The Wizard's Misery The Chronicles of the Midlands Book One

Chapter Forty Two

When Brandon and Haverty finally arrived in Central City they headed to the Mountain View Inn, being thoroughly exhausted, having had no sleep since the night before last. But, never the less, they wearily climbed the steps to Holloway's office where he greeted them, very concerned with how haggard they looked.

"I need one of those anti-magic detectors. We've lost the Wizard's Misery and we need to find it as soon as possible," Brandon told him tiredly.

"I'll get right on it," Holloway replied as he headed out of the room. "It may take a few hours. So, why don't you two get some rest," he suggested from the doorway.

Brandon hesitated, looking unwilling as he stood there pondering, worried about Celine.

"There's nothing else we can do right now, Sir. So, we might as well sleep while we can," Haverty said stifling a yawn. "You'll be passing out from exhaustion soon anyway and then we'll be wasting time if they get the device and you can't even wake up to use it," he explained, sounding worn out.

"Oh, alright," Brandon finally agreed, his reluctance plain on his face.

"I'll come and get you as soon as I have the device," Holloway promised as he headed downstairs to the tavern followed by Brandon and Haverty who needed to get keys to some rooms.

Brandon and Haverty went to the desk and requested rooms as Holloway spoke to some men in the tavern who immediately got up and left to find the desperately needed device. Then seeing the men leave and having secured their lodgings and received their keys, Brandon and Haverty went up to their rooms and immediately fell asleep when they laid down on their beds.

Hours later, the sun was streaming into the room when Brandon was awakened by someone knocking on the door and he quickly went to open it, hoping that it would be Holloway with the needed device for tracking Celine. He wasn't disappointed and Holloway greeted him and handed him the magical machine and Brandon flipped open the lid and the gyroscopes popped up and started spinning and the needle pointed northwest. "How do you use this thing? Just follow the arrow?" Brandon asked as he studied it.

"Basically, that's right and the faster the gyroscopes spin, the closer you are to it," Holloway explained. "That's what I was told."

"Alright, thanks," Brandon said as he walked back into his room to dress. "Is Haverty awake?" he asked as he pulled on his shirt.

"He just went into the tavern for coffee," Holloway answered from the doorway. "We also picked up Jackman from the Dovecote last night. Apparently there was a skirmish there and he has a broken arm and ribs."

"He's probably the one that had Celine and was attacked when they came to get her," Brandon explained as he pulled on his boots.

"Celine?" Holloway asked curiously.

"She's the one we're looking for," Brandon said as he picked up his sword and buckled it on.

"She has the Wizard's Misery?" Holloway asked as he watched Brandon put on his cloak and pick up the anti-magic detector.

"She is the Wizard's Misery," Brandon told him as he crossed the room and stood in front of him.

"So, it's a person," Holloway said with understanding.

"It is now," Brandon told him as Holloway moved out of the way to let him pass into the hall. "With what you just told me about Jackman and how this thing is pointing northwestward, I'd say that whoever has her is taking her to the Tower," he explained as he put the device into his pocket and then they both headed downstairs to the tavern.

"We'll need to plan a big operation this time," Brandon said as they went into the tavern and crossed over to the table where Haverty was sitting with two cups of coffee.