Wizard's Sword (The Battle Wizard Saga, No.2) Read Online Free

interviewing the researcher in charge of the first assignment on his list, Sig had lunch with two of the project′s student assistants. Their project involved characterizing fairy dust, left behind when fairies work magic.
    "The dust has magical properties but dissipates milliseconds after its magic is expended. We′re trying to develop techniques to preserve it long enough to study it."
    Sig smiled. "I thought fairy dust could be used by humans. What about the story of Peter Pan and Tinker Bell?"
    Shaniqua and Tony laughed. "Disney can do anything they want." She said.
    Tony nodded. "We wish it was simple like that."
    The two demonstrated enthusiasm for the project and enjoyed the people they worked with. They chattered about their team and its study mission.
    "What drew you two to this field of study?"
    Shaniqua′s face turned serious. "My mother was a voodoo mambo, a priestess from Jamaica. She died shortly after she had me. I never knew her or learned anything from her. My aunt, who raised me in Florida, says I′m just like my mother. According to my aunt, that isn′t a good thing. She′s afraid I′ll get involved in the same feuds that killed my mother or that I′ll hurt myself because I don′t know how to handle my powers. I chose to attend Northwestern to get away from that and learn about magic."
    "Wow, I didn′t know that." Tony turned to Sig. "My Dad could always find things. If anyone lost something, my Dad would find it. He didn′t know how. It was just something he did. After the world changed, I started doing it too."
    "You′re a good guy to know. I′m always misplacing my car keys."
    "Yeah, but not everything should be found. The police chief of the town in New Jersey I came from asked Dad to help find some people who had disappeared. Three days after he found their corpses, he died, not of natural causes. I′m here to find out more about my talent and what I can do to protect myself in a similar situation."
    Sig shook his head and felt the surprise sting of tears in his eyes. "My dad died too. I don′t think he had any powers, but some in my family did. I need to learn more about it. While you′ve been studying, have you found any signs of fairy black magic?"
    The two looked about furtively and then at each other. They avoided looking at Sig.
    "Did I ask a bad thing?"  
    Shaniqua frowned and finally looked at him. "There are stories about dark fairy magic, but…"
    "But, we haven′t seen any evidence," Tony said. "A fellow researcher said she was on the track of black fairy magic last semester."
    "But no one has seen her for four months." Shaniqua said. "I wonder if we′ll ever see her again." She and Tony looked at each other and shook their heads.
    "Was she reported missing?"
    Shaniqua nodded. "Yes, by her parents, the Martins. They live in Wyoming. When they couldn′t get in touch with Holly, they came here. She was the first in her family to attend college; they were so proud. Now we haven′t heard from them either for more than a month. I don′t know if they went back or…"
    Sig leaned back in his chair, "Wow."
    Tony grimaced and nodded. Sig looked back and forth between them. Shaniqua looked forlorn. "They were so nice."
    †††
     
    Next, Sig sought the prime on a project to map North American Ley lines. The prime wasn′t available, and his number one assistant, Dmitri Nastase, had left to attend football practice. Sig recognized the name. It belonged to the giant All America football player with whom Sig already had two unpleasant encounters.
    He looked forward to meeting him again when Rick wasn′t around to pull on his leash. He could claim not receiving the ostentation lecture as an excuse—if he survived the encounter.
    It was just as well that he′d run out of people to discuss assignments. He had fifteen minutes before his appointment to meet the blond Amazon, Arianna, for a Karate match.
    The address she gave turned out to be a small warehouse a few miles from