The Wayward Godking by Brendan Carroll Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Brendan Carroll
smiled and nodded to the Templars, who raised their tankards in a toast toward them.
((((((((((((()))))))))))))
The General rushed down the hall of the Djinni’s palace in search of his unlikely host. The Djinni was in his lab in the lower portion of the structure according to his daughter. The stairs, crossed, crisscrossed and wound their way down and down into the belly of the marble beast. Ernst trotted across narrow bridges built over fanciful grottoes and chasms filled with wondrous sights, but he was not interested in the scenery, he was almost positive they had a much bigger problem. Only the Djinni’s daughter had condescended to answer him when he’d asked about Lemarik’s whereabouts, but then the girl was precocious and fearless, apparently having led a very sheltered life… so far.
He came upon the elaborate door to the Djinni’s laboratory and stopped. A large brass knocker shaped like a porpoise was mounted in the center of the door. The General used it to rap three times as the daughter had instructed him.
Lemarik answered the door promptly enough, but Schweikert was shocked to see him dressed in a rubber chemical apron, elbow length gloves, rubber boots, goggles, welding helmet and ear protectors carrying a huge pair of red-hot tongs in one hand.
The Djinni pushed up the ear protectors on his helmet, pulled down the goggles and looked at him expectantly.
“Sir!” Schweikert was almost out of breath. “I am not sure, but I think I saw your son and your daughter… you eldest daughter, take a plunge off the roof.”
“A plunge?” Lemarik frowned in confusion.
“In the storm, Your Grace,” Schweikert continued. “I was watching the storm from my balcony, and I saw two people who looked very much like them, fall from above into the sea. I’m quite sure it was Omar and his sister, Madame Dunya.”
Lemarik pulled off his gloves, shoved his tongs into a bucket of water and then his helmet while his face underwent a remarkable number of expressions in rapid succession. The Djinni suddenly flashed into motion and became nothing but a blur for several seconds. Schweikert did his best to follow him around the lab and watched as the Djinni rushed about the lab, gathering all sorts of instruments, tools and gadgets from the counters and floors. He had apparently been working on his transmigrator.
Ernst wandered about the lab, looking at the miraculous things on the shelves and tables, some of which were alive.
“He has gone after her,” Lemarik spoke more to himself than Schweikert when he slowed down.
“Who?” The General asked.
“Huber, the Queen Mother.”
“Ahhh. Why… why would he do that?”
“Because he believes she is his fault.” The Djinni opened a cedar chest under the counter and pulled out a heavy silken robe, dark purple in color. He held it up and shook it vigorously.
“How could she be his fault?” Ernst asked. “Why would he fling himself and his sister off the roof? I thought it more likely he was committing suicide, and she was trying to save him.”
“She is not his fault. He probably jumped off the roof into the sea in order to find passage to the Gates, and he knows very well he cannot commit suicide by drowning,” the Djinni explained while he pulled on the purple robe.
“Wait!” Ernst crossed the room and stopped in front of him. “Are you going to the Seventh Gate?”
“Why would you think I’m going to the Seventh Gate?” Lemarik narrowed his eyes sharply.
“I heard the angels talking about the Seventh Gate.” Schweikert shrugged. “They left and took Armand de Bleu with them.”
“Why did you not tell me this?” The Djinni took hold of his collar.
“It never crossed my mind you didn’t know.” The General was terrified. Lemarik could easily rip him to pieces.
“I…” Lemarik began and then dropped him roughly. “I thought we were all trapped here.”
“The angels did not share your pessimism, sir,” Ernst
(((((((((((((
The General rushed down the hall of the Djinni’s palace in search of his unlikely host. The Djinni was in his lab in the lower portion of the structure according to his daughter. The stairs, crossed, crisscrossed and wound their way down and down into the belly of the marble beast. Ernst trotted across narrow bridges built over fanciful grottoes and chasms filled with wondrous sights, but he was not interested in the scenery, he was almost positive they had a much bigger problem. Only the Djinni’s daughter had condescended to answer him when he’d asked about Lemarik’s whereabouts, but then the girl was precocious and fearless, apparently having led a very sheltered life… so far.
He came upon the elaborate door to the Djinni’s laboratory and stopped. A large brass knocker shaped like a porpoise was mounted in the center of the door. The General used it to rap three times as the daughter had instructed him.
Lemarik answered the door promptly enough, but Schweikert was shocked to see him dressed in a rubber chemical apron, elbow length gloves, rubber boots, goggles, welding helmet and ear protectors carrying a huge pair of red-hot tongs in one hand.
The Djinni pushed up the ear protectors on his helmet, pulled down the goggles and looked at him expectantly.
“Sir!” Schweikert was almost out of breath. “I am not sure, but I think I saw your son and your daughter… you eldest daughter, take a plunge off the roof.”
“A plunge?” Lemarik frowned in confusion.
“In the storm, Your Grace,” Schweikert continued. “I was watching the storm from my balcony, and I saw two people who looked very much like them, fall from above into the sea. I’m quite sure it was Omar and his sister, Madame Dunya.”
Lemarik pulled off his gloves, shoved his tongs into a bucket of water and then his helmet while his face underwent a remarkable number of expressions in rapid succession. The Djinni suddenly flashed into motion and became nothing but a blur for several seconds. Schweikert did his best to follow him around the lab and watched as the Djinni rushed about the lab, gathering all sorts of instruments, tools and gadgets from the counters and floors. He had apparently been working on his transmigrator.
Ernst wandered about the lab, looking at the miraculous things on the shelves and tables, some of which were alive.
“He has gone after her,” Lemarik spoke more to himself than Schweikert when he slowed down.
“Who?” The General asked.
“Huber, the Queen Mother.”
“Ahhh. Why… why would he do that?”
“Because he believes she is his fault.” The Djinni opened a cedar chest under the counter and pulled out a heavy silken robe, dark purple in color. He held it up and shook it vigorously.
“How could she be his fault?” Ernst asked. “Why would he fling himself and his sister off the roof? I thought it more likely he was committing suicide, and she was trying to save him.”
“She is not his fault. He probably jumped off the roof into the sea in order to find passage to the Gates, and he knows very well he cannot commit suicide by drowning,” the Djinni explained while he pulled on the purple robe.
“Wait!” Ernst crossed the room and stopped in front of him. “Are you going to the Seventh Gate?”
“Why would you think I’m going to the Seventh Gate?” Lemarik narrowed his eyes sharply.
“I heard the angels talking about the Seventh Gate.” Schweikert shrugged. “They left and took Armand de Bleu with them.”
“Why did you not tell me this?” The Djinni took hold of his collar.
“It never crossed my mind you didn’t know.” The General was terrified. Lemarik could easily rip him to pieces.
“I…” Lemarik began and then dropped him roughly. “I thought we were all trapped here.”
“The angels did not share your pessimism, sir,” Ernst
Similar Books
The Birth of Korean Cool
Euny Hong
Roller Hockey Radicals
Matt Christopher
The Wish Maker
Ali Sethi
The Toff and the Kidnapped Child
John Creasey
Surrendered on the Frontier
Jane Henry
Justine McKeen, Queen of Green
Sigmund Brouwer
Sure of You
Armistead Maupin
The Desperado
Clifton Adams
Claimed by the Wolf
Saranna DeWylde