Bound to the Abyss Read Free Page B

 
    “That is amazing,” Ean said, shaking his head. “Not sure if that alone was worth all of that pain, but still a handy skill to have.”
    “Like I said, your power will grow with use,” Zin replied. “It’s not just a handy drawing tool. More handy skills will come with time. I think. You just have to be patient.”
    Ean didn’t even hear Zin’s words; he had already started to practice drawing different runes. He practiced long into the night, with Zin watching apprehensively. When the first rays of the morning sun peaked in through his window, Ean was both physically and mentally exhausted and crawled into bed. Zin crawled into his usual sleeping spot underneath the bed.
    “Thanks a lot, Zin,” Ean said quietly, “I really needed something good to happen for a change.”
    “Don’t get all weepy on me now, you little girl,” Zin replied. “But you are welcome. Now let’s get some sleep; it’s been a long night.”
    Ean flipped his back to the window and chuckled. “Fair enough. Sleep well, Zin. I have the feeling that when we wake, our lives are going to start to take a turn for the better.”

Chapter 2
    PRACTICING THE CRAFT
    The sound of men shouting woke Ean out of a deep sleep. He moved to the window and glanced outside. The morning sun cast a blood-red light over the empty ground between his home and the Skyfall Mountains that circled his village.  
    A group of four people were making their way towards the house, carrying a fifth person between them. Cal Halhan and his son, Ted, were on one side while Chris Tanner, moving with a limp, and Allie Bale was on the other side. It looked like all four were carrying Allie’s husband, Lane. They were all splattered with blood, and from the looks of it, most of it was probably Lane’s. His clothes were torn to shreds and stained dark red, his hair was matted in blood. Worst of all was his right leg. From about the middle of the shin down, his leg was gone, the open wound exuding blood. His face was pale, and his eyes had rolled back into his head. If he wasn’t already dead, he would be soon.  
    Bear attack , Ean thought as his stomach sunk to his knees. Lane had never been nice to him; most members of their small village had never been nice to Ean because of what his parents had done. But no one deserved to be hurt because of how he had been treated, and they certainly didn’t deserve to die.
    Ean watched for a moment more and then ran out the door of his room, grabbing his gloves as he went. He hurtled down the stairs, his long gloves covering both arms before he hit the bottom step, and headed straight towards the front of the house. He was about halfway down the hall when Cleff slammed open the front door.
      “Ean, grab my bag out of the office, and get a bottle of Flashseal from the closet. The key is sitting on my desk. Hurry, now!”
    Skidding to a halt, Ean spun around and sprinted back down the hall. Entering the office, he ranover to Cleff’s desk, grabbed the keys sitting there, and moved over to the one closet that was always locked. The key turned with a loud click in the heavy lock, and Ean pulled open the door. Scanning the shelves full of bottles and containers, it only took him a moment to locate the one Cleff needed. The bottle labeled “Flashseal” contained a silvery powder, the stopper sealed with wax. He picked up the bottle with both hands so the contents did not shake and then made for the door. He was just almost out of the office when he stopped again. The bag! Turning around, he saw Cleff’s bag sitting on the floor next to his desk. He reached it in one giant step then sprinted to the front door and then outside.
    The scene just outside the front door was out of a nightmare. They had put Lane down, splayed out on the grass, his leg turning the ground a bright crimson color as his life bled out. Allie was kneeling down next to her husband, sobbing, and holding his left hand in both of hers. Cleff was kneeling on the