numbers have to come from you. Your mind was already telling you nine, but you weren ’ t listening to it, which is why you were stuck. ”
    “ I don ’ t know Jake ’ s address. ”
    “ Then simple verbal directions as to where we could find him would suffice. ”
    Simon and Ian stared at each other.
    They were interrupted by a quick tap and the inward swing of Simon ’ s bedroom door. Abbey stifled a scream, but only Caleb stood on the threshold, with a quizzical look on his freckled face. He took in Ian, the open window, and the pentagram diagram on Simon ’ s desk in quick order, and his face clouded.
    “ Excluding me again, are you? ”
    Simon hastily moved to shut the door behind Caleb.
    “ No, we ’ re not. Abbey had just come to ask me a question, when this guy ”— Simon gestured at Ian —“ decided to make an appearance. I ’ ve never met him before. He wants Jake ’ s address. ” Abbey flinched at Simon ’ s slight emphasis on the word I .
    The wary look of hurt on Caleb ’ s face didn ’ t falter. Ian strode across the room with his hand outstretched. “ Ian, from across the way, sixty-eight years young, on the good side, just to be clear. We could really use your help, but your brother and sister here seem to have some trust issues. ”
    Caleb took Ian ’ s hand and nodded, darting a vague glare in Abbey ’ s direction.
    “ Like I was saying to Abbey and Simon, we ’ re facing some big problems, and we need Jake ’ s help. Nobody seems inclined to provide the three of you with the instructions you ’ re going to need to navigate this world, and I ’ m happy to do that — in exchange for your assistance. ”
    Caleb donned a charming smile. “ Well, if they aren ’ t interested, you could come one window over, and I ’ m sure we could work something out. ”
    “ Caleb, no! ” Abbey said. “ How do we know whether he ’ s on the good side or the bad side? We don ’ t even know if there is a good or a bad side. ”
    “ Maybe he could demonstrate for us that he ’ s on the good side, ” Simon said.
    “ What? You want me to send puffs of rainbow smoke out my fingertips, make bunnies and puppies appear, or tell you a story about the eye of Sauron? I can ’ t do any of that, ” Ian replied.
    “ Well, a little more information would be helpful, ” said Simon.
    Ian removed his beret, raked a hand through his sandy hair, then replaced his hat. “ All right, fine. Witches were the original scientists, exploring the movement of the planet, figuring out basic physics, and learning how herbs can be used to cure disease. But due to years of persecution — mostly by those who wanted to claim our findings as their own — our contributions have been discounted and largely erased from history. Now we cannot practice witchcraft in the open without being thoroughly mocked and ridiculed — or worse. So most of us have spent the last century in hiding, and we ’ re all a little weary of that. The world has been in the grip of the rational mindset for too long, and frankly, it ’ s to the detriment of everyone. All this focus on progress … we ’ ve given up our intuitive connections with the natural world. Anyway, I won ’ t bore you with the details. You ’ ve all used the stones, and I ’ m guessing you ’ ve heard of the idea of parallel