by John Corwin
Max climbed down and sighed. "Fine."
Scaling the frame didn't look as easy as shimmying up the trees back at the orphanage, but I was willing to give it a try. "All right."
Max knelt, braced his back against the house, and cupped a hand. "Let's try this the proper way." He gave Ambria a pointed look.
I stepped onto his hand. He lifted and I wobbled off balance. I felt Ambria grip my other foot and push. My fingers grasped the top frame. Max shoved hard and I nearly hit my head on the ledge supporting the griffin. I windmilled and somehow wrapped a hand around the statue's head. The others let go and I dangled by one arm.
"Help him," Ambria said.
I looked down and saw Max brace my feet with both hands. "Here goes." He pushed.
I swung up my other arm and grabbed the head. Straining, I managed to pitch my leg over the griffin's back. With the extra leverage, I slowly slung myself up and onto the stone creature. Panting, I rested atop it for a moment until I caught my breath. From here, the ledge was just wide enough to stand on. Bracing my hands against the house, I shuffled my feet up the griffin's back until my feet rested atop its head. From there I was just able to reach the lower ledge of the open window.
"You can do it, Conrad," Ambria said. "Just be careful."
"Yeah, I don't want to have to clean up the mess if you fall," Max added helpfully.
I looked down. The fall wouldn't kill me, but it would probably hurt a lot. I hoped I had the strength to pull myself up to the open window. I took a deep breath and reached my right hand up to the ledge. Once I had a firm grip, I moved my left hand to join it. My fingers slid into the groove where the base of the window fit. An idea sprang to mind. Instead of pulling myself up, I swung one foot at a time and braced them against the rough brick while holding tight with my fingers. Slowly and carefully, I walked up the wall until I could see inside the house.
The opening was just large enough to slip my arm through. I bounced on my feet and flung a hand through the crack. My hand snagged the wooden frame inside.
"Go, Conrad!" Ambria shouted.
"Hush," Max chided. "You'll have every neighbor looking through their windows if you keep shouting like that."
"You can do it," she said in a loud whisper.
I pressed up against the bottom of the window with my forearm. It resisted at first, then slid up a few inches, just enough to admit my torso. I bounced again and used the momentum to reach my other arm inside and grasp the frame. Arms burning with fatigue, legs aching, I couldn't hold on much longer.
Bouncing once more, I kicked a leg up and onto the ledge. My foot bounced off the bottom of the window and my ankle bone cracked hard against the stone ledge. My other foot slipped off the side of the house. My chin banged so hard on the brick my teeth clacked together. Stars flashed in my vision and wooziness threatened to drag me into darkness.
Chapter 23
I heard gasps from below.
The blackness gathering at the edges of my vision faded. I still clung to the ledge. Somehow, my foot had caught on the outer frame or I might have fallen. Straining with all my might, I used this leverage to pull my body up and onto the frame. Panting and sweating, I slid beneath the window and into the house. My back thudded on the wood floor. Arms limp as noodles, it was all I could do to touch a hand to my aching chin. Bright blood glistened on my fingers when I pulled them away.
After taking a moment to catch my breath and test my jaw for any fractures, I pushed up to my feet and stumbled down a staircase. The hallway at the bottom led to the kitchen and the backdoor.
When I opened it, Ambria rushed inside and gave me a hug. "That was so brave, Conrad."
Max patted me on the back. "Brilliant. Do you feel okay?"
I nodded wearily. "Spectacular."
"You're bleeding." Ambria grabbed a dirty towel from the kitchen floor and pressed it to my chin. "It doesn't look too bad—more like a scrape."
Taking the towel from her hand, I managed a smile. "Thanks. I'll hold it for now."
Ambria poked around in the cupboards and drawers. "Looks like they took everything." She opened a door and inspected the pantry. A single burlap sack sat inside. She opened it. "Unless we want to live on oatmeal, we'll need to buy groceries."
Max picked up a scroll from the table and read it. "It's a notice of eviction for not making payments." He dropped it and opened the other papers lying there. "I'd say this house is empty."
I tested a switch on the wall. The chandeliers flickered into flame. "How come they still have gas?"
"Gas?" Max scratched his head. "Oh, most of the utilities are aether powered." He paused at my confused expression. "Magical energy."
"They don't shut it off if you don't pay for it?" I asked.
"Nah, they're powered by ley lines—magical conduits of aether in the ground. They're free to use."
"How convenient." Ambria walked into the hallway and opened a door beneath the stairs. A small cot and some books were inside. She picked up one and read the cover. "Arcane History." She dropped it on the cot. "Conrad and I should probably read that at some point."
Another one bore the title, Elementary Magic, and the next, Elementary Potions. "Are these the classes you take at the university?" I asked.
"Yep." Max nodded. "First year stuff."
An imposing steel door down the hall to the left caught my attention. The antique brass knob didn't budge when I tested it and it didn't seem to have a keyhole. "This must be locked from the inside."
"Probably opened with a spell or arcphone," Max said.
We spent a while exploring the house. The downstairs rooms were bare of furniture, but one upstairs bedroom contained two wire frame beds with mattresses. The bathroom in the middle bedroom was fully stocked with a dizzying variety of shampoos, soaps, and bottled liquids I hesitated to touch. Neatly folded towels sat on a shelf next to the clawfoot tub.
Max pulled the cork from one, sniffed, and immediately broke into a sneezing fit. "Some kind of perfume," he said after regaining control.
Ambria waved it under her nose. "Smells lovely."
Max wrinkled his forehead. "You need your nostrils checked."
I looked at my dirty hands and soiled clothes. "Well, at least we can clean up before going to dinner."
"I don't have a thing to wear." Ambria said.
"You could always wash your clothes in the tub," Max suggested.
I wandered back into the hallway and opened the door to the bedroom at the end of the hall. My eyes widened when I saw the inside. Two racks of clothes stood in opposite corners with chests of drawers situated to the sides. I opened one and discovered male socks and underwear.
Ambria gasped and clapped her hands. "How lovely!" She went to a rack of feminine clothes and looked through the dresses. "Goodness, but these are skimpy outfits." She held a black one against her body. It came down past her knees and was obviously meant for someone a bit larger than her. "Why would they leave all these clothes?"
Max pointed a thumb over his shoulder. "And what's with all that stuff in the bathroom?"
"Could someone else be living here?" I asked.
"Maybe they left the clothes they didn't want," Max said. "They probably took what they could and left the rest."
"Well, perhaps we could make use of them," Ambria said, holding a dress with a checkered pattern. "These are a bit large, but they'll do in a pinch."
The male clothes were also several sizes larger than me, but given my slim build, that wasn't unusual. I checked out a pair of jeans and shrugged. "Guess we can make do with this for now."
An hour later, Ambria and I were ready to go, though we looked a bit ridiculous in our baggy outfits. A checkered dress sagged on her petite frame and a pair of short stockings she'd found wouldn't stay up no matter how many times she tugged on them.
A brown shirt fit me like a burlap sack. The jeans I wore were so long on me I had to roll them up nearly a foot. To keep them secure on my waist, I'd poked an ext
ra hole in a belt just so it would fit tightly.
The only attire that fit us were our shoes since we hadn't found any footwear that came close to fitting our small feet. Ambria stated that even if the stiletto heels she'd found fit her, she wouldn't be caught dead in them.
Max was still fiddling with the locked iron door when we came downstairs. "You look dashing." His sarcastic tone made it clear he thought otherwise.
"Don't make fun," Ambria chided. "We'll find clothes that fit tomorrow."
He chuckled. "You look like a pair of dwarves that stole grown people's clothes."
Ambria held up her dainty fist. "Don't make me use this on you."
Max threw up his hands. "I surrender!"
We left the house by the back door and found an empty public carriage rolling past on the street. Max whistled and it stopped for us to board. Ambria chose a pink unicorn this time to take us across town to Max's uncle Malcom's house.
"Maybe you should wait outside," he said, looking toward the house.
"I don't want to see your grumpy old uncle anyway," Ambria said.
He went inside while we waited in the carriage.
"I hope this new house works out," Ambria said. She tugged on a loose stocking and frowned. "We definitely need to shop for clothes and food tomorrow."
"Okay." Taking care of ourselves seemed like a huge responsibility even though we now had a place to live. In all likelihood, our housing situation was temporary. Someone else might eventually buy the house, forcing us out again. Unless I found a way to make more money, our funds would eventually run out.
"You look tense, Conrad." Ambria put her hand over mine. "Are you okay?"
"I'm worried about the future."
"Do we have enough money to last a while?"
I shrugged. "Maybe. It depends on how expensive groceries are. Then we'll need clothes too."
She squeezed my hand. "We'll find jobs."
I snorted. "We're too young. Nobody will hire us."
"Don't be depressed." She leaned over to meet my downcast eyes. "We've come too far to give up now."
I knew she was right, but the doldrums didn't want to let me go. On top of day-to-day survival, we also had to do something about the Goodleighs. Once they figured out that Brickle was dead, they wouldn't stop until they found us. They'd search Queens Gate from one end to the other.
Max emerged from his uncle's house, his blond hair slicked back so tight against his pale skin, it made him look nearly bald. He wore a burgundy suit with a black bow tie, and shiny black shoes.
Ambria made a face. "Where do you think we're going, Max? A school dance?"
"Mighty dapper," I said, though I didn't mean it. He looked a bit ridiculous. Then again, Ambria and I looked slipshod with our oversized clothes and worn shoes.
Max's frown turned upside down at my comment. "Thanks, Conrad. I want to impress the headmaster. He's the man with the final say over who gets admitted to the university."
"Doesn't a dean usually do that?" Ambria asked.
He climbed into the carriage and waggled his hand in a so-so manner. "The headmaster at the university could also be called the dean. Some of them prefer dean, while some prefer to be called headmaster."
I directed the carriage to take us to the university shuttle. The illusionary pink unicorn took off at a trot.
Ambria remained interested in the topic at hand. "Wasn't Galfandor headed to a dean council meeting?"
"Yeah, probably with Dean Tesla of Science Academy, and Grand Dean Frankenstone—she's the woman in charge of all Overworld education."
"Her name sounds familiar," Ambria mused.
"Yeah, some nom wrote a novel based on her great-great-grandfather's early tests with reanimating corpses." Max pshawed. "It caused a big stir in the Overworld community."
"Did you learn that in Overworld history?" Ambria asked.
He nodded. "Anyway, I want you two to be on your best behavior with Galfandor." He directed his gaze to Ambria. "If you play your cards right, you might be able to get a free ride to the university."
"Oh really?" Her eyes brightened.
"If he likes you, he could award you a scholarship so long as you don't flop the entrance exam."
"That would be great," I said. Once Galfandor discovered I hadn't been the one to make the potion, he'd quickly realize I wasn't very impressive at all. Hopefully, it didn't ruin the chance for my friends to benefit.
The carriage halted at the shuttle zone just as the pirate ship floated in to dock. We headed to the end of the short waiting line as a crowd disembarked. Once the ship was empty, a parrot appeared on the ship railing, whistled a couple of times, and then said, "All aboard, you landlubbers!"
Ambria clasped her hands together and giggled. "How cute."
Once onboard, we took stairs to the upper deck. Though it wasn't large, it had a mast complete with sails, a large wooden steering wheel, and even an illusionary rack of swords. As the ship lifted off for the cliff, I walked to the waist-high railing and peered over the side. I was able to poke out my head by a foot or two before an invisible barrier halted me.
Max climbed up a ladder on the mast to the crow's nest. "Ahoy, mateys!"
I laughed and climbed up after him.
Ambria rolled her eyes. "So immature."
"Oh, don't be such a grownup," Max called down.
She crossed her arms and tried to resist, but finally relented and scampered up to join us. "The view is a bit better here."
We reached the cliff top a few minutes later and headed down the path to the university. Max stopped at the broom shed and waved his wand at the door. It clicked open. He went inside and returned with three more brooms.
"I suppose we're thieves now." Though Ambria's tone was disapproving, she still climbed aboard the broom.
Max winced. "We're borrowing them."
"Once the scene clears at Levi's house, maybe we could sort through the rubble and find our old brooms," I said.
"They're probably splintered to pieces." Max climbed on his broom and led us past the dorms to a road that wound up a hill fringed with trees.
Blackened ruins greeted us on the left side of the road. Further down, other scattered ruins gave evidence of once large houses that had been burned or razed by forces unknown.
Ambria sucked in a breath. "What happened here?"
"Used to be fraternity and sorority houses up here." Max halted his broom and pointed to more ruins on the right side of the road past a thick grove of trees. "The Overlord's forces marched through here when he launched a sneak attack on the university. When he took over, he abolished the Greek system, saying it was for elitists."
"Why haven't they rebuilt?" Ambria asked.
"When Galfandor took over, he said that he agreed with abolishing the old system."
I found myself in total agreement. "I've seen films with fraternities and sororities."
"When you were living with fosters?" Ambria asked.
I nodded. "The people in them liked nothing better than beating up and making fun of kids who weren't members."
"My father hated the decision—he was an Alpha Omega himself." Max chuckled. "My father despises Galfandor."
"Well, at least I won't have to worry about joining a sorority," Ambria said. "I think dividing people into silly clubs just makes them dislike each other for no good reason."
"Oh." Max cleared his throat. "Well, even though the old system is gone, they came up with a new one, but I think it's a lot better."
"What sort of system?"
"They're kind of like noble houses named after great Arcanes, but everyone has to be a member."
Ambria sighed. "I may not have been as exposed to the real world as Conrad, but I've read more books than I can name. Dividing people like this never ends well."
Max apparently had nothing more to add to the conversation and abruptly changed the subject. "Well, look, there's Moore Manor!" He flew down a gravel road to our right. We wound through a wooded a
rea littered with felled, rotting trees and huge diagrams burned into the very earth itself. The large manor ahead, however, looked completely undamaged. A white marble statue of a man stood in the center of a patch of green grass and flowers.
Ambria pointed at the burn marks. "What in the world happened here?"
Max's eyes brightened. "Justin Slade and Ezzek Moore fought an epic battle here against Daelissa. There were these huge demons attacking the house"—he held his arms wide—"then Justin Slade summoned an Abyssal demon." He punched the air. "The Abyssal killed the other two demons and wiped out the battle mages."
"Goodness." Ambria shivered. "I can't believe they'd use such awful creatures."
"Well, demons can be pretty useful if you know what you're doing." Max led us over to the statue. "Unfortunately, the story doesn't have a happy ending. The original house was destroyed, and Daelissa killed Ezzek Moore on that exact spot." He pointed to the perfect circle of flowers and green grass at the foot of the statue.
"Didn't that happen years ago?" I asked. "Why are there still diagrams burned into the ground?"
"Well, when you summon demons that powerful, they leave marks that can last for decades."
Ambria grunted. "I suppose we'll learn that in demonology class."
Max grinned. "Yep."
I felt a shock of surprise that they actually taught such an evil subject. Max led us to the front door. The manor stood two stories tall with a steeply pitched roof ringed by large, stone gargoyles resembling winged demons with bald heads and long, pointy ears. I didn't understand why people around here had such fondness for ugly statues. It must be an Overworld thing.
The front door opened before Max could use the knocker. Galfandor smiled at us and motioned us inside. "Welcome to Moore Manor. Let's not dither. Dinner is waiting." Galfandor walked briskly for someone who looked so old and led us to a dining room with a round, wooden table large enough to seat six people.
A roast surrounded by vegetables steamed in the center of the table. Galfandor took a knife and began slicing it. "Don't be shy. Hold out your plates and I'll serve you."
Once we each had our plates full with generous portions, he took a slice for himself and sat down.