Descent Into Darkness (Book 2) by James R. Vernon Read Free Book Online Page A

in. "You never mentioned that part before, Zin. If you were hoping to leave that tidbit out of our little arrangement, you've made a big mistake. I would be quite content to follow this one if that was the plan all along."
    "No, it's certainly not the plan," Zin replied, while Ean responded just as quickly,
    "I would never want to be that kind of a monster!"
    "Mmhmm, I see," was the only answer they both got from the Yulari. She was looking at Ean now the same way Zin looked at a fat rat. It sent a shiver down Ean's spine.
    "My plan," Zin said, "was just to find out how he could control so many creatures from the Abyss. Ean could use that to summon a handful of Hounds or other minor creatures to take down the beast terrorizing his village. That's it. I have no intention of turning him into anything remotely resembling my former master."
    Shrugging, Azalea leaned back onto her elbows and looked off into the distance, as if no longer interested in the conversation. But if Ean had learnt anything about the Yulari in the few days they had been together, he was sure she hadn't let the idea drop from her mind.
    "That's good to hear, Zin, because I certainly have no intention of becoming any kind of tyrant." Ean said, directing his words at Zin while at the same time staring at Azalea, hoping that she got the point. For his troubles, he got a small smile and a wink as she looked at him for a moment before turning her gaze back to the countryside.
    "Good, that's exactly what I wanted to hear." Zin tore his worried gaze from Azalea to address Ean. "We both want the same thing--to enjoy our lives in peace and comfort--so trust me when I say that the last thing I want you to do is repeat the mistakes of my former master."
    "Good, because a peaceful life IS exactly what I want. A simple healer's life. Up until I helped the wounded in Rensen, I looked at healing as a way to make money. But now I know I can get so much more from it. Being a healer gives me a purpose. All I want to do is set up a healer's shop of my own."
    "That's all well and good," Azalea cut in. "But you should know we're about to have company. And a lot of it."
    Raising a hand to shield his eyes, it took Ean a few moments to follow Azalea's gaze to the west to see what she was talking about.
    He spied five, large horse-drawn covered wagons, each a different color, approaching from the west. Following behind the wagons were teams of oxen hitched to open bed wagons stacked with various goods. One was heaping full of gray roundish balls. Another was hauling blocks made from the same material as the balls. There seemed to be no end to the slow-moving convoy. By the time the last one crested the hill, Ean had counted twenty-six wagons in all.
    "Zin, you should certainly disappear," Ean said, but the tell-tale shimmering of the already invisible imp was the only thing Ean could see. Azalea was walking towards the road.
    "Wait a second!" Ean chased after her. "Maybe we should hide and just wait for them to pass."
    "It's a bit late for that," she said, slowing down just enough for him to catch up. "Do you have any idea what they are up to?"
    "No. I would guess that they are traders, but I've never seen a group this large. Besides maybe the one that was camped next to Rensen."
    "Well, we have traders in the Abyss, and they are usually a sneaky lot. Best if you let me do all of the talking. Otherwise they might trick you out of what little supplies we have left."
    Ean was about to object, but then changed his mind. He had been caught by surprise by the bandit at the farm. Maybe it would be better if he let her take the lead in this situation.
    "Alright. Just try not to get us into any trouble."
    "I would never dream of it." The smirk that touched her lips, though, said otherwise.
    The two of them moved to the side of the road and waited for the wagons. The sun was halfway behind the mountains by the time the first wagon reached them. A man on the front wagon raised a single hand,