"Yes," said Thessien. "Captain of the guard, Fikus, enlightened me on the part you played. You saved many lives when you slew the winged demon that attacked his men."
"Then Fikus is alive?" asked Windy, relieved.
"He's as fractious and irritable as ever," said the King. "Come. We will tell our tales over breakfast, before you leave."
They sat before the fire and Thessien told them all that had befallen him since leaving Greattower.
"After you left," said the King, "I prepared to return home. But that night, someone tried to kill me."
"Who would want you dead?" asked Ilien.
"The very ones who tried to kill you."
Ilien's jaw clenched. "The Nomadin."
"Yes," said Thessien. "Their treachery runs deeper than I ever imagined."
"So Bulcrist was telling the truth," said Windy. "The Nomadin did secretly join with the Witch Queen."
"I'm afraid so," said Gallund, and he poked the fire with a stick. Sparks jumped and smoke whirled around him. "They wanted Amandalia to open the forbidden Crossing and used me to do it."
His bushy brows dropped on his forehead as he looked at Ilien. "We are both considered NiDemon now."
"Do they really fear Ilien that much?" asked Windy. "Are they so blinded by the prophesy that they would use the Witch Queen and her spirit army to guard against him?"
Ilien rose, his temper boiling. "They will pay for what they have done," he vowed.
Thessien beckoned Ilien to sit. "Yes, they will," he said. "But it will not be easy. We should not rush to the task. Remember, they do not know that we have learned the truth. They remain smugly confident that their treachery is undiscovered. Gallund they think is dead. They do not know that their assassin told me who hired him. And the Witch Queen is dead, the Crossing closed. The Nomadin will settle back and see how things unfold. They will wait for you to reveal yourself before they play their next hand."
"And they do not know who you really are," said the Swan. "They misunderstand the prophesy. They have been blinded from the start. Do not forget the Evil, Ilien. That is why you must leave Nadae. The wizardesses will teach you the full extent of your power. Then you can return to set things right. Only then will you be strong enough to face the Nomadin and deal with the nothingness that followed you from the Land of the Dead."
Ilien sat down and stared into the fire. "What about my mother? How long will I be gone?"
"Do not worry about your mother," said Gallund. "The Nomadin will not hurt her. She is bait, and they know that bait must be kept fresh if it is to work."
Thessien placed a hand on Ilien's shoulder. "Do not forget that you have friends in high places now," he said. "By the time you return, I will have found where your mother is being held."
Ilien looked up, and for the first time saw the three packs that had been prepared for the journey.
"Who is coming with me?"
"I am," said Windy, moving closer to Ilien.
Gallund stood, peanut shells cascading from his lap. "I am going, too."
Ilien turned to the Swan.
"I must return to the Drowsy Wood," she said. "There is much to be done to prepare for your return."
"Surely, you're coming with me," Ilien said to Anselm.
The Giant knelt before him. His great, stone face bent into a smile.
"You have been like a son to me," he said, "but my real son needs me now. I must return home to face him."
"But you will be killed. You're a heretic."
"He will not kill me," said Anselm. "There is good in him still, I know it. He will listen to my counsel. The Giants will redeem themselves, and help you against the Nomadin. Then perhaps we will all set things right again."
Ilien hugged the Giant, then turned to Gallund. "When are we leaving?"
"As soon as you are ready."
Ilien gazed at the grim faces around him. Everyone was counting on him. He could see it in their eyes. He saw something else, as well.
Hope.
"I'm ready now," he said, and he raced to get his pack.
About the Author
Shawn P. Cormier was born in 1967, and grew up in the rural town of Southbridge, Massachusetts. He has been scribbling down stories since the fifth grade, and earned his degree in Creative Writing from Long Island University, Southampton Campus. He published his first novel, Nomadin, in 2003. When not writing, he can be found in his family's jewelry store, repairing jewelry and studying gems. He currently resides in southern Massachusetts with his wife and two children.
Author's Note
I am often asked if NiDemon was more difficult to write than Nomadin, if the joy of writing it was somehow diminished by its being second-born. It's true that writing the sequel was often more arduous than the heady creation of Book One, but, as with all children, you love each one equally, yet for different reasons.
Nomadin was my love-child, a creation born from a passion to "tell the story". There were no boundaries, no rules, no worries. I wrote as if possessed much of the time. Characters, scenes, events simply rolled off my pen, often surprising me with their clarity and effectiveness. Ilien and Windy took me to places I had never seen before. I gave them free reign, and they seldom strayed too far from the proper path. This free-wheeling approach produced a book that readers have called "magical", "inventive", "colorful", and "imaginative". Satisfying praise for a first-time author. But as with any first child, there are always things that could have been done differently.
NiDemon, the second born, and ultimately the middle child in the trilogy of Ilien's tale, benefited from the lessons learned by an errant first-time parent. Rules were established. Boundaries were set. Worries abounded! I suddenly had a back-story that needed minding, characters with indelible personalities, and a readership with expectations. The "work" of writing reared its head. My wild pen gave way to careful deliberation. Passion shared space with craft. In the end, the joy came more from the product than the process. As the reader, you will be the final judge. Please, let me know what you think. I can be reached at smashwords.com, or feel free to write or email me.
Shawn Cormier
42 Central Street
Southbridge, Ma 01550
USA
Email: [email protected]
And please spread the word about NiDemon. Tell friends and family! Submit your review online at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com! Ask for it at your local bookstore! And please visit my website, www.pineviewpress.com, for more information on the continuing adventure witch concludes in Book Three, Necromancer. Once again . . THANK YOU!
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