Hoarfrost (Whyborne & Griffin Book 6) Read Online Free PDF

happy couple.”
    We sat
in our study, accompanied by Iskander and Christine, whom we’d invited to
dinner in part to celebrate of their long-expected engagement, and in part to
discuss Jack’s artifact. I’d started the meal with a hearty appetite, but by
the time we finished, I could barely bring myself to look at the food.
    Jack was
in imminent danger. Was I to lose my brother so soon after finding him again?
    So soon
after losing Pa?
    “Yes,
yes,” Christine said, clinking her glass rather brusquely with mine, before
downing a good part of its contents. “Kander, tell them what you found in the
newspaper archives.”
    “When
Christine told me of the umbrae, I wondered if there had been any…” he paused
delicately “… unusual deaths connected with the excavation of the Eltdown
Shards. I searched through the newspaper archives of the time, to see if I
could find something of interest.”
    I had
the terrible feeling I didn’t want to know what he’d found. “And?”
    “A
startling number of local villagers went missing over the same weekend, not
long after excavation began. Officials determined they began to celebrate Christmas
a bit early and fell through a frozen lake. Their bodies were never recovered,
however, and anyone who challenged the findings of the inquest disappeared
shortly thereafter.”
    “The
solstice,” Whyborne said. “Blast. It seems the Pnakotic Manuscripts were right.”
    “Jack is
in danger.” I put aside my wine.
    “And
anyone else in Hoarfrost.” Whyborne absently ran a hand back through his hair.
As usual, the dark spikes resisted any attempt to flatten them. “I wonder if
the Endicotts did away with the umbra in Eltdown?”
    Whyborne’s
cousins might be dangerous sorcerers, but they were dedicated to the
destruction of what they perceived as monsters. Unfortunately, their methods
tended to result in the deaths of a great many innocents as well. “They
probably did in the villagers too.”
    “I
wouldn’t entirely rule it out,” Whyborne agreed. “Very well. What are our
options?”
    “I can’t
write Jack and warn him. He’d think me—” the word mad caught in my
throat. Jack had no reason to believe horrors existed beyond the ordinary ones humans
perpetrated on each other. A letter would only damage our relationship, and do
nothing to dissuade him from disturbing the site further.
    “And I
can’t sit here until spring, knowing there’s a valuable archaeological site that
might even now be destroyed by overzealous gold miners,” Christine added.
    “You
mean to excavate?” Whyborne exclaimed.
    “Why
not?  An actual globe-spanning civilization, outside of the superstitious
ravings about Atlantis, potentially older than any other known culture? Do you
think I’d simply sit here and leave it to be torn apart by fools digging for
gold? Good gad, man, what sort of scientist are you?”
    “The
kind who prefers not to be eaten by monsters,” he muttered. “But Griffin is
right—anyone in Hoarfrost is facing danger, if we can go by the
disappearances surrounding the Eltdown excavation. The seals will be at their
weakest on the longest night.” He stared down at his wine glass as if not
really seeing it. “December 21, this year. There isn’t a great deal of time to
spare.”
    “I wish
we knew what sort of creature this ‘umbra’ might be,” Iskander said. “Did the
Pnakotic Manuscripts not give any hints?”
    Whyborne
shook his head. The firelight caught his dark hair, illuminating the occasional
lighter strand, and limned his profile in gold. “Not really. I assume they
aren’t fond of light, given their name and the fact the longest night of the
year seems to favor them. But that describes a great many otherworldly things.
Without being certain what we’re facing, it might be best to concentrate on learning
how to reinforce the magical seals. If we can keep the umbra trapped, wherever
it might be, we won’t have to fight it.”
    “Where
do you