The Unwilling Accomplice (Book 5) by Heidi Willard Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Heidi Willard
here?" she questioned him.
"You forget that my port duties extend to the underground rooms, my dear cousin. I was merely making an inspection when I noticed you and your company enter this room," Ransan explained. His eyes swept over the group with clear disdain. "I would think you would have better sense to allow outsiders into this chamber. They may steal something as Canavar tried to do."
"You are the only one who would fear such a threat, Ransan," Telana countered.
He smirked. "I don't fear the outsiders, my dearest, I merely-well, I have much greater experience with them and that has taught me to be cautious," he argued.
"There is no difference in my eyes," she countered.
"I would not anger your beautiful eyes over a trifle, and apologize for my truthfulness," he replied.
She frowned. "I would hope no others would consider such rudeness as truth," she replied.
"In rudeness there is at least truth. I would not put on a false face to please those who are unworthy of my pleasure," he argued.
The princess' face reddened. "You have spoken enough, my cousin. I would have you change the subject before I am angered beyond control," she ordered him.
He grinned and bowed low at the waist. "Unfortunately, duty at the port forces me away, and so I must beg leave of you," he told her.
"It is given freely," she quickly replied. Ransan straightened, smirked at the companions, and left.
After his departure Percy turned to Telana. "Do others support his opinion of outsiders?" he asked her.
She scoffed and shook her head. "His opinion has few allies within the walls of the city, and any hope from outside must pass through the barrier," she reminded them.
"Then for the moment his intentions are confined to you?" Percy wondered.
"Unfortunately, that is true, but we should press on. There is much to see of this city without spoiling it over talk of my cousin," she replied.
Telana led them to the door at the rear of the room. It was of a plain wood without window or ornamentation. She paused before the portal and swept her hand over the surface. They heard the sounds of a thousand locks unlock and the door swung inward to reveal a large circular room, also with a domed ceiling. Two guards stood against the walls on either side of a jagged stump a foot tall made from white, transparent stone. It was all that remained of the Region Stone of Caston. The rest of the shattered remains lay on the floor in sizes ranging from pebbles to fist-sized rocks.
"What kind of lock was that?" Canto asked their guide.
"Only those of my bloodline can open the locks. The guards are my distant cousins," Telana explained to them. She stepped into the room, turned to them, and swept her hand over the scene before them. "This is all that remains of the stone," she told them.
Ned strode toward the remains and the others followed except Fred. Fred hadn't forgotten the last times he had come into contact with the stones, and though this one was destroyed he wouldn't take any chances. Ned stopped in front of the jagged stump of shattered stone, and the guards on either side of him tensed and clutched their rune staffs.
"What was the treasure your father used to destroy the stone?" he asked Telana.
She moved to stand beside him. "An ancient sword given to us by the castors of old." She shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself. "To be truthful we were glad to be rid of both the stone and its treasure."
"Why is that?" Pat wondered.
"The sword was-well, was rather a nuisance. A loud, penetrating song continuously emanated from its blade, and so we were forced to lock it in its own room," she explained.
Percy stooped before the shattered remains and picked up a group of stones and pebbles. The guards saw his action and sprang at him. They thrust the ends of their rune staffs in his face and shouted words at him in their native Elvish tongue. Percy stiffened and his eyes flickered between one staff and the other as his other hand clutched the hilt
"You forget that my port duties extend to the underground rooms, my dear cousin. I was merely making an inspection when I noticed you and your company enter this room," Ransan explained. His eyes swept over the group with clear disdain. "I would think you would have better sense to allow outsiders into this chamber. They may steal something as Canavar tried to do."
"You are the only one who would fear such a threat, Ransan," Telana countered.
He smirked. "I don't fear the outsiders, my dearest, I merely-well, I have much greater experience with them and that has taught me to be cautious," he argued.
"There is no difference in my eyes," she countered.
"I would not anger your beautiful eyes over a trifle, and apologize for my truthfulness," he replied.
She frowned. "I would hope no others would consider such rudeness as truth," she replied.
"In rudeness there is at least truth. I would not put on a false face to please those who are unworthy of my pleasure," he argued.
The princess' face reddened. "You have spoken enough, my cousin. I would have you change the subject before I am angered beyond control," she ordered him.
He grinned and bowed low at the waist. "Unfortunately, duty at the port forces me away, and so I must beg leave of you," he told her.
"It is given freely," she quickly replied. Ransan straightened, smirked at the companions, and left.
After his departure Percy turned to Telana. "Do others support his opinion of outsiders?" he asked her.
She scoffed and shook her head. "His opinion has few allies within the walls of the city, and any hope from outside must pass through the barrier," she reminded them.
"Then for the moment his intentions are confined to you?" Percy wondered.
"Unfortunately, that is true, but we should press on. There is much to see of this city without spoiling it over talk of my cousin," she replied.
Telana led them to the door at the rear of the room. It was of a plain wood without window or ornamentation. She paused before the portal and swept her hand over the surface. They heard the sounds of a thousand locks unlock and the door swung inward to reveal a large circular room, also with a domed ceiling. Two guards stood against the walls on either side of a jagged stump a foot tall made from white, transparent stone. It was all that remained of the Region Stone of Caston. The rest of the shattered remains lay on the floor in sizes ranging from pebbles to fist-sized rocks.
"What kind of lock was that?" Canto asked their guide.
"Only those of my bloodline can open the locks. The guards are my distant cousins," Telana explained to them. She stepped into the room, turned to them, and swept her hand over the scene before them. "This is all that remains of the stone," she told them.
Ned strode toward the remains and the others followed except Fred. Fred hadn't forgotten the last times he had come into contact with the stones, and though this one was destroyed he wouldn't take any chances. Ned stopped in front of the jagged stump of shattered stone, and the guards on either side of him tensed and clutched their rune staffs.
"What was the treasure your father used to destroy the stone?" he asked Telana.
She moved to stand beside him. "An ancient sword given to us by the castors of old." She shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself. "To be truthful we were glad to be rid of both the stone and its treasure."
"Why is that?" Pat wondered.
"The sword was-well, was rather a nuisance. A loud, penetrating song continuously emanated from its blade, and so we were forced to lock it in its own room," she explained.
Percy stooped before the shattered remains and picked up a group of stones and pebbles. The guards saw his action and sprang at him. They thrust the ends of their rune staffs in his face and shouted words at him in their native Elvish tongue. Percy stiffened and his eyes flickered between one staff and the other as his other hand clutched the hilt