The Divine Apprentice (The Divine Series) by Allen J Johnston Page A

going through the middle?” he asked out loud as he started pulling all the books off the shelf and piling them on the table.  Something in him knew it was not going to be this simple, but he had to try.  He pounded on the back panel, hoping to hear a hollow sound.  Kade frowned, hearing nothing but a solid knock. 
    Okay, one last thing to try , he thought as he walked out of the room.
    Kade turned and went outside, searching the ground for what he needed for his next attempt.  Finally, his eyes landed on a fairly large rock.  He picked it up and carried it back into the cabin.  He turned to the right and almost walked into the study.  He caught himself at the last moment, dropping the rock and even coming up on his toes before rocking back on his heels.  He was just a hairs-breath away from forgetting about the protection calling.  It automatically reset when the room was empty.  He knew it would have paralyzed him, and with no Zayle to find him, he would have surely died on the floor.  An ugly shiver ran down his back as a dozen bats flapped around in his stomach.  He chastised himself for being careless.
    Kade thought back on the time he found out about the trap the hard way.  His master had not found him until two hours later, paralyzed on the floor.  It was the most uncomfortable two hours he had ever spent. 
    “That was just too close,” he said out loud.  He swallowed hard and tried to loosen the knot in his shoulders. 
    Kade calmed his nerves as he prepared to deactivate the calling.  He said the words in his head to allow access to the den while moving his arms in the required way.  This time, he closed his eyes and used his Divine Sight to make sure it was disarmed.  He was pleased to see the faint yellow outline around the doorframe, indicating that the calling was no longer active.
    Kade picked up the rock and went to the bookcase.  He hesitated for a moment, feeling guilty as though he were violating his master’s den.  It was one thing to move books around but quite another thing to destroy his master’s possessions.  Kade reminded himself that this all belonged to him now, certain that Zayle would want him to have whatever was hidden behind the bookshelf.
    He held the rock against his right shoulder with his right hand supporting most of the weight.  His left hand was on the bolder to help steady it.  He took a step with his right leg, while at the same time, putting all his weight and strength into throwing.  Kade waited for the splinters of wood.  He flinched and almost missed seeing it bounce off without even leaving so much as a scratch.  He tried to dodge the rock as it bounced to the floor and then straight into his shin, sending him into a cursing rage as he limped around the table, afraid he had broken his leg.  He looked down and saw a rip in his pants where blood was just starting to seep through.
    “By the mighty Divine!” Kade cursed, grateful his leg was not broke but angry, nonetheless, for being unsuccessful yet again.
    Kade stopped in front of the table and brought his fist down hard as his master had done a week prior.  Frustrated, he considered blasting the bookshelf with the Divine Fire.  He quickly rejected the idea, certain if it worked, he would burn down the bookshelf and whatever was behind it instead, not to mention the cabin, also. 
    Or possibly , he thought with sarcasm, the calling would bounce right back at me.
    “Why could you not have taught me about this?” Kade asked in frustration as he gestured toward the bookshelf while staring at the imaginary Zayle sitting in the leather bound chair. 
    He gritted his teeth against the pain and limped around the table to sit.  Studying the bookcase, he waited for the answer to jump out at him.  He racked his brain and tried his best to recall anything Zayle may have said that would help him with this riddle, but there was nothing.  He calmed himself as he analyzed the bookcase carefully.