by C. K. Rieke
Roren seemed to ease his grip on his sword. “I’ve heard you Scaethers aren’t the best liars.”
“There’s no need to lie in their group,” she said, returning to her proper stance. “If anyone doesn’t like what you say, then you end their life. Plain and simple.”
“Did . . . Does Kera trust you?” he asked, appearing to wait to judge her response.
“She did, yes.”
“Did?”
“I failed her,” Lilaci said sorrowfully. The one I was with, led me into a trap, and took her. Fewn is her name.
“Is she one of you? Fewn?”
“She’s a Lu-Polini, yes. She’s a Scaether.”
“Did Kera trust her?” he asked.
Lilaci hesitated to respond, but eventually said, “Yes.”
Roren spit on the ground. “I hate your kind. I really, really hate them.”
“Me too,” she said.
“Listen,” he said. “I’ll go with you. We’ll find her together, and for whatever its worth, I want you to make a promise to me. In my people, a promise is a binding contract. We have honor, and pride in our group. You make me a promise, and you keep it.”
“I will make you a promise if you wish.”
“Promise me when we find her— if we find her in time— we protect her. There’s no taking her to the gods. And if you lie, I promise upon the fire and wrath of the returning dragons you will burn.”
Lilaci stood straight and tall. “I promise, to you, when we find Kera, I’m going to protect her from all harm.”
“Alright, I believe you,” he said. “Shall we go?”
“Hold on, one thing,” she said. “I want you to promise me one thing . . .”
He seemed taken aback. “What’s that?”
“If you try to harm her or take her from me when we find her, I’m going to kill you.”
“Is that a question? You want me to promise for you not to kill me?”
“No, I just want you to know clearly what’s going to happen if you turn on me.”
“Fine. Can we go?”
They both ran over to the sand wall and climbed up to find themselves in the barren desert, no mountains in sight.
“You know where we are?” she asked, scanning the horizon.
“The western part of the Dakaran Desert. We’re in between the Gí-Donlan and Golbi-Isac Mountains.”
“We’re further away from Dakaran and Voru?”
“Yes.”
“We need to move.”
“I’m ready,” he said.
“There’s one more thing you should know,” she said. He stopped hesitantly.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“If you see any men in black hoods with staffs,” she said. “You should probably hide.”
“What does that mean? Are there sorcerers after you?”
“Something like that . . .”
“Anything else I should know about you?”
She thought for a second. “Well . . . The gods are probably going to send assassins like me after us.”
“Oh? Is that all?”
“. . . The gods are probably after me too.”
He sighed. “You’re going to be a difficult partner, aren’t you? I hope you’re a good fighter. Shall we?”
She nodded, and they both began their long journey back east, to find the girl they both swore to protect. One, a man of the Order of Drakon, a mysterious figure who seemed to have good intentions, but had lived in the shadows for a year, waiting. The other, a girl born into slavery, tortured and trained to become the most prized assassin in hundreds of years, a weapon of the gods. Then together for one single purpose. Save Kera. That was all that mattered to them in all the Arr. Their only passion, their only desire, their only purpose in this life. Save Kera.
The End
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Author’s Notes
Assassin Born was a project for me where I tried to solidify a new foothold in the fantasy genre. In my journey as a writer I want to work towards the ultimate goal of satisfying readers with a fun and character-driven journey, and eventually moving to full time work as an author.
During the writing of the story, I envisioned Lilaci as a tortured soul who was being ripped apart by two worlds— that of her family, and that of the evil that wished to control her. The idea of her being controlled through the mage’s magic came to me as I was writing that chapter, and ended up (I think) creating that nice, needed struggle for her. In my first draft I had Lilaci having doubts about her mission for the gods and her ultimate death afterward. But my editor Laura suggested I not have any doubts in her mind as the mages’ spell over her was all-powerful, and the moment when she meets Kera to be a whirlwind of emotion. I think it worked well. What did you think?
Fewn became one of my favorites to write during the story. I tried to imagine what it would be like to grow up in the environment of the Scaethers and their training in Sorock, and I ended up just thinking a normal person would go crazy. So, with Fewn I tried to create an emotionally stunted young woman with an almost manic-like personality. Where Lilaci finds herself in her connection to Kera, Fewn is lost in the storm, bumping along where the winds blow her. Do you trust her? What’s her goal? Does she even have one?
Writing a story on the continent of The Arr proved to be quite fun. In a world that’s ravaged by drought and where the strongest congregate and control, there’s a lot of room to create darkness. And through that, I feel like a little touch of humility can really shine through. All these girls wanted was to be left alone, and to have a family. One of our most basics wants and needs, and to be stripped of that so early on, can really create some monsters.
This is my fifth book written, and when this is published, the sequel, Revenge Song, will be published shortly after. The third book in the series will be published in the few months afterward. I love to tell stories, and thank you for making it this far with me.
Special thanks to my wife Rachel for the understanding and encouragement. Thanks to my editor Laura Kingsley for always shooting me straight with the truth, and her skills. Thanks to Alice my proofreader for her eye and kind words. And thanks to you the reader, I’m honored every time someone reads one of my stories. Cheers!
About the Author
C.K. Rieke’s love of fantasy and storytelling began early, with his deep adoration of The Lord of the Rings and The Dark Elf Trilogy. Over the past decade and a half, he's published fiction novels, co-published and illustrated comic books, and managed to work the old full-time job.
Born in Kansas in 1982, Chris Rieke (Pronounced ‘Ricky’) now lives in Lawrence with his wife Rachel, and their 2-5 dogs, depending on the year, this year it’s 3. When he's not writing and revising upcoming work, he can be found: reading, creating digital art, making websites, running, watching BMX videos, drinking coffee or wine, spending way too much time on his phone, and going to the dog park.
C.K. is currently working on The Dragon Sands series which chronicles the life of Lilaci of the Arr. He also wrote The Path of Zaan trilogy which follows Zaan Talabard on his journey in the land of Essill.
To get a free copy of the prequel short, Father of Zaan, go to CKRieke.com and sign-up to join the Reader's Group.
www.CKRieke.com
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