Magic Under Stone Read Online Free PDF

summer.”
    “I suppose everybody is,” Violet said. She didn’t sound especially interested in her sickness or the outdoors.
    Celestina returned with a plate heaping with moist bread studded with blueberries, and two pillows, which she positioned beneath an oblivious Violet.
    “But, Erris— Uncle Erris—I want to hear about your adventures. What was it like fighting those sorcerers? What was it like being trapped in clockwork?” Violet reached for a piece of bread, but Erris pulled the plate away.
    He handed it back to Celestina. “This isn’t good for her, I said. No bread at all.”
    “What!” Violet cried, her voice hoarse with coughing. “What’s wrong with bread? I never heard such a stupid thing!” She started to get up, but Celestina pressed on her shoulder.
    I was starting to think Violet was a girl quite used to having her way.
    “It looks delicious,” said Erris. “But I suppose my mother knew what she was doing, since she brought up ten children to adulthood. She would have said no to that if I was in your condition.” He paused, lowering the plate again. “You remind me so much of Mel.”
    Violet stopped fighting Celestina’s grasp at that. “Was Mother much like me at my age?”
    “Very.” He smiled at her. “She asked impertinent questions to our visitors at court, and my mother finally told her she was not allowed to say a word except ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’”
    Celestina started to go again, and I got up to follow her. “Doyou need any help?” I asked, ignoring Erris calling after me, and my own horrible thoughts. I couldn’t take another moment of him coddling Violet and talking of his sister, but if I told him that, I would seem quite the villain.
    “There is always plenty to do, before the snow comes,” Celestina said. “Besides, I think we should leave the two of them alone.”
    I tried not to stare at the scar on her cheek. She didn’t seem at all self-conscious, which made it easier. “Yes,” I said, trying to sound as if I was happy to leave them alone myself. “It’s wonderful that Erris still has family.”
    Celestina marched along the path, where weeds sprung up between the stones. “Your arrival is all such a surprise.” She stopped at a small door at the side of the house, handed me the plate of bread, and took keys from her pocket. But instead of unlocking the door, she met my eyes.
    “Will you consider staying the winter?” she asked. “I know the place is a bit run-down, but we have abundant stores of jam and delicious pickles. I make really wonderful pickles. Erris could help Violet so much, I can tell. I hardly know what to do with her.”
    One would imagine that I was used to abrupt changes of residence. So many times had my life been pulled out from under me, only to be replaced by something vastly different—from my childhood in the royal court of Tiansher, to my uncle’s farm, to a cheap dancing show in Lorinar, to Hollin Parry’s fine mansion. Now I found myself invited by a stranger to spend a cold winter eating pickles in a lonely house. But it remained as strange a feeling as on the day my father had entered my room and started throwing my clothes into a traveling sack, spitting out three frustrated words: “We’re leaving, Nim.”
    I wanted to tell her that we ought to go back to Karstor’sapartment in New Sweeling, where I could pretend Karstor would take care of everything. But, truthfully, I feared we were in his way. And I knew he couldn’t take care of everything.
    “We need to see Ordorio, one way or another,” I told her. “If you don’t know where he’s gone, I suppose we will have to wait for him.”
    She nodded, the slightest smile crossing her lips. “I’ll show you what I’ve put up,” she said, unlocking the kitchen door.
    When my father lost the family fortune to gambling debt, we had moved to the farm where my uncle grew fat root vegetables, along with a handful of fruit trees, and a few goats for milk