The Sorcerer Heir (Heir Chronicles) Read Online Free PDF Page A

the patio and the grounds beyond, a furrow of annoyance between her brows. “Has anyone seen Grace?” she asked.
    Gooseflesh rose on the back of Emma’s neck. “No,” she said. “When did you last see her?”
    “We listened to your first set together, and then she said she was going out to make sure the pumpkin lamps were still lit,” Madison said. “That was a while ago. I told her to come right back....” She trailed off, reading Emma’s face. “Is something wrong?”
    “I just—it’s nothing,” Emma said.
    “Grace is your little sister?” Rudy said.
    Madison nodded. “She’s twelve, going on eighteen,” Madison said. She extended her hand out in front of her, palm down. “About this tall, with light brown hair. She was wearing a black cat costume.”
    “Want us to spread out and look for her?” Rudy asked, always eager for action.
    Madison wavered, then shook her head. “Seph and I will check the house again before we all fly into a panic. Grace will never forgive me if I send out a posse.” She turned to her Anaweir companion. “Will, could you keep looking around outside?”
    Will nodded. “Got it.”
    “Did you try her cell phone?” Rudy asked.
    Madison’s lips tightened. “Where I come from, we don’t give cell phones to twelve-year-old kids.” She turned back toward the house, but just then they heard shouting from the direction of the woods, and two figures stumbling up the slope toward them.
    “That’s Leesha and Fitch,” Will said. “I’ll go see what’s up.” He vaulted over the wall at the edge of the terrace without missing a step, and quickly closed the distance between them.
    Emma watched with growing foreboding as the three spoke briefly, and then all turned and ran toward the house. Seph and Madison walked forward to meet them, but Emma hung back with her bandmates, not sure she wanted to hear what they had to say.
    She heard it anyway. “There’s been an attack,” Fitch said. “Like—like a stabbing. Or a shooting. We’re not sure. But there’s at least three bodies in the woods between here and the lake.” He stole a quick look at Madison.
    Madison went sheet-white, her blue eyes brilliant against her pale skin. “Who?” she demanded, balling her fists and taking a step toward him. “Who’s dead?”
    “Hang on,” Leesha said. “We’re not entirely sure of anything.”
    “I called 911,” Fitch said, “and help should be here any minute. Let’s wait until they get here.”
    “Who. Is. It?” Madison repeated, light flaming up under her skin, shining through, her hair snaking around her head.
    “I’m a healer,” Natalie said, coming to her feet. “Is there anyone—is there anything I can do until EMS gets here?”
    Leesha just stared back at her, speechless, tears streaming down her face.
    Madison Moss took off running, hair flying, her pirate skirts bunched into her fists, with Seph McCauley right on her heels, pleading with her to wait, to slow down, to at least not go out there on her own. The race ended just inside the edge of the trees. Seph circled Madison with his arms and pulled her back against his body, the magic flaring up within her underlighting the trees, flickering out into the darkness.
    Emma and the others, drawn like moths to a flame, came up behind them, huddling silently, waiting.
    Slowly then, Seph and Madison walked forward, and Madison dropped to her knees in the leaf litter next to a darker shape among the others. Emma’s heart plummeted to her toes. She tasted metal on the back of her tongue, the taste of blood and despair. She could not bear to look, and yet she could not tear her eyes away.
    Then Madison Moss began to scream. It seemed to go on and on and on, the thread of Seph McCauley’s wizard voice running through it, their bodies merging into one shadow as he pulled her into his arms.

E mma should have left before the police arrived. But it’s hard to think clearly when you’re trying to not think at all.