Free The Phoenix Ring (The Thunderheart Chronicles Book 1) by Alexander Brockman

blanket.
                  "How's Eleanor?"
                  Timothy closed his eyes.
                  "Not well.  She blames herself.  You see, Jonathan took the entire training time to teach her how to use magic and master a Soulrock, and never focused on himself.  He always wanted to be burned on a hill, which is how they take care of heroes' bodies, but they're going to dump him in a lake, which is pretty much the opposite of what he wanted."
                  Aidan pulled on his sandals and thought for a moment.
                  "Where are they keeping the body?"
                  Timothy's eyes narrowed. "Why?"
                  "Either you can tell me, or I can go ask someone else."
                  The younger boy considered for a moment before giving up.  "I'll show you.  Follow me."
                  The two boys left the boys’ quarters and walked, for the first time, around the back.
                  It was the middle of the day, and the sun was shining beautifully over the perfectly weeded grass.
                  There was an old, dilapidated cottage type of building, sitting drearily in a garden of daisies.
                  "Alright, he's in there, but you can't go stealing any bodies,"  Timothy said.
                  "Don't worry, I don't plan to."  Aidan said, closing his eyes.
                  "Good because you're already in a huge amount of trouble, and-"
                  He was cut off as the cottage exploded, flames arching high into the air.  Aidan turned around and walked away with a smile on his face, leaving Timothy speechless on the lawn.
     
     
                  The boy has gone too far this time.
                  Edwin stood behind the boys’ quarters in a heap of ash that had once been the storage facility for the recently deceased, his robe billowing around him in the wind. 
                  He knew the boy had done it.  A wizard that had arrived at the scene not more than a minute after the fire had started claimed he had seen a pair of footprints leading to and from the cottage.  The old building had burned in just three minutes, yet all the wizards had seen the plume of smoke.
                  Edwin's position was in more jeopardy than it had been in years.  None of the wizards in the camp were very happy with him, and, though no one knew it, his standing with the council was not very good either.
                  The warlock had not known that the Gerangs’ father worked directly for king Lief.  Both he and the dwarven warlords were willing to remove him from his position, only the Elven Chief had not cast his vote, though Edwin was willing to bet that if something did not happen soon, he would be discharged within the quarter.
                  This can't happen, I've worked far too hard to disappoint the master now.
                  Edwin began to walk as quickly as he could towards the adult quarters, yelling at two of the apprentices that had begun to follow him.
                  Ignorant little whelps, I can't wait for the day I get rid of them.
                  Edwin muttered a spell as he approached his door and it opened without a sound.  As soon as he was through, it shut with a bang and the candles lit automatically.
                  Powerless?  I'll show that boy powerless.  No one can keep me from my magic for long.
                  Edwin's rooms only had one window, in the living area.  The warlock preferred that people not see what he was doing.  He walked to his fire place, which was as empty as always, and muttered a quick spell. 
                  The bottom of the fireplace dropped out, revealing a long, dark hole into the ground, with a ladder on the side facing