After The Rabbit (Waldo Rabbit Series) Read Online Free
Author: Nelson Chereta
through. They enforced order, both in nature and in society. The people trusted them, as children should trust their parents.
It had been a long time since she had felt so welcomed.
Eventually she arrived at the heart of the city and was passed through the gate into the castle. Melissa went directly to the Tower of the Moon. Within, fellow mages, acolytes, and servants all politely greeted her as they went about their daily routines. She went to the fifth floor where the Great Library was. It actually took up the fifth through the ninth floors. As Melissa had known he would be, Minister Barrows was there. He was not only a Minister but also held the position of Keeper of Knowledge, which made him responsible not only for the books and tomes of the library, but also for the agents set out to gather information.
In less civilized nations, he might have been called a spymaster.
As soon as he spotted her, his golden eyes widened. He gave no other sign of being startled, though.
“Mistress Cornwall,” he said in a perfectly neutral voice. “I had not expected your return for another three years. May I ask you what brings you home so suddenly?”
Melissa curtsied to him. “Minister Barrows, I am afraid I am in need of aid.”
“The Order will always take care of its own. What assistance do you require?”
She chewed the inside of her cheeks, then forced herself to look him in the eye as she spoke. “I have lost my spellbook, my wand, and all my gold.”
Melissa stood there, head up and back straight, ready to accept whatever lecture he chose to give her. For a mage to lose her spellbook and her wand was not merely humiliating, it smacked of gross incompetence.
Instead he simply gave a slight nod. “I will draw funds from the treasury and provide you a virgin wand. I can have the scribes copy more advanced spells and add them to an acolyte’s spellbook. I am familiar with your abilities and can guess the spells most useful to you.”
She felt relief that he was not asking her the reason she found herself in these circumstances.
“I look forward to reading your report on your most recent activities. I expect it to be in my hands before you depart, of course.”
There was a sour taste in her mouth. “Yes, Minister.”
“Tell me, did you succeed with recruiting the mage Roger from Bittford?”
“No, Minister, and I am afraid I will have to set that aside for the time being. There is something far more important which requires all my efforts.”
Barrows raised an eyebrow. “And what might that be?”
“I am going on a rabbit hunt.”
Chapter 3
Politics as Usual
It was early morning, and Lilith was in one of the vacant rooms near the top of the south tower.
“ Incorpus .”
With a single word of magic, she summoned one of her creations. On the stone window sill was a black bird with empty eye sockets. It stared at her lifelessly, patiently awaiting its master’s command.
Lilith placed a single finger atop the thing’s head.
“I have transferred the necessary funds and made them available to you. Make the purchases that you require. I wish you every success in your noble endeavor.” She withdrew the finger and made a shooing motion with her hand. “Go. Deliver the message.”
The bird hopped about and spread its wings. It took off and was quickly lost in the charcoal skies. It would not stop until it had reached its intended recipient. The creature would speak the words in its master’s voice and then disintegrate and turn to ash. If, for whatever reason, it were captured or brought down before reaching its target, it would destroy itself. For delivering messages to non-magic users, her little pets were ideal.
One more small step .
If any of the other families discovered what she was doing, they would turn on her. No doubt they would believe she had gone mad. For these endeavors secrecy
It had been a long time since she had felt so welcomed.
Eventually she arrived at the heart of the city and was passed through the gate into the castle. Melissa went directly to the Tower of the Moon. Within, fellow mages, acolytes, and servants all politely greeted her as they went about their daily routines. She went to the fifth floor where the Great Library was. It actually took up the fifth through the ninth floors. As Melissa had known he would be, Minister Barrows was there. He was not only a Minister but also held the position of Keeper of Knowledge, which made him responsible not only for the books and tomes of the library, but also for the agents set out to gather information.
In less civilized nations, he might have been called a spymaster.
As soon as he spotted her, his golden eyes widened. He gave no other sign of being startled, though.
“Mistress Cornwall,” he said in a perfectly neutral voice. “I had not expected your return for another three years. May I ask you what brings you home so suddenly?”
Melissa curtsied to him. “Minister Barrows, I am afraid I am in need of aid.”
“The Order will always take care of its own. What assistance do you require?”
She chewed the inside of her cheeks, then forced herself to look him in the eye as she spoke. “I have lost my spellbook, my wand, and all my gold.”
Melissa stood there, head up and back straight, ready to accept whatever lecture he chose to give her. For a mage to lose her spellbook and her wand was not merely humiliating, it smacked of gross incompetence.
Instead he simply gave a slight nod. “I will draw funds from the treasury and provide you a virgin wand. I can have the scribes copy more advanced spells and add them to an acolyte’s spellbook. I am familiar with your abilities and can guess the spells most useful to you.”
She felt relief that he was not asking her the reason she found herself in these circumstances.
“I look forward to reading your report on your most recent activities. I expect it to be in my hands before you depart, of course.”
There was a sour taste in her mouth. “Yes, Minister.”
“Tell me, did you succeed with recruiting the mage Roger from Bittford?”
“No, Minister, and I am afraid I will have to set that aside for the time being. There is something far more important which requires all my efforts.”
Barrows raised an eyebrow. “And what might that be?”
“I am going on a rabbit hunt.”
Chapter 3
Politics as Usual
It was early morning, and Lilith was in one of the vacant rooms near the top of the south tower.
“ Incorpus .”
With a single word of magic, she summoned one of her creations. On the stone window sill was a black bird with empty eye sockets. It stared at her lifelessly, patiently awaiting its master’s command.
Lilith placed a single finger atop the thing’s head.
“I have transferred the necessary funds and made them available to you. Make the purchases that you require. I wish you every success in your noble endeavor.” She withdrew the finger and made a shooing motion with her hand. “Go. Deliver the message.”
The bird hopped about and spread its wings. It took off and was quickly lost in the charcoal skies. It would not stop until it had reached its intended recipient. The creature would speak the words in its master’s voice and then disintegrate and turn to ash. If, for whatever reason, it were captured or brought down before reaching its target, it would destroy itself. For delivering messages to non-magic users, her little pets were ideal.
One more small step .
If any of the other families discovered what she was doing, they would turn on her. No doubt they would believe she had gone mad. For these endeavors secrecy
Readers choose
Natasha Farrant
Brooke Johnson
Kailin Gow
F. X. Toole
Katrina Leno
Geoff Nelder
Josie Dennis