Magician's Touch (Deadly Touch book 3) Chapter 4: 4: Let Me Go

Read chapter 4 of Magician's Touch (Deadly Touch book 3) by Deb E Howell on NovelPedia.

“ Come.” The girl turned and started walking, not waiting for them to argue. Looking to Jonas for concurrence, Llew received a shrug. No. Llew didn’t know if they were making the right decision either, but it seemed better than loitering. She invited him to lean on her, and they moved off after the girl, catching up to her slowly. Once they found their rhythm and it was clear Jonas could support himself with his arm across her shoulders, Llew fought with the tough crust to tear the loaf in half. Finally splitting it, they found a buttery crumb inside, light with air bubbles. The rain did little to spoil it, and after days of making do with what they could forage, it satisfied in a way only baked goods could. The young woman initially led them down what must have been a main street, with business banners mounted above or beside doors. It must have been a non-trading day as most stores had ‘Closed’ signs hanging in a window by the door. Llew sure was grateful the bakery had been open. The rain seemed to keep most people indoors, or heads bowed. Any glances at the trio were brief as people returned to hiding beneath their hoods. So, a couple of days out of Duffirk and Llew’s likeness hadn’t been disseminated and, hopefully, Jonas was still assumed dead. Again. As much as Jonas couldn’t help looking like Jonas, almost no one would be expecting to see him up and limping. For now, they would take all the luck they could get. Every couple of steps, Llew thought she heard a squeak that sounded awfully like metal-on-metal; something she’d only heard on the train … and at Braph’s house. She shuddered. Jonas looked at her and she shook her head. The sound was quiet, not like the train, and she wasn’t even sure if she was really hearing it, or if her mind was playing tricks. Braph wasn’t here. Surely, he had no need to hunt them down now. His son had absorbed Aris’s power. He had already beaten Jonas in a fight. They had to be free of Braph. Llew realized the metallic squeaks were coming from the girl in front of them, and Llew felt nauseous. This young woman, leading them couldn’t possibly be working for Braph, could she? After watching a little longer, the flash of metal caught her eye. The girl wore some sort of contraption around one of her feet, the one turned a little inward. Llew didn’t know what to think. She’d never known anyone but Braph to wear metal devices, but maybe this young woman simply wore something to aid her walking. Under the long skirt, Llew could see nothing to suggest the device connected to the girl’s bloodstream, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t a connection farther up. That would make more sense, anyway. Braph had mentioned good veins in the thigh. But why would Braph offer such power to a young woman such as this? Why would he offer it to anyone? Llew calmed herself with what limited knowledge she had of Braph. He’d invented his magic system for himself alone, no matter how much he might speak of offering it for the greater good. There was no good in that man. They turned off the main road and made their way between shuttered apartment buildings. After hobbling several blocks, they approached one door out of three set into a long, two-storied wooden building. A plaque attached to the wall introduced: Flint and Greving. Medical Practitioners . “ Grieving?” Llew asked. That didn’t sound inspiring. “ Gr e ving.” The girl emphasized the softer ‘e’. Llew wasn’t entirely put at ease, but what choice did they have? Pondering choices, and lack thereof, she glanced at Jonas. It hadn’t turned out all that bad, so far, having to rely on him as a protector. Catching the ornately swirled lever door handle with her elbow, the girl pushed the door open, collapsed the umbrella and slipped it into a waiting stand just inside by a staircase. Immediately adjacent, a corridor led to the rear of the house. “ Up. Last door on the left. It’s s— storage now, but we can clean it up.” The girl gestured up the stairs. “I need to take t