Prophecy's Child (Broken Throne Book 2)
Page 23
Cait looked at Winnie. Danny stood nearby, staring at her. Everyone was. She felt self-conscious. She’d just suggested that everything they knew as fact was wrong and that the foundation of their social structure was built on a lie. She was tired of trying to tell them what was right. It was time for them all to decide for themselves.
There was a long silence as the room pondered what she’d said. Winnie waited, feigning patience.
Cleaver broke the silence. “My visions never lie. Sometimes I might interpret things wrong, but that’s on me. I can look back and see the mistaken viewpoint rather than the mistaken vision. I’ve seen us side-by-side, confronting what’s to come. I’ve always assumed it was because you were working for me.”
“And now?” Winnie asked.
“Now I need to see it from a different direction. I’m in. New Amsterdam’s chanter community stands with you.”
Winnie had to throttle her obvious joy. It was a win for her, and for the world, but she wasn’t ready to show him.
Victor shocked her next. “I’ve seen too much of what you can do, and thus, doubt is impossible. Despite all that’s working against you, you’ve come out on top. I’ll do all that I can to help.”
Morgan beamed by Victor’s side. Winnie knew where her sister stood, if only because the man she loved had shifted his loyalties.
“Thank you,” Winnie said. “That means a lot. You know this could mean the end of everything holding our society together. Chanters and middlings will eventually have to work together. That’s why Kane is working so hard to divide us. He knows that unity will defeat him.”
“I know,” Victor said. “I also know it won’t be easy to beat him. He’s stacked all the cards in his favor.”
Winnie cocked her head. “Then why side with us?”
“Because I’ve seen you in action, and I now know what unblemished magic can do when given the chance to flourish on its own.”
She nodded at Victor, accepting his allegiance. She only needed to hear from her oldest and dearest friends. Winnie met the eyes of Danny, Cait, and Tris in turn. They each nodded as her eyes met theirs.
Everyone was on board.
Their grand alliance had begun.
EPILOGUE
“Have a seat, Ma’am. Please. It’ll be a while.”
“That’s all right. I’d rather stand.”
Elaine Durham hobbled back and forth on her cane, looking over the priceless artwork. The ancient paintings were dark, and faded in many cases, but she was sure that someone had assigned extraordinary value to them. The same was likely true for the bronze and marble sculptures standing on pedestals around the antechamber. The woman behind the desk watched Winnie perusing the statues and paintings, eyes like claws on her back.
It was the tail of an endless day. Elaine had done everything she could think of in regards to Winnie. She had to protect her daughter however she could. But this was a true act of desperation, one she’d vowed long ago to never take.
“If you’d like to tell me what this is about, Miss Durham, I’m sure I can take care of this so you don’t have to keep waiting.”
“As I said, it’s a personal matter. I’m happy to wait my turn. It took a full day of red tape just to get this far. I’m not turning back now.”
“Director Kane is a very busy man,” the secretary said for the fifth time. “I’m still not sure how you managed to get this far. Most people can’t just show up and expect an audience with the Director on a whim.”
“It was hardly ‘a whim.’”
“Be that as it may, it’s likely to be a while before you can see him. I’ve put your name in his digital calendar as you requested. But that’s still no guarantee that he’ll make time between his other appointments to see you. The Director is expected on the Assembly floor to address members there later this evening.”
“We shall see. I expect … ” Elaine never finished. The office door opened and she heard men finishing a conversation.
“ … I will consider your request, Senator, but make no promises.”
“I wouldn’t expect any, Director. Only the assurance that my concerns are given their due.”
Elaine stepped aside to let the senator by. He nodded as he passed, then Winnie stood facing the man she’d been waiting to speak with. Director Nilrem Kane stood staring at Elaine from the doorway.
“Director.” The secretary stood and came around the desk to stand in next to Elaine. “This is Miss — ”
“Elaine Durham. Yes, I am aware.” The Director said, waving his secretary away. “Miss Durham, if you’ll come inside. I have a few scarce moments between appointments. I can speak with you now.”
Elaine gave the secretary a satisfied smile, then followed the Director into his office. She looked around and saw the strange sculpture of the stone seat with a sword somehow embedded into the back, as if the blade had been driven into wet cement before drying.
Kane closed the door behind her. Elaine turned to see Kane watching her with a curious grin.
“Ellie, it has been a while since we’ve seen each other. You told me it was over and that you were seeing someone else. I believed you when you said that I would never lay eyes upon you again.”
“I never thought you would. We didn’t exactly see eye to eye then, and we’re on different sides of the world now.” She waved a lazy hand around the office. “You’ve come far.”
“Thank you, Ellie.” Nils smiled. It seemed somehow both sad and a little lost. “We parted on the worst of terms and yet you never betrayed my secret to anyone. You could have ruined me at any time.”
“Another one of the many differences between us. I always keep my word. I never told anyone you were a chanter. As far as I know, Artos and I are still the only ones to know.”
“Others are starting to suspect. I’ve had to take some decisive actions in the last few years that have exposed me. Of course, from where I’m standing, accusations would be seen as conspiratorial nonsense.”
There was an awkward pause. Elaine was unsure of how to proceed.
Nils took the lead, as he always had. “I’m sure you didn’t come here to talk nostalgia. Should I hazard a guess?” Kane cocked his head. “If it has to do with Winnie, I assure you, she’s gotten off easy considering the several occasions she’s crossed me. You should have trained her better to stay within the law’s proper boundaries. I understand she’s developed quite the criminal enterprise.”
“I’ve kept your secret all these years, Nils. Why couldn’t you leave Winnie out of your little plans?”
“Because they’re not little plans, Ellie. They are the building blocks of the future, and the world’s disposition with magic forever. I do not take them lightly and no one should be exempt from what must be done to protect us all. Including the daughter of an old friend.”
Again, fury swelled within her, as angry at herself as she was with Kane. He was still the terrible, self-centered man he always had been. She’d stood by during his rise to power, never saying anything about his true nature. She’d always been proud of her virtue in keeping his secret. Now, after all that had happened, Elaine was deeply ashamed. Everything bubbled to the surface.
“Nils Kane, you are a fool. You have no idea what you almost did, and I’m not sure that you’d care even if you did. You’ve always been so self-centered that no one else could ever intrude on your life’s plans.”
“What are you talking about, Ellie? Your daughter decided to get involved with Artos. I even sent a constable to dissuade her, to honor the memory of what we once had. But that didn’t matter. She was determined to continue. And in the end, I had to treat her like the others. What did you expect me to do?”
“To recognize your own daughter when you saw how pig-headed she is, just like her father.”
Kane stood frozen, his mouth hanging open. His brows furrowed and Elaine flinched, second-guessing her decision to tell him the truth.
“I don’t know what you expect to gain from th
is fiction, Ellie. As I’ve said, your daughter has placed herself on a direct path in opposition to me and is now standing in the new world’s way. There is nothing I can do for her now.” Kane moved to the door, pulling it open.
“You know I’m not lying.”
“I know nothing of the sort. Now, I must ask you to leave before my next meeting. If you’d like a ride back to the station, I shall arrange for my driver to take you. It is late and you will have trouble finding a cab.” Kane turned to his secretary as Elaine hobbled through the door to the antechamber. “Please make sure Miss Durham makes it safely to the station.”
“Yes, Director,” said the secretary as she rose from behind her desk.
Elaine tried one final plea. “Nils, you must believe me. I’m not lying!”
“Good evening,” the Director said. “Please do not call on me again.”
The door shut and Elaine was left alone, wondering if now she’d made everything worse.
WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The world’s magic continues to fail, but the middlings want their charmed items and Sable more than ever. They can feel the future coming, a future when the magic will be gone forever …
Dust storms continue to pummel the cities up and down the eastern coast of the United Americas. The outer limits are a baron wasteland as magic continues to suck the natural world dry.
It’s been a year and a half since Winnie took over as the head Sable trader and for Baltimore and New Amsterdam. With the Philly boss joining her, the East Coast is hers. Winnie finally has a chance to unite the entire nation.
But when news of Director Kane’s new Project X comes her way, Winnie must quickly escalate her plans, or else risk the lives of millions.
CONTINUE WITH BOOK THREE IN THE BROKEN THRONE SERIES:
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HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN?
Magic is failing as the world collapses. The planet’s only hope is a child of prophecy promised countless centuries ago.
While hiding out in Merlin’s sanctuary at Filby Keep, Ricky Canter discovers his family’s true legacy — he is a child of the great Merlin. Ricky’s mother teaches him to use Sable magic and speak the ancient tongue, but with the world deteriorating all around them, they must leave the safety of Merlin’s ancient lair and face an angry mob of Middlings who want nothing more than to tear them apart.
Forced to find passage to the United Americas, Ricky’s mother sacrifices herself so that her son can go free, but Ricky’s fate lies in the hands of a strange man, and an uncertain future.
A future that the world as we know it will one day depend upon.
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Click here to get your FREE copy of MERLIN’S SECRET
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jamie Davis, RN, NRP, B.A., A.S., is a nationally recognized medical educator who began educating new emergency responders as a training officer for his local EMS program. As a media producer, he has been recognized for the MedicCast Podcast (MedicCast.com/blog), a weekly program for emergency medical providers like EMTs and paramedics, and the Nursing Show, a similar program for nurses and nursing students. His programs and resources have been downloaded over 6 million times by listeners and viewers.
Jamie lives and writes at his home in Maryland. He lives in the woods with his wife, three children, and a dog.
Jamie’s other books include the Extreme Medical Services series, The Eldara Sister series and the upcoming Accidental Traveler series. You can check them out at http://jamiedavisbooks.com. His Broken Throne series is published by Sterling & Stone LLC.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Prophecy's Child
Copyright
Prophecy's Child
 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
 Chapter 38
 Chapter 39
 Chapter 40
 Chapter 41
 Chapter 42
 Chapter 43
 Chapter 44
 Chapter 45
Epilogue
Want to Know What Happens Next?
How Did it all Begin?
About the Author