The Heart of Fire by Michael J. Ward Read Free Book Online Page A

stack of crates piled high to the
ceiling. Each one has the symbol of a rose stamped on the side.
    Anna is already selecting various bottles from her collection. ‘Elysium is very rare and very expensive. Did you expect me to just have some lying around?’
    You rest your back against the wall, clutching your arms to stop them shaking. ‘I had no other choice.’
    The woman adds a series of fine powders to a trestle bowl. ‘I don’t need to ask how you came in contact with such a devilish concoction.’ After crushing another ingredient with
a mortar she mixes the parts together, before pouring them into a bottle and adding a green-tinged liquid.
    ‘You know, these ingredients aren’t cheap.’ Anna shakes the bottle, watching as the contents dissolve. ‘One of these powders alone is five hundred gold crowns.’
    You balk. ‘I . . . I can’t pay you . . . I . . .’ Feebly, you try and locate your money pouch, hands grappling at your belt.
    The woman watches and shakes her head.
    ‘Enough. I knew you would not have the funds. So you can do me a favour instead, agreed?’ She raises the bottle, which now contains a bubbling pale-green potion. ‘This is not
Elysium. But it is the next best thing. It will relieve your symptoms – your addiction. This potion is your true freedom.’
    ‘I’ll do whatever you ask,’ you croak, reaching out for it. ‘Please . . .’
    Anna hands you the potion and watches intently while you drink its contents. The liquid tastes like sour apples with a hint of cinnamon. Once you have emptied the bottle, you feel your
temperature starting to subside. The room has stopped spinning.
    ‘Good,’ smiles Anna, taking the bottle from you. ‘Now, you’re going to repay me by helping this man.’ She nods to the patient, who is tossing and turning, gripped
in a fevered nightmare.
    ‘You couldn’t cure him?’ you ask, surprised.
    ‘I need something first.’ Her eyes wander to an object lying on the table. It looks like a charred and blackened piece of wood.
     
Will you:
Ask about her patient? — 115
Ask about the strange object? — 92
Ask about the crates in the other room? — 35
    20
    With the goblin defeated, you search its body. You find 10 gold crowns and may take any/all of the following items:
     
    Rusted knife
Pilfered ring
Wishing well coin
(main hand: dagger)
(ring)
(talisman)
+1 speed
+1 magic
Ability: charm
Ability: bleed
    You wonder what a goblin would be doing in such a village. Perhaps it came here to loot or seek shelter, but somehow it became infected by the zombie curse. It is a thought
that sends a shiver up your spine. Will you suffer the same fate? Grimly, you turn away from the body and head back onto the landing. The light is still flickering from the room below, so you
decide to investigate. Turn to 55 .
    21
    ‘He was King Gerard’s youngest son – born a weak and sickly child.’ Lazlo gives a sigh, lowering his gaze. ‘He was an embarrassment, to his father
and to his twin brothers. Around court he was nicknamed the goose. A pale boy of timid nature – he hadn’t much hope.’
    The man’s eyes rise to meet your own. ‘Then he started to have dreams. Visions. As you can imagine, they embarrassed his father even more. Gerard was a great king, much loved by his
men. He was an army man and his coffers were near empty from warring with the east. He was starting to lose the support of his court – a series of defeats to Mordland and there was talk
of,’ Lazlo flicks his wrist, producing a sliver of steel from the sleeve of his shirt, ‘ . . . replacement.’ He spins the blade in the palm of his hand. ‘He was desperate
– andin desperate times, what else can you do?’ The blade stops spinning, its tip pointed in your direction. ‘You call a crusade. He convinced the church that Allam was a holy
prophet and sent him west with an army. Kill two birds with one stone – remove an embarrassment from court and take more land for the crown. For