Free Call to War by Adam Blade Page A

the cavern, was a boy.
    As Tanner, Gwen, Castor, and the Beasts rushed into the open space, a wall of black rock cascaded in behind them.
    The boy got to his feet. His clothes were mud-streaked, and through shredded holes, Tanner could see his ribs and bony joints. Long, filthy hair hung down his face.
    â€œKeep away from me!” the boy called, and he raised both hands, palms open. His fingers glowed blue, and as the light brightened and swelled into his palms, he shouted, “I won’t go back!”
    The blue light was blinding, and Tanner covered his eyes, yelling, “Stop!” He held a hand out and slowly approached the boy. “We’re not here to harm you.”
    â€œI don’t believe you!” the boy screeched. Blue beams blasted out of his hands. Tanner tried to duck, but it was too late. He found himself surrounded by a halo of blue light and his feet gently lifted from the ground, until only his toes connected with the packed earth. With a sigh of air he was lifted higher in the cave, floating in midair, looking down on his friends.
    Gwen screamed and Castor called out angrily, “Let him down, for Avantia’s sake!”
    The boy looked as surprised as everyone else. Tanner floated weightlessly in the air as the Beasts hissed and roared.
    I’ll make him stop! Firepos sent a message thrumming through the damp cave air to Tanner.
    â€œNo!” Tanner called out. Firepos’s powers, running in his veins, meant he felt nothing but curiosity as he hung in the air. He glanced to one side and shot out a hand to snap a stalactite from the roof of the cave. He brandished it in both fists, holding it before his chest, the point aiming down toward the boy.
    Down on the ground, the boy looked nervous. “What are you going to do?” he asked. The beam of light that he had trained on Tanner began to flicker.
    â€œI’m going to let go of this and it will pierce your heart,” Tanner said. Then he cocked his head on one side, pretending to think. “Or you could lower me back down, and we’ll forget this ever happened.”
    â€œDo it!” Castor hissed. “You little fool.”
    Gwen was staring straight at the boy. She gave him a small, forgiving nod.
    The boy began to flex his fingers, as though loosening them. The light wavered even more and Tanner felt his body sinking through the air until his feet landed in small clouds of dust back on the cave floor. The Beasts watched carefully, licking their fangs.
    Tanner brushed himself off and stepped up to shake the boy by the hand. Smiling uncertainly, he reached out to grasp Tanner’s open palm. But as his trembling fingers encased Tanner’s, Tanner twisted his arm around, ducking under the boy’s armpit so that he was suddenly behind him and the boy had his arm awkwardly stretched up behind his back. One tug on his shoulder and Tanner could dislocate it. He brought the point of the stalactite to press against the boy’s tunic, next to his heart.
    â€œDon’t ever use your magic on me again,” he hissed in the boy’s ear.
    â€œI won’t, I promise!” The boy was openly weeping now.
    Castor laughed. “What a coward.” Gwen sent Castor a long look, warning him to be quiet.
    â€œI can handle this,” Tanner said quietly. He waited a moment more and then let the boy go, pushing him forward so that he staggered and fell.
    â€œIt’s all right,” Gwen said, bending to help him back to his feet. “Like we said, we mean you no harm. I’m Gwen — this is Tanner and Castor. What’s your name? We haven’t come here to hurt you or take you anywhere.”
    The boy looked past her, giving Tanner an accusing look. “You already have hurt me.”
    â€œOh, come on!” Castor scoffed. “You deserved that.”
    â€œWho are you?” the boy asked, ignoring Castor.
    â€œWe could ask you the same thing,” Castor said.