The Drowned Tomb (The Changeling Series Book 2) by James Fahy Read Free Book Online Page A

they are good ones,” Karya told Robin. “You should devote yourself fully to your studies,” she added piously.
    “You’ve been spending too much time with the old girl, you have,” Henry said. “Working on this translation, or whatever it is. Speaking of … has this watery new lass given you a list of books as long as your arm to read yet, Rob?” He glanced at Robin’s bed, which was, as ever, covered in scattered books on the Tower of Air. He read some of the covers aloud.
    “‘Nine White Winds’ by Professor Zephyr Muldoon, ‘A Treatise on the Art of Air Shaping’ by Gaseous Binge, ‘101 Cantrips for Gusts and Breezes’ Marietta Whelks, ‘Ethercraft volumes I - VIII’ by Harmonious Von Netherblast.” He sniggered at this last one.
    “She hasn’t given me anything like that,” Robin said. “I don’t even know what we’re going to be doing. All I know is that she expects me to be down at the lake tomorrow morning, and doesn’t seem very concerned by the fact that I’m likely to be just drowning energetically. I can’t swim at all.”
    “Really?” Karya peered at him with unconcealed disdain.
    “Bit brutal that, Rob,” Henry said. “She sounds a bit harsh to be honest, saucy nymph or not, expecting you to just learn like that.” He clicked his fingers. “No one could do that overnight.”
    “I’m aware of that, thanks,” Robin sank hopelessly back into his pillows again.
    “Well, not unless they had black kraken seaweed and bile anyway,” Karya nodded in agreement, shrugging. “And that’s hardly easy to come by.”
    Robin sat back up again sharply. He and Henry exchanged looks. “What do you mean?” they both asked.
    The girl looked a little self-conscious under their twin stares. Her unearthly golden eyes flicked from Henry to Robin. “Well … nothing really. I was just thinking aloud. If you had black kraken seaweed and mixed it with bile from one of the beasts, you could brew yourself up a swimming draught, that’s all.”
    “What’s that?” Robin pressed. “A swimming what?”
    “It’s a concoction,” she explained, closing her book in one hand. “A potion, I suppose. Half liquid, half pure mana. It’s supposed to imbue the drinker with the knowledge of the strongest swimmer.” She shrugged. “It’s only a legend anyway, I was attempting to be glib and fanciful. Sailors in the Netherworlde used to say they made and drank it before long voyages, in case they got shipwrecked. Little old ladies used to sell it in tiny bottles on the docks in all the coastal towns, though I’m sure nine times out of ten it was almost certainly just water with a bit of ink and a twig in it.”
    “And you just need seaweed and bile for it? Whatever that is?” Henry asked.
    “Kraken bile, yes. According to tradition.” Karya nodded “And not just any old seaweed. Has to be black kraken seaweed. It grows naturally wherever kraken are.” She glanced from one boy to the other again, curious at being the subject of their rapt attention. “I was just being sarcastic really. It’s not like it’s a common shopping list item. I know old Hestia is quite the skilled herbalist, but I doubt even she has jars of black kraken seaweed and bile stashed about the place. It’s hardly like we can just order this stuff from the local supermarket in that little human village near here, even if it is a Waitrose.” She looked thoughtful. “Although I suppose there’s always the internet? I hear this Electronics-bay, or whatever humans call it, is quite good for this sort of boutique shopping?”
    Henry grinned at Robin, ignoring Karya’s suggestion. Computers, telephones and anything too technological didn’t seem to work well in Erlking anyway. It tended to pitch a fit once it got on the grounds. Too much latent mana in the air. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking, mate?”
    Robin, who was suddenly feeling less tired and exhausted, nodded back. “I think we should take a night-time trip