by C A Ardron
Swallow took the moment to pull a single latex glove from her pocket and covered her right hand. Then she took the stone, placing its razor-sharp point downwards and plunged it into Tigermoth’s skin, injecting into a vein in her wrist.
‘Any who look upon a basilisk stone become frozen in place for about an hour,’ Swallow told Tigermoth. ‘The stone is brittle, mixed with the venom of the reptile. Frozen for an hour but the potent, paralytic poison enhanced by magic means you will only last about ten minutes. You’re dying, Tigermoth, in fact, one could say you’re already dead.’
Swallow pulled the stone back out of Tigermoth’s skin, the end breaking off, snagging in the flesh. The woman’s only response was some sort of strangled wail coming direct from her throat.
Making sure not to look at the stone, Swallow removed her glove and carefully secured the poisonous object inside as she turned the latex inside out without touching it.
Swallow left the room, holding the glove with its tiny, deadly parcel in one hand. Closing the door, she waited as Blue Chameleon and Brown Weasel came to her.
‘Is it done?’ the tall Reptile asked.
‘Yes,’ Swallow replied. ‘Tigermoth’s vanity will no longer bother us. Weasel wait half an hour, she’ll definitely be dead by then. Dispose of her body and put her medallion into storage.’
Weasel nodded,’ yes, General.’
Swallow allowed herself the smallest smile. ‘I’m going to enjoy becoming used to that title.’ She regarded the two for a second. ‘If we are to become serious in taking Steiron for Sharglin, then we need to widen the Elite. Chameleon, I want a list of recommendations.’
He nodded, ‘it’ll be with you within the hour.’
‘Good. Then I’ll leave you both with your tasks and visit our Mistress.’
‘What about the Predgarian?’ Weasel asked. ‘Are we going to try and get her? Tigermoth made us look like cowards!’
Swallow paused, regarding the shorter woman. She felt the brush on her mind. Mistress Sharglin was impatient, wanting her explanation for killing her favourite Sarpien.
‘The silver warrior isn’t important,’ Swallow replied. ‘Tigermoth was obsessed, wanting the woman only for her appearance. I can think of several who would be better choices for coercion. We’ll leave her alone. All our focus must be on Jackal now.’
Swallow strode down the corridor, stopping by her room she placed the latex glove with the basilisk stone on her desk. She’d dispose of it later.
The teleport sigils which would lead to Sharglin’s underground lake were not far, and as Swallow made for them the unease she’d been fighting rose to the surface. Dealing with Tigermoth had been easy, the real challenge was to come. One could do away with a hundred generals, but if the sclithe did not favour you then it meant nothing.
Entering the small circular intersection at the end of the passage, Swallow activated her medallion and its emerald light coalesced about her. She unfolded her pale green wings and stepped onto the faint, azure sigils illuminating the area.
They surged with life and Swallow closed her eyes, the light too bright for her. After a moment she felt the change in the air, a chilly waft that hadn’t been there before.
Swallow opened her eyes, gazing about at the smooth stone plateau, lit by blue orbs standing on simple steel plinths.
At the end, where the shiny black stone made way for the inky depths, the beautiful sclithe Sharglin was already there, her opalescent scales glimmering like sapphires. The long, finlike ridges on her back gleamed like satin and even the long fingers on each of her four arms were admirable, her bony nail spikes slender and well-polished.
The sclithe’s snakish head rose as Swallow stepped across the plateau, her steel boots ringing off the stone.
Sharglin’s forked tongue flickered, her deep jet eyes a mystery.
‘I liked Tigermoth,’ she spoke after a few moments, her voice a sultry sulk.
‘She was vain, Mistress. She cared more for her appearance than for the cause.’
‘The cause,’ Sharglin whispered. ‘What is the cause, Swallow, without pleasure along the way?’
‘Pleasure will always have its place,’ Swallow agreed, ‘but to focus on nothing else will lead to the loss of your territory.’
Sharglin let loose a hissing laugh. ‘You have your eyes on the prize, my warrior. You are right, Tigermoth was content with her position. One must always be looking for the next high, the next reward. Just as I dream of joining the blacks in Avergask, you too dream.
Let us dream together then, you and I, and rule all of Steiron. For now though, you will prove yourself to me.’
‘I will do anything you ask.’
‘Good. I will not allow favour to a general who is all work and no play. I itch. Caress my scales, Swallow. Show me how much you love me.’
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christine Ardron is 35 years old, living in Nottinghamshire, England.
She enjoys writing fantasy and scifi and very often mixes them together to create unique worlds, characters and storylines.
Christine has been writing for as long as she can remember, and though her true love lies in fantasy, she delves into many facets of story-telling, including dark scifi, comedy and even the occasional horror.
Christine has also written scripts for amateur theatre companies, and has enjoyed acting and occasional directing.
When Christine doesn't have her head in one of her many worlds, she can be found listening to her beloved power metal and offering many forms of tea to anyone who happens to pop in.
MORE BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR
Predgarians: Jackal’s Gambit:
Karen Fireirro is trying to forget her dark past. When she happens upon a young boy being chased by the Sarpiens, an evil cult, she knows she needs to do everything in her power to protect him.
Deciding to take him to the Predgarians, an Elite force opposed to the Sarpiens, she now finds her secrets and her very life are on the line, having willingly pitted herself against the Sarpiens, and even worse, their deadly general - the Red Jackal.
Predgarians: Jackal's Gambit by C.A. Ardron is the first of a fantastic fantasy series of novels from KGHH Publishing.
Amazon UK:
http://amzn.to/2vx9nfa
Amazon USA:
http://amzn.to/2vCQlU3
Predgarians Book 2 - Mind Games
Courin, a planet within the Asterion empire, is at war. The evil sclithe seek complete dominion and will enslave the inhabitants of all the worlds they find if left unchecked.
After their daring raid into the heart of Sarpien territory, the West Sector Predgarians attempt to fit back into their normal routines. They see almost immediately that this might be an impossible task with Jay Morgan and Karen Fireirro living under their roof.
As Jay tries to come to terms with his new life and his great power, there seems no end to Karen’s problems and the secrets she keeps and all the while, the Red Jackal prowls, seeking vengeance.
Predgarians Book 2 - Mind Games, picks up the story from the first book Jackal’s Gambit by acclaimed fantasy author C.A. Ardron.
Amazon UK:
http://amzn.to/2kcSO3x
Amazon USA:
http://amzn.to/2iGML71
Table of Contents
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-Four
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty