Magic Zero by Thomas E. Sniegoski

Author:Thomas E. Sniegoski [Sniegoski, Thomas E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
ISBN: 9781442473126
Publisher: Aladdin
Published: 2013-04-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

The storm had come, a fierce rain driving down from the tumultuous sky in gray sheets. The wind howled around Timothy like some great, crazed beast, beating against the gyrocraft as if trying to swat it from the air. He struggled to keep his invention aloft, at the same time fighting the inner squall that had been whipped up by the foreboding discussion he had overheard in the Strychnos tower ducts.

. . . none of those missing has affiliations with the Order of Alhazred . . . Passing strange, wouldn’t you say?

The words echoed in his mind and a chill crept through him, deep to the bone. Is it possible, he wondered, that what the guild masters said is true?

Lightning knifed across the sky in front of him, jagged spears of white-hot fire descending from swollen gray clouds to illuminate the sleeping city of Arcanum below. The rain continued to pelt his face, and he took one of his hands away from the craft’s controls to wipe away the water that spattered the circular glass of his flight goggles. Timothy was glad that he had decided to bring them; it had been hard enough to pilot his invention earlier in normal weather conditions, never mind in a driving rainstorm.

He was supposed to return directly to SkyHaven, but he was not at all certain he wanted to do that. And what if I do? Should I just tell Nicodemus what Belladonna and Romulus were saying, ask him if it’s true? Timothy thought it would be wiser to just keep it to himself, at least until he could discuss it with Leander.

Lightning tore across the sky again, followed by a bellowing rumble of thunder. He wiped rain from his goggles and was surprised to see the large, looming shape of the SkyHaven estate floating not too far off over the churning sea. Timothy had been so preoccupied that he had barely noticed the journey.

Then, impossibly enough, over the din of the storm, he heard his name being called.

As he squinted through the rain, he saw a black shape in the distance, growing larger as it flapped toward him. “It’s about time, kid!” Edgar was cawing loudly to be heard above the storm. “We were getting pretty worried.”

Timothy smiled; it was good to see his friend again. It had been only hours, but it felt as though he had been away for a very long time.

“Keep an eye on me and I’ll guide you in,” the rook promised. He glided in front of the gyrocraft as they drew closer to SkyHaven.

Two lanterns of ghostfire had been lit and hung on either side of the window opening, lighting his way, and Timothy began to gradually decrease his speed as he prepared to land.

“Almost there, kid,” he heard Edgar say, the words sucked away by the wind.

The window grew larger and more defined as he approached. This was the tricky part, not to allow the spinning rotor blades to come in contact with the sides of the opening.

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