Bane of the Dead (Seraphim Revival Book 1)
Page 27
Vorin acknowledged that peace would not be easy to establish or maintain, but he stressed that it was a worthy goal to strive towards. Seth saw two of the Grendeni Executives nodding thoughtfully. The third seemed more reserved.
Vorin ended his speech on this note, but his was not the last. Aktenai pilots and Earth representatives came forward and spoke. Personalities from the Choir and even one of the Executives took their turns as the day dragged on.
Eventually, the dignitaries atop the plateau broke for dinner, and Seth found himself in the Sovereign’s private residence.
Fluted half-columns supported the dining room’s high ceiling. Three long wooden tables formed a U, their sides carved and painted with seraphs by the Palace’s artisans. Immaculate artwork of seraphs in combat against the Bane dominated each table’s center. Seth thought a certain angular black seraph, scarred with gray lines and imbued with purple runic shunts, had been featured a bit too heavily in the paintings.
Seth sat at the head of the middle table, Vorin to his left and Quennin to his right. Servants rushed about, bringing out the trays of hot food and cold beverages. Seth took a sip from his spiced juice and set it down.
He turned to Vorin. “Sovereign, do you believe we’ll actually have peace?”
“Eventually,” Vorin said. “Though it will be a long and difficult road. However, there are many reasons to be optimistic. One, the Original Eleven were the very reason Aktenzek never listened to past Grendeni peace offers. Those manipulators constantly fanned the fires of war for their own gains. Two, the war has been carried out mostly by robotic ships. Though both sides have committed atrocities, they have, thankfully, not been the norm. I believe our peoples will adjust to the peace.”
“We also now have a common enemy,” Quennin said.
“Absolutely,” Vorin said. “With the Eleven in possession of Zu’Rashik, its industrial base, and half the fleet, they pose a very real military threat. The appearance of those thrones, which the Choir knew nothing about, only deepens my concern. The Grendeni fear the Eleven’s intentions, and that fear may open up some interesting discussions in the days to come.”
“Can we trust them?” Seth asked.
“Perhaps. We shall have to see, but I remain hopeful that we can forge a lasting peace. In fact, securing the Gate may prove to be our best opportunity to unite our two peoples in a common task, and I plan to raise this point with the Executives.”
Seth nodded at this. “That might actually work.”
“And on that topic.” Vorin turned from his untouched meal and spoke softly. “We have been in touch with Pilot Donolon.”
“He actually contacted you?” Seth asked.
“Yes, I was surprised myself. However, now that the Eleven are gone, he is free to return to Aktenzek. The Choir and I have discussed the matter thoroughly and have pardoned his crimes, given his role in killing the Bane.”
Quennin tensed up and bit harshly into her lip. Seth put a hand on hers and squeezed.
“It will be a long time before I trust that man again,” she said.
“We will be guarded in our dealings with him as well,” Vorin said. “After all, he nearly killed me. But common enemies lead to strange partnerships, and Pilot Donolon has no love of the Eleven.”
“Is that why he contacted you?” Seth asked.
“That, and he has volunteered to track the Gate’s location for us.”
“Why?” Quennin asked.
Vorin leaned close. “Because if we or the Grendeni control it, then the Eleven do not.”
***
Jack folded into a nameless star system, near a baby blue gas giant and a glittering set of icy satellites. He checked his scanners, observing the after-effects of the Gate’s passage through the system. Gravity clearly had an effect on the Gate, both decelerating and attracting it, but Jack couldn’t figure out the particulars.
The blue gas giant hung in space with a tight hole punched through its center, large enough for the Earth to pass through. Three of its satellites now orbited as expanding fields of crushed ice, each damaged by the Gate’s passing.
Jack flew in for a closer look, but stopped abruptly and turned.
Fourteen ships folded into the system: two dreadnoughts and a squadron of frigates. At first they registered as Aktenai, but critical seconds ticked by, and he failed to receive valid IFF codes.
“The Eleven’s fleet, huh?” Jack angled his wings and accelerated to engage the enemy forces. “So even the dead covet this Gate. I wonder why.”
The seraph said nothing.
To be continued in
THRONE OF THE DEAD
Thank you for buying Bane of the Dead. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
As an independent author, I don’t have the exposure of being on bookshelves or the support of a marketing department from a major publishing house. Instead, I rely on fans like you to help spread the word. If you would like to help, please consider doing one of the following.
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Again, thank you for buying my book. And don’t be shy. I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me through my blog, or say hello directly at holojacob@gmail.com.
Jacob Holo
About the Author
Photo by Keith DeLesline
Jacob Holo is a former-Ohioan, former-Michigander living in sunny South Carolina. He describes himself as a writer, gamer, hobbyist, and engineer. Jacob started writing when his parents bought that “new” IBM 286 desktop back in the ‘80s. Remember those? He’s been writing ever since.
THRONE OF THE DEAD
Fueled by the soul. Exiled by the dead.
Quennin S’Kev was a seraph pilot before injuries scorched her mind and stripped her abilities. Exiled by her people for reasons she does not understand, she lives on without honor or purpose. It is an existence so repulsive to her that she openly considers ending her own life.
All that changes when enemy commandos kidnap Quennin and bring her before the renegade Veketon. He claims he can restore her talents, even make them stronger, and offers her a place in his army worthy of her skills. It is everything her heart secretly desires.
His price?
She must swear allegiance to the worst traitor her people have ever known.
Thrilling giant robot action from Jacob Holo
Available in Print and eBook
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THE DRAGONS OF JUPITER
“The strong action scenes are fast-paced throughout… the dialogue flows well, and the fictional world is detailed, plausible and well-designed… Well-written, sincere and undemanding military sci-fi adventure.”
- KIRKUS REVIEWS
Two worlds at war. Two brothers at war.
With advanced weaponry and impenetrable armor, the Crusaders smash aside anything that stands in their way. Led by Kaneda Kusanagi, they have only one mission: to destroy Matriarch, the last thinking machine, and free the people of Jupiter from her tyranny.
Whether they like it or not.
Standing in their way are the Dragons, led by Kaneda’s estranged brother Ryu. With super-human reflexes and invisible battle suits, the Dragons are masters of infiltration and sabotage. Loyal only to Matriarch, they will stop at nothing to protect their way of life.
The two brothers are set to collide in a battle that will shake the great powers of the solar system and force both men to question what they believe in.
Explosive sci-fi action from Jacob Holo
Available in Print and eBook
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TIME REAVERS
“After the fast opening, chapters rarely pass without a big, life-or-death battle, which leaves the novel in a nearly contin
uous intense state.”
- KIRKUS REVIEWS
The monsters are real, and time is their weapon.
Fed up with bad teachers and daily fights with her sister, sixteen-year-old Nicole Taylor yearns for something better. Sadly, she’s in for a letdown, because the world ends next week.
Nicole discovers she has a rare gift. She can bend time around her and even stop it completely. With her powers awakening, she must face the Reavers: horrific killing machines that exist outside our time.
Plagued with nightmares and ambushed by monsters at every turn, Nicole has one chance to stop their genocidal invasion. With help from a chain-smoking pyrokinetic, a neurotic sword-wielding assassin, and an icy goth chick with a crossbow, she may stand a chance.
But the Reavers are tireless foes, and Time is on their side.
Action-packed urban fantasy from Jacob Holo
Available in Print and eBook
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