The Last Narkoy: Gathow: Book 2 by Elizabeth Price (find a book to read txt) 📕

to see Danstu. “Hey, yeah, I was waiting for you. The orbs have something against Clove blood or I would have gone in.”

“They’re guarding the library. It looks like the majority of the Narkoy’s knowledge is inside, so it’s no wonder,” he explained.

Rosanheer nodded. “It figures. Now that I have your attention, would you happen to know what’s going to happen to the orphan?”

“Julian? We’re not sure yet. We know someone’s looking after him in the infirmary. I’d like to talk to him and ask him why,” Danstu hinted.

Rosanheer shrugged. “I’m not sure. I just feel a connection between us. I’d-a… like to be considered for the boy’s guardian,” he requested.

Danstu watched him for a long moment. “An ex-Marisheio warrior with no wife or family save for a father his employer uses as a punching bag? You’re asking for the boy to be an orphan again. He’s already gone through too much. I appreciate what you’re willing to do, but I don’t believe it’s advisable. We’ll find him a proper family.”

Rosanheer walked away without saying another word. Danstu could see the disappointment in the man’s eyes, but there was little he could do. He was right not to allow the guardianship, deep down though he felt like he made a mistake.

“Keriney!” Zion called out.

Danstu turned to find Zion running towards him. “What now?” he huffed under his breath. “Zion.”

“Dranium sent me to find you. He’s managed to fix the power to the main government building over there,” he pointed to a tall building in the distance. “Communications should be online within the hour. He thought you might need access to the outside world.”

Danstu patted Zion’s shoulder. “Best news I heard all day.”

He hurried to the building Zion had pointed to. He paused at an ornate doorway entry, seeing two wide purple glass doors hidden within. He grabbed for the handle and pulled on the doors.

“Access denied,” the computer called out from a panel beside the doors.

“I should have known,” he grumbled. Danstu balled up his fist, ready to hit the door. “Fine, what area do I have access to?” he asked the computer.

“First level, boardroom two,” the computer returned. A long striped light embedded in the wall beside him brightened to a neon green, followed by three more in front of him on the ground, leading Danstu around the building to a large open boardroom. Inside sat a twenty-foot oval shaped table constructed from a dark wood. Several feet above the table hung nine monitors, some vicariously hanging from the ceiling and in much need of repair.

“I can work with this,” he decided as he sat at the head of the table. He tapped on a button on the table, bringing up a computer monitor. It took a moment before it flashed on, but when it did Danstu was able to bring up all the information he was looking for.

“Where I can I find Dranium?” he asked the computer.

“Dranium is on level four, section three-two-notta,” the computer returned. On the screen, a diagram of the city appeared along with a route on how to reach Dranium.

Danstu hurried to his feet, attempting to remember how exactly to reach the elevators that would take him to level four. He was in luck. Only footsteps outside the boardroom stood an elevator. Within a blink of an eye, the elevator had taken him down four stories. He stepped out, his eyes wide in wonderment.

The fourth floor was almost exactly like the first, other than the buildings were a little different. He walked down a long sidewalk, amazed to see parks and playgrounds, fountains and far more trees than the top floor. The only real difference was the sunlight source was about half as dim as the one above.

“Danstu!” called a familiar voice.

He turned to see one of the men he had been trapped with inside the cave, waving to him. “I’m looking for Dranium. Do you know where he is?” he called out to the man.

He waved for Danstu to follow him. Danstu rushed up beside the Crehail man, all the while he was unable to recall the man’s name. “I guess someone informed them of my mechanical skills, so they put me to work on the maintenance team. It’s hard work, but man is this place great!” the man exclaimed.

“I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying yourself,” Danstu said.

“The boss is down there,” he said, pointing down a long, dark alleyway.

Danstu nodded, taking in a deep breath. “Thanks.” He continued to walk down the alleyway, searching the creepy shadows for anything that moved. At the end of the alleyway stood an open door. Danstu opened the door further and stepped inside.

Inside was a massive warehouse filled from floor to ceiling with technology he had never seen before. Every shelf had its own light, shining down on one specific item. His nose was filled with the smell of wires and freshly pressed plastics.

He walked down the row, examining it in amazement. He paused at one section that looked to house several communications devices and picked up a wristwatch from a box.

“Danstu, I thought I heard someone come in,” Dranium spoke up from the shelves on the other side of Danstu, causing him to jump with fright. He hurried around the shelves, noticing the reaction he caused. “Sorry about that.”

“This is where you hide out?” Danstu mentioned.

Dranium gazed around the tall shelves. “I’m like a child in a candy store in here,” he admitted. “So much of this will come in handy. It’s just figuring out what it all does,” he admitted. He pointed to the wristwatch Danstu was holding. “Like those.” He took another wristwatch from the same box, tapping it. Suddenly the watch Danstu was holding lit up. “Testing,” Dranium spoke into his com, but his voice echoed out through Danstu’s com’s tiny speaker.