Carry On by Rainbow Rowell Read Free Book Online Page A

sleep when you’re long past the edge of exhaustion.
    â€œBut fight him we must. We want to protect you; I vow to do so with my life. But you must learn, Simon, as soon as possible, how best to protect yourself.
    â€œHe is our greatest threat. And you are our greatest hope.”
    I was too stunned to respond or to ask any questions. Too young. I just wanted to see the Mage do that trick again, the one where he made a map roll out all by itself.
    I spent that first year at Watford telling myself that I was dreaming. And the next year telling myself that I wasn’t …
    I’d already been attacked by ogres, shattered a circle of standing stones, and grown five inches before I thought to ask the real question:
    Why me?
    Why did I have to fight the Humdrum?
    The Mage has answered that question a dozen different ways over the years:
    Because I was chosen. Because I was prophesied. Because the Humdrum won’t leave me alone.
    But none of those are real answers. Penelope has given me the only answer that I know what to do with.…
    â€œBecause you can, Simon. And someone has to.”
    The Mage is watching something out my window. I think about inviting him to sit down. Then I try to remember whether I’ve ever seen him sit down.
    I shift my weight, and the bed creaks. He turns to me, looking troubled.
    â€œSir?”
    â€œSimon.”
    â€œThe Humdrum—did you find him? What have I missed?”
    The Mage rubs his chin in the notch between his thumb and forefinger, then jerks his head quickly from side to side. “Nothing. We’re no closer to finding him, and other matters have needed my immediate attention.”
    â€œHow could anything be more important than the Humdrum?” I blurt out.
    â€œNot more important,” he says. “Just more pressing. It’s the Old Families—they’re testing me.” He balls his right hand into a fist. “Half of Wales has stopped tithing. The Pitches are paying three members of the Coven to stay away from meetings, so we don’t have quorum. And there have been skirmishes up and down the road to London all summer long.”
    â€œSkirmishes?”
    â€œTraps, tussles. Tests—they’re all tests, Simon. You know the Old Families would seize the reins if they thought for a moment I was distracted. They’d roll back everything we’ve accomplished.”
    â€œDo they think they can fight the Humdrum without us?”
    â€œI think they’re so shortsighted,” he says, looking over at me, “that they don’t care. They just want power, and they want it now.”
    â€œWell, I don’t care about them,” I say. “If the Humdrum takes our magic, we won’t have anything to scrap over. We should be fighting the Humdrum.”
    â€œAnd we will, ” he says, “when the time is right. When we know how to beat him. But until then, my first priority is keeping you safe. Simon…” He folds his arms. “I’ve been consulting with the other members of the Coven, with those I can trust. We think maybe our efforts to protect you have backfired. Despite the spells and surveillance, the Humdrum seems to have the best luck getting to you when you’re here, at Watford. He spirited you away in June without triggering any of our defences.”
    It’s embarrassing to hear him say this. It feels like I’m the one failing, not the Mage or the protection spells. I’m supposed to be the only one who can fight the Humdrum. But I finally got a chance to face him, and the most I could do was run away. I don’t think I’d have managed even that without Penelope.
    The Mage clenches his jaw. He has one of those chins that flattens out in the middle—with a sharp dimple, like he was nicked by a knife. I’m dead jealous of it. “We’ve decided,” he says slowly, “that you would be safer somewhere other than Watford.”
    I’m