The Seventh Magic (Book 3) Read Online Free Page A

smiled upon her; in actuality it was about to stand on her neck.
    She had walked into a trap not knowing the danger she faced. And Trinda Hollis, thinking to capitalize on Allette's good fortune, rushed headlong into the very same trap. The Black Queen almost felt bad about that. The child queen had been manipulated along with the rest, and Allette's animosity toward her waned. Even without the knowledge of Mael's influence, Allette and Trinda faced a common foe. Both were trapped and working together might be their only chance of escape.
    Both had been separated from their physical forms, which rested not far away within an altar presumably constructed for that purpose. Energy flowed to those bodies, sustaining them in their suspended state. Within the Noonspire, Allette and Trinda were mere shades of their physical forms, their spirits reflecting how they perceived themselves. Wearing a perpetual frown, Trinda clearly felt guilty for what she had done.
    Allette's spirit looked much as she had aboard her father's ship. It was there her identity had formed and that self she clung to. Their captors seemed not to care. Both Allette and Trinda had learned not to attract Aggrezjhon and Murden's attention. Almost indistinguishable, they often resembled a single spirit, but sometimes they disagreed and the two grew more recognizable and distinct. Allette could only imagine what ages in a prison such as this would do to a person. She tried not to wonder. Thinking too much might raise their ire.
    When their captors did pay attention, it was to dominate them and crush their spirits. The ancient magic users were extremely skilled, and Allette hoped never to experience it again. Too many times, she knew, and she would cease to exist. This was their true goal. Once their spirits had been subdued, Aggrezjhon and Murden could inhabit Allette's and Trinda's physical forms and finally escape their prison. That would, of course, leave Allette's and Trinda's spirits in their place. That thought alone kept Allette fighting to maintain her identity.
    Even when the sorcerer and sorceress ignored them, their thoughts radiated through the crystal. They had seen Mael through the keystone and blamed him for their imprisonment. He had betrayed them. He had helped build this forsaken prison and lured them into it. He would have gotten away with it if not for their quick thinking and teamwork. These thoughts ran in circles, reinforcing each other and creating a predictable pattern.
    During a rare moment when Aggrezjhon and Murden were transfixed on something in the outside world, something flying high above them, Allette reached out to Trinda and held her hand. Even if only in spirit, the contact was reassuring. Though they had never been friends, Allette was glad Trinda was there. She understood much of what Allette had been through, and at least she wasn't alone. Whenever she came close to losing herself, she leaned on the child queen, and Trinda leaned on her. It was a small thing, but in circumstances such as these, small things could make all the difference.
    Across their bond, Trinda sent a mere whisper of thought. "Together, we will survive."
    It was enough for Allette to know she had at least one ally in this world.
     
    * * *
     
    Sleeping upon a broken spire, mostly submerged in cool water, Mael enjoyed his freedom. After so long, he'd forgotten the sheer variety of things to see, smell, eat, and drink. Never would anyone take it from him again. That thought niggled at him, preventing him from enjoying his newfound freedom. It wouldn't last. They were still out there. They did not want him to be free. Waiting for eons could have made him act in overenthusiastic haste, but he had learned true patience. Thus far, he'd used little more than gentle nudges to move the puzzle pieces into place.
    A smile crept over him as he remembered when the humans rediscovered the keystones. After so much silence, their inane conversations had been the most