Emerald City Dreamer Read Online Free PDF Page A

Fiz out looking for dumpsters.
    Or she could let the wind blow the leaves to her door. There is no guide for the thistle down, let the acorn fall where it may. When one controls what one cannot, nature hath gone astray.
    " They meet next in two weeks," Ivy said. "When I see Lynne again, she will join the shining hosts of the dead."
    " No." Jett held up her hand. "If they are serious, it will be dangerous for you. I will send Ramon instead. They will never suspect a human. Hopefully this clairvoyant woman won't see that he's enchanted, and a little glamouring will assist that."
    Ivy balked. "She should be mine. I found her."
    Jett stood. "Not this time, Ivy. You are dismissed."
    She bowed deeply and fled.
    Jett descended the stairs in the kitchen to the basement.
    Human eyes would see the basement as a messy party room. To fae eyes, it was also a messy party room, but instead of a pool table and empty beer bottles, there was a bear skin rug, a long wooden table with overturned goblets, and the remains of a pig carcass. She'd have to make Fiz clean up, since it was his week for basement.
    She walked past the washer and dryer - which to her looked just like a washer and dryer; faeries needed clean clothes too - and stared at a dark corner for a few minutes. With an outstretched hand, she pressed against the dirty concrete foundation, which crumbled away at her touch. Beyond it lay a tunnel and a stone ramp leading down. As she passed through, the wall returned to its former cobweb-covered glory.
    At the bottom of the ramp, she found a torch, which lit at her glance. It did not give off the light of fire, but instead a bright white glow. She took it in her hand and continued on.
    The air began to smell of moist soil. The stone floor and walls gave way to earth, and the tunnel opened into a natural cavern, as high as a mountain troll, and as big around as an English cottage. Jett sighed softly as the aura of the earth comforted her. Cloncahir, the fort of fertile ground. The black dirt glinted with sparkles, as if it were Folgers coffee. Tree roots grew down, and more tunnels led off in different directions.
    The scrying pool shimmered from the floor against the north wall. A stalactite hung above it and dripped water steadily, causing ripples on the pool's reflective surface. On the opposite wall sat a stone altar, carved by elves in the manner of the Celts over a millennium ago and moved here in the last century. Upon the altar lay various objects of equally ancient origin.
    Against the wall to her right stood a regal statue of a nude woman. She held a crystal in both hands, which captured the light from Jett's torch and cast it all about the room in little reflective glints. The woman had a look of reverence on her face, her eyes and chin tilted upward.
    To the west lay nothing but earth, and beyond that, the Puget Sound far below and miles beyond the hillside. Jett saw clearly the watery surface as easily as if it lay spread in its serene beauty in the cavern with her.
    She sunk the torch into the earth, then knelt to the woman and kissed her feet. Softly, she whispered, " Mother ". She stood and removed her clothing. Thus clad like the sky, she knelt at the altar, picked up the stone wand, and began the chant that would renew the house wards.
    She hoped Ramon would be home soon. She was going to be hungry .

CHAPTER 4
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    A LOAF OF DAY-OLD BREAD flew towards Ezra's head. Surprised, he ducked and tried to catch it at the same time. He fumbled, and it fell on the ground.
    " Careful with God's bounty there, Brother Ezra. Head's up!"
    Brother Benjamin held the next loaf aloft and threw it at Ezra as if it were a basketball and Ezra was the basket. Then he bent back down into the dumpster to grab another armful of castoff food.
    " Yahweh has truly blessed us today! This will feed us all for a week. And you kids will love those donuts." The metal dumpster walls both reverberated and muffled Benjamin's voice.
    Ezra quietly loaded