Ebudae Read Online Free Page B

pride, though his eyes despaired at the loss of your
mother.” A look of sadness crossed his face. “It was obvious that
he truly loved her. I gave my blessings at her funeral a few days
after.” He looked at the wrought iron fence of Lady Pallon’s manor.
It wasn’t possible to see through it due to the enormous bushes
inside that kept viewers from seeing in. “This is the manor where
the ashes were spread by the dry fountain, isn’t it?”
    When Pelya didn’t answer, Ebudae looked to
see tears streaming down her face. She wrapped an arm around her
friend’s shoulders and answered the knight. “Yes, Sir Knight.
Except the fountain holds crystal clear water and has worked since
that day.”
    He smiled, exposing brilliantly white teeth.
“That is good to hear.” He turned back to Pelya. “It was not my
intention to upset you, Pelya Jornin. I am sorry to see the grief
in you.”
    Pelya nodded. “I’m s . . . sorry,” she
stammered, wiping the tears off the best she could. Ebudae handed
her a handkerchief.
    “Not at all. It is good to grieve for those
you love.” His voice was gentle and filled with concern. Then he
straightened. “Do you remember me telling you that there would come
a time when I would need your assistance?”
    Pelya nodded, an expression of curiosity on
her face as she wiped away the last tears.
    “That time is coming closer,” the knight
said gravely. “It will require bravery beyond your years. You will
not be required to assist me if you do not wish. I pray that you
find it within your heart to do so though.” He bowed. “Reanna’s
blessings upon you and your father. May her light guide your way
through darkness.” With that, he turned his horse and rode off down
the street. His squire and another man followed him, nodding as
they passed.
    “That was . . . odd ,” Ebudae said
after a moment.
    “Uh huh. It was like that last time too,”
Pelya replied. She used the handkerchief to wipe her face a little
better. “I know that Reanna is the Goddess of the Sun and that she
has few followers because most people follow her older brother, the
God of Sun. I don’t know why the sun needs a god and a
goddess.”
    “What do you think he’s going to need your
assistance with?” It sounded like an adventure to Ebudae and she
loved adventures. “Wait . . . you are going to let me help
aren’t you?” The thought of her friend having an adventure without
her drove a dagger in her heart.
    “Of course!” Pelya replied, linking arms.
“We’re going to have all our adventures together.” She
became thoughtful. “I don’t know what he wants. It’ll probably be
dangerous.”
    “Good. It’s more fun when our lives are in
danger. The blood rushes through my veins and everything starts
moving in slow motion around us. It’s so neat!” Ebudae skipped
ahead and did a spin.
    “Seriously, you have problems!” Pelya said
with a laugh as she skipped alongside. “Can you believe we’re out
in the city alone?”
    They both stopped and looked around at the
people moving along the wide, tree-lined street. Workers carried
supplies over their backs or in small carts while ladies of wealth
wearing liberal amounts of perfume walked to the park or market,
each protected by wary bodyguards. Occasionally a carriage carrying
a rich merchant would roll by. The sound of traffic and voices
mingled with the songs of birds chirping merrily in the warm
morning air.
    It was the same city the girls had seen
before, but always in the accompaniment of an adult capable of
protecting them. Dralin was the most dangerous city in the world, a
fact no one disputed. In addition to unbearable crime rates, there
were more wizards in the city than in any two countries combined.
So many people using magic created terrible, supernatural pollution
on top of the normal pollution generated from smoke, tanneries,
smithies and all of the other aspects of a city filled with
millions of people.
    The magical pollution was