Eban Read Online Free

Yes, they were all a little frazzled. He gave her one of his reassuring doctor smiles. The same one she’d fallen in love with weeks ago.
    â€œI’m going to study Rhia’s lessons plans so I’ll have some idea of what she wants me to teach the children while she’s away. You should get some sleep, Eb. You look awful.”
    She wished could ease his pain, make him forget Rhia, but she was powerless in that area.
    â€œDo you think you’ll like teaching?” he asked.
    â€œI suppose. The only child I’m used to is Sylvie and if they’re half as smart as her, I may be in over my head.” She was a little uncomfortable standing in Rhia’s shoes inside the schoolhouse, but she didn’t want to cancel the classes.
    â€œPerhaps if you like it, you can take her place.”
    She knew he was thinking about what would happen if Wystan and Rhia had children. If things weren’t so informal in town, Rhia would have given up teaching when she married. As it was, they had no ready replacement for her and the Heckmasters were loath to put out an ad.
    â€œI’m not sure I was ever around children much.” Beryl drew her hand away and rubbed her forehead. “These big gaps in my memory are frustrating. I wish I knew more about…anything.”
    â€œThe memories you’re missing may never return. It might have something to do with—” Eban cleared his throat.
    She peered at him from beneath her hand. “With what?”
    He froze like a frightened hare.
    â€œEban?”
    â€œAh, with the fevers you had. Sometimes they can addle the mind. I’m not saying you’re damaged, just that the human brain is a funny thing. If the memories are meant to come back, they will.”
    He was hiding something. Something that might have to do with the way he’d looked at her moments ago and the reason Tell didn’t trust her. She was a human and she might lack a sixth sense for demons and other creatures, but she knew he wasn’t telling the whole truth.
    She knew about his sister. Sandra had become infected with a parasite imp when she was a young woman. Wystan had beheaded her because she’d plotted to kill them all in Astaroth’s name. They had no way of destroying a parasite demon other than death. The choice had made them all bitter and wary of strangers. Eban had inspected Beryl for imps and Tell hadn’t been able to find one, but was it possible the thing was buried so deep inside that no one would find it until it was too late?
    He gave her a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, but he seldom looked happy these days. “Don’t worry about memories right now. Focusing on the future is a better endeavor. Don’t be nervous about the children either. They’re eager to learn. You’ll do fine.”
    â€œI’m sure,” she murmured.
    She stared into her coffee cup, wishing things were different. The sun was shining and since they’d destroyed Noem, Berner was blossoming with life, but Eban made it clear that he was already gone.

Chapter Three
    Summoning Seere was delicate work, but Eban had memorized dozens of seals over the years. The slightest mistake in a sigil might pull something worse out of the Underworld, or it might do nothing. Seere’s seal looked a bit like a set of folded wings with a few additional lines and circles. His name was printed on the outside edge.
    Eban had traced the sigil in cinnamon liberally sprinkled across his bedroom floor. The second he closed the circle around the image, the air rippled and parted like a curtain. Seere stepped through the rift, standing at his full height, his shoulder-length blond hair blowing in a breeze Eban couldn’t feel.
    Although the Heckmasters didn’t have a liege, Eban bowed out of respect. Their father had broken with Astaroth well before his children were born, but prior to that, he’d had no minions of his own. His low status on