by KT Webb
Table of Contents
kt webb
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
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
About the Author
A Note from the Author
Other Titles:
Thank You
kt webb
Cover Design by:
Amy Queau of Q Design Cover and Brand Premades
Copyright – 2017 by Kathleen Webb
Story Editor:
Debbie Richardson
Copy Editor:
The Manuscript Detective, Andrea Hintz
Interior Formatting and Design:
Wit & Whimsy Cover Design, Bridgette O’Hare
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, folklore, mythology, people, or places are used fictitiously. All other names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, and any similarities to actual events, locations, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.
All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any way without the express written consent of the author.
The deafening battle raged around me as I made my way toward the castle. The enemy had torn through the village like a fox through a chicken coop. They were met with little resistance from the unarmed villagers and their families as they rose in the early hours of the morning. My one and only objective was to reach the royal family before the Gorum breached the outer wall. I leapt over debris and bodies of fallen soldiers, desperate to achieve my mission.
The final rasping of my now-dead commander replayed in my mind: “Taeren! We need your speed and bravery. You must get inside and ensure the safety of our kingdom. Get the royal family out of here.”
No one had seen the Gorum coming until it was too late. The war had never come so close to home, but this was clearly what the Sideon had planned all along. The battles our army had been fighting were merely a distraction; they sent their weaker warriors to give us the illusion of winning, but saved their fiercest for an attack on Riona.
The only soldiers we had to protect us were either too old or too green for battle; I was the latter. I was only sixteen, barely old enough to join the army. My parents were proud of me when I signed up, and they told anyone who would listen that their son would one day save us all. When our bakery burned to the ground with my parents inside, I couldn’t help but wonder what they thought of me in their dying moments.
Almandine lay in ruins, dead bodies littered the ground and smoke rose in blossoming plumes throughout the city. The once proud capitol of Riona had fallen in a matter of hours. After the First Gorum Invasion, we thought we’d managed to defeat them soundly; they’d returned to their own world and agreed to leave ours alone. If only we’d seen the warning signs, if only we’d realized a more cunning force had enlisted their brute strength to distract us while they made a play for the stone.
I leapt over the crumbling outer wall, trying desperately to slip through the grasp of our fearsome invaders. Now that the Gorum had broken down the stone and metal walls that protected our city, they had redoubled their focus on clearing a path for the real threat. The Sideon were dark, wispy creatures from a world that devoured power faster than it could be produced. They weren’t built for fighting, but they had harnessed those who were to create the perfect killing machine; their army was expendable, reliable and deadly.
Once inside the inner walls, I instructed the gatekeeper to raise the drawbridge. It wouldn’t stop the attack, but it may delay them long enough to escape with the Queen, her King and the young Princess. The groaning of the chains mimicked that of the men turning the crank as they closed the massive titanium drawbridge. The metal was light and nearly impenetrable; the perfect material to act as the final shield between our most precious source of power and the demonic creatures who wished to pry it away. I didn’t let anything slow me down as I sprinted towards the palace entrance.
I had only been inside the castle one other time, but I didn’t think I would ever grow tired of the smooth black walls and gold threaded accents. While I hadn’t the time to stop and gawk, I couldn’t stop myself from slowing slightly as I approached the massive columns set on either side of the great hall. Fashioned from gold, one pillar featured black crystals that jutted out in seemingly random patterns, the other column was sprinkled with glittering white diamonds that flowed and swirled upward. I’d been told long ago they represented the two sides of humanity, good and evil.
The castle shook as the enemy began trying to force their way through the inner wall. With a final glance at the columns, I wondered if they would survive the attack or if they too would crumble to the ground in the wake of war.
“You there, young man! What are you doing in here? Shouldn’t you be out fighting for our kingdom?”
I recognized the authoritative voice of Chancellor Tilda before I turned to face her. I’d dawdled too long. I was still out of breath and in a hurry to complete my task; I didn’t have time for her stern speeches. Her permanently wrinkled forehead gave away the amount of time she spent worrying about everything.
“Apologies, ma’am. I have been sent by Commander Paloni to ensure the safety of our royal family.”
She scoffed at my statement, “Why would Commander Paloni send you? It seems to me that he would want to complete this task himself.”
I bowed my head slightly, of course word hadn’t reached the castle about our losses. I was the only soldier sent away from the battle as a desperate attempt to at least save the only people who could help our dying kingdom.
“The Commander is dead. He fell in battle. His last words were to insist that I complete this mission, and in his honor, I will not fail.”
“Dead?” The horrified look on her face was quickly replaced by stern determination, “Follow me!”
We set off toward the throne room at a furious pace. If we didn’t reach them soon, there wouldn’t be time to escape. A resounding boom shook the castle walls, followed by the sound of crumbling stone. They had breached the inner wall. We doubled our efforts and burst through the jewel encrusted golden door to find the Queen pacing in front of her throne while the King comforted their daughter.
“Your majesties, the Gorum have broken through the inner wall. It is only a matter of time before the Sideon arrive. Commander Paloni sent this young soldier to see you to safety,” Chancellor Tilda said with her head bowed.
I stepped forward, forgoing all show of respect for the throne. “I apologize, we haven’t the time for formalities. We must get you away from here before the Gorum enter the castle, or worse, the Sideon arrive.”
Queen Isadora gave me an appraising look. I had never met her personally, but I knew her to be a fair and kind ruler. I hoped she would recognize the situation we were facing and forgive me for being so forward. She stepped down from the pl
atform that held her throne and came to face me.
“What is your name?”
“Taeren,” I replied with a hint of frustration.
“How bad is it?” Her clear blue eyes were wrought with concern.
“The Gorum have slaughtered our army and rampaged the village. We have no hope of winning today, but if you live, we may win in the future.”
She maintained eye contact with me for a few moments before nodding briefly. Queen Isadora turned to her husband and daughter. The princess had recently celebrated her thirteenth birthday. She was beautiful, but still so young. I noticed how her deep ebony curls framed her heart-shaped face. I caught a glimpse of the soft blue eyes that matched her mothers. I remembered those eyes filled with laughter.
As a child, I was dragged to various functions my parents had baked cakes for. Many times, that meant I would spend days on the castle grounds and evenings watching nobility dance the night away. I’d first met Delia when I was seven and she was four. Despite our age difference, we became fast friends. It had been a few years since we’d last seen one another. Our last meeting had been painful; it had been a goodbye. Now that I stood as the man sent to save her, I wondered if she even remembered the baker’s son.
“You can leave through the cellars. There is a passage there that should still be undiscovered.” The Queen paused, and met my gaze with fire in her eyes. “No matter what happens, you must protect Princess Delia. If they stop you from escaping, I expect you to fight to keep her safe with your dying breath.”
“You have to come with us! How can we hope to win if our queen and king remain behind to be trampled to the ground?”
Queen Isadora raised her chin. “I appreciate that you were sent by the commander of the Royal Guard, but you must remember who you’re talking to. Under no circumstances are you to tell me what I should be doing.”
“Yes, your Highness.”
Without further conversation, the Queen led us to a tapestry behind the thrones. The vibrant threads had been woven together to create a breathtaking view of the Rionian sky. Shades of pink and orange streaked across the scene with bright white stitches representing the millions of stars visible to the naked eye. Pulling aside the work of art, the Queen revealed a simple door.
“You know what we must do,” Queen Isadora reminded Chancellor Tilda over her shoulder.
“Yes, my Queen,” her voice caught in her throat.
The same words repeated over and over in my mind. “This can’t be happening, this can’t be happening.” As much as I wanted to believe it, it simply wasn’t true. My whole world was crashing down around me and there was nothing I could do but follow orders. My parents were staying behind to fight the enemy with what was left of our army, and I was being whisked away by a childhood friend turned soldier.
I broke free from my father’s grasp and rushed to Tilda. I didn’t want to leave her behind. Call it childish, but I wanted to keep the woman who had taught me everything I needed to know about becoming the next queen. Well, almost everything. Her back was to me, but I launched myself at her and wrapped my arms around her waist.
“Delia! You must go, child. Don’t make this harder than it already is.” Tilda firmly pulled my arms away from her.
“I’m going. I want you to know I will miss you.”
“And I you.”
The door to the throne room burst open as the Knights of Riona burst through. The elite guard had one primary focus; protect the royal family at all costs. I recognized some of them, but a few were in bad shape. Lonzo, one of my personal guards, nodded his head at me.
“Chancellor, the Sideon are descending upon us. They’re closing ranks in a circle around the castle. No one is getting out of here without detection.” His tan skin glistened with sweat.
Taeren was growing impatient; he cleared his throat in an effort to refocus the situation. I couldn’t remember ever seeing a similar expression on his once soft face. Now, he had a sprinkling of stubble and a strong jawline that emphasized his all-too rare smile. I had to look away before he caught me staring. The Chancellor ignored him, choosing to address Lonzo instead.
“Sir Lonzo, Queen Isadora believes she knows a way out that will allow the princess to escape undetected.”
He nodded when he noticed where we were standing. “Excellent. I will go with her.”
“No.” My father stepped forward. “We have this young soldier to guide her. We need the Knights to stay here and fight for us. If anyone can buy us time, it is you.”
I suppressed a grin as Lonzo and Taeren sized each other up. There was nothing funny about the situation we were in, but it always amused me to see men, especially soldiers, acting like young boys in a sparring match. Another loud crack shook the walls, pulling attention back to the present. My whole body shook with the same intensity as my home.
“We don’t have time to argue about this, Lonzo. You will remain here with the rest of the Knights. Commander Paloni has fallen and his last command was to this boy. He wouldn’t have sent just anyone to secure us.” My mother, the Queen, had spoken.
As the doors flew open once more, the Knights took on defensive stances, prepared to end whoever entered. They visibly relaxed when the High Alchemist came through and secured the doors behind her with a wave of her hand. Her white robes flowed around her as she rushed toward us, eyes focused on my mother.
“My Queen, I must beseech you to find a secure location for the Bloodstone. It is not safe here, even around your neck.”
“Thank you for your concern, Andromeda. I can assure you it will not be here much longer. What has the Order of Alchemy done to impede our invaders?”
Andromeda lowered her head gracefully. “We have positioned ourselves between the Gorum and the Sideon. We don’t have the skill to fight, but we can hold off those monsters for long enough to get our people to safety.”
My mother looked to Taeren, the only member of the Royal Guard we’d spoken to that had experienced the battle raging beyond our walls. “Tell me, how many of our people will survive this attack?”
He sighed in exasperation. Even I could tell he was eager to leave the castle. It was just like a soldier to focus only on his mission and nothing else. He’d changed so much from the portly baker’s son that used to play hide and seek with me in the gardens. I wondered if his reaction would differ if he knew what I did about Riona. I could practically see his inner struggle as he tried to decide if he should answer or simply insist that we leave.
“I cannot say. We had some men helping to filter survivors through the broken wall on the western side of Almandine. The plan was for them to get to the Western Wood and hide with those who dwell there.”
“That’s some plan. How do we know the Outliers will accept them? They haven’t exactly been peaceful in the past.” I spoke before I could stop myself.
Taeren looked between me and the Queen, trying to discern his obligation to answer the question. When my mother raised an eyebrow in response, he took a deep breath and shared the logic behind their evacuation plan.
“We sent two guards ahead to clear the path. One returned and told us the Outliers were ready for us. They witnessed the attacks from afar and were surprisingly genial about our request for shelter. We will move underground until it is safe to come out.”
“It’s good to hear our forest-dwelling friends are offering to help us. After all, it will only be a matter of time before they too are under attack.” My mother validated the plan.
Andromeda bowed her head once more and addressed the queen. “Your highness, about the stone?”
I couldn’t be certain, but I was fairly sure there were only three people, aside from Andromeda, who knew the true importance of the amulet that hung from my mother’s neck. The stone was the life force that kept Riona from reverting to its original state; a world of darkness, the Realm of Chaos and Night.
When the Great Alchemist first found this place, she didn’t realize the danger she would create by transfor
ming it into the world we were fighting to protect. In fact, it wasn’t until after her lifetime that the true peril was discovered. The Realm of Chaos and Night had been put in place to keep the creatures that inhabited other dimensions from entering the more civilized worlds. There was a gate in the southern-most part of Riona that could never be opened; it was said to contain the most disturbed souls and creatures from every world.
My knowledge of the stone’s power was nowhere near the level it would have to be when I became queen. Part of ruling Riona was becoming an alchemist. My mother was adept in the art of scrying that accompanied the strange and magical ways of alchemy. I had only just begun my alchemical studies. The look that passed between my mother and the High Alchemist told me there was far more to learn than I’d anticipated.
“I am leaving the castle. If the attack is as bad as it seems, I cannot stay here to be slaughtered. I will go with my daughter. Someone will have to prepare her to rule when the dust settles. I won’t be around forever and we don’t know how many of the alchemists will survive.”
“If you’re leaving, I am coming with you, my love.” My heart swooned at the intense dedication my father had for my mother.
He took her hand, and waved me over to them. I joined my parents as the castle shook once more. The sound of cracking stone and grinding metal filled my ears. There was no doubt in my mind that the Gorum had finally broken through our defenses and entered the castle. Silence fell over the throne room, a second that lasted an eternity. The door shook. An angry roar erupted on the other side; it was trying to get in.
We didn’t have a moment to waste as another earsplitting boom reverberated throughout the throne room. I gently pushed the Queen and King through the door as the tapestry fell back into place behind us. Chancellor Tilda stayed behind to rally the troops and slow our enemies’ attack.
A musty odor assaulted my nostrils like a punch to the face. Darkness surrounded us, only pierced by the glowing Bloodstone around Queen Isadora’s neck. We all knew the rose-colored stone that adorned the intricately shaped amulet had alchemical properties, but no one knew exactly what they were. No one except for Queen Isadora, and each queen who reigned before her. I felt a dainty hand slip into mine as we journeyed further down the endless corridor.