The Cabal nodded but said nothing.
“Thank you all,” Luthor said. “Is there any other word on the other four demon lords?”
“None, though we will continue to search,” the dark-skinned mage replied. “We would ask that you continue your search as well, under the guise of assisting the Inquisitor.”
“Of course.”
The armored man stomped across the grass, his metal boots crushing the delicate garden grounds. “Speaking of the Inquisitor, does he suspect your true identity?”
Luthor shook his head. “He’s had no reason to assume I’m anything other than an apothecary.”
The armored man huffed. “If he determines the truth, you know what’ll have to be done. He won’t allow you to live.”
Luthor frowned at the insinuation. “I think Inquisitor Whitlock might surprise you. We knowingly travel in the company of a werewolf already. He might be accepting—”
“A werewolf is a far cry different from a wizard,” the armored sorcerer interrupted. “If he discovers the truth, he will burn you at the stake. You must be ready to do what needs to be done.”
Luthor stared defiantly at the Brother, though the armored man seemed unfazed by Luthor’s resistance.
“We will search for these other incursions and let you know what we discover,” the dark-skinned woman said, interjecting between the two men. “You’ve served us well, Agent Strong.”
The apothecary turned his attention back to the leader of the Cabal. “I live to serve the Cabal.”
“Go in peace,” she said as the illusion began to fade.
Stone walls replaced the trees in the distance. The stream dissipated into flagstones on the floor. The bench near the stream revealed itself as one of his worktables. The six members of the Cabal faded into the ether, leaving Luthor alone once more.
He frowned as he crossed the room. He set the book on the table beside the broken piece of Gideon Dosett’s horn. His hand lingered on the book, its bloody palm staring upward, before he turned and walked away. As he left the room, the electric lanterns turned dark and the handle-less door swung closed behind him.
END OF BOOK 2
Jon Messenger, born 1979 in London, England, serves as a United States Army Major in the Medical Service Corps. Since graduating from the University of Southern California in 2002, writing Science Fiction has remained his passion, a passion that has continued through two deployments to Iraq and a humanitarian relief mission to Haiti. Jon wrote the “Brink of Distinction” trilogy, of which “Burden of Sisyphus” is the first book, while serving a 16-month deployment in Baghdad, Iraq. Visit Jon on his website at www.JonMessengerAuthor.com.
The Blood Thief of Whitten Hall (A Magic & Machinery Novel Book 2) Page 38
