Runeweaver

Zaine, 12, lives on a farm just outside a small town where his mother dumped him when he was a baby. He cannot leave the farm as his Aunt Tilly says he owes her a jar of silver coins for his keep - and somehow the jar seems to get bigger every year. Zaine has made friends with Davyn, an old man who lives nearby and whom Zaine believes is a herbmaster. During a visit Zaine finds a strange book with designs (runes) in it and, thinking it will help the herbmaster, he starts to read the book and learn the runes. But when Davyn catches Zaine looking at the book he gets very upset. He makes Zairre promise not to look at it ever again. Shortly after Zaine's thirteenth birthday a stranger comes to town and offers a copper coin to anyone who tries to open the book. Many have tried but none have succeeded. It is just like the rune book Zaine had seen at Davyn's home and, puzzled at the others' failure, Zaine opens it.