The Alchemist's Touch (29 page)

A long moment passed as they sat there, staring at the spot where the Dean had tumbled to his death. Adara reached down to take Ebon’s arm and help him up.

“Are you all right?” she said quietly.

“I am hurt. He attacked me once already. This time it was worse.”

“I shall help you walk. But first, this.”

She seized his face and pulled him in for a deep kiss. Ebon melted into her, and it was as though a great weight had left his shoulders. She finished, pulled back, and leaned her forehead against his. He joined her in closing his eyes.

“I am sorry,” she said. “I did not know.”

“You could not have. But come, we must flee. The Seat is burning.”

She helped him hobble to the edge, and there he saw a staircase descending into a cove below. In the cliff’s wall was a cave, wide and dark, along with a crude wooden dock built into its edge, where three small rowboats were tied to the dock.

“The final mark on the map,” said Ebon.

“Hmm?”

“Nothing.”

With Adara’s help, Ebon lay in the bottom of one of the boats. She cast off the tie and rowed, slowly pulling away from the island.

“South and west,” Ebon said. “We must make for the coast of Selvan, but not where the invaders might catch us.”

She nodded. “Who are they? What do they want?”

“I do not know,” he murmured. “I only wish I had discovered them sooner.”

Her eyes grew distant, looking past and above him to the island behind them. “You could not have prevented it,” she whispered.

Ebon thought of the parcel, and wondered if it were true. Though it was a great effort, he lifted his head. Behind them the Seat was burning, burning with the fury of the sun, and black smoke wafted towards them on the wind. Tears spilled freely down his cheeks, and neither of them dared to speak as they left the flames behind them.

KEEP READING

You’ve finished
The Alchemist’s Touch,
the first book of the Academy Journals.

You can buy the second book,
The Mindmage’s Wrath,
RIGHT NOW.

Just click here:

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GarrettBRobinson.com/mindmage-wrath

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GarrettBRobinson.com/mindmage-wrath-uk

THIS IS NOT THE BEGINNING

You’ve finished reading
The Alchemist’s Touch.
 

It’s the first book in The Academy Journals. But it’s far from the beginning of the tale.

Why did the family Drayden want Ebon to deliver a palace guard’s uniform? Who destroyed the High King’s Seat? And what did the Dean have to do with all of it?

All these questions and more are answered in the pages of The Nightblade Epic, the first series in the world of Underrealm.

Interested? You can read it right here:

GarrettBRobinson.com/nightblade

BOOKS SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR

Do you prefer reading your books in print?

Right now you can get EVERY Garrett Robinson book on Amazon, in paperback or hardcover, signed by the author.

Just visit:

GarrettBRobinson.com/autographed-books

DVD EXTRAS FOR BOOKS

Ever come to the end of a book and wish it wasn’t over?

That’s how I feel all the time.

I’ve created behind-the-scenes content for you to enjoy. You’ll get to hear about the creation process of the book, and watch the video diary of its creation from beginning to end.
 

(It’s worth checking back on the page from time to time—I plan to update it periodically.)

It’s like DVD extras for books. Interested? Click here:

GarrettBRobinson.com/alchemist-touch-extras

CONNECT ONLINE

FACEBOOK

Want to hang out with other fans of the Underrealm books? There’s a Facebook group where you can do just that. Join the Nine Lands group on Facebook and share your favorite moments and fan theories from the books. I also post regular behind-the-scenes content, including information about the world you can’t find anywhere else. Visit the link to be taken to the Facebook group:

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YOUTUBE

Catch up with me daily (when I’m not directing a film or having a baby). You can watch my daily YouTube channel where I talk about art, science, life, my books, and the world.

But not cats.

Never cats.

GarrettBRobinson.com/yt

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Garrett Robinson
was born and raised in Los Angeles. The son of an author/painter father and a violinist/singer mother, no one was surprised when he grew up to be an artist.

After blooding himself in the independent film industry, he self-published his first book in 2012 and swiftly followed it with a stream of others, publishing more than two million words by 2014. Within months he topped numerous Amazon bestseller lists. Now he spends his time writing books and directing films.

A passionate fantasy author, his most popular series is the Nightblade Epic. However, he has delved into many other genres. Some works are for adult audiences only, such as
Non Zombie
and
Hit Girls,
but he has also published popular books for younger readers, including the Realm Keepers series and
The Ninjabread Man
, both co-authored with Z.C. Bolger.

Garrett lives in Los Angeles with his wife Meghan, his children Dawn, Luke, and Desmond, and his dog Chewbacca.

Garrett can be found on:

BLOG:
garrettbrobinson.com

EMAIL:
[email protected]

TWITTER:
twitter.com/garrettrauthor

FACEBOOK:
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epilogue

The buildings lining the streets were blackened and ruined, for the fires had run amok across the Seat. Ebon did not guess that more than one building in four could be salvaged. The rest would have to be torn down and rebuilt.

Only two structures on the Seat had withstood the sacking unscathed: the High King’s palace, bloodstained but unbroken; and the Academy, whose thick granite walls even the fury of the attackers would not cast down.

They had left before the sun set on the day of their attack, the fleet of Dulmun and the blue-and-grey clad soldiers who some were now calling Shades. Rumors of the reason for their retreat abounded, and Ebon wondered if anyone would ever learn the truth.

A voice inside told him that someone already
did
know the truth, and that they were of the family Drayden.

For a week, the students and instructors of the Academy had stayed in Selvan, under the hospitality of that land’s king. But when the attackers did not return, and the High King’s armies marched hastily back from the war in Wellmont, they had prepared themselves to return.

And now they stood before the Academy. Ebon was surrounded by students, with the instructors in a ring all about them. Every eye was turned skyward, where the citadel peaks loomed above them like an angry father—or, perhaps, like a tired old aunt, welcoming her nieces and nephews into her home, though weary to the point of death.

“It hasn’t been touched,” said Kalem, voice hushed in awe.

“Good,” said Theren. Her arm was still in a sling, though she swore every day that she would throw the thing in a rubbish heap.

Jia stood and opened the front door. Slowly, and without a word, everyone filed inside.
 

“You!” someone shrieked as Ebon stepped through the door. He looked over in surprise to see Mellie, sitting in her old chair by the front door, as though she had never gone. “You left without permission! You and your friends!”

Ebon could only smile. Jia arched an eyebrow. “Mellie, do you mean to tell me you stayed?”

“What is that supposed to mean?” The little old woman blinked up at her through watery eyes.
 
“Where else would I go?”

Jia shook her head and led them inside.

Once they had assembled in the entry hall, with the doors again closed, Ebon felt a curious peace settle over them all. Within the citadel, they could not see the destruction that had swept the Seat. The hall was unchanged, and he suspected that the dormitories and classrooms would be the same.

“Students,” said Jia. “Students, assemble. Together, please.
Quiet!”

Her final bark threw them all into silence, and every eye turned to her.

“A terrible tragedy has befallen the High King’s Seat. Thank the sky, the Academy suffered less loss than we might have. But all of Underrealm is reeling from this attack, and I will not bandy my words: these are uncertain times. Many of you will likely be called home by your families. Try not to blame them. They wish only for your safety.”

Ebon felt eyes upon him. He glanced to his right, and found Lilith staring through the crowd. The moment their eyes met, she ducked as if in shame, but then quickly looked back at him defiantly. He turned away.

“Now, Dean Cyrus of the family Drayden has been missing since the attack, and is presumed lost in the fighting. We shall respect and honor his noble memory as long as the Academy stands—which, fate permitting, will be a long time indeed.”

Kalem snickered. Theren elbowed him hard. Ebon flushed deep crimson. In the ten days since the fall, he still had not told his friends of what happened to Cyrus. Only Adara knew the truth. He wondered if that would always be the case.

“With the Academy resuming its normal operations, a new Dean is required. It is now my duty to present him to you. He is an accomplished mage, whom, I am certain, some of you will have already heard about. Please show your utmost respect.”

Jia stepped down from the main stairway. A man went to take her place. He was thin and gaunt, black hair hanging limp and stringy about his face, nearly to his shoulders. He had a grim look, with thin lips pressed tight together and dark eyes holding no humor or warmth. And yet Ebon thought he felt something noble in the man, something in his bearing that commanded respect and attention, like a general returned home after a lifetime campaigning—though this man looked hardly older than Ebon’s father.

“Well met,” he said, his thick, rich voice rolling forth to echo around the entry hall. “I am Xain, of the family Forredar, and I pledge myself to your learning, and your safety, for as long as duty may require.”