Sovereign Stone by David Wells Read Free Book Online Page B

the sheer size of the Keep. It stretched away from the central spire for miles in every direction. The surface was covered with buildings, roads, towers, small fields, and assembly areas. But Alexander knew the vast outer surface area of the Keep was only a small part of its true capacity; dozens of levels of rooms and halls riddled the interior.
    There was only one more level of the tower, the very highest level of the entire Keep, and they soon discovered that the staircase leading up to it was barred by a magical shield that would not let anyone pass, except Alexander. He could not deactivate it. He could not even assist Kelvin to pass. Clearly, the highest chamber in the tower was meant for the Keep Master alone.
    Alexander ascended to the simple little room with caution as well as a sense of excitement. He was somewhat disappointed to find that it was nothing more than a bare room with a magical circle surrounding its center point inlaid in heavy gold. In the middle of the circle was a large meditation cushion with the bleached bones of a crumpled skeleton unceremoniously piled on top.
    All around the walls hung heavy tapestries depicting scenes of beauty. It was a peaceful, quiet place. Alexander spent a few moments walking around looking at the tapestries, until he noticed the faint aura of magic coming from one. It took him a minute to realize that it was actually coming from behind the tapestry. He pulled it aside and found a portal to another room.
    He was puzzled because he knew the wall was nothing more than a foot of stone separating him from the sky beyond, yet the room was clearly there. Upon further inspection, he found that the portal was more of an opening in the fabric of the world than an actual door. He looked into the twenty-foot square room and marveled at the capacity of magic to leave him speechless and breathless at the same time.
    Cautiously, he ventured into the little room that existed outside of the world. As he crossed the threshold, the light came up a bit and the detail of the room became visible. It was a simple place with a table, chair, bed, and bookshelf. There was a small fireplace and a comfortable chair with a table beside it. Otherwise the room was bare and slightly cold.
    On the table was a letter written on fine parchment and sealed with wax. The seal was marked with the glyph of the House of Reishi. His hand went to the mark on his neck and then to the hilt of the Thinblade. He drew his sword and compared the glyph on its pommel with the mark in the wax—it was a perfect match. A thrill ran up his spine. Mage Cedric had left him a letter, probably the last thing he ever did in this world. Alexander could only guess that the bones in the circle were the remains of the Old Rebel Mage.
    He sat down in the chair and broke the seal. The tingle of magic raced through him. For a moment he was alarmed but there didn’t seem to be any other effect, so he relaxed. When he opened the letter, he discovered that it was written in a language he didn’t recognize, but after a moment the words suddenly became clear to him.
    He read the letter with a sense of awe and reverence. He knew it had been written two thousand years ago and left here for his eyes only.
    “You are the heir to the throne of Ruatha, the first of your line to claim the throne in millennia. But you are much more than that—you are the greatest hope for the people of all the Seven Isles. Be true to the Old Law.
    “I have fought Phane for decades and his father before that. He is cunning and evil beyond measure, but he can be defeated. His arrogance and self-centered narcissism are his weaknesses. He does not trust anyone and will betray those who are foolish enough to trust him. Use this to your advantage.
    “If you are reading this, then you have found the first of the three Bloodvaults. The second is at the base of this tower. Your sword is there, along with several rings that will allow others to command the Keep. You