Free The Sphere (The Magi Series #2) by Kevin M. Turner

voices.
    Elijah continued keeping the flames from his torch down, and
when he saw two figures, both with their own torches, he quickly snuffed his
own out.
    There, by the edge of the stream, his uncle and Master
Roddick faced each other.  From the look of it, they were arguing about something. 
Uncle Stan seemed to be either mad or concerned.  He was gesturing more
animatedly, and his voice was louder, but not clear enough to understand. 
Roddick had his arms crossed and looked down part of the time.  Elijah couldn’t
figure it out.
    This went on for another twenty minutes, and each minute
made Elijah’s curiosity amplify.  What were they arguing about?  Did this have
to do with him?  He considered walking toward them, but just then Uncle Stan
patted Roddick on the shoulder and began walking in Elijah’s direction.
    Elijah scampered back toward the tent and flew inside,
spooking both the horses.  Soon, Uncle Stan came back to camp and plopped down
to sleep.  Elijah was only able to doze lightly for the rest of the night,
wondering what he just saw.

    Chapter 4
     
    UNCLE STAN’S HIDEOUT
     
    To say Elijah didn’t get much sleep that night was an
understatement.  He tossed and turned for hours, but once the dim morning light
outside was just beginning to show, he cut his losses and got up.  The smells
of breakfast being cooked from the nearby camps made his mouth water and his
stomach grumble.  He knew he wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep, so he gathered
a few pieces of wood nearby and rekindled the fire, so his uncle would stay
warm.
    Elijah then ventured out to find Master Roddick.  The way he
and his uncle were talking last night made Elijah wary, and he thought maybe if
he talked with Roddick, it would make him feel better.  He passed through
several camps of teachers who greeted him cheerfully and pointed him in the
direction of Master Roddick’s camp.  The smells he passed from cooking
breakfast were intoxicating.  He was half-tempted to invite himself over to
have a bite as he passed each camp.
    Master Roddick’s tent was pitched much farther away than the
camps of the other teachers, almost as if he wasn’t really part of the group. 
Elijah walked toward Roddick’s blazing fire.  Master Roddick emerged from the
tent, and he looked at Elijah with a face that was not at all happy or
welcoming.  It was blank.  Almost cold.
    Roddick quickly broke eye contact and looked at the fire. 
“It was dangerous for you to leave your camp.”
    Elijah was still taken back by the flat demeanor of Roddick.
    “I’m sorry,” Elijah managed.  “I just thought…”
    He wasn’t sure what to say.  He only wanted to visit.  Just
yesterday, Roddick was joking with him and talking about opening up to his
friends.  Now, he felt like Roddick was mad at him.  Roddick’s eyes softened
slightly, and he approached Elijah.
    “You need to go back to your uncle,” Roddick said in a voice
that was as soft as it was stern.  Elijah couldn’t tell if Roddick was mad or
concerned.  “I’m sorry, Elijah.  Please just go back.  I can’t see you right
now.”
    “Does this have anything to do with what you were talking
about with my uncle last night?” Elijah said after gathering his courage.
    Roddick shook his head.  “Elijah, I don’t know what you
think you saw, but it’s time for you to return to your uncle now.  Please don’t
make this harder than it already is.  I’m sorry, Elijah.  Please just trust me
and leave now.”  He returned to his tent leaving Elijah speechless.
    As Elijah walked back to camp, his legs moved slower than
before.  He didn’t feel like talking, even when Uncle Stan greeted him as he returned
to camp.  Not even the sausages Uncle Stan made enticed him the way they did
earlier.  In just a few short minutes, Elijah went from confident and happy to
timid and confused.
    “Everything okay?” Uncle Stan asked as Elijah moped during
breakfast.
    “I don’t know,”