The Tears of Elios Read Online Free PDF

Kingdom.” He stood and brushed the dust off his robes before draping his Master's cloak over his shoulders. “I suppose we should start moving.”
    “Where are we going?”
    He pointed to the northwest where the stars still glittered in the sky. “This way for about two days. We should hopefully meet up with the Resistance camp by then. I'm sure Galen would like to know that the Azekborn discovered the gate. If they found it, there’s a very good chance the King also discovered the location of the camp.”
    Kira followed after him. “Who's Galen?”
    “Patience, my child. You'll meet him soon enough. That is,” he added, holding her gaze, “if you want to come along. As you keep reminding me, you're not a child anymore. You're free to go wherever you want.”
    Kira chewed her bottom lip. If she followed him, she would be joining the Resistance, and hence, would become a target of the Azekborn. She tried to force the image of the glowing red eyes from her mind. On the other hand, she’d never been alone before. As much as she longed to prove herself the equal of any Master Mage in the kingdom, she wasn’t brave enough to do it on her own.
    “Wait!” She jogged after him, shortening her stride to match his waddling gait when she reached him. “I'll come along. After all, you need someone to fetch your beer for you.”
    He grinned. “Thank you, my child. You will be a great comfort to me in these trying times. Two days without beer—whatever shall I do?”
     
     

 
     
     
    CHAPTER 4
     
     
    Gregor took off his spotless glasses and cleaned them again. For a moment, he envied Duke, who gnawed away on a bone in front of the fire. He was so close to deciphering the scroll, but some of the Elvish words didn’t make sense to him. If he could translate them correctly, he could unlock the secrets of imbuing an object with a permanent spell. Then, armed with that information, he maybe could prove to Anilayus there was still much to learn from the other races.
    He needed sleep. He had been up all night working on this. But when he did sleep, he felt as if someone was spying on him. At first, it was a little disconcerting, but over the last few weeks, it grew comforting in an odd sort of way. Like someone was watching over him in a protective way. But who?
    His thoughts turned to the strange animal-woman. He unfolded the piece of parchment and traced the sketch he’d made of her face. Never had a woman captivated him the way she did. Since she disappeared a month ago, he hadn’t seen any trace of her.
    He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He needed to forget about her and focus on his work. She was only interesting because she was a unique creature, a shape-shifter, and he wanted to study her further. A learning opportunity, and nothing more.
    When he woke, the sun had moved to the other side of the sky. A cold wind bathed his face from the open window. And as his vision came into focus, he realized he wasn’t alone.
    She stood and watched him from across his desk. He stared in disbelief, but then averted his gaze when he saw she was unclothed.
    “This is no time for modesty, Gregor Meritis.” Her voice was stronger than he had imagined.
    “You can talk?”
    “Yes, I can talk, and you need to shut up and listen.” She rounded the desk and stood over his chair. “Do you know what the Azekborn are?”
    He shivered. “Yes, I've heard of them, although I've never seen them.”
    “There are three of them coming this way. They'll be here in less than an hour.”
    He jumped to his feet. “Why are they coming here?”
    “Because you helped me.”
    “But—but—”
    “Quit your babbling! You saved my life, and in return I'll save yours. Get out while you can. Run. Hide. Don't let them find a way to follow you. I’ll do my best to slow them down.” She spun around and crossed the room, ignoring Duke.
    “Wait, I—”
    She glared at him, annoyed by the interruption.
    “I just want to know your