The monster huffed shallow breaths with the sword sticking out of its chest. He’d managed to angle the blade to make the creature fall on it. Thankfully, the pommel hadn’t jabbed into Bowaen’s torso on impact; instead, it had braced against the ground under his arm.
“Good Creator, what was that thing?” Del asked. Bowaen wasn’t ready to talk yet. “Bow, cut its head off to make sure it doesn’t get up again.”
Bowaen pulled the sword out with a serenade of squishing meaty sounds. His stomach churned. The creature lurched, and Bowaen fell back onto his ass and elbows. The full moon was enough to see its limbs…shrinking. The whole creature shrank and paled. Its hair receded, leaving the soft skin of a human instead. It shrank all the way down to an average man’s size.
“Chandran?” Bowaen said, cocking his head in disgust. “What in hell…?”
“Go on, Bowaen, finish him off!”
“Hush!”
Chandran didn’t writhe anymore. He lay naked on the ground with an open wound going all the way through his chest. The arrows were still pinned into his back, one of which had driven through his chest when he rolled over, while the others had broken off. His eyes stared into the dark tree canopy. Chandran didn’t need Bowaen’s help in dying.
Bowaen had killed only a few men before as the need arose, but tried not to be in the habit of such a thing. He would spare his conscience this one. He sheathed the sword and left Chandran to the elements.
After Bowaen left, Chandran managed to turn over, wheezing and grasping at the earth. He dug his index finger into the thick, reddened mud, chanting the phrase he wasn’t supposed to have memorized yet—kingsorcerer’s orders. What should he care now? Dying this way would be his last vengeance.
He begged and pleaded of Ingnet, the pixie known for mind manipulation, in the seductive language it favored. He completed the circle drawn deep into the earth with his finger. The ritual couldn’t be completed until he shed someone’s blood into the drawn circle.
He dragged himself over the circle so his wound could bleed into the spell. He chanted persistently, even as his vision darkened, fighting to stay alive long enough to finish the invocation. The last syllables emerged as puffs of breath.
A greater being crawled out of the portal drawn in the mud and loomed over the fresh corpse left as an offering. The hunger stirred in its being, and it wouldn’t have been able to linger on the mortal plane any longer if the carcass hadn’t been there.
The creature stooped to sink its long, dry teeth deep into the warm, moist meat. When it finished consuming every string of tender flesh, it crunched the bones until they were gone too. Thus it was properly fueled to walk the earth.
Tears leaked out of Kalea’s eyes. Poor Vivene! She was making progress, however. She’d found at least one of her sisters, and that was a step closer to her goal. She would inform Bowaen, and they’d come up with a plan to rescue her. Maybe all her sisters were held captive at the camp. And Dorhen.
That red-haired elf had also seemed concerned with the bad people. The sorcerers. She hobbled along, dragging her pained leg and clenching her teeth. She’d never let a sorcerer touch her ever again!
A squeal creaked out of her throat when she stepped on a sharp twig. She stopped to let the pain pass. While she swallowed to loosen her throat and think of a prayer to recite to help her ignore the pain, the darkness thickened. A passing cloud covered the moon. The dense air grazed the prickling flesh of her arms.
Hands took her shoulders and squeezed. Kalea yelped. It wasn’t the red-haired elf again.
She wriggled, and the hands tightened, digging large fingers into her muscles. A body pressed hard against her backside and bent her over like one of the illustrations in Vivene’s book. A sour odor accompanied the tall presence. Little could be seen anymore with the moon covered up, but the long, heavy hair falling down around her face, which belonged to someone else, appeared blue in the strange lighting. Blue hair.
“No, fool,” a deep whisper rumbled behind her. “Why would I harm this one?”
Kalea started to respond, but squeaked instead at the squeeze of his left hand around her belly. His pelvis pushed hard against her rear. The sultry aura of his body mingled with hers, raising her own temperature. He leaned in farther, until his nose grazed her jaw.
A long sniff drew in the air along her neck. The deep voice resonated again, this time beside her ear. “How would you like it?”
This was only the beginning. The story continues in the next book,
Unwilling Deity.
Illustrations
Glossary
A Note on Elvish pronunciation: You’ll find a lot of H’s in Elvish words. Oftentimes a male elf’s name contains the suffix “hen,” it’s the masculine suffix (“ah” or “het” being the female counterpart). Usually the H in “hen” is pronounced. Other H’s found in elvish words tend to be “swallowed,” such as the first H in “Daghahen” (Dag-uh-hen). How to pronounce the H’s in Elvish words will largely be based on your own instincts. I, personally, tend to swallow the H in “Dorhen.”
Also note: The section on Elvish words contains a few more words and phrases than you’ll actually find in the story.
Characters (* main characters)
Alhannah: (Ahl-hawn-ah) the head Desteer maiden in the Lockheirhen village.
Arius Medallus: (Air-ee-us Meh-dahl-us) A fairy who watches over Dorhen.
Anonhet: (Ah-non-het) A young elf woman who works in Lehomis’s household.
Chandran: (Shan-der-an) An ambitious sorcerer from the Ilbith faction.
Damos: (Day-mōs) a young Grey Mage.
Del: (Dell) Bowaen’s apprentice.
Exaliss, Bowaen: (Ex-all-iss, Bō-ay-en) A rugged, middle-aged swordsman and runner for the Wistara White Guild.
Gaije: (Gāj) A young elf, talented archer, and debut saehgahn from clan Lockheirhen in Norr. Lehomis’s grandson.
Gani, Sister: (Gah-nee) An old vestal who oversees the laundry duties in the Hallowill convent.
Joy: (Joi) Kalea’s best friend and fellow novice.
Hydenman, Kemp: (Hahyd-en-man, Kemp) A farmer who sells his produce in Tintilly.
Lamrhath: (Lam-wrath or Lam-er-hath) the current kingsorcerer.
Liam, Father: (Lee-ahm) A priest who works at the Hallowill convent.
Orinleah: (Or-in-lee-ah) Dorhen’s mother and member of the Linharri clan.
Lehomis: (Lay-ah-miss) A legendary elf, master of archery, writer, and elder of the Lockheirhen clan.
McShivvy, Daghahen: (Mik-shy-vee, Dag-uh-hen) Dorhen’s father.
McShivvy, Lambelhen: (Mik-shy-vee, Lam-bell-hen) Daghahen’s twin brother.
Mhina: (Mee-nah) A young elven girl, Gaije’s sister.
Rayna: (Ray-nah) Chandran’s thrall.
Remenaxice, Lord: (Rem-en-ak-sis) A mysterious elf in Carridax. Also known as “Rem.”
Rose: (Rohz) One of Kalea’s friends and fellow novices at the Hallowill convent.
Scupley, Sister: (Scǝp-lee) The mistress of novices in the Hallowill convent.
Selka: (Sell-kah) The best chamber mistress in Ilbith’s Lightland outpost.
*Sufferborn, Dorhen: (Suffer-born, Door-en or Door-hen) A young rogue elf who wanders the Lightlands.
Talekas: (Tal-ĕk-as) A sorcerer in the Ilbith Faction.
*Thridmill, Kalea: (Thrid-mill, Kah-lee-ah) A novice in the Hallowill convent and expert washerwoman.
Kelenhanen: (Kel-en-hah-nen) the new queen of Norr and a member of the Tinharri clan.
Tirnah: (Teer-nah) Gaije’s mother.
Togha: (Tōgǝ) Gaije’s distant cousin and the local letter carrier from clan Lockheirhen in Norr.
Trisdahen: (Triz-dah-hen) Gaije’s father.
Vivene: (Viv-een) A spunky novice and friend of Kalea’s at the Hallowill convent.
Wikshen: (Wik-shĕn) The flesh embodiment of the pixie, Wik.
Places and Things
Braies: (brā) Underwear usually made from linen. Also refers t
o a piece elves wear with their sa-garhik.
Bright One, The: See “Lin Yilbarhen” in the Elvish/Norrian language section.
Carridax: (Cair-i-daks) A city in the Lightlands established by two noble houses, the Carri’s and the Dax’s.
Chips: A motley assortment of valuable metal scraps used as currency in the Darklands. The Darklands have no official government and therefore no official mint. Chips can range anywhere from foreign coins or coins left over from old Darklandic civilization, to thin “chips” or nuggets, to broken jewelry.
Darklands, The: The northern side of the continent of Kaihals, consisting mostly of wild lands and territories, famous for being overrun with disreputable ruffians, warring tribal peoples, cults, and evil creatures.
Dendrea: (Den-dree-uh) the official Lightlandic currency.
Desteer, The: (Des-tīr) The largest spiritual order in the Norrian religion. The Desteer members are always female and referred to as “maidens.”
Dunce: A slang term given by the Ilbith sorcerers to a person who is infected with a Darklandic brain parasite.
Gaulice: (Gôl-iss) A city in the heart of the Lightlands.
Hael: (Hāl) One of the five pixies favored by the Ilbith sorcery faction.
Hathrohjilh: (Hath-row-schil or Hath-row-jill) A mysterious sword.
Ilbith: (Il-bith) A sorcery faction and also a tower located in the Darklands.
Kanarihen: (Can-är-ee-hen) An elven clan in Norr, around which the town of Ildahar was formed. They specialize in making silk and Norr’s supply of paper.
Ildahar: (Il-däh-här) A large town in Norr, founded by an ancient clan. A location for one of the army outposts.
Ingnet: (Ing-net) One of the five pixies favored by the Ilbith sorcery faction.
Kaihals: (Kāls) The name of the continent.
Kingsorcerer: (king-sorcerer) The leader of the reigning sorcery faction in the Darklands within a network of many warring factions.
Lockheirhen: (Läk-air-en) An elven clan in Norr, established by the legendary Lehomis Lockheirhen, whose primary function is raising and trading horses. Gaije is a member of this clan.
Lightlands, The: The southern side of the continent of Kaihals, shared by the Kingdom of Sharr and the Sovereign State of Norr.
Linharri: (Lin-ah-ree) A large elven clan in Norr from which Dorhen’s mother originated. They specialize in metal working and supply armor to the royal army. They are close cousins to the ruling clan, the Tinharri’s.
Logardvy: (Läg-ard-vee) A gold mining city established among the southern mountains in the Lightlands.
Naerezek: (Nair-e-zek) One of the five pixies favored by the Ilbith sorcery faction. Lamrhath’s patron pettygod.
Norr: (Nôr) The Sovereign State of Norr. A large forest in the northern Lightlands and also the country of the elves, consisting of a union of many clans.
Norr elves: (Nôr elvz) the most common term for the elves who originated from the region of Norr. Note: no other types of elves are known, but the Norr elves’ own cultural worries point to there being others.
Pettygod: (petty-god) Any of various stray spirits (ghosts, fairies, demons, etc.) to have inspired cult followers whose appeasement of such spirits can often evolve into actual religions of various sizes and popularities. Pettygod cults are often hostile and their practices are frowned upon or condemned by normal society.
Pipa: (pēp-ä) A musical instrument with four strings.
Pixtagen: (piks-tah-gen) “Pixie-taken” A new being created as the result of a pixie taking possession of a human (or elf’s) body. Wikshen is a pixtagen.
Ravian: (ray-vee-an) Giant mythological birds of brilliant colors, said to have once existed in greater numbers long ago. A few are still accessible through magical practices.
Sanctity of Creation, The: The belief in a single master architect, known as the One Creator, who made the entire universe. The official religion of the Lightlands. Belief centers around the sovereignty of the One Creator as he rules over all he created.
Sharr: (Shä-r) A large island south of the Lightlands and also the name of the ruling kingdom of the Lightlands (excluding Norr).
Taulmoil: (Tôl-moy-l) A small town in the heart of the Lightlands where Kalea is from.
Thaccilians, The: (Thak-shee-lee-ans) A race of people spawned by the power of the pixie, Thaxyl.
Hallowill: (Häl-oh-wil) A pine forest in the heart of the Lightlands where Kalea’s convent is located.
Thaxyl: (Thak-sill) A once-great pixie and pettygod.
Theddir: (Thed-deer) A town built on stilts to tolerate frequent flooding located immediately to the south-east of Norr. The last town in the Lightlands where elves are welcome.
Tinharri: (Tin-ah-ree) The ruling clan in Norr.
Tintilly: (Tin-til-lee) A town located on the edge of Hallowill forest. Kalea goes there often.
Wexwick: (Weks-wik) A rundown town on the west coast of the Lightlands, north of Ravian Cove, where bandits and thieves tend to hide out.
Wik: (Wick) A powerful pixie and pettygod. One of the five pixies favored by the Ilbith sorcery faction.
Wistara: (Wist-ahra) A peninsula between the greater Lightlands and Sharr, serving as common passage between the two land masses.
Elvish/Norrian Words
Ah: “Yes.”
Aahmei: Informal “mama.”
Ameiha: Formal “mother.” Often used to address Desteer maidens and queens.
Amonimori: “Good morning.”
Caunsaehgahn: “Coming into service.” A coming-of-age journey male elves must complete before they can graduate to full adulthood.
Daghen-saehgahn: “Guardian-servant” a husband.
Desteer: “Whisperer.” A religious order in Norrian culture.
Fa: “She”
Faerhain: “Life carrier” adult female.
Farhah: “Soon to be life carrier” young female.
Gaulaerhainha: “Choosing her fate” a female’s coming-of-age ceremony in which she chooses the “hall” or the “home.”
Guenhighar: A pet name for a young boy.
Guenhihah: A pet name for a young girl.
Hanbohik: The traditional Norrian dress, worn by females, consisting of a long skirt that fastens over the breasts with a collection of thin underdresses, long sleeves, tied lapels, and small jacket or hip-length tunic worn over top.
Laugaulentrei: “The lake of the dead tree,” the final resting place for deceased elves.
Milhanrajea: “Mind Viewing.” The practice in which a Desteer maiden uses her psychic ability to delve her sight into the mind of an elf to see their thoughts, intents, problems, and/or desires.
Pahkahen: Formal “father.”
Pawbhen: Informal “papa.”
Sa: “He”
Sa-garhik: Traditional leggings, worn by males, consisting of two separate pieces for the legs fastened to the braies, a garment that covers the pelvic area. Sa-garhik is similar to human culture’s leggings, except for their open design, often exposing the hipbone and the sides of the buttocks.
Saeghar: “Too young to serve.” A young male.
Saehgahn: “Servant.” An adult male. Also an official, sacred order to which all male elves must join and adhere.
Sarakren: “He is forbidden.” Sarakren is a status given to saehgahn who are forbidden to marry. This status comes with a brand on his left buttock (always visible between his braies and leg coverings) to warn faerhain away.
Shi: “Old” or “elderly.”
Shi-hehen: A retired and elderly saehgahn who no longer has to answer the call of saehgahn duty, except in dire village or family emergencies.
Shi-helah: An elderly faerhain who’s household workload has decreased and been taken over by younger females.
Tok: “No.”
Lin Yilbarhen: “The Bright One.” God of the elves and the official religion of Norr. Seen as the “light” who leads his children through the wilderness.
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About the Author
J.C. Hartcarver is an artist. She can’t write without painting or paint without writing.
Sufferborn Page 46