The Warlock's Gambit Read Free

Grandpa Nelson had taught him too, until he died. At least he’d known that she was an archaeologist.
    His mother ruffled his hair again. “I’m going to miss this little booger. I’ll probably be gone for six months, maybe more. This is deep cover, deeper than anything I’ve ever attempted before. And with the Interfacers still out there, I may not … I worry about him so much.”
    “I will remain here in the Manse at all times, Amelia. Even if Quintus has to leave, I will be here to watch over Arthur. I swear on my life that I will do my best to keep him safe.”
    “If something does happen to me, and Quintus too, hide him with my parents. My father knows … he knows enough to understand.”
    “It will never come to that. You will —”
    THOOM!
    A great boom shook the Manse, and Arthur felt a sudden shift, as if they had stopped moving.
    A look of terror flashed across his mother’s face.
    Kjor tensed.
    Quintus stopped fighting. He looked sad and ill all at once. One of the chugas leapt for him, and he batted it away with his sword as if it were nothing. The beasts closed in on him. He flicked his wrist, the blade of Bright-Cage vanished, and he clipped the handle onto his belt. He placed his palms together and spoke a word Arthur didn’t understand. A giant, glowing triskelion symbol appeared in the air in front of him. It flared so bright Arthur had to look away for a moment. When he looked back, the training creatures had all vanished, and Arms was capping the two cylinders.
    Arthur was stunned by the display of power. The room hummed with energy, and the hairs on his arms were standing on end. Quintus and Amelia ran to each other.
    After a deep embrace, his father said, “Amelia, you don’t have to do this.”
    “Quin, you know I do. What we’re doing will change everything for the better. And no one else can do this. Not you, not Kjor, and … well, there’s just no one else left that we can trust.” She kissed him deeply. “Now, I’ve got to get moving. The Manse can’t stay here long or we’ll be discovered.”
    Arthur laughed as his mother picked him up and swung him around. She hugged him tight, and a shudder passed through her, as if she were restraining a sob. She held him at arm’s length. A brief pulse flashed from the circlet gem, mesmerizing Arthur for a moment. It was almost like a plucked string vibrated in his mind, and the note was soothing and peaceful. “If something should happen, my sweet, you will remember me.” The ruby flashed a second time. “You will remember this moment someday, when you most need it. So you can hear me say: I love you, Arthur. I always will. While I’m gone, your father will be here with you. And if he has to go on a mission, your Uncle Kjor and the servitors will watch over you — okay?”
    Arthur nodded.
    “That’s my good boy.” She handed Arthur over to his dad and turned toward the far end of the Training Room. “Alex, wake up! We must go, and we’ve no time to waste.”
    Out from the shadows slinked a large, white panther — it must’ve been his mother’s numen. The powerful beast yawned, nodded to Arthur and Quintus, and followed Amelia as she headed out from the Training Room.
    Arthur felt a tear leak down his face. His three-year-old self said, “Bye, mommy! I’ll be brave.”
    She turned and blew him a kiss. “I know you will, my sweet.”
    Quintus held Arthur out. “Can you take him, Kjor? I want to see Amelia off at the door.”
    “Of course.” Kjor took Arthur in his strong hands. “We are staunch friends, the little tyke and I.”
    Down from the darkness above swooped a majestic white eagle, which must’ve been his father’s numen, and it followed them out of the Training Room.
    Smiling, Arthur at last turned toward the man whose lap he had been sitting in, the man whose voice was so eerily familiar. And he was shocked to see a large man with solid black eyes, gray-blue skin, and no earlobes. The man spoke to him again,