Read Magestorm: The Embracing for Free Online Page B

Avenue was three stories and big.  Clearly the owners had money, or did when they lived here.  The yard was huge and surrounded by a white picket fence.  Flowers and bushes were still kept up by someone, the flowers aligning the walkway and bushes across the front of the porch, and a guest house could be seen out back.
    Dhane unlatched the gate and strolled up the walk to the house.  His heart was racing even though the woman told him nobody lived here anymore.  Still, what if someone did answer the door?  What would he say if it was the daughter, and she really was his mother?  He felt like puking now.
    Creaking stairs beneath his feet broke the quiet of the morning.  At the top of the steps he took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell.  The elegant chiming echoed through the house, but as expected, nobody came to answer it.  A glance in the front windows revealed a cozy home that looked ready to be occupied at any time.
    “Excuse me,” a voice called out from behind.  “Something I can help you with?”
    The approaching man looked to be in his forties, strong, with well-tanned arms.  He was wearing a hat over his short black hair and carrying a pair of working gloves.  Through the gate and straight up the walk he came, his eyes not leaving Dhane for a second.
    “Yeah, I’m looking for the owners of the house, or their daughter.”
    “Nobody has lived here in quite some time.  And no, I don’t know where they’ve gone.”
    The man was obviously the one taking care of the yard, and even if the guy knew anything, it didn’t appear like he was going to spill it.  Dhane took one more glance in the window before nodding to the man and starting down the stairs.  When he reached the gate, the gardener called after him.
    “Hey, what’s your name?”
    “Dhane, why?”
    “Oh, I’ve actually been waiting for you.”
    Fishing through his pocket, he retrieved a key and held out his hand.  Dhane just looked at him for a minute, not really sure what was going on.  Finally he walked over and held out his hand to take the key.
    “What’s this for?”
    “The house.   I was told to give it to you if you ever showed up.”
    “By who?”
    “Can’t say.”
    An irritated look came across Dhane’s face as he looked at the key.  Not telling him who or why brought more questions than it answered.
    “You’re giving me a key, but you won’t tell me who wants me to have it?”
    “I can’t say because I don’t exactly know.  When the family left, they left an envelope with instructions for the yard and payment.  One day about four years ago, I found another envelope on the door.  This time it had that key with instructions to give it to ‘Dhane.’  Also said you have the right to do whatever you see fit, so if you have any other instructions, let me know.”
    “Nah, just keep doing what you’ve been doing, I guess.”
    Dhane walked back to the front door and slid the key into the lock.  With a turn, it clicked and he pushed his way into the house.  A stale air hit him, and he realized it was true that nobody had been in this house for a very long time.
    Dust covered everything inside but otherwise it was fully furnished to live in right now.  He checked things out, room by room, floor by floor, starting with the main one.  Most of the house was very basic, exactly what you would expect.  First floor contained the main rooms, including a kitchen, parlor, dining room, and living room. 
    On the second floor he found a huge library, but only the most common of books could be found within.  An office revealed the father, possibly his own grandfather, was an accountant who dabbled in real estate.
    The third floor contained the bedrooms.  The master bedroom was large and decorated elaborately, from the king size canopy bed with all the frills, to the antique dresser, wardrobe, and nightstands.  A walk in closet still housed clothing, the jewelry box still had some jewels, and there were slippers