Ghostfire by Christopher Golden

Author:Christopher Golden [Golden, Christopher]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Magic, Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, General, Fantasy, Fiction
ISBN: 9781435217560
Publisher: Paw Prints
Published: 2007-11-05T00:00:00+00:00

"If it were up to me, we would not be having this discussion right now, for you would most certainly be dead," Grimshaw said. Alastor had jumped to the ground and now padded out into the shallows as though it had little interest in their exchange.

"My master wants you alive," the Constable continued with a nasty smile, "as a precautionary measure. He seems to think that you might prove useful... can you imagine that? Timothy Cade, freak of nature, useful."

Master, Timothy thought. Then he remembered the words of the Lake Dwellers who had captured him, what he had heard them say as he'd lost consciousness. The name. Alhazred. It made no sense to him. Even if Alhazred was alive—which in itself seemed impossible—he had no idea what that ancient mage could want with him. Yet what if Alhazred was also the mysterious master Grimshaw referred to?

Certainly a mage as powerful as Alhazred would have many allies, many followers. The Lake Dwellers were belligerent and cruel, just the sort who would associate with Alhazred. And Grimshaw ... he was truly evil. Timothy shuddered at the thought that the cunning, merciless Alhazred might still be alive.

"Your master, Constable?" he said. "You mean Alhazred?"

He said it casually, as though it meant nothing. He spoke as though it were a fact instead of simply a guess.

The Constable was visibly taken aback by his question. Grimshaw glared at the men beside him. It was obvious they had thought him unconscious when one of them mentioned Alhazred, but Timothy was sure the Constable would make whoever had spoken pay for that mistake. When Grimshaw looked back at Timothy, he had recovered, and his expression was full of ridicule.

"Are you insane, boy?" he scoffed. "Alhazred has been dead for well over a hundred years."

The Lake Dweller beside Grimshaw eyed him with wide, fear-filled eyes as the Constable remained eerily silent. Alastor hissed, charging out into the water toward them and crouching on his haunches as though to leap up at the cage. Grimshaw raised his one hand and snapped his fingers loudly, bringing the animal to an abrupt stop. It turned to look at him.

"Return to me," the Constable commanded, and Alastor hissed ferociously as it eyed the prisoners before obeying its master and slinking back to his side. Timothy wasn't sure if he had ever seen an animal quite as frightening.

"For now, your lives are perceived as having some value," Grimshaw said testily "But perceptions change." The Constable pulled his ebony cloak about him and turned to leave. "When the time comes, Timothy Cade, I will be the one who ends your worthless life—of that, you can be certain."

Timothy watched the man as he departed, climbing a ladder and then striding across a wooden walkway to the largest of the structures built on those pylons above the lake. When the boy was sure they would not be overheard, he turned to Caiaphas.

"How would you feel about getting away from this place tonight?"

Night had fallen, and a kind of celebration was going on in the village.

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