Placing the loshti within, he closed the box once more and with a tiny effort of will activated the stasis enchantment carved into the wood. Time stopped inside, trapping the loshti in an eternally still moment.
An hour and a half later, he climbed quietly back into his bed, careful not to disturb Lyralliantha’s sleeping form. Tyrion lay in the bed, considering his recent actions. He had sent Emma and Ryan back to their beds before storing the loshti. No one but he would be able to find it, ensconced as it was in a deep secret place within the earth.
There it would wait until he was ready.
Tyrion lay in bed beside his She’Har lover, unable to sleep, and in the darkness he smiled.
Epilogue
“Why did you stop?” said Matthew, somewhat insistently.
“I’m tired,” I told him honestly. “This is a good place to let the story rest, and all of you need sleep.”
Matthew disagreed, “I’m not sleepy. Just finish it.”
“I’ve been talking for hours. Take pity on your storyteller,” I said with a wan smile.
Moira tried to take my side, “I don’t know if I want to hear the rest after this anyway. He’s turned his children into angry killers, and now, after they created the first peace treaty between humans and She’Har, he’s already breaking their trust.”
I watched her carefully, “You mean stealing the loshti?”
My daughter nodded, “That’s what starts the war, isn’t it?”
Looking up at the ceiling, I answered carefully, “No, actually it doesn’t. They live peacefully for quite a while after that—sort of.”
Moira frowned, “But he stole it, won’t they know who did it?”
Lynarralla started to speak, but I held up my hand to stop her. “You already know why the theft didn’t create a major incident,” I said to the She’Har girl. “Don’t you?”
“I don’t know the story, but the gift of the Illeniel elders would make it impossible for them not…”
“Ah, ah!” I said, shushing her. “You’re going to spoil it for them.”
Lynarralla closed her mouth quickly.
Moira growled, “That’s not fair! Lynn, you can tell me when we leave.”
The silver-haired girl answered seriously, “Your father doesn’t wish for me to tell you.”
I smiled, I had expected that answer.
Moira’s rebellion wasn’t done yet, though. “You don’t have to listen to him, just tell me when we’re alone.”
“Tyrion and Lyralliantha told me to obey him as though he were my own father,” explained the She’Har girl. “I cannot violate their command.”
“If only my own children were so obedient,” I remarked snidely.
Matthew laughed, “You wish!”
“This isn’t over yet, old man,” said Moira with mock scorn.
“I’m sure it isn’t,” I replied, “but the rest will have to wait for tomorrow.”
Reluctantly, they left for bed. Silently, I made my own way to the room I shared with Penny and skillfully slid under the blankets, doing my best to avoid disturbing her. She was awake though, whether because she had been waiting or because I had been too clumsy, I wasn’t sure. Her foot snaked out to slip under my ankle, letting me know she was at least partially conscious.
The contact helped ease my mind from the next part of the memories I had been following. Relaxing at last, I went to sleep.
Coming Late in 2015:
Centyr Dominance
The tale begun in Thornbear continues as Moira Illeniel begins a quest to find and rescue her father while learning the darker secrets of the Centyr legacy.
Coming in the Summer of 2016:
The Betrayer’s Bane
The story of Tyrion Illeniel marches on to its inevitable conclusion. As Tyrion’s quest for vengeance reaps a harvest that will devastate friend and foe alike.
For more information about the Mageborn series check out the author’s website:
www.magebornbooks.com
Or interact with him more directly on his Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/MagebornAuthor
Table of Contents
Prologue
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
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Epilogue
The Silent Tempest (Book 2) Page 39