The Dragon's Test (Book 3) Read Online Free Page A

the trees above and watched as the last rays of sunlight winked out and gave way to the night. “Braun, could you wake me when the food is ready?”
    “Of course,” Braun promised.
    Erik threw an arm over his eyes and let sleep take him.
     
    *****
     
    “I heard that Lepkin was making sounds,” Dimwater said as she approached Marlin in the hall.
    Marlin looked up at her and smiled. “He is improving, but it is slow,” he responded. He raised a hand to stop her and then walked to her as he closed the door to Lepkin’s room. “I am sorry, but I still can’t allow you in with him. The situation is still delicat e.” Marlin noted the blue and red hues swirling through Dimwater’s aura. “I know it is disheartening, but I have more reason to hope now than before.”
    A smile dashed across her face for a moment. “He will recover?”
    Marlin nodded once. “I think he will. It will take some time yet, but I think he may well wake soon.”
    “Thank the heavens,” Dimwater sighed. “I can’t wait for this nightmare to end.”
    Marlin nodded and used his arm to turn her around and pull her along with him down the hall. “Will you follow me upstairs?” he asked.
    “Of course,” she responded. She threw him a sidelong glance. His smile had faded, replaced with a furrowed brow. “What is wrong?” she asked.
    “I am not certain,” Marlin responded with a shrug. “But something weighs upon my heart.” He stopped abruptly and offered an unconvincing half-grin. “Perhaps I just need some rest.”
    The two of them then made their way up the several flights of stairs to the top-most level of the temple. They c rossed a red carpet to a grouping of cherry wood chairs and a long, rectangular table covered with a mosaic of colored tiles. The image on the table was that of the ancient elvish rune for wisdom. The arcs and lines spanned the entire table. Unlike elsewhere in Valtuu Temple, there were no bookshelves here. Other than the table and chairs, there was little of anything in the room at all, save for a large brass gong at the far end of the room near a large sliding panel of lattice woodwork that could be opened to allow access to an overlook that stretched out from the north side of the temple.
    “We were once on the balcony one level below this,” Marlin said.
    Dimwater nodded. “I remember,” she said. “It is the spot from which we launched into battle against the wizard Erthor.
    “This level serves as a type of meditation room,” Marlin explained. “It is where the senior members of our order can come together and discuss issues , and where initiates may undertake the Test of Arophim.” Marlin turned and faced the table with a heavy sigh. “It has not been used for many years.”
    “Why not?” Lady Dimwater asked.
    “The previous prelate ended the traditional councils some time ago, and we have not had any initiates take the test for quite some time now.” Marlin sighed and ran a finger along the top of the table. “I have come up here on occasion, when I need to get away and find a quiet spot to think.”
    “Why have you brought me here?” Dimwater asked.
    Marlin raised a brow and then turned to walk toward the overlook. “There is a sort of balcony here,” he said. “From here you can see the entire span of the valley to the north. You can also see out to the mountains to the east, and to the forest out west.”
    “Marlin,” Dimwater said flatly. “You didn’t answer me.”
    He nodded and walked out onto the overlook. He reached out to the wooden handrail and pulled a parchment from the rail, tearing it free from a small nail that had held it in place. “I received this letter earlier today, before I went in for my shift with Lepkin.”
    Dimwater walked up to him and squeezed out onto the overlook with Marlin. She held her hand out expectantly . “What is it?”
    “I could not read it,” Marlin said. “It is not written with magic, like the books in our library. I had our chief