“I know you won’t, man. But I don’t want that. It’s why we did all this. Not just to find your family. Not just to stop evil creatures from killing humans while others remained oblivious. We’ve been operating in the shadows—” he shook his head. “Okay, we’ve been operating and Muni has just wiped people’s minds. Sorry, man, sorry. I know you have no concept of stealth.”
I shrugged. He was right.
“But we’ve been building you up so you’re far more valuable alive. I can only hope when that day comes everyone else will see it the same way.” He rolled his eyes and bobbed his head. “Assuming we don’t all die in an alley somewhere. I mean, I’ve trained for this but we’re going next level here. Super ninja spy stuff, man. Deep deeper cover.”
Even if we did survive, the threat of sacrificing me to start the world over, would never go away. Elves would freak if they learned a creature like me still existed. My kind were a symbol of every single atrocity their forefathers had committed. The Sins of the People was not a publicly shared tale. Imagine the outrage of finding out elves could wipe out everyone by putting me under the knife. Or that humans could wipe out all the other races.
I’d been trying to deal with the truth for years. Maybe that’s why none of my relationships had been serious until Kahina. The looming fear. Cancer patients probably felt the same way.
“Maybe you should just kill me,” I said quietly.
“Nah, man.” Daniel actually teared up. “I can’t. What kind of friend would I be?”
“A smart one. One willing to give everything for the peace.”
“Well. I’ve got to draw the line somewhere. Even if the council demands, I don’t know if I could…”
Now he had me misty eyed and I didn’t like it. A growl escaped as I worked to shake off the ache in my jaw.
“Don’t worry, man. I won’t tell anyone you know how to cry. And you sure as hell won’t tell anyone either. Because you won’t remember for a long time,” he said.
I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. There were no perfect words for moments like this. None of my father’s guidance spoke of showing appreciation to another being. Obedience was assumed. Roy and Tal didn’t believe in the words “sorry” or “thanks.”
While I mused, I felt the quick motion of Daniel wrapping something around my wrist.
My mind clouded over. The last words I heard were, “But if someone has to bring you down. It’ll be me.”
Then I felt pressure against my face and neck jerk to an abrupt halt. Water poured and the earth stayed firm. I reached out with one arm while struggling to retain awareness.
The world didn’t look right. Moments mixed together. Under my outstretched claws the leviathan died, but it had already passed. On the ground of a metal filled scrapyard I lay, gasping as my life was taken away.
What had happened? I’d been flying then assaulted by the past. A memory triggered by something I’d felt or seen.
In the now, I lay upon cement, in a train yard and gasped. Daniel stood in front of me. He shook his head and smiled weakly.
“Guess I can pull the trigger.” Daniel lifted his chest slowly with a deep breath and fidgeted with a large barreled sniper rifle. “Sorry, man,” he said.
Am I home?
The other voice in my head whimpered from confusion. Daniel raised a hand to his mouth then whispered. The piercing noise barely registered.
People moved. Their bodies blurry against my senses. Bits of fire lingered, leftovers from the power I’d taken from Lacey. The entire scene reeked of sour sweat and metal. Like the first time I’d come to this world.
I wondered, as blackness came, why my chest hurt like hell and legs refused to move.
Afterword
This book stalled out halfway years ago. Maybe three or four. I didn’t know how to finish it. I knew what was included, the memory loss, the scene where Jay’s channeling extra power, Boss Wylde, and so on. Those were all elements that existed and would be somehow unveiled.
No, the hard part was trying to make sense of past events in such a way that it fit the story and didn’t become overwhelming, while still portraying what was happening to Jay. If you’ve made it this far, then you saw how it went. I’ve rewritten, torn out chunks, added in bits, and liked parts while hating others.
I’m almost happy with the result. Almost. Originally Jay was going to call all that power on a mountain top. I have this scene in my head where he’s screaming bloody murder from the top of the rocky mountains and the earth is rumbling in result. It’s a powerful image that I think I managed to capture somewhere else. Feel free to let me know.
As far as long term plans—the next book, Rex of Neverwas, is designed to go into one of the other timelines, we’ll see when and if I have time. Royal Scales, as a project, is a labor of love. There are 8 books planned and they take time to iron out, more so than most of my other novels.
I’ll be working on a few other series while trying to get book 5 done late next year. I’m not sure how easy this mark will be to make. It’ll be hard to challenge Jay. Any reader in the universe should know what he is, but understand that in this world there simply aren’t stories rolling around about dragons and nymphs and satyrs.
Oh, and the cliff hanger? That’s because I’m a jerk. Or because great big bloody flying dragons don’t get to cause huge earthquakes, form a new island with the volcanic eruption, kill a giant sea serpent, and turn one of the world’s prisons inside out without their friends suggesting otherwise. So, I made sure that thread existed.
If you see all the past memories, most of them have to do with Daniel. Nearly every single story in this series has Daniel—because he’s been there since the start. Honestly, writing some of the lines with him surprised me.
Anyway, stay tuned for more novels! I’ll keep writing, I swear…
Stephan
Also by Stephan Morse
Fantasy/LitRPG/Science Fiction:
Continue Online (Part 1, Memories)
Continue Online (Part 2, Made)
Continue Online (Part 3, Realities)
Continue Online (Part 4, Crash)
Continue Online (Part 5, Together)
Stand Alone/Short Story:
Ember of War
Audiobooks:
Continue Online (Part 1, Memories) Audiobook
Continue Online (Part 2, Made) Audiobook
Ember of War Audiobook
Connect with Stephan Morse
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Prince in the Tower (Royal Scales Book 4) Page 36