The Fire King Read Online Free PDF Page B

tall tree and proceeded to break off some of the smaller branches.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” asked Emily.
    â€œArming ourselves. You said we needed witchbane.” Katerina handed Emily a branch about as long as her forearm. “Or, to give it its more common name, rowan wood. We can sharpen these up and use them as weapons if the hounds come back.”
    Katerina handed one each to Will and Jack, then led them along a stone path choked with weeds. It was obvious to Emily that the path wasn’t used very often, but they followed it anyway until it passed a small crypt with a hideous gargoyle perched above the closed doors. It was leaning over the roof, glaring at them, as if daring them to enter.
    Here Katerina stopped. She checked their surroundings carefully, then pulled open the doors and disappeared into the dark interior.
    William was the first to follow. He hurried through the opening after Katerina, moving before Emily could say anything. Emily watched him go. What was he doing? Trying to beat her? Did he think this was some kind of race? Or that he had to score points? Jack just shrugged awkwardly and followed after. That left Corrigan and Emily standing outside.
    â€œYou’re very quiet,” she said.
    Corrigan looked around the graveyard. “It’s very peaceful here,” he said after a while.
    Emily glanced around. A sparrow flitted past, disappearing into the foliage of a nearby tree. It was peaceful.
    â€œAnd soon the Fire King is going to sweep through and burn it all.”
    Emily blinked, looking around with fresh eyes. “Is there any way we can stop it?”
    Corrigan shrugged. “Can you change the past? I don’t know anything about that. All I know is that the second war of the races is about to start, and a lot of fey are going to die. A lot of humans as well.” He stared earnestly into Emily’s eyes. “I don’t want to be here, Emily Snow. Things are going to get very dangerous very soon.”
    Corrigan turned and entered the crypt. Emily swallowed nervously. She didn’t like it when Corrigan talked like that. He was usually so sure of himself, so cocky. If he was scared, then things were about to get very bad indeed.
    As she stood there, the bells of the church rang out in the distance, signaling the new hour. In the pleasant surroundings of a warm summer’s day, the bells should have been cheerful. But to Emily they sounded desolate, the echoing peals marking the beginning of the end.
    She shivered and stepped through the door, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the dim interior. Jack was waiting next to a statue of a fierce wolf. As Emily approached she could see a hole in the wall behind it. From the scrape marks on the floor, it was evident that the heavy base of the statue had once blocked the opening.
    â€œWhere’s Will?” she asked.
    â€œHe’s already gone through,” said Jack. “So has the piskie.”
    Emily eyed the hole doubtfully. “Where does it go?”
    â€œNo idea,” said Jack. He grinned. “Shall we find out? There might be treasure.”
    In spite of everything going on, Emily couldn’t help but smile. “You’ve got treasure on the brain,” she said. “If there was any treasure, why do Katerina and her gang look like they live on the streets?”
    Jack thought about this. “Disguise?” he suggested. “If you think about it, it’s really cunning. I certainly wouldn’t advertise the fact that I had piles of treasure stashed away.”
    â€œJack, if you had any treasure, you’d be living it up at Claridge’s until you’d spent every last penny.”
    â€œFair point,” he said. “But that still doesn’t mean they don’t have any.” He gestured at the opening. “Shall we?”
    Emily ducked, finding herself at the top of a rough-hewn tunnel that sloped away from her at a steep angle. A single,