The Heart of Alchemy by James Wisher (i like reading books txt) 📗

believed and the fight took a lot out of me so I made poor time.” Otto saw no reason to point out Wolfric’s near-death experience, for the moment anyway. “I left the kidnapper’s body behind. Turns out the man was an assassin using Abby to lure me into a trap. If you’d be so kind as to fetch his body for me, along with anything else you find, I’d appreciate it. Perhaps we can figure out who he was and more importantly who hired him.”

“No problem,” Axel said. “Where do we find the cabin?”

Otto was pretty sure he could muster the strength to do what he had to and avoid collapsing in the street. “Someone loan me a dagger.”

Axel offered his own and Otto conjured the ether. He pictured the rune he left behind and imprinted that image on the spell before attaching the whole thing to the dagger. A quick test revealed that the blade glowed when he aimed it at the cabin. Satisfied, Otto returned it to Axel.

“Bring the body directly to the warehouse. Someone will be there to let you in.”

Axel favored him with one last look of concern then led his men away.

Otto resumed his trudge and ten minutes later arrived at the gate to Franken Manor. A pair of very alert guards leapt to open the gate. Both saluted and the senior man said, “Welcome home, my lord.”

Otto nodded and continued on toward the mansion. He barely made it through the door when Corina tackled him. “I was keeping watch over the grounds and saw you coming. We were so worried.”

“It was a rough time, but I got her back. Where’s Annamaria?”

“She cried herself to sleep a few hours ago. Want me to get her?”

“You’d better. I have a job for you after.” When she left, Otto sent one of the always hovering servants to fetch him pen and paper. He set Abby on the dining room table and slumped in one of the chairs. Finally, he removed the spell that had kept her quiet. He had about twenty minutes before the brat came wailing to consciousness.

The servant returned with a quill, ink, and parchment. He’d written half the note before footsteps on the stairs broke his concentration.

He looked up to see Annamaria hurrying his way with Corina trailing along behind.

“You saved her. Is she hurt?” Annamaria was staring at the blood covering Otto’s tunic.

“She’s fine. Hungry and smelly, but fine. This is neither hers nor mine. The trip must have exhausted her as she hasn’t made a peep in hours. Why don’t you take her upstairs? Mimi can clean her up, assuming she’s strong enough. I’m headed for bed shortly.”

Annamaria scooped up Abby, gave Otto one last, long look, and retreated back upstairs.

Otto dismissed her at once, finished his note, let it dry, folded it over, and handed it to Corina. “Give that to Hans and join him when he goes. I need live prisoners, not bodies.”

“Don’t worry, Master, we’ll handle everything. You just rest.”

Otto sighed, but couldn’t argue with her. Right now, he couldn’t defeat a ten-year-old, much less potential assassins equipped with alchemical weapons.

He needed sleep. And when he woke up, he’d get some answers, one way or another.

Chapter 17

Corina practically skipped as she hurried away from the mansion through the city. Her master had finally given her a real mission. Granted Hans would be in charge, but still. It showed he trusted her. She hoped it was a real change and not just desperation brought about by exhaustion.

When she remembered how he looked when he got home from rescuing the baby, she shuddered. Some of the corpses she’d seen on the battlefield had looked better than he did. But he was alive, not angry—not at her anyway—and that mattered more than anything. Actually, what mattered more than anything was having the prisoners he wanted to talk to in custody.

All around her the sights and smells of the city coming awake after a long winter night filled the air. After living most of her life in Rolan, going from small community to small community, she still hadn’t fully adapted to life in Garen. Staying focused and alert as she moved down the street took a lot of concentration. An attack might come from any direction.

Not that she expected an attack, but her master would say that’s when you needed to be especially alert. Either that or always expect an attack. As far as she could tell, that seemed to be his motto.

Fifteen minutes later she reached the warehouse. The small door was locked so she knocked. It opened at once and she found herself nose to nose with Hans. He looked nearly as tired as Lord Shenk.

“Is he back?” Hans asked.

Corina nodded. “Half an hour ago. Not a mark on him, though from the amount of blood on his tunic, someone had a rough night. He has a job for us. Are you game? You look all in.”

“I’m fine. It’ll take more than one sleepless night to put me out of action. What’s the mission?”

Corina handed him the note and Hans unfolded it. She shifted around to read over his shoulder. He wanted them to hold a nobleman named St. Croy for questioning along with everyone on his staff. Apparently Sin knew where to find his villa in Gold Ward.

Corina frowned. Why would her master have taken the admittedly beautiful thief instead of her?

“I’ll wake the men,” Hans said. “You find Sin.”

Corina set aside her speculation and focused on the matter at hand. Whyever he did it, she was certain he had a good reason. Now, where would she find Sin? It wasn’t like the thief lived at the warehouse with the guys.

She snapped her fingers. Ulf would know and he did live here.

Corina ran around his workbench and found the man wrapped up in a heavy blanket and sound asleep on a thick mat. He looked so peaceful she hated to wake him, but her master would be most