The Elementalist : Next of Kin: The Kothian Chronicles by Andrew Wood Read Free Book Online Page A

who might you be?" One of the men said looking down at him, "My name is Danton, what's yours?" the man added.
    Connor looked up at the man, "Connor Sir," he replied.
    "Oh bloody hell not another one. What are we? A damn Bosarian refuge centre for lost brats," Darion snarled from just behind them.
    "Ignore him Connor, he dislikes everybody and everything. Are you hungry?" Danton asked the youngster thinking of a way to make him feel part of the group. Connor nodded profusely, "Bloody hell, am I ever...I mean yes Sir," he replied. Danton chuckled, before stepping over to his horse and rummaging in one of his packs, removing something and holding it in a hand behind his back.
     
    Danton knelt down onto the stony shore before revealing to Connor what it was he was holding. He held out his palm containing a small package, which Connor almost snatched, unwrapped and put in his mouth before Danton had time to ask him to take it. "You certainly are hungry," he chuckled as he watched Connor start devouring on the piece of chicken he had given.
     
    Once the group had reacquainted themselves, clearly still shocked at having found each other, they got back to the task in hand; that being how to get the barge down into the water so they could cross the lake. "We could teleport across now we have the lad," Darion suggested.
    "No you can teleport across...and Zack of course, what about the rest of us...and the horses," Mikel replied with more than a touch of annoyance in his voice. Danton stepped in to ease any tension before things got out of hand, knowing Darion was a bit of a hot head and Mikel likely to antagonise him.
     
    "Can't we use the barge?" Maxim asked.
    "What you think we been trying to do ginger boy, but that useless sod isn't trying hard enough," Darion snapped. Maxim took no notice, "Could you not assist him?" he asked. The face pulled by the old man looked as if Maxim had just asked him to do the impossible, "Not my job to move stuff like that," Darion replied, crossing his arms stubbornly. Maxim just shrugged and stepped over to Mikel, "Take my hand," he said to his friend, and I will allow you to feed off my power to move it," he added as Mikel had a look of uncertainty on his face. "We could always use the horses to drag it down the shore to the water," Mikel said trying to talk his way out of it.
     
    Maxim did not take no for an answer and grabbed his friend by the hand, "Take it slowly, don't use your own power, and together we'll move it to the water." Mikel nodded and felt surprised at the power flowing into his body from Maxim. He felt it building, "Release it Mikel," he reminded him, knowing if he let it build too much it would destroy his friend. Mikel nodded and focused on the wooden craft, pushing his hand out slowly as if he were battling against thin air. He afforded a smile as the barge scraped its way downwards across the stony shore and to the water's edge. "That's far enough you dimwit," Darion shouted, "You put it in the water and it will go floating off," he added.
     
    Maxim broke the link with his friend, and although he had used a substantial amount of energy, he felt none the worse for doing so. Danton and Zack grabbed the two ropes attached to the barge, just in case the craft did start to drift a little, as Mikel stood for a moment impressed with his contribution. Darion scoffed at him as he walked past, "You didn't do it, now get and sort the horses out," he said in his usual grumpy demeanour. Mikel just sighed, and let his shoulders drop as he went to do as he was told.
     
    Tia, the young girl they had brought back with them on their travels, walked up to Darion, "You are a very mean old man," she snapped holding her hands on her hips and kicking him on the shin. The old man cursed under his breath, and Maxim could not help but snigger, which only caused Darion to curse some more, "Didn't take her long to suss Darion out then," he said turning to Zack. The young royal smiled, "Oh yes, she had