Crystal Read Online Free Page A

back over his bony skull. ‘Late,’ he snapped. His lips were blistered and his cheeks looked sore. Crystal tried not to stare. Raek looked at them coldly, holding out his gloved hand for the carry-box. ‘I’ll take that.’
    Crystal handed him the carry-box. They were heading through the big hall towards Grint’s receiving room where Crystal usually took her mother, when Raek stopped them. He held up his narrow hand grandly. ‘Wait. Grint, Bless and Praise his Name, has the Elders with him in the hall.’ He pointed to the waiting room. ‘Sit in there.’
    He strode away, taking the sly-ugg with him.
    Crystal stared after him, looking at his narrow skinny shoulders. How did he get the information out of the sly-ugg? She’d seen the sly-ugg retract its eyes and curl up into a tight little coil when Raek walked by. Whatever he did, she reckoned, it wasn’t kind.
    Effie sat down and started tapping her foot on the stone floor. And humming.
    Crystal hushed her. There were voices coming from the hall and she wanted to hear what was being said.
    ‘… There have been several incidents of sorcery,’ said a man. ‘Permission to ban entirely the mixing and making of love potions and the use of so-called magic stones, sir?’
    ‘Granted!’ Morton Grint’s voice was unmistakable, rough and low. It always reminded Crystal of pebbles shifting and grinding against each other.
    ‘There is a lot of medicine-making going on amongst the women,’ another man said. ‘Do you think we should be allowing this? Should we crack down on this nonsense? We have good doctors in Town.’
    ‘Doctors are expensive. Only some can afford them,’ John Carter, Stella’s father, said.
    ‘Maybe, but potions and herbal brews are old-fashioned and I don’t think they should be used unless they’re regulated.’
    Several voices shouted their agreement.
    ‘There is perhaps room for different forms of medicine,’ Grint said slowly. ‘Reflexology. Leeches.’
    There was much muttering and shouting.
    ‘One final point—’ It was John Carter again. He was often in the Square talking loudly to anyone who would listen about Town matters. He was an Elder, a trusted member of Grint’s inner circle, but he spoke out freely against Grint’s policies. ‘What about Barnaby Andrews? Will you explain that, Grint?’
    ‘Yes, Barnaby!’ someone called. ‘How did you know about Barnaby? He doesn’t have a sly-ugg to monitor him.’
    ‘Perhaps he should have!’
    Laughter.
    ‘There are other ways and means of knowing what’s going on in my town,’ Grint said. ‘I heard about Barnaby plotting, found out who his accomplices were and acted accordingly.’
    ‘Is there nothing anyone does that you don’t know about, sir?’
    They all laughed.
    ‘Nothing!’ Grint cried.
    The men cheered.
    The group departed, and about five minutes later Raek ushered Crystal and her mother in to Morton Grint.
    Grint was sitting in a gold chair. He was rubbing the sides of his head with his thumbs as if he had a headache. He was a small, wiry man and despite being old, still had a mass of iron-grey hair like a lion’s mane that he wore swept off his high forehead. His teeth, on the other hand, were very small and even and yellow. He remained seated as Crystal and her mother came in, but watched them carefully through half-closed eyes.
    Two bright spots burned on Effie’s cheeks as if she had a fever. She looked nervously round the room. Crystal prayed Grint wouldn’t notice.
    ‘Something has disturbed your mother, Crystal,’ he said straightaway. ‘She looks different.’
    ‘I could take her home again if you want.’ Crystal’s heart was beating fast. She wished her mother would not pluck at the hem of her cloak like that, or tap her foot. She prayed she wouldn’t say anything foolish or crazy.
    ‘No, no,’ Grint said. ‘I wouldn’t miss an evening with Effie for anything.’
    ‘If you’re sure?’ Crystal said.
    ‘Of course I’m sure! Go now,’