Bookworm

Bookworm Read Online Free PDF

Book: Bookworm Read Online Free PDF
Author: Christopher Nuttall
Tags: Fiction, Science-Fiction, Fantasy
now?”
    “Strange,” Elaine admitted. “What...what happened to me?”
    “Someone cursed you, as far as we can tell,” the druid said. He seemed unaware that the other druid had told her the same thing. “We had to feed you ourselves over the past few days, before you finally recovered enough for us to risk allowing you to awaken. I’m afraid that you’re going to have a few more rough days ahead of you.”
    He shrugged. “And there’s an Inquisitor who wants to have a few words with you,” he added. “Do you feel well enough to talk to him?”
    Elaine stared at the druid. “An Inquisitor?”
    “I don’t think that you’re in any trouble,” the druid said, hastily. Very few people ever wanted to meet an Inquisitor, let alone find themselves on the receiving end of an Inquisition. The Inquisitors answered to the Grand Sorcerer alone and had wide powers to investigate suspected breaches of the Mage’s Code. “The curse was powerful enough to warrant immediate investigation. Whoever set that trap might be setting other traps for unwary mages.”
    Elaine remembered the boxes from Duke Gama she hadn’t opened and shivered. “I understand,” she said. She doubted that she’d ever feel well enough to talk to an Inquisitor, but it was something she had to do. “Tell him...tell him that I’m ready to talk to him.”
    “I have told him that your condition may still be serious,” the druid said. “If you feel distressed, just tell him to leave. Even an Inquisitor has limited power in my building.”
    He stood up and walked to the door. “I can call your friend,” he added. “If you should happen to want company...?”
    “Yes, please,” Elaine said, quickly. Daria had been with her, hadn’t she? And she was the only friend Elaine had in the Golden City. “When can I go home?”
    “Maybe in a few more days,” the druid said, as he opened the door. “I’d prefer to keep you under observation for a while. Whatever hit you was new and we had to guess at the correct way to treat you. The next person might not be so lucky.”
    He left the room. A moment later, the door opened again and the Inquisitor stepped into the room. Like all sorcerers who wished to advertise their nature, he wore long black robes and carried a wand at his belt, but unlike most magicians he wore a single ring on his ring hand, a silver skull. His face was stony, half-hidden behind a charm that prevented his features from being clearly seen. Elaine had never been so close to an Inquisitor and had to fight the urge to back away as he sat down beside her bed. His unseen eyes seemed to be staring right into her soul.
    “You are not in any trouble,” he said, in a surprisingly gentle voice, “but we do need to know what happened to you. I am Inquisitor Dread.”
    He paused, as if he expected her to recognise the name. All Inquisitors abandoned their birth names when they graduated and put on the silver skull that marked their rank, although very little was known about how they were trained by their superiors. There had been any number of rumours, including some that suggested that demons were involved somewhere, but Elaine knew nothing for sure. Dread didn’t seem to want anything from her in return, even her name. But then he probably knew everything about her already.
    His voice darkened, slightly. “How much do you remember?”
    Elaine had to think back carefully. All of her memories appeared to be slippery, sliding away from her the moment she tried to recall them. “I...I was opening a box from Duke Gama,” she said, finally. Had Duke Gama been a real magician? She couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to use a curse to seal up a book unless it was their own curse. “There was an unmarked book in the box...”
    The Inquisitor reached into his robes and produced a book. “This book?”
    “Yes,” Elaine said, staring. How had he managed to take it out of the Library? Miss Prim would have had quite a few things to say about
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