The Curse of Oberon (The Inglewood Chronicles Book 3) by Jeremy Croston Read Free Book Online Page B

place, then there was one sure fire way to find out.  “Hey Michael, you home?”
    As expected, there was no answer.  If the old pastor wasn’t here, then this wasn’t my home.  That led to the big question, just where the hell was I?
    A rough, daemonic voice answered for me.  “This is the nexus wolf, a place where those afflicted come to learn.”
    Great, I was hearing voices inside my own head.  Man, if I had a shrink, I could see the bills just starting to add up.  “If by nexus you mean my head, we can agree on that.”
    Another, silkier voice took a turn.  “What the other one is trying to say is this is a place where we can try to explain the situation clearly.  I believe that is what the Old One with you wishes.”
    “An explanation would be peaches and cream, but I’m still out in left field on what the hell I’m actually talking to.”
    The first voice gruffed in some language I didn’t understand.  It sounded pretty hostile and not one I’d want to get on the bad side of.
    The friendlier voice took a turn again.  “Maybe this would be easier one at a time.”  Where I’d felt three distinct presences (me and whatever the two of those things were), only two remained.  The main door to the house opened and the form of Billy Winchester entered.
    I didn’t know what to say as he grinned up at me.  Could this really be him?  Then he spoke, it was the same voice as before.  “Sorry if this form is not appropriate.”
    “You can do whatever you want, just don’t expect me to be all that friendly like.”
    We stood there, in awkward silence.  “The counterpart to me is not so cordial.  Questions you may have about the curses afflicting you would be best served to me.”
    I frowned at him.  “You’re one of the curses aren’t you?”
    “Indeed I am.  I am an old Gaelic curse that has gone from wolf to wolf, doing the bidding of the one who created me.”
    So this thing was created by Oberon.  “You’re master’s messed up a lot of good people’s lives.”
    “I have witnessed this first hand, but in each time I have tried my best to minimize the damage.”
    Maybe it was looking Billy’s face, or maybe this conversation was revealing some deep hatred, but I lost focus and everything faded away.  My mind rushed back to me and I was around the campfire, the Sphinx sitting across from me.
    Maybe she did have my best interest in mind as her face was etched with concern.  “You were not down for nearly long enough.  Did something happen?”
    “The curse from the sword is really mean, angry like.  He didn’t have much to say.”
    She nodded accordingly.  “Not to be surprised, especially since I get the feeling that one originates from the Pit, just as I do.  Not all the creatures from there have my sweet disposition.”
    I could believe that.  “The other one was the one from Oberon.  I know it’s silly, but seeing it and having it take the form of my dead best friend really pissed me off.”  I was still a bit riled up.  “I guess you could say I lost my composure in there.”
    “It happens to the best of us, but fortunately, you made enough contact that I think I can draw it out again.”  That was good, I guess?  “If you give me a few moments to think on this, I do believe we can have you make contact again.  That is, if you want to?”
    It’d be easy to turn yellow and say no.  I had a million and one good reasons to tell her no thanks and move on.  Unfortunately, I’m just too stupid to do something sensible.  “I think it’s worth another shot.”  I did have one request though.  “Is it possible to make contact with just the curse from Oberon?  The other one, man I just don’t know about that one.”
    She placed her hand on my chest where the ugly looking resided.  “Yes.  As long as we isolate the two from each other, that should not be a problem.”
    “Awesome.”
    “I do give you this warning – soon you will have to deal with it, as