Spellbound Read Online Free Page A

two of you in my belt purse.” Francesca repositioned her grip around the other woman as she
    turned up another flight.
    â€œSo now you are implying I’m short?”
    â€œNo, my lady, I wouldn’t dare offend an avatar.”
    â€œMagistra, you’re an overly bold woman who’s mocking a superior to make light of a grave situation. If we weren’t fleeing a fate worse than death, I might become very fond of you.”
    â€œI might become very fond of you too, my lady, especially if you weren’t so short and fat.”
    Deirdre laughed. “I almost feel bad for dragging you into this mess.”
    â€œAnd what mess would that be, exactly?”
    Before Deirdre could answer, the stairwell began to reverberate with wailing;
then came the distant sound of someone running up stairs. Deirdre’s expression hardened. “Hear those footsteps? That’s one of the beast’s devotees. If he catches up to us, you’ll have to kill him.”
    â€œKill? I can’t; I am a cleric.”
    â€œYou’ll have to kill him before he kills us,” Deirdre hissed. “Or at least stun him. In fact, start writing a stunning spell now.”
    Francesca’s affected composure began to crack. She tried to pump her legs faster while composing a netlike stunning spell in her arms.
    Deirdre became quiet as the pursuer’s footsteps grew louder. Francesca reminded herself that she’d trained most of her life to write spells in life-or-death situations … the problem was, this time the life or death in question wasn’t her patient’s; it was her own.
    â€œI finished the stunning spell,” Francesca said as they topped the next flight.
    Deirdre nodded. “Hopefully we can outrun him. But keep it ready.”
    Francesca’s thighs ached. “Why are we headed to the roof?” she asked. “I don’t know the hierophantic language. I can’t use the kites.”
    â€œThe beast chasing us, he came here faster than I thought possible. I’ve placed agents on the street, but now they’ll be aphasic or made into his devotees. Until I know the beast’s true name, I dare not chance an encounter with him. And we can’t let the demon know I took that anklet off of you. So it’s on to my contingency plan: find the new air warden. I know he’s aloft now. From what I’ve learned, he’s our only chance.”
    Francesca charged up the last few steps and burst into daylight.
    A break in the rainy-season clouds revealed the wide, brilliantly blue Spirish sky. A gust of frigid wind nearly snatched the red cleric’s stole from her shoulders.
    The infirmary’s roof was built of tawny sandstone. It supported five twenty-foot-tall minarets. More impressively, up from the chamber at each minaret’s crown arched thick chains that climbed nearly two hundred feet before ending in the massive lofting kites.
    Deirdre pointed at the centermost minaret. “The warden’s kite will be closest to that one.”
    Francesca set off. “The orange flashes are gone from my vision now.”
    Deirdre nodded. “We’re farther from the other slave. The closer he comes, the worse your aphasia and vision will become.”
    â€œLovely,” Francesca grumbled while ducking into the minaret’s base. She discovered a hollow space with a metal ladder.
    â€œPut me down,” Deirdre ordered. “I’m feeling stronger.”
    Francesca obeyed.

    The avatar teetered on her feet, but once she reached the ladder, she easily climbed onto its thick rungs.
    â€œWhat is this other demonic slave who is chasing us?” Francesca asked as she grabbed the ladder.
    â€œI can’t entirely tell you,” Deirdre replied as she continued to climb. “It’s impossible to think about what he truly is unless you have a special spell cast around your mind.”
    â€œYou’re talking about quaternary cognition,