Dearest Mother of Mine (Overworld Chronicles) Read Online Free Page B
Author: John Corwin
to ask for help with my family. If I did, I'd be stepping right into his trap. My friends and I had overcome obstacles before. We could find Mom and Ivy without the help of a conniving golem. I hope.
"This will take you to Queens Gate," Lornicus said.
"Thanks," I said, and headed for it without another word as the center of the arch flashed faster and faster. Did I really just thank the jackass who kidnapped me? Each step felt leaden as my desire to turn and ask the golem about my mom threatened to overwhelm my self-control. Would just asking him hurt? I knew from experience with the assassin, Underborn, how easy it was to be manipulated.
"Mr. Slade, may I have one more moment of your time?"
I held back a sigh of relief. "Yes?" I asked, facing the golem and trying to look impatient.
He regarded me with a neutral expression. "As you are aware, the Cyrinthian Rune will restore the Grand Nexus to functionality."
"Yes, and then the Alabaster Arch network will reconnect to the angel home world. Daelissa will raise her army, and mankind will suffer an eternity of slavery and oppression." I raised an eyebrow. "What's your point?"
"It is not quite as simple as replacing the Cyrinthian Rune," he said. "There is another vital element to the process."
"She has to be capable of putting the circle in the circular hole, and the square in the square hole? We'd better make sure she doesn't kidnap any kindergarteners to help her out."
He offered a smile. "It is a bit more complicated than that."
"No way, really?"
My sarcasm failed to erase Lornicus's smile. "The first angel to activate the arch somehow attuned the Cyrinthian Rune so only they could remove or replace it."
I didn't bother to ask him how he knew this. "I assume this angel was Daelissa?"
He shook his head. "No. In order to repair the Grand Nexus, Daelissa will need this angel or risk another Desecration."
"Is that what happened during the angel war?" I asked.
He paused. "No one is certain who actually removed the rune during the Battle of the Nexus, but it most assuredly was not the angel who attuned the rune. Mr. Gray believes this caused the backlash which husked every living creature within range of any Alabaster Arch."
I tried not to think about the shadow creatures or infantile cherubs haunting the way stations with Alabaster Arches. "Can you skip forward to the part that concerns me?" I asked, suddenly realizing where he was going with this. "Do you want me to find this person for you? Kidnap them?" I blew out a breath of disgust. "Do it yourself." I turned and headed toward the arch as an image of Queens Gate appeared in the center.
"I cannot," Lornicus said. "Mr. Gray is sworn to remain neutral in these affairs lest Daelissa and others turn their hostilities upon him."
"Not my problem," I said without turning around. I reached the arch and stepped forward.
"The angel in question is Alysea, your mother."
I jumped back from the portal just before my foot made contact with the image of Queens Gate, and spun to face him. "My mom? But she's only forty!"
He shook his head, a grave look on his face. "I'm afraid she's much older than you think."
I felt a little faint. "She's the first?"
"Daelissa needs your mother to place the Cyrinthian Rune. As of yet, she does not possess the rune."
"Jeremiah Conroy has it," I said.
He nodded. "Indeed."
"But she does have my mom."
"Correct again."
"Well, do you plan to help me get her?"
"Perhaps."
I gripped him by the shirt. "What the hell do you mean, 'perhaps'? Daelissa has everything she needs to repair the Grand Nexus. The minute Jeremiah gives her the rune—" I shuddered. "Game over, man. Game over."
"Reopening the nexus is not necessarily bad, Mr. Slade."
"It's horrible, you heartless hunk of wood!"
"I am not constructed of wood."
"Yeah, you're constructed of goat crap if you think letting the angels take over the planet isn't a bad thing." I clamped my mouth shut before anything worse escaped. This was
"This will take you to Queens Gate," Lornicus said.
"Thanks," I said, and headed for it without another word as the center of the arch flashed faster and faster. Did I really just thank the jackass who kidnapped me? Each step felt leaden as my desire to turn and ask the golem about my mom threatened to overwhelm my self-control. Would just asking him hurt? I knew from experience with the assassin, Underborn, how easy it was to be manipulated.
"Mr. Slade, may I have one more moment of your time?"
I held back a sigh of relief. "Yes?" I asked, facing the golem and trying to look impatient.
He regarded me with a neutral expression. "As you are aware, the Cyrinthian Rune will restore the Grand Nexus to functionality."
"Yes, and then the Alabaster Arch network will reconnect to the angel home world. Daelissa will raise her army, and mankind will suffer an eternity of slavery and oppression." I raised an eyebrow. "What's your point?"
"It is not quite as simple as replacing the Cyrinthian Rune," he said. "There is another vital element to the process."
"She has to be capable of putting the circle in the circular hole, and the square in the square hole? We'd better make sure she doesn't kidnap any kindergarteners to help her out."
He offered a smile. "It is a bit more complicated than that."
"No way, really?"
My sarcasm failed to erase Lornicus's smile. "The first angel to activate the arch somehow attuned the Cyrinthian Rune so only they could remove or replace it."
I didn't bother to ask him how he knew this. "I assume this angel was Daelissa?"
He shook his head. "No. In order to repair the Grand Nexus, Daelissa will need this angel or risk another Desecration."
"Is that what happened during the angel war?" I asked.
He paused. "No one is certain who actually removed the rune during the Battle of the Nexus, but it most assuredly was not the angel who attuned the rune. Mr. Gray believes this caused the backlash which husked every living creature within range of any Alabaster Arch."
I tried not to think about the shadow creatures or infantile cherubs haunting the way stations with Alabaster Arches. "Can you skip forward to the part that concerns me?" I asked, suddenly realizing where he was going with this. "Do you want me to find this person for you? Kidnap them?" I blew out a breath of disgust. "Do it yourself." I turned and headed toward the arch as an image of Queens Gate appeared in the center.
"I cannot," Lornicus said. "Mr. Gray is sworn to remain neutral in these affairs lest Daelissa and others turn their hostilities upon him."
"Not my problem," I said without turning around. I reached the arch and stepped forward.
"The angel in question is Alysea, your mother."
I jumped back from the portal just before my foot made contact with the image of Queens Gate, and spun to face him. "My mom? But she's only forty!"
He shook his head, a grave look on his face. "I'm afraid she's much older than you think."
I felt a little faint. "She's the first?"
"Daelissa needs your mother to place the Cyrinthian Rune. As of yet, she does not possess the rune."
"Jeremiah Conroy has it," I said.
He nodded. "Indeed."
"But she does have my mom."
"Correct again."
"Well, do you plan to help me get her?"
"Perhaps."
I gripped him by the shirt. "What the hell do you mean, 'perhaps'? Daelissa has everything she needs to repair the Grand Nexus. The minute Jeremiah gives her the rune—" I shuddered. "Game over, man. Game over."
"Reopening the nexus is not necessarily bad, Mr. Slade."
"It's horrible, you heartless hunk of wood!"
"I am not constructed of wood."
"Yeah, you're constructed of goat crap if you think letting the angels take over the planet isn't a bad thing." I clamped my mouth shut before anything worse escaped. This was
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