The Stone Wolf (The Chain Breaker Book 4) by D.K. Holmberg (digital book reader TXT) 📕

The healer watched Gavin, but he didn’t say anything. There was just a darkness in his eyes that lingered, a look that said he wasn’t going to say anything more.

Under other circumstances, and if Gaspar hadn’t nearly died, Gavin might have actually appreciated the determination from this man. But at this point, in this circumstance, Gavin needed to force him into providing some useful information about this Toral.

“At least tell me how you know her,” Gavin said.

“So you can harm her?”

Gavin glanced at the closed door leading to the healing room. “She’s the one who attacked us.”

“The only reason she would have attacked you is if you had done something worthy of it.”

Gavin frowned. “You don’t just know who she is. Gods, you know her well.”

The healer stared at him.

Gavin made a move toward him, but the healer created a spiraling pattern that started at his feet and worked its way up to his head, wrapping a barrier around him. He held his arms out and pressed his hands together as he watched Gavin.

“I have little doubt you can get through this,” the sorcerer said. “Seeing as how you’ve made a point of proving your capabilities, I understand I won’t be able to keep you from harming me if that is what you choose, but I can make it difficult for you—along with your friends—to escape from here. If that is what you prefer, I will do whatever is necessary to ensure my safety, but I have a feeling you won’t.”

“Don’t be too sure,” Gavin said.

The sorcerer shook his head. “You need something still, so I don’t think you will hurt me.” He stood off to the side, though, as if waiting and uncertain whether or not Gavin would harm him.

Rather than attacking, Gavin just grunted. “Who is she?”

“Someone of power.”

“I’m aware, but I want to know more about her than that. Who is she?”

“I can’t reveal that to you.”

“You can’t, or you won’t?” Gavin asked.

The sorcerer watched him and said nothing.

“Then get word to her that I would like to speak to her.”

“Why?”

Gavin wanted to threaten the sorcerer, to force him into working with them, but he doubted that was going to be effective. “You can tell her that I have two friends missing and that was why I was there. And you can tell her that I have what she wants.” Gavin still had no idea what the t’ranth was, but she thought he had it. If she thought he knew what it was… then maybe she’d be willing to talk. At this point, that was all he really wanted.

The healer pressed his lips into a thin line and stared at Gavin, brow furrowing as confusion flitted across his face. “You have it?”

“I do. Seeing how she was willing to go through such lengths to acquire it, you can let her know that I have it. All she has to do is come and get it.”

He knew it was dangerous, but he suspected he was right and just needed to get through to her so he could figure out exactly what she was up to.

The healer shrugged. “I will see what I can do. I can’t make any promises. It will take time for me to get word to her. She’s not always easily accessible.”

Gavin looked over to the door. “We will be here until my friend recovers. And I can assure you, either my equally capable colleague or I will be here waiting, in case you decide to betray us.”

“I’ve helped you. I didn’t betray you.”

“You helped us because you have no choice in the matter. But if the situation were to change, we want to ensure that you aren’t going to do anything to harm my friend.”

The healer shook his head.

Gavin slipped past him, feeling the brush of the invisible barrier around him as he returned to the room with Gaspar.

Imogen relaxed only slightly when Gavin came into the room.

He closed the door, looking from Imogen to Gaspar. He had fallen back asleep, which Gavin figured was probably for the best. As injured as he was, rest was going to be the most important thing for him. It was the only way he was going to recover as quickly as he needed to.

“The damn sorcerer knows the Toral,” Gavin said to Imogen.

“He told you this?”

“He can hear us talking,” Gavin said, sweeping his gaze around the room. The enchantment that the sorcerer placed could be anywhere. Gods, he could have simply put an enchantment on any one of them. “We just have to be careful.”

“Then we should go,” Imogen said, glancing back over to Gaspar. “We need not remain here.”

“Is he well enough to travel?”

She shook her head. “Not yet, but now that he’s been healed, it should not take long for him to fully recover.”

Gavin leaned against the wall, feeling unsettled. They needed to get moving, to do something, but he didn’t know what that would be. He wanted to pace and think, but there wasn’t much space in here.

“I’m going to see if I can get some answers in the city,” he told Imogen.

He looked at Gaspar before he left. His skin was pale, his eyes closed, and his breathing regular. All were signs that the old thief would recover from this, but Gavin couldn’t shake the feeling that he was going to need time—and with everything they had dealt with so far, it didn’t feel like time was on their side.

“I’ll stay with him,” Imogen said.

Gavin stepped back out into the hallway. The healer was gone, though Gavin wasn’t surprised. Still, he thought that the healer was probably somewhere nearby, watching or listening, ready to react if they did something to draw his attention. He’d probably place spells on them, so Gavin prepared to respond if it were to come down to that.

Again, he found that he wished he had a better understanding of the magic he possessed and knew how to use it. Then he wouldn’t have to worry about exploding