“Child,” the dragonling grunted and grabbed Nara by the chin. “You stay with me.” Scoria narrowed her eyes. Fresh blood streaked her face and no doubt she had smeared some across Nara’s. The taller being held Nara for the longest, her slitted eyes growing wide before she released her.
“Follow,” Scoria ordered.
When she looked at Evert on the ground, he shook his head several times. When he spoke, she could just barely hear him. “I will find a way.”
Following Scoria away from him and into a castle filled with luxury, she glanced over her shoulder and watched freedom and familiarity disappear. No matter which path she took, it would never be easy.
Acknowledgments
This book, this series, was a long time in the making, and I’ve picked up so many people along the way over the years. If I miss anyone, don’t doubt my love and appreciation of you.
I want to give a big thank you to the first person who, after my grandma passed away, told me to write and told me it was a good idea: my husband, Randell Graybill. We’ll have been together for nine years by the time this book is published, and things haven’t always been easy, but we continue to push one another to achieve more. We’ve been through so much, and I look forward to the coming years of marriage and publication with you. I love you.
Thank you to my, at present, four children who put up with Mommy working while also trying to take care of all your needs. You will read this in future years, and I hope you understand that you were another force driving me to get this done. I love you all so much, and I always will.
Mom, thank you so much for being there when I needed someone to call and cry, talk, or complain to. I also want to thank you for the many books you purchased for me over the years. Your encouragement means so much to me, and now I’m here.
Steven “Eustice Fuddledumpy” Farless Jr., even from thousands of miles away, you are one of the bestest friends I have ever had. You were one of the first people to read my books and tell me what you think. You’ve made me laugh from all the nicknames you’ve given to my characters and so much more. Randell and I both appreciate you for your humor, input, and support. Please don’t change.
Sarah Collingwood, thank you for reaching out to me. Thank you for believing in me and putting in so much time and effort. You’re a wonderful person. You helped me grow, you helped ease my anxieties, and you made all of this easier to handle. I look forward to working with you on the full series and beyond. I also look forward to sending you more pictures of my kids and receiving bun pics.
Heather Beckman, my friend of SEVENTEEN years. I’ve known you longer than how old we were when we met (let that sink in for a moment). You were one of the first people I talked to, outside of my home, about writing. You read a little of the first rendition of this in high school (shh, we don’t talk about that now). And now, years later, you’ve given me valuable input and continue to encourage me as I try to encourage you. I hope to one day see you again, and I hope our friendship continues to grow for many more years. I love you so very much.
Kristbjorg Árný Jensen, my wonderful Icelandic friend who takes the time to read my work before it’s polished (oh the horrors you’ve seen). Your input is extremely valuable. But I value your friendship even more. I’ll never forget the number of things we’ve talked about or how much we’ve connected. I hope to meet you, Jonas, and your beautiful girls one day.
Patricia Leonardo Cavalieri (AKA SicilianValkyrie on DeviantArt), you are one of the most talented artists I personally know. I followed you for years, and I am so happy I finally reached out to commission you. Your artwork gives my characters more life. It helps me see them more clearly. I also love that we’ve talked about so many personal and humorous things and I can call you a friend. I look forward to working with you more in the future.
Rachel Boese and Beth Amphetamine, fellow artists and a fellow mom, you two entrepreneurial women are extremely inspirational, and I enjoy seeing the things you do. Seeing your ambition and optimism has helped me so much. Coupled with the people above, the little posts you two make and the talks we’ve had have helped me on the days I wanted to quit. I hope we continue to support each other. Keep busting tail.
A personal note to anyone working towards your goals, especially those with something trying to hold them back (whether internal or external): Never give up. If you’re facing demons in one form or another, keep standing up to them. Keep learning, keep growing, keep moving forward, don’t let them break you. You cannot hear these words enough: Life is beautiful, you are beautiful, and you are worth it.
To my readers, thank you for picking this book out of the thousands of possibilities. I look forward to hearing from you in reviews, tweets, and comments. I also look forward to interacting with you.
Thank you, everyone. This is the first book in a long journey and I’m glad I took the first step.
About the Author
Ashley “Whitebread” Graybill was born and raised in Topeka, Kansas. A child of the 90’s, she grew up on shows like Hercules and Xena, which fed her young imagination. These led her to learn about actual mythology from various parts of the world and brought her to a love of fantasy, starting with stories such as The Hobbit and Acorna.
Her grandmother was a major contributor to her writing. Carolyn Whitebread encouraged Ashley to write, even if some of it was fanfiction. She also purchased her the many books and comics that gave Ashley inspiration. Sadly, Carolyn passed away in 2006; however, from death life may emerge. This was a major catalyst in Ashley’s life.
After Ashley met her husband through online gaming in 2008, she took a leap of faith and moved 1500 miles to be with him. She is now a mother to four beautiful children who keep her moving. She is also a gamer, an adventurous cook, a lover of sushi, and (as some describe her) extremely eccentric.
www.AWGraybill.com
Dryad's Touch (Void Waker Book 1) Page 35