The War Chamber by B. Roman Read Free Book Online Page A

that?” David whispers to Bianca. “At least three people took stuff and didn't pay for it.”
    “That is the standard custom on Coronadus,” Bianca tells him.
    “What do you mean?”
    A jovial looking man waves at Bianca and walks toward her. Bianca gently nudges David along. “Go do something, David. You may find a nice souvenir.”
    “Huh? Oh, yeah. A souvenir.”
    “Ah! Good evening, Bianca,” the shopkeeper addresses her warmly.
    “Good evening, Rami. Business looks good today.”
    “Very good. Lots of new merchandise to see. And what brings you here?”
    “Just browsing.”
    Just then, David rushes over to show Bianca his find. “Look at this, Bianca. Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt.”
    “This young man is with you, Bianca?”
    “Yes. Rami, this is my friend David.”
    Rami twitches an eyebrow at the boy's unfamiliar face, but remains jovial. “Any friend of yours is a friend of mine. Well, David. You fancy the Wind Rose, I see.”
    “Wind rose?” David repeats.
    “An ancient mariner's compass. A wonderful choice, as long as you're not planning on sailing anywhere.” Rami laughs heartily. “Take it. It's yours.”
    “I'm afraid I don't have any money with me.”
    Rami's eyebrow twitches again. “Money? What good is money? Take it as a gift.”
    “Oh, no. I couldn't.”
    “Please. You can repay me later.”
    Bianca nods to David to accept it graciously.
    “Okay,” David acquiesces. “Thank you, Rami.”
    “My pleasure, indeed, indeed. Let me get you a sack.”
    While David examines the ancient navigational instrument, its needle strangely begins to spin. Startled, Bianca snatches the compass from David's hands and the needle stops moving.
    “Here you are,” Rami says, returning with a tapestry sack. “Fill it with whatever your heart desires from my store.
    “Thank you, Rami,” Bianca says, hastily stuffing the Wind Rose inside the bag. “We must be off.”
    David quickens his step to keep up with Bianca's determined stride out the Emporium door and up the street, leaving a puzzled Rami behind.
    “What's wrong, Bianca? You couldn't get out of there fast enough.”
    “I couldn't get you and your compass out of there fast enough. If anyone saw the needle spin, you would have some big explaining to do. We both would.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Must you always ask me what I mean about everything?” Bianca snaps, halting her step to face him square on. “I mean what I say.”
    Taken aback at her sudden change of attitude, David becomes defensive. “Sorry, but I don't know what you mean about anything. First you want me to cover my hair so we won't be obvious in Coronadus – wherever this place is. Then you tell me it's customary here to take things from a store without paying. Now you tell me I have to explain why the needle on my compass spins. What next?”
    “That is, indeed, the question. I'm not sure either of us is ready for the answer.” Bianca steps up her pace once again. “Follow me.”
    Avoiding the busy downtown streets, Bianca and David walk a mile through the outskirts of the city to the main harbor. Certain that no one is around, Bianca removes the Wind Rose compass from the sack and sets it on a stone bench.
    Dating as far back as the 13th Century, the ornate design of the Wind Rose was used by map readers and mariners to specify wind directions. But instead of the usual East, West, North, South markings, the Wind Rose indicators were a
fleur de lis
symbol to signify North, while East was marked with a Maltese cross.
    “Open your pouch of crystals, please, David.”
    “How did you know about – ?”
    “Please,” Bianca insists. David obliges.
    Bianca places the amethyst next to the compass. Nothing. Then she tries the lapis lazuli. Still nothing.
    David is completely bewildered. “What are you doing?”
    “You'll see.” One by one, Bianca places eleven of David's twelve crystals next to the Wind Rose, but nothing unusual occurs. Finally, she