Alcatraz vs. the Shattered Lens by Brandon Sanderson Read Free Book Online Page A

Smedry's face appeared in front of me, hovering in the air. It was faintly translucent.
    Ha ! Grandpa's voice said in my ears. Alcatraz, my boy, you really can do it !
    "Yeah," I said. The others gave me odd looks, but I tapped the glasses.
    You found the Lenses, I presume ? Grandpa asked.
    “I did," I replied. "How'd you get them into my pocket?"
    Oh, I've been known to practice a little sleight of hand in my day, my boy, he said. I'd been meaning to give you those Lenses for some time. Make good use of them. I'm sure dear Bastille can tell you how to use them. Ha! The lass seems to know more about my Lenses sometimes than I do! Are you in Mokia yet?
    "We've arrived at Tuki Tuki," I said. "I've got Kaz with me, and my cousin Aydee."
    Excellent, lad, excellent. I'm working on the knights. I’ve almost got them in agreement to come with me to “rescue” you. But they're not convinced that you're in danger. They think that you tricked them and didn't really fly to Moki - you just acted like it to try to get them to go join the war.
    "Wow," I said. “As I think about it, that might have been a pretty good idea."
    Except for the fact that we'll need to prove to them where you are, Grandpa said. Your cousin Aydee was in town dropping off a bit of Communicator's Glass. The other piece is in the palace, with Bastille's sister, the queen. If you can contact the Mokian embassy in Nalha l la through it, that will prove that you're there in Mokia. They won't take my word on it with the Courier's Lenses, but if you contact the embassy, the knights will have no choice but to come defend you.
    "All right," I said.
    This will be dangerous, lad, Grandpa said. I don t want you getting hurt.
    "But that's the Smedry way!" I said, imitating him.
    Ha! Well, so it is. But surviving is also the Smedry way. Get in, contact the embassy, and then lay low. Don't go fight on the battlefield yourself. Understand?
    "Clear as glass," I said.
    What kind of glass? Grandpa asked.
    "The transparent kind," I said. "I'll let you know once we're inside."
    Good lad.
    His face vanished, and I felt an overwhelming fatigue. I stumbled over to a moss-covered stone and sat down, exhausted.
    "Alcatraz,” Bastille said, "was your grandfather still in Nalhalla?"
    I nodded.
    "But . . . you shouldn't be able to . . ."
    "I know, Bastille," I said. "That's probably why I'm so tired. Impossible things are really rough to do, you know."
    She looked troubled.
    "Hey!" Kaz exclaimed suddenly, looking through his pack. "I forgot that I stuffed these in here." He pulled out some colored teddy bears.
    “Oh!" Aydee said, squealing and running over to snatch them up.
    “Aydee!" I said, standing. "Wait! Those are grenades!"
    "I know,” she said enthusiastically. "I love grenades!"
    Yes, she's a Smedry all right.
    "How many do you have?" I asked.
    "One of each of the main three kinds," Kaz said.
    "So, six?" Aydee said.
    "Uh," I said. “Actually, one plus one plus one is . . ." I trailed off as, suddenly, Aydee was holding not three, but six bears.
     
    "One plus one plus one," she proclaimed. "Six, right?"
    I blinked. She’s bad at math . . . Her Talent, it appears, had forced the world to match her powers of addition.
    "Don't correct her, Al," Kaz said, chuckling. “At least not when her bad math is in our favor. Nice work, Aydee."
    "But what did I do?" she said, confused, handing back the exploding bears.
    "Nothing,” Kaz said, tucking the bears in his pack.
    Aydee was young enough that she hadn't learned to control her Talent yet - and I couldn't really blame her for that, since I barely had mine under control myself. Her Talent would be hard to control anyway, since she could only make mathematical miracles when she legitimately calculated wrong in her head.
    "Alcatraz, are you all right?" Bastille asked.
    I nodded, still feeling tired but forcing myself to my feet. "Come on. I want to see what we’re up against.”
    Kaz led the way over to the ridge. We walked up to it,