Free The Demon's Blade by Steven Drake Page A

up, or just lie there in the street and wait for them to wake up?"
    Still, the lad made no move and spoke no word, so Darien continued to prod him.
    "You don't look to be injured and I've no intention of carrying you, so get on your feet, or I may just take that stone around your neck and leave you to your fate."
    That was enough to elicit a response and the lad leapt to his feet with a furious look on his face.
    "Who are you?" he asked.
    "Is that really important right now?" Darien replied. "Whatever trouble you're in, I doubt those four will be the end of it. You need to come with me. Then again, I suppose if you'd rather stay here and wait for more to come..."
    "Fine, fine", the boy interrupted, in frustration, "but where are we going?"
    "A better hiding place than a well-known inn on a main thoroughfare," Darien scoffed, in answer. "Don't ask foolish questions. In fact, just stay silent. I've taken an interest in that stone you have. That's why you're still alive, why I'm offering to help you, and all you need to know at this moment. Leave it at that and just follow me for now. We'll talk later, where it’s safer."
    "Will you at least tell me your name?" the youth protested.
    "It's Darien. And what shall I call you?"
    "Jerris... it's Jerris."
    "Well, Jerris, stop stalling and come on. There will be time for pleasantries later." Darien turned and headed off into the darkness. Jerris followed.

Chapter 7: The Hidden Room
    Darien walked along the dark street, paying no mind to the darkness or the rain that continued to fall. After going only a little way, he noticed a dim bluish white light coming from behind him. He turned and saw that Jerris was using the amulet to light the way. The stone was glowing and he got his first look at the young man's hidden treasure. It was a large, clear stone, roughly circular in shape and cut with many facets, set in the middle of a golden circle, golden strands like rays of light emanated from the gem to the edges of the circle. The stone itself was perhaps three inches across, with its golden setting having a diameter of about six inches.
    The last time he had seen such a stone was when he had taken the Demon Sword, and it had flashed and disappeared, but that one had been tiny, barely more than a pebble. Darien's thoughts drifted back to the words he had spoken years before, to that mysterious old man, Ezra. Ever since, he had devoted considerable thought to whether the Master might try to construct a new crystal to block the effects of the Demon Sword once again. If so, a stone like this would certainly attract his interest, and even if not, anyone who understood the power of a starstone would recognize that this object was worth a fortune. It was rather incredible this boy had managed to avoid losing it. It was fortunate that the boy lived in this backwater, where even the most powerful magical objects could pass unnoticed. After all, that’s why I hide in this area, Darien reasoned. Still, it won't do to have this young fool parading down the street with it held up like a lantern, for all to see.
    "Put that away!” he hissed. “You don't want to attract attention, do you?" 
    "Well, what am I supposed to do? It's pitch black and I can't see anything!" Jerris protested.
    Darien huffed and reached into a hidden pocket, pulled out a short, reddish-brown rod, which narrowed to a point at one end. It was a magical smokeless torch, of a type he often used when light was necessary, but ordinary fire inconvenient or impossible. Its light could still attract attention in the darkness, but that was still better than having the stone out in plain sight.
    "Here," he whispered, and tossed it back to Jerris.
    The youth fumbled and missed the catch, then spent several seconds scrambling around on the stones to find the object. Finally, Jerris managed to grab the torch, and as he wrapped his hand round the pointed end, it burst into flame at one end and then dimmed to a steady glow akin to the