Creeping Shadow (The Rise of Isaac, Book One) by Caroline Peckham Page A
Authors: Caroline Peckham
Ads: Link
number three. She stood in front of the mirror and a tinkling bell sounded before the door slid to the side to allow them access.
They ascended a wooden staircase to an open-plan kitchenette and living room. Soft white armchairs and sofas faced a wall composed of floor-length windows covered by wooden shutters. The space was designed to be simple and bright with tones of white and grey broken up with small touches of green.
Laura moved to the kitchenette and began fussing around with various Alevinum metal devices. She returned with a tray of cups and a tall, pink pot that had a long, winding spout. Oliver could smell something sweet and earthy coming from the pot which made his stomach rumble.
"Try this. It's Glacian Tea, it'll warm you right up," Laura said.
She poured the liquid, which was white and creamy in colour. The tea tasted as good as it smelt and it warmed Oliver through to the bones in seconds.
"So, about my parents?" Oliver prompted, unable to contain his curiosity any longer.
Laura took a sip of tea and smiled. "Well, your parents went to university together here in Alevale. I went at the same time, but we were enrolled on different courses. They were interested in the Gateways but I was more into politics."
"Here in Aleva teenagers go to university at sixteen through 'til eighteen," Ely chipped in.
Oliver nodded, excited to know more.
Laura continued. "Your mum and dad got together in their first year. Your dad, William, had a friend called Isaac Rimori who he was completely inseparable from. They were both obsessed with the Gateways. And I mean obsessed . I couldn't stand hearing about it for more than five minutes." She rolled her eyes. "My brother Eugene-"
"I don't think they need to know about Eugene," Ely cut her off sharply.
Laura threw him an angry look. "Yes they do. They should know the whole truth."
"We want to know," Oliver insisted.
"Please?" May begged.
Ely looked as though he were about to protest further but Laura barrelled on. "Eugene went to university a year after me and Alison. He got to know your father through Alison and became like William and Isaac Rimori's puppy dog." She wrinkled her nose. "The four of them were really close by the end of their final year and your parents and Isaac were planning a trip to the other worlds to see how many keys they could win. Eugene was a year behind them so he was unable to go. He got so upset about it that he just dropped out of university so he could join them."
"Let's not go on about it too much," Ely said, looking hurt.
"Sorry Dad. Well basically, Isaac and William took part in Earth's challenge and they both won keys. Eugene and Alison already had keys because they grew up in Earth so the four of them went through the Gateway that day. From what I heard, William proposed to your mum and they ran off to get married straight away."
"And why was that illegal?" Oliver asked.
"Oh, of course, sorry I'm forgetting you actually don't know anything about anything." She laughed. "So, your dad was a mage-"
"Seriously?" Oliver blurted and May said " What ?" at the same time.
"Yeah, but your mum isn't. She's a Dud like me," Laura said.
"Wait, wait, wait, now I'm confused. What's a Dud ?" May asked, screwing her face up.
Laura looked at Ely who waved a hand for her to continue.
"I told you it was complicated," Ely said before she began.
"A Dud is the first child born to mage parents. Me and Alison are twins so we're both Duds. The second born child is termed a Renic mage and the third born child is a Lanic which is always the most powerful. You can't bear a magical child unless the parents are both mages. It's illegal for a mage to marry someone who isn't magical, including Duds."
"Psh, they can just not until they've done their duty . As long as they've married a mage and produced magical children they can petition for divorce and marry whoever they like once their kids are grown up," Ely grumbled.
Oliver guessed this was what had
They ascended a wooden staircase to an open-plan kitchenette and living room. Soft white armchairs and sofas faced a wall composed of floor-length windows covered by wooden shutters. The space was designed to be simple and bright with tones of white and grey broken up with small touches of green.
Laura moved to the kitchenette and began fussing around with various Alevinum metal devices. She returned with a tray of cups and a tall, pink pot that had a long, winding spout. Oliver could smell something sweet and earthy coming from the pot which made his stomach rumble.
"Try this. It's Glacian Tea, it'll warm you right up," Laura said.
She poured the liquid, which was white and creamy in colour. The tea tasted as good as it smelt and it warmed Oliver through to the bones in seconds.
"So, about my parents?" Oliver prompted, unable to contain his curiosity any longer.
Laura took a sip of tea and smiled. "Well, your parents went to university together here in Alevale. I went at the same time, but we were enrolled on different courses. They were interested in the Gateways but I was more into politics."
"Here in Aleva teenagers go to university at sixteen through 'til eighteen," Ely chipped in.
Oliver nodded, excited to know more.
Laura continued. "Your mum and dad got together in their first year. Your dad, William, had a friend called Isaac Rimori who he was completely inseparable from. They were both obsessed with the Gateways. And I mean obsessed . I couldn't stand hearing about it for more than five minutes." She rolled her eyes. "My brother Eugene-"
"I don't think they need to know about Eugene," Ely cut her off sharply.
Laura threw him an angry look. "Yes they do. They should know the whole truth."
"We want to know," Oliver insisted.
"Please?" May begged.
Ely looked as though he were about to protest further but Laura barrelled on. "Eugene went to university a year after me and Alison. He got to know your father through Alison and became like William and Isaac Rimori's puppy dog." She wrinkled her nose. "The four of them were really close by the end of their final year and your parents and Isaac were planning a trip to the other worlds to see how many keys they could win. Eugene was a year behind them so he was unable to go. He got so upset about it that he just dropped out of university so he could join them."
"Let's not go on about it too much," Ely said, looking hurt.
"Sorry Dad. Well basically, Isaac and William took part in Earth's challenge and they both won keys. Eugene and Alison already had keys because they grew up in Earth so the four of them went through the Gateway that day. From what I heard, William proposed to your mum and they ran off to get married straight away."
"And why was that illegal?" Oliver asked.
"Oh, of course, sorry I'm forgetting you actually don't know anything about anything." She laughed. "So, your dad was a mage-"
"Seriously?" Oliver blurted and May said " What ?" at the same time.
"Yeah, but your mum isn't. She's a Dud like me," Laura said.
"Wait, wait, wait, now I'm confused. What's a Dud ?" May asked, screwing her face up.
Laura looked at Ely who waved a hand for her to continue.
"I told you it was complicated," Ely said before she began.
"A Dud is the first child born to mage parents. Me and Alison are twins so we're both Duds. The second born child is termed a Renic mage and the third born child is a Lanic which is always the most powerful. You can't bear a magical child unless the parents are both mages. It's illegal for a mage to marry someone who isn't magical, including Duds."
"Psh, they can just not until they've done their duty . As long as they've married a mage and produced magical children they can petition for divorce and marry whoever they like once their kids are grown up," Ely grumbled.
Oliver guessed this was what had
Similar Books
