The Stranger's Magic: The Labyrinths of Echo: Book Three Read Online Free PDF

minister.”
    “Tempting, very tempting. Fine, give me a ride on your amobiler for starters, mister. Then I’ll think about it.”
    “Can do. At your service, sir.”
    “This has been the dream of my miserable life—to make you my personal chauffeur,” said Melifaro with a sigh. “You should give this lengthy consideration. It’s the
only talent you have that’s worthy of the name, anyway.”
    “Thanks, but no thanks,” I said, snorting. “I know how much a chauffeur makes. I’ve already been poor once, and didn’t like it one bit.”
    “You? Poor? When?” said Melifaro. “All right, let’s go. I’m really running late for work now.”
    “That’s what I thought,” I said. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been standing in the doorway shuffling my feet for thirty minutes already.”

    We were tearing along toward Echo through the sleepy suburbs on this gloomy morning. Melifaro, who loved sunny weather, looked visibly downcast. At one point, he demanded that I entertain him,
but I said I had to keep my eyes on the road. He calmed down and even began to doze off from boredom.
    I was completely entranced by the beautiful gloomy morning. Each raindrop on the windshield looked like a tiny inimitable wonder. Just recently, I had noticed that even rain in this World was
different from the usual precipitation I had spent my first thirty years soaking in. Sure, it was just water, but the sweet scent of the pollen, the barely noticeable purple tint of the streaks of
rains, the . . .
    It was nice to remember that I still was a newcomer in this beautiful World. Deep inside, I hoped that this feeling would stay with me a lot longer. So many new ways to get myself in trouble, so
many opportunities to be amazed over trivial things. The latter—the blissful opportunities to be amazed over trivial things—filled my life so fully that I could almost afford not to
wish for anything else. Frankly, that morning, I didn’t wish for anything else.

    Once I had dropped off my daytime half by the House by the Bridge, I decided it was a good idea to drop by myself. I had to tell Juffin the mysterious story of my silly dreams.
    Sir Juffin had not yet arrived. I guessed that at that time of the day I could probably find him on the Street of Old Coins: he still hadn’t sated his craving for late-night movie
screenings. I carefully weighed the options and decided that Shurf’s (and, by extension, my own) problem could wait until the evening—unlike Tekki, who had probably begun tossing and
turning by now. Yesterday she had said she might regret the chance she had let slip. I couldn’t allow my beautiful lady to fall so low. From time to time, I discover that I have principles
that I simply cannot forego.

    I returned to the House by the Bridge only an hour before sunset and went straight to the office that I shared with Juffin. Kurush was the only occupant. He sat on the back of the armchair with
an allimportant look.
    “Where’s the boss, O wise one?” I said.
    “I don’t know,” said the bird. “He came and went, came and went. People, as you know, are known to be somewhat restless.”
    “That we are,” I said, sighing, and sent Juffin a call.
    It’s the second time I’ve come to the Headquarters today and not found you here.
    It’s your own fault. You should work on your sense of timing, said Juffin. It’s high time that you learned to come exactly when I’m in. More to the point, however: What on
earth are you doing there? As I recall, I gave you two days off—at your own persistent request, may I remind you. What happened? Couldn’t bear the life of a loafer?
    Nah, loafing wasn’t the problem. It’s my absentmindedness—I thought it had already been two days, I said. Then I added with a sigh, Juffin, to be honest, I have a few questions
that you’re the one most likely to have the answers to.
    Well, I’ve had a rough day, so if your confession can wait, let’s put it off until