Merchants and Mages (Highmage's Plight Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

seemingly in the very heart of the place. “How?” Me’oh wondered aloud.
      George leaned back, the Summoning suddenly stilled. “Uh, something is wrong… very wrong.”
      A cold wind began to howl around them; the horses reared in panic. As the riders fought for control the temperature dropped below freezing.  Thick snowflakes started to fall around them, then to deluge them.
      Balfour cried out their only warning, “Ice Elemental!  Run!”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 
     
     
    Trap
    Chapter 4
     
     
     
    T he elemental rose with a terrible roar. The wind battered them as the vaguely seen creature within a flurry of snow shambled toward them, seeking its target.
      So long it had waited. It had no will of its own. Killing its target was all that mattered.  Many had come here, but none were the one. But they were here, the dreaded ones liveried in ebony black.
    It reached out to crush out the life of the nearest black liveried one, radiating an icy cold that would freeze its victim even as its grip shattered her life.
     
    Raven had little time to reflect on the danger as the elemental reached out for Fri’il.  She knocked Fri’il off the horse, which bolted, and dove off herself, shimmering with the change to beast form.
    Yet, it was fast.  A jagged hand of ice reached out of the swirling snow and brushed the horse’s flank. The poor mount screamed and fell kicking, mortally injured. Fri’il gaped as Raven’s furred form urged her to rise and flee.
      Blasts of energy burst from Je’orj’s upraised staff. The elemental roared as its icy form melted. It staggered backward, trying to ascertain the source of its hurt. Then it saw the mounted man and one of the hated black liveried women defending him with her puny sword upraised.
    The elemental roared a thunder of snow and frigid wind as it charged.
      Balfour shouted, “Cle’or, no!”
      The woman urged her frightened mount headlong into meeting the creature’s attack.
      George saw that she had somehow managed to light a torch and was trying to use it as a weapon. “Shield to widest dispersion!” he cried.
      :Acknowledged.: The staff flared. Light rippled outward and just passed Cle’or before she would have come into contact with the elemental’s form.
      She was rebuffed and knocked askew even as the creature made contact with the protective field. It blazed as it impacted the elemental, which howled in agony as its now dripping form melted.
    In but moments, the snow pelting around it was reabsorbed, building back its lost mass.  But that respite was long enough for Balfour and Me’oh to forcibly pull Cle’or back and retreat.
      Se’and saw Je’orj stagger during the attack. “Milord? Are you all right?”
      :George, that took full rapport… I estimate that you will lose consciousness after no more than three more such contacts.:
      “Ye of little faith,” George muttered as he turned. “Split up! Give up the horses if you have to! But get out of here!”
      “No!” Fri’il cried, even as Raven’s teeth clamped about her wrist and drew her away.
      Balfour struggled to think about what to do, as he realized that with his healing abilities, dealing with an elemental was completely out of his ken. He met Me’oh’s gaze and knew that they would have to trust to Je’orj’s gifts and skills.
      The creature of ice and snow impacted the shield once more.
    Se’and caught George before he could fall.  He gasped as the shield blazed with heat. The elemental shrieked in fury and agony.
    :Redefining field parameters…  The dispersion is taking too much energy to support, George. I am sorry, but we cannot maintain this without doing you permanent injury.:
      “Do it,” he mumbled. The defensive field vanished. Se’and hurriedly led him away toward the nearest barrow, hoping to use its shape to