by Krystal Wade
I’m not sure what to make of him, but I can’t call him a liar either. “I—”
“I would also like to fight.” Deverell steps forward, fist over his heart.
Lorne, Cyric, Flanna, Brit, Mom, hundreds of soldiers, children, and friends step forward and announce their willingness to fight for me. Some take a knee and mimic Cadman and Deverell’s salutes—how Arland did when he swore his life for mine—others speak the oath with tears rolling down their cheeks, some with eyes flitting around.
Mom steps forward, out of the crowd, around the Leaders, around everyone, and takes my hands in hers. “I have always fought for you, and will continue to fight for as long as I live. There is no doubt in my mind your father is smiling down upon you from the heavens, Kate.” She speaks slowly, resonate … proud.
High Leader Maher returns to his feet. “You have your army, Katriona, now what do you wish us to do?”
His words drive understanding into me, a deep-rooted understanding of everything I’ve accomplished since venturing off the horse farm in Virginia. No longer am I Kate Wilde, college student, horse lover, best friend to Brad. Now I am Katriona Maher. I have fire. I have united a people who have battled for centuries. And now, I have an army.
I must seek out Dughbal and destroy him with these things. The Draíochtans know not why they fight, but I do, and I think it’s time I finally shared. “We have to find a fallen god and kill him. Dughbal is no longer an immortal, but the powers he has stolen from us will make the fight harder than it should be.”
“A god? We cannot fight the gods, Katriona,” Leader Maher says.
“Not gods, god. But you are right; you should not fight. You should remain here with the children and keep them safe. If we succeed, they will be our future, and if we do not, they may still be our future. Anna and Marcus, Kent and Keely—Encardia depends on them and all the other children like them.”
Anna and Marcus bounce up and down when they hear their names and wave. I don’t wave back, but I’d love to. I’ve missed my cheerleader and her enthusiasm, her wide smile and big brown eyes.
I look back to Leader Maher. “Griandor informed me I am the only one who can kill Dughbal, and I have many reasons why I want to.”
Taking a deep breath, Arland tightens his hold on me. “She is correct, Father … to an extent. Although Kate’s visions showed mostly death and failure—which I believe to be her own personal fears—those visions showed Perth, Flanna, Cadman, Brit, Kate and myself fighting. No one else. We only need a small army because we seek out one god, one god who has stolen the body of someone close to Kate. This will be a personal journey for her, for all of us. Aside from Cadman, we are all Leaders of Encardia. Does it not speak to you that the future Leaders must fight together?”
I already had an army and didn’t realize it. The only other thing Griandor wanted me to do was unite our people, and it appears as though I’ve done that. Flanna smiles at me, fist over her heart. I glance around at the others: Cadman, Brit, Perth, they all wear the same proud look, mimicking Flanna’s gesture. Arland is always able to figure these situations out so fast. I lean into him while the three Leaders gather in a small circle then confer with one another.
“Are you sure we must go alone?”
Arland kisses the top of my head. “I—”
“We have considered both of your opinions and approve your request for a small army. The soldiers from Wickward shall remain here; we will all remain here until this war is over. It is safer for us to be together,” Arland’s father says then directs his attention to me. “When would you like to leave?”
I don’t want to waste time any more. The war needs to end, Brad needs to go home, and I want my life with Arland to start, but I know everyone needs rest. “In a few days.”
Leader Maher nods. “We will prepare provisions for your departure. Shall we go inside and discuss?”
I stare at Arland. The gathered crowd forgotten, the war a small blip on my radar. Soon we will depart this place, we will be free, and we will be one step closer to a death I’ve seen Arland die too many times. Whether those visions were accurate or not, I don’t know, but what I do know is I’ll find out.
He looks down on me with what I interpret as both happiness and longing. Arland doesn’t worry about his death anymore—I read that emotion straight from his brain; instead, he feels complete with the acceptance we’ve been offered. He traces my jaw with the tips of his fingers, then threads them through my hair.
He’s forgotten the crowd as well.
“On second thought, we can discuss details with the two of you in the morning. Come along everyone, return to your quarters. There is much to be arranged inside. The soldiers need rest and Arland and Katriona need time.”
Without waiting for everyone to return inside, Arland takes my hand in his. We turn and go the opposite direction, back toward the willow, the candles, the river, back toward where our life together truly began.
There will be time for war tomorrow.
Tonight is time for us.
Thank You For Reading
© 2012 Krystal Wade
http://krystalwade.blogspot.com
Curiosity Quills Press
http://curiosityquills.com
Please visit http://curiosityquills.com/reader-survey/ to share your reading experience with the author of this book!
About the Author
Official Homepage | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | GoodReads
Krystal Wade can be found in the sluglines outside Washington D.C. every morning, Monday through Friday. With coffee in hand, iPod plugged in, and strangers – who sometimes snore, smell, or have incredibly bad gas – sitting next to her, she zones out and thinks of fantastical worlds for you and me to read.
How else can she cope with a fifty mile commute?
Good thing she has her husband and three kids to go home to. They keep her sane.
A Division of Whampa, LLC
P.O. Box 2540
Dulles, VA 20101
Tel/Fax: 800-998-2509
© 2012 Krystal Wade (http://krystalwade.blogspot.com)
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information about Subsidiary Rights, Bulk Purchases, Live Events, or any other questions - please contact Curiosity Quills Press at [email protected], or visit http://curiosityquills.com
Cover design by Harvey Bunda
http://soulspline.deviantart.com
and Ricky Gunawan
http://ricky-gunawan.daportfolio.com
ISBN: 978-1-62007-064-2 (ebook)
ISBN: 978-1-62007-065-9 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-62007-066-6 (hardcover)
More from Curiosity Quills Press
Worlds Burn Through, by Vicki Keire.
(http://bit.ly/worlds-burn-through)
Chloe Burke has nightmares of a world burned to ash and the strange boy who saves them both. Underneath the dreams lurks a deeply buried reality; Chloe and a handful of others are survivors of a decade old apocalypse that burned their home world to the ground.
Now their ancient enemies hunt them again. To keep their adopted world safe, Chloe must undergo a ritual of blood sacrifice that will have life-long consequences if she survives. Her lethal protector, Eliot Gray, must keep her alive long enough to do it.
Together they will uncover even more dangerous secrets buried in the past’s deepest, darkest ashes.
Dinosaur Jazz, by Michael Panush.
(http://bit.ly/dinosaur-jazz)
Acheron Island is a world lost to time, home to prehistoric creatures from earth’s savage past – and Sir Edwin Crowe, son of one of the world’s last Gentleman Adventurers. When ruthless American businessman, Selwyn Slade, brings an army of corporate cronies and modern industrial power to conquer this world from the past, it’s up to Sir Edwin to protect these prehistoric lands.
Its Jazz Age meets the Mesozoic Age in a world where cave men, gangsters, hunte
rs, zeppelins, pirates, warlords and dinosaurs clash for a chance of survival. All that and more is waiting for you in Dinosaur Jazz, a tale of high adventure in a prehistoric world.
Blood Redemption, by Vicki Keire.
(http://bit.ly/blood-redemption)
Trapped in the Dark Realms, Caspia finds herself the unwitting leader of a growing Nephilim rebellion. Plagued by strange dreams and intrigue, she learns to master her Azalene abilities when all she wants is to find her way back home. To Whitfield. To Ethan.
But a new enemy gathers, and it isn’t just Belial. To avoid another Nephilim war, the Realms of Light decide to attack their ancient enemy first. Caspia, her hometown, and everyone she loves happens to be in the way. She and Ethan must fight their way back to each other and try to protect the life they’ve built.
Daughter of Glass, by Vicki Keire.
(http://bit.ly/daughter-of-glass)
Sasha Alexander has a powerful ability. Either that, or she’s dangerously mad.
Her father shrouds her in isolation, convinced he’s protecting her. But the seven guardians that only she can see insist she’s gifted. Her companions since her mother’s suicide, they protect her from hurt, pain and fear. They also keep her from feeling love.
Sasha doesn’t know how to react when Noah explodes through her defenses. This strange young man with the scarred hands suddenly makes her feel again.
But unless she can learn to control her own emotions, the biggest danger to them all may be Sasha herself.
Please visit http://CuriosityQuills.com for more great books, serialized stories, and discussions.
Table of Contents
Appetizer:
Book Cover
Title Page
Dedication
Main Course:
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
Dessert:
Closing
About the Author
Copyright & Publisher
More from Curiosity Quills Press
Table of Contents
Book Cover
Title Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Thank You For Reading
About the Author
Copyright & Publisher
More from Curiosity Quills Press