The Blade and the Bow: A prequel novella to The Cremelino Prophecy

by Mike Shelton

  He bent down and ripped back the man’s shirt, revealing a thick leather jerkin underneath. The arrow had hit the leather and turned sideways, entering the man’s skin, but not fatally. The man tried to sit up, but Darius forced him back down.

  “Darius!” Merek yelled. “It’s the crew. They must have seen your arrows.”

  “The crew?” Darius asked. How would they explain their presence there? He could just hear his father’s lecture again.

  “You two need to leave.”

  Darius glanced back down at the man. His breathing was labored, but he was alive. However, the arrow still stuck into the side of his chest. Drawing out a knife, Darius bent over and cut a small slice around the arrow. The man groaned and tried to push Darius’ hand away, but was too weak.

  Kelln reach down and tried to pull Darius up. “Darius, let’s go. Merek is right. The crew will take care of the rest.”

  “Just a moment.” Darius continued to slowly pull out the arrow.

  “I thought you killed him.” Kelln bent over.

  “Me too.” Darius was surprised as well. “But I didn’t. I just need to get this arrow out.”

  Merek walked closer. “Now boys. I will take care of the crew.”

  “Almost there.” Darius said. The arrow was now out. He ripped a piece of his shirt and held it over the wound, trying to stop the blood.

  “Why are you saving him?” Merek asked. “You know what they did.”

  Darius glared up at him, his face dark. “There will be justice. He will be tried like the rest of them and receive his punishment. I am not an executioner.” The force of Darius’s words and sense of justice quieted the objections.

  The boat reached the shore at the same time that men with torches bounded over the hill.

  Merek grabbed Darius. “You’ve done all you can. Now go.” He shoved Darius and Kelln to the north side of the camp. “Run!”

  “What about the kids?” Darius asked as they began to move.

  “I will make sure they have good homes. Nothing will be said of why they were taken.”

  Darius nodded, “See you later, Merek.”

  Merek didn’t answer back but turned toward the water.

  In the dim light and with the boatmen’s approach, children’s yells, and smugglers struggling against their ropes, the arriving crew didn’t notice the two young men crouching as they ran north. There were jagged rocks on the shoreline and diving behind them, Darius and Kelln found themselves in a foot of seawater, but safe from prying eyes.

  Shouting filled the beach as Merek ran to the boat. He yelled for the road crew to help him. Drawing swords the swarm of men met the Eastern men just as they emerged from their boat.

  With only torchlight and the stars above Darius and Kelln watched in interest. The three boatmen stood. They had light brown skin and black hair, but the thing that stuck out was the tattoos on their naked upper bodies. They covered their backs and chest and made their way up to their necks. One man stood in front and the tattoos began to glow, a flame of fire began to coalesce in the man’s hand, but before he could do anything with it, Merek dived through the air and attacked him mercilessly. The man fell back into the water and the other two jumped on top of Merek.

  Soon the crewmen joined in to help Merek, and the fight quickly drew to a close. The Eastern man with the apparent power never stood up again, but lay floating at the edge of the water. However the other two were subdued and tied up. Merek tried to stand up and Darius saw blood gushing from his stomach.

  “He’s hurt.” Darius stood and took a step.

  Kelln put an arm out and held him back. “You can’t help him now, Darius. He knew what he was doing.”

  “But . . .” Darius glanced back at Merek.

  “We need to get back to the camp before the men return,” Kelln said. “If not, we will be in so much trouble that I don’t think even your father can get you out of.”

  Merek seemed to be arguing with the crew leader. He waved his hands around, pointing to the smugglers, the children, and then the ship. He pushed the other men away from him and picked up something from the ground. Darius recognized it as the explosive fireworks from his pack. Moving over to the small boat, Merek jumped in and to the yells of the crewmen, started rowing out toward the eastern kingdom ship.

  A hollowness filled Darius. “Oh no, Merek.” He groaned.

  Kelln pushed Darius forward, further north, then they double-backed over the beach, heading west. They left the sand, running up the embankment. The northern edge of Crystal Lake sat in front of them. Unlike the southern edge of the lake which had been full of trees, the northern side ran up against the white sand desert, glowing brighter in the starlight.

  They began with a short jog when a loud boom filled the air. Both boys turned around and the sky lit up with fireworks. Darius began to run back to the embankment to see what had happened.

  “No, Darius.” Kelln yelled after him. “We don’t have time.”

  Darius slowed, then stopped. He stared off toward the ocean and at the last few fireworks before turning around. His teeth were gritted and his eyes watery. “He died for us.”

  Kelln nodded. “He died to destroy those evil men, Darius.”

  “Why?” Darius turned and he and Kelln continued their jog around the lake. “Why would he do that?”

  “He believed in something, Darius.” Kelln tried to keep pace with his faster friend. “I don’t know where he came from, but all those kids owe their life to him, and hopefully many others who now will never be caught or sold.”

  After thirty minutes of jogging, the two slowed down for a break. Darius turned to Kelln, “I hope I can believe in something like that when I am older.”

  “Aye,” was all Kelln said. “Me too.”

  Heading back around the western part of the lake, they soon found the campsite of the road crew. They started a fire and sat in silence staring into the flames, both in their own thoughts. Later that night, the crew arrived with the children in tow, the smugglers and eastern lords tied up between the men. The children glanced at Darius and Kelln with grateful smiles, and with a specific thankful nod from Astil the group seemed to understand the need for silence in regards to Darius and Kelln’s participation in the proceeding events.

  * * *

  Chapter 7

  Darius and Kelln spent the next night in Forest View, where they enjoyed a thick stew of beef, potatoes and carrots. Fresh baked bread and collard greens rounded out the best meal they had enjoyed in weeks. The crew master secured additional men to march back to Anikari with them and hired a few wagons to carry the children.

  With all the excitement of the previous day, Kelln and Darius’s return had never been questioned. It was just assumed Kelln had received the treatment he needed and was now feeling better.

  Two days later, they arrived back in Anikari, earlier than expected due to the events at the coast. The two boys were tired and headed off to their respective homes for some rest, bathing, and a change of clothes with a promise to meet up again the next morning.

  Darius didn’t sleep well that night. He kept seeing the man from the east with his strange tattoos and the power that he almost brought forth. Was the man a wizard? He hadn’t learned much about the east yet. The fate of Merek also dampened his ability to rest well. He didn’t know the man’s background, but he would always be a hero in his mind.

  The next morning to Darius’ chagrin, he and Kelln were called to his father’s office in the castle. The morning sun shone through the window, illuminating his father who, once again, sat at his desk with his head down as he finished up a missive to someone. Darius wondered what his father saw in all this. Being a counselor seemed boring – no adventure there.

  Glancing over at Kelln, he was met with a large grin. The soreness of Kelln’s muscles seemed to have taken a backseat to the thrill of what they’d experienced. On the way to the castle, the two of them had rehashed their adventure once again, with each other filling in b
lanks missed by the other. Who would have thought working on the road crews would have produced such events.

  Richard cleared his throat and Darius and Kelln suppressed their smiles and turned to face the counselor’s serious demeanor.

  “Boys,” his father nodded to them. “I’m glad to see you are safe. You feeling all right, Kelln?”

  “Yes sir.” Kelln jumped in. “Never felt better. I think working the road crews was good for us.”

  Darius groaned inside. Kelln was trying too hard.

  “Oh,” his father tilted his head at his friend. “I had heard you were sick.”

  Kelln realizing he might have said too much, tried to explain. “Well, you see. I . . .” he stumbled through his words.

  Darius jumped in. “Kelln must have eaten something bad. We got help and he recovered quickly.”

  “Seems like you missed quite an adventure when you were gone. The crew leader reported you missed the rounding up of the smugglers and capturing of two eastern kingdom men.” Darius’s father was fishing for something. “Such a shame you two missed it, as I know your affinity for adventure knows no bounds.”

  “Yes, sir.” Kelln said nervously. “It sounded exciting.”

  Richard rose, took a few steps closer, and stared hard at his son. “How is your archery practice going, Darius?”

  Darius was taken aback. Why this abrupt change in subjects? His father knew he loved archery and in fact had already won a few competitions. Darius tried to speak, but his words squeaked high and he cleared his throat and began again. “Going good, Father. I take it with me everywhere.”

  “Everywhere?” His father asked.

  Darius was being set up for something, but he couldn’t figure it out in time. “Yes, I’m getting ready for the fall competition. “

  “Good, good,” said his father, walking back to his desk.

  Reaching down, his father opened a drawer and withdrew an arrow. Rubbing his fingers over the fletching, he gazed back at Darius. “Someone found one of your arrows, Darius.”

  Darius opened his eyes wider, but said nothing.

  “I know it’s yours, because they are from a set I had made for you specifically.”

  He walked slowly back to Darius, who eyed Kelln for some help. His friend gulped and looked down at his shoes. Darius held his hand out for it. His father sat it across his palm and turned away.

  “I won’t ask you two how this arrow came to be on a beach in a small cove of the Blue Sea. All I’ve received is glowing reports from your crew leader on the work you did.” He turned his back on the boys signifying they were dismissed.

  Darius couldn’t believe they were getting away with it. His father knew they were there and was letting them go free. Darius moved to leave but paused at the door with his hand on the knob. He turned back to his father.

  His father gave a short nod to his son and almost smiled. “The blade and the bow. Who knows what trouble you two will continue to get in?”

  Kelln laughed and the two went into the hall, closing the door behind them. Walking down the marble floored hallway, each young man held his head a little higher. They had done something good. They had kept a bunch of kids safe. It didn’t matter that no one knew about it – oh, Darius suspected his father knew something about their involvement, but he didn’t press it.

  When they exited the castle, an older boy bumped into Darius.

  “Watch where you’re going, Darius.” The young man, a year older than Darius, stood a few inches taller. His short cropped head held high with his nose in the air.

  “Sean,” was all Darius said to the guy that had been bugging him for his entire life.

  “Hope you’re ready for the archery competition. I’m looking to win it again.” With that, the young man continued walking into the castle, while Darius and Kelln went out to the courtyard in front.

  “I’m going to beat that guy someday.” Darius balled his fist for a moment. “But today, I’m not going to let him ruin my mood.”

  “I can’t believe your father let us off the hook.” Kelln said.

  “Maybe he recognizes we are growing up,” Darius said. “We fought our first battle, Kelln.”

  “We’re men now, Darius.” He slapped his friend on the back. “And you didn’t think this was going to be fun.”

  Darius laughed. “It was quite the adventure wasn’t it?”

  Kelln jumped up on the ledge of a water fountain, walking around it for a bit before jumping back off. “Definitely our most fantastic adventure so far!”

  ###

  To continue the adventures of Darius and Kelln and the rest of their friends

  read The Path of Destiny,

  Book I of the Cremelino Prophecy.

  https://www.amazon.com/Path-Destiny-Cremelino-Prophecy-Book-ebook/dp/B01BMWHFM0

  "Forgotten lines of ancient magic and the power of the throne. One will make them both his own if his heart sees the true power. . . " So begins the ancient Cremelino Prophecy.

  In this new Young Adult/Teen fantasy series, Darius San Williams, son of one of King Edward's councilors, cares little for his father's politics and vows to leave the city of Anikari to protect and bring glory to the Realm. But when a new-found and ancient power emerges from within him, he and his friends Christine and Kelln are faced with decisions that could shatter or fulfill the prophecy and the lives of all those they know. Wizards and magic have long been looked down upon in the Realm, but Darius learns that no matter where he goes, prophecy and destiny are waiting to find him.

  THE CREMELINO PROPHECY:

  * * *

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this short novella, please leave a review on Amazon and join my mailing list at my website for information on future releases and for a chance to receive Free pre-release copies of my books.

  I hope you enjoyed, The BLADE AND THE BOW. It is a short adventure introducing you to a few of the many characters in The Cremelino Prophecy series. If you would like to find out more about the characters and read a great series of magic, love, friendship, power, and betrayal, please get THE PATH OF DESTINY, book I in the series.

  I enjoy hearing feedback about my book, characters, story-line, etc. If you have any questions or just want to send me a note, you can contact me at mikesheltonbooks@gmail.com, or visit my website at MichaelSheltonBooks.com

  The best thing you can do however would be to write a review on Amazon. Reviews make or break a book on Amazon and the more reviews I have, the better the Amazon algorithms work to place my book in more searches. You, the reader will decide if you want to read more about the Realm.

  Thanks for reading my books.

  Sincerely,

  Mike

  Other Series by Mike Shelton

  THE ALARIS CHRONICLES:

  The fate of a kingdom rests on the shoulders of three young wizards who couldn't be more different.

  Bakari is a brilliant scholar wizard who's more at home in a library than a battlefield. Alli is a beautiful young battle wizard whose grace in battle is both enchanting and deadly. Roland is a counselor wizard with a seemingly limitless depth of untapped power -- and the ego to match it.

  As the magical barrier protecting the kingdom of Alaris from dangerous outsiders begins to fail, and a fomenting rebellion threatens to divide the country in a civil war, the three wizards are thrust into the middle of a power struggle.

  When the barrier comes down, the truth comes out. Was everything they were taught about their kingdom based on a lie? Will they all choose to fight on the same side, or end up enemies in the battle over who should rule Alaris?

  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072BBBFDH

  About the Author

  Mike was born in California and has lived in multiple states from the west coast to the east coast. He cannot remember a time when he wasn’t reading a book. At school, home, on vacation, at work at lunch time, and yes even a few pages in the car (at times when he just couldn’t put that
great book down). Though he has read all sorts of genres he has always been drawn to fantasy. It is his way of escaping to a simpler time filled with magic, wonders and heroics of young men and women.

  Other than reading, Mike has always enjoyed the outdoors. From the beaches in Southern California to the warm waters of North Carolina. From the waterfalls in the Northwest to the Rocky Mountains in Utah. Mike has appreciated the beauty that God provides for us. He also enjoys hiking, discovering nature, playing a little basketball or volleyball, and most recently disc golf. He has a lovely wife who has always supported him, and three beautiful children who have been the center of his life.

  Mike began writing stories in elementary school and moved on to larger novels in his early adult years. He has worked in corporate finance for most of his career. That, along with spending time with his wonderful family and obligations at church has made it difficult to find the time to truly dedicate to writing. In the last few years as his children have become older he has returned to doing what he truly enjoys – writing!

  www.MichaelSheltonBooks.com