Back Under The Stairs - Book 2 in The Bandworld Series Read Online Free PDF

Zwicia. .......... The Head did not want to
do that. ........... Platinia could read pity for Zwicia in the
Head's mind. Platinia could also see other things there. Shadowed
things. ......... The Head soldier did not like his sick arm.
......... He did not like the priest.
    Could she strengthen these feelings in the
Head's mind? Could she make him feel more pity for Zwicia? Could
she make him hate the priest? And if she did those things, would he
find out she was an Etherial? That she could strengthen feelings in
his mind?
    No! She could not take that chance!
    "I can help you get him back," she said.
Talking, more than thinking.
    By this time, the Army Head had turned his
back on her to go to Zwicia in her chair. He turned again. "What
did you say?"
    "I can help you get him back."
    "Pfnaravin?" Yes. Platinia had been right.
She could tell that all the Army Head wanted was Pfnaravin. He did
not want to torture Zwicia. Even more, he did not want the priest
to torture Zwicia.
    Platinia nodded to the Head's question.
    "And just how can you help to bring him
back?"
    Platinia did not know. Maybe, with Zwicia's
help, with Zwicia's crystal-power, Platinia could add to the force
so that Pfnaravin must come back into the tower room. And maybe
not. For now, what mattered was that the Head believe she could
bring back Pfnaravin.
    She must think. She must think. While she was
thinking, she said: "He is very dangerous. I have seen his
crystal-power."
    "You have seen him use it? What did he do?"
The man wanted to know everything about the Mage.
    "He killed very many men. White men. White
women. White children. It was in the war."
    At that answer, the Army Head become ... a
ghost; he was so white. Almost as white as the people
John-Lyon-Pfnaravin had killed with golden crystal power. The Army
Head then nodded to himself. He nodded that he believed her.
    "You will show me to this tower room. The one
where the Mage left for the other world." Platinia nodded.
    "I need Zwicia and her crystal."
    "Crystal?" The thought of a crystal
frightened the Army Head. Though Platinia could see that fear was
in his mind, she could not see fear upon his face. He was an Army
Head and kept his feelings hidden.
    "Zwicia is a Weird." At hearing that, the
Head tried not to show his very great surprise. "Pfnaravin is very
dangerous," Platinia continued. "But less dangerous without his
crystal."
    "Are you telling me that the Mage does not
have his crystal?" Now, she could read hope in the man's mind.
Good. Hope would make him do what Platinia wanted.
    "He could not take it to the other
world."
    "Where is his crystal, now?"
    "I do not know." Platinia did not like to
lie. But sometimes, lying to a man was good.
    "You're certain he's without his crystal?"
Platinia nodded. "When you bring him back, he will not have it?"
Platinia nodded. "One more thing. Does Pfnaravin, when coming from
the other world, always come to the same place?"
    "The same place. The same room. The same
place in that room." Saying that, Platinia had an idea. "Build a
cage around that spot so when the Mage returns, he will be
trapped."
    The Army Head suddenly smiled. The Army Head
smiled very much.
    It was a good plan, Platinia thought.
    For now, Platinia was tired. She was always
tired after she looked into the minds of others. All she wanted was
to find a cat and go to sleep.
    "You and you ..." the Army Head said,
pointing first to Zwicia, then to Platinia, "... stay. The rest of
you, go back to your duties."
    The others hurrying away, the Head spoke
again to Platinia. "It will take me a day or so to have the cage
built. Will that be all right?" Now that the others were rushing
out, the Head had lowered his loud voice.
    "The Mage is strong. The cage must be of
strong, strong iron."
    "Don't worry about that. You bring him back
within the cage and you don't have to worry about him getting
out."
    Suddenly, Platinia felt glad. The Army Head
did not yet know she was an Etherial. Would never