The Jade Egg
The Chain Breaker Book 2
D.K. Holmberg
Copyright © 2020 by D.K. Holmberg
Cover by Damonza.com
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Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Author’s Note
Series by D.K. Holmberg
Chapter One
Gavin Lorren darted through the forest near the outskirts of the city of Yoran. It was supposed to be quiet here, and there was a certain sense of calm, but that wasn’t the reason that he came. He came chasing someone.
Magic—he was certain of it—in a place that had long ago exiled it.
Trees arched high overhead, the branches sweeping far above him. Gavin hurried through the trees, ignoring the peacefulness, the shadows, and all of the stillness of the forest that was around him, trying to find the person he’d followed.
There had been magic. He was sure of it.
Why the forest, though?
As he ran between the trees, he was reminded of the last sorcerer he’d dealt with in the city. That had brought him to the forest as well. It couldn’t be a coincidence.
He focused on the core energy within him while he jogged.
Ever since the El’aras attack and the knowledge that his friend Cyran had betrayed him, Gavin had begun to wonder whether the core reserves he’d learned to harness were more than just physical and mental conditioning. He’d been taught to reach into the depths of his own reserves, to draw upon hidden strength, but now he had to question whether it was something else. It might be magic.
He reached a small clearing in the forest. Gavin couldn’t feel any sense of magic—or really anything at all. He’d lost sight of the blasted person he’d chased, which meant that now he was out in the forest alone, and didn’t feel anything. The only thing he could feel was the power deep within him that he’d always called his core reserves. He didn’t know if he was grasping for anything magical. It had never seemed magical before.
Training had taught him to harness that strength. Tristan had taught him to reach for that power so he could be something more. As he reached for it now, he couldn’t help but feel as if there was some aspect to it he still didn’t understand. If he had someone magical around to test him, it might be different. It was part of the reason he’d come running after the source of magic he’d detected with the dagger, but only partly.
Gavin pushed that thought away. He didn’t really want anybody who had magic to test him. It was far better—safer—for him to continue what he’d been doing, to work and practice and train. The only problem was that the city of Yoran had changed.
Letting out a heavy sigh, he shook himself from his reverie. The forest was quiet around him. The smell of earth drifted up from the ground, which was damp from the recent rain. The wind also carried the bright fragrance of the trees’ leaves and the scent of the flowers nearby—things that should be relaxing, but were not as much as he would hope. Not when he’d felt that magic only moments before.
And he was convinced it had come into the forest; away from the city.
Gavin pulled out the small silver sphere that Anna, one of the El’aras, had given him. He bounced it in his palm for a moment, tempted to use it—the same way he’d been for the last few days. Really, he’d been tempted by his curiosity in the weeks and months since the El’aras had left.
Could I uncover something more with it? Could I be something more? But how could I even think to ask that?
He shook his head.
“What are you doing?”
The voice intruded on the silence, and Gavin jerked his head around. It took him a moment to remember that Wrenlow was in his ear and not physically here with him. The magical enchantment Anna had given him was so much clearer than the old one they’d used before. The new enchantment fit into his ear, surrounded his lobe, and was attached by a silver chain to a band around his neck.
“Chasing some damn source of magic,” Gavin said.
“Did you find it?”
“I lost it. I don’t know where they went.”
“Are you certain about what you detected?”
Gavin hesitated. “I thought I was.”
“Well, Jessica wants you to return to the Dragon,” Wrenlow said.
Gavin continued to look around the forest. There was an eerie sort of calm here that pressed on him. He didn’t know if it was the strangeness of the forest or if it was him, but he could feel something odd about this place. It had been where the Apostle had attacked. Which was why it seemed too much of a coincidence that he’d ended up out here and drawn by magic.
He turned away from the trees. Staying here was doing nothing for him. In reality, even staying in Yoran was doing nothing for him. Ever since his employer had disappeared, his job offers had too—though technically Gavin had captured his employer and sent him off with a sorcerer.
Gavin had always been able to find some work, but it was a matter of doing the work he wanted to do. He wouldn’t accept just any job—only the right kind.
With few jobs to choose from, he might be better off moving to
