Exiles From The Sacred Land (Book 2) Read Online Free

with white hair, standing facing a shelf away from Rennon and Ganas. His robes were red and black with a strange pattern embroidered on the back. It looked like the back of a black widow spider.
    “Greetings, friends of Morgoran Cleareyes.” He turned to face them, and both boys gasped at his appearance. His face was a dark hewn indigo; he had slightly raised ears, and his eyes were as red as his robes. “I am Theosus Fiderea.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 2: Hidden
     
    Theosus gestured for Ganas and Rennon to pull up a chair and sit down. “Do you boys play nine cards by chance?” he asked.
    “A little,” Ganas answered.
    Rennon nodded.
    Theosus sat in his chair and pulled himself to a small table situated in his comfortable and cozy back room.
    “Good. I think I can come down to your level. Sit, sit.” He gestured again.
    “Master Theosus,” Ganas began, “we really don’t have time to play nine cards. We—”
    “Nonsense. If you want to speak with me, you will have to do it over a game of nine cards,” Theosus argued.
    Ganas set aside his irritation and took his place at the table.
    Rennon smirked and shook his head as he reluctantly joined them at the table.
    “Now, what is so urgent that you must bother me so?” Theosus said as he dealt the cards.
    Ganas took his cards and looked at them intently. “I have been sent to you as a personal envoy for Morgoran. He has instructed me to inform you that the curse put upon him has been lifted and that he has returned.”
    Theosus looked at his cards as if he didn’t hear Ganas speak. “Ah, nine of leaves,” he said as he placed a card embossed with nine green leaves upon the table. “My lead.”
    “Pardon me, Master Theosus, but did you hear what I said? Morgoran told us that you would know what to do with the news of his return.”
    Rennon’s turn was next, and he placed a two of stones onto Theosus’ nine of leaves. “Two stones crush nine of leaves. Three points to me,” Rennon stated flatly.
    Theosus scowled. “Lucky card. Your turn, friend,” he said to Ganas.
    “What?”
    “Play your cards if you have them. Don’t waste time,” Theosus scolded.
    “But this is a waste of time. Morgoran says—”
    “Yes, yes, I know. Morgoran has reappeared, right? The curse of the Silver Drake—an item made of the power of the gods—has lifted the curse somehow.” His red eyes gleamed in contrast to his indigo skin. “Truly, do you have any idea how many times I have heard that story over the seasons? Most who utter those words think I will reveal the location of some hidden treasure or uncover some forgotten artifact for them. That is, of course, if they believe Morgoran existed at all. He has become somewhat of a myth in the Trigothian kingdoms. Now listen to me, good boy, Morgoran will never return. The Silver Drake’s curse will never be lifted; he left me with no location of treasure or staves of powerful magic. Now, if you have nothing else to say, play a card!”
    Ganas sighed at his cards and placed the two of leaves over the two of stones. “Two leaves cover two stones. Three points to me.” Ganas folded his cards in his hand.
    Rennon pulled out a card. “Not so fast.” He placed an ace of gems over the two of leaves. “Trump card. I’ll take those three points.”
    “I am beginning to think you boys might be better at playing cards than I thought,” Theosus observed. “Where did you two learn to play nine cards?”
    Ganas took a frustrated breath and then stated sarcastically, “We are mountain folk. We invented the game.”
    Theosus chuckled. “Oh, you did, did you?” He put his cards down onto the pile and folded his arms across his chest. After he studied Rennon and Ganas for a few more moments, he gestured with his arms up in surrender. “I give up. All right, I am game for a good storytelling. Tell me of Morgoran’s miraculous return.”
    Ganas put his cards on the