Soul Stone Mage Complete Collection Boxed Set

by Sarah Noffke

  “She’s a witch,” someone in the crowd murmured, his voice hostile.

  “How dare a witch invade our land?” another voice asked.

  “We should burn her!” a woman cried, her voice vibrating with anger.

  Azure twisted in the guard’s grasp. “No! I’m not what you think. I’m good. You have to believe me,” she said, her gaze centering on Heidi, who looked as if she’d been scorned.

  “Believe you? You told me you were human. I thought were my friend,” she whimpered, shaking her head at Azure.

  “I am. And I’m half human,” Azure said. Something vibrated at her throat. She realized that the soul stone was working; the charm she’d used had in fact been successful. It was trying to draw her to her father, but everything was happening too fast. She could feel the crowd around her growing more violent. She was now grateful that the guards were flanking her, not allowing the mob to pull her limb from limb.

  “Half human, you say,” the Duke drawled, his tone much too pleased. “How very interesting. A witch who is also half human.”

  “It’s true. And my father is from the Land of Terran,” Azure yelled, her voice not her own. It was all coming from the soul stone. But why?

  “Oh, is he?” the Duke asked, crossing his arms on his chest, the glint in his eyes reeking of satisfaction. He turned to the crowd at his back. “But isn’t it a crime punishable by imprisonment to breed with a witch or a wizard?”

  The crowd murmured assent to this question.

  “So now the question is, who is your father? Because this man will be in a great deal of trouble,” the Duke said.

  “Find him! Find him! Find him!” the crowd sang in unison.

  “Oh, I plan to, and I think that we will start by throwing this witch at the emperor’s feet. He will be ever so interested to know that a witch has illegally crossed our borders, and inside our land is a traitor.” The Duke beckoned the guards forward.

  They marched away, dragging Azure along as the crowd parted for them to pass. She lifted her feet one at a time, not at all certain what she should do now. Her wand was safely hidden in her bosom, but her hands were currently pinned by someone who possessed more strength than she did.

  Azure awoke to find Finswick staring at her with his eyes narrowed.

  “I was just building up the gumption to kill you,” the feline said, disappointment in his eyes.

  “Well, too bad. I woke up before you got there. Maybe tonight you can kill me.” She yawned into a seated position.

  “Yes, maybe tonight will be your last,” Finswick said, his voice cold. “A note was slid under your door a few hours ago. It looked important, and had the cabinet seal on it. But because I’m a coldhearted passive-aggressive animal, I clawed it up and peed on it.” Finswick jumped off the bedside table.

  “I know you do all this out of love.” Azure rose to a standing position. The morning sunlight was just kissing the windows in her suite. She’d slept peacefully the whole night, not waking once. She pulled on a velvet robe that lay at the end of her bed and started for the other room.

  A tea pot and breakfast had already been set out for her in the nook outside her bedroom. It had been strange for her to take up residence in the suite that had belonged to her mother all her life. However, Azure respected the traditions that surrounded the crown. This was the suite devoted to the queen, and it had been inhabited by all of them during their reigns. There was something beautiful about sleeping in the same room as the first queen of Virgo. She liked to pretend that Queen Alkaline’s spirit still rested in the space and lent Azure strength.

  Picking up a piece of dry toast, she took a bite before pulling her wand from the side table. She waved it at the note on the ground next to the double doors. The note repaired itself where Finswick had torn it to pieces, and the pee disappeared. It flew through the air and landed in Azure’s outstretched hand.

  Finswick jumped into the seat she was just about to sit in. He turned around once and then sat down. She pursed her lips at him and shook her head before taking the seat adjacent to it.

  She waved her wand at the teapot, and it lifted into the air and poured her a cup of steaming tea. Azure broke the seal on the note and blew on the hot tea.

  “When I was peeing on the torn-up note, I realized that it was rather important,” Finswick said, licking his paw.

  Her eyes fell on the note, eyes growing wide as she read. Azure bolted to a standing position, her tea cup slamming down on the table and breaking. “Yes, it’s important! You should have woken me.”

  “I was plotting your murder.” The feline shrugged indifferently.

  Azure picked up the note, her eyes running over each word again, carefully this time. It couldn’t be…

  Dear Queen Azure,

  I haven’t been entirely honest with you. I think we both know that’s been the case from the beginning, but you chose to overlook it, believing you could trust me. That was a mistake, and I’m ashamed that I’ll lose that trust in the future. Before I tell you what I’ve done, please give me a moment to explain.

  You met me shortly after the rogue dryad statue garden, where you learned that perpetrators caught abusing the Dark Forest were turned into statues and banished to that place for a set amount of time. When I was younger, my father, a noble Light Elf, taught me how to create portals to Earth. I made a mistake—I opened a portal, but it started a deadly fire that burned a great portion of the Dark Forest. While we were trying to extinguish the fire, the rogue dryads arrived. My father, not wanting me to suffer the consequences of my mistake, took the blame. You can guess what happened to him, and how very long his sentence is as a statue. I know you need the Book of Branches to find the rogue dryads, but as long as they exist, my father will be stone. I need the book so that I can destroy them and break his curse. It pains me very much to betray you, but I’ve stolen the Book of Branches and will not ever return to Virgo.

  Queen Azure, there is no one I respect more than you, but rescuing my father is my most important goal. He suffers for what I did, and I can’t remain on Oriceran any longer knowing what I did to him. So, although I know it will undo your plan to stop the humans of Terran, I must destroy the rogue dryads once and for all. My first loyalty will always be to my father. My second is to you, Your Majesty.

  My deepest apologies,

  Ever

  Azure dropped the note on the table and pressed her face into her hands. So, this was what heartbreak truly felt like. She was going to find that damn Light Elf, and then she was going to make him suffer. He’d been lying since the beginning. Pretending to help her just so she’d get the Book of Branches. It had been his idea all along, she realized. How dare he think he could betray her?

  Azure spun and faced Finswick. “Alert the cabinet. We’re headed out on another mission!”

  Epilogue

  The mechanical bug that Phillip had purchased in the Dark Market landed on the table next to his glass of bourbon. Yes, the Orcs had been able to shoot down a few harpies and also the pterosaurs he had been hoping would poison the Virgo water supply a second or third time. When those efforts had failed, Phillip decided that knowledge was more important than retaliatory efforts.

  “What have you learned?” Phillip asked the metal bug, which buzzed loudly.

  It turned until its backend was facing him and paper churned out from its butt, rolling as it emerged. When it stopped, Phillip ripped the tiny printout from the spy bug and read it.

  “The queen is seeking the rogue dryads so she can help them break into the Land of Terran.”

  Phillip laughed as he read the printout. Yes, that would be a great plan. The rogue dryads were dying to sweep into the Land of Terran and turn the humans into statues for what they’d done to the Dark Forest. However, Phillip knew that finding the rogue dryads would be impossible, since Queen Azure was the perfect Oriceran.

  Phillip rubbed Rover’s head as he stared off in thought. The rogue dryads lurked in the shadows whenever h
e was in the Dark Forest, waiting for a moment when the harpies weren’t protecting the Duke. But that didn’t matter. He smiled to himself. That’s why Phillip had secured the counsel of a voodoo doctor in the Dark Market. The old hag had told Phillip that rogue dryads were silent and invisible to those who had done no harm to the Dark Forest. It would therefore be impossible for Queen Azure to find a rogue dryad and complete her mission. So although he could feel them when he was outside the walls of the city, they wouldn’t be found to do the queen’s bidding.

  Another mechanical bug landed next to the first. Like the other one, it backed up until paper started to shoot out of its butt. Phillip waited until the paper stopped and tore it off. These spy bugs had been a great investment. He swelled with pride before reading the message.

  His good cheer plummeted.

  “The Queen of Virgo has obtained the Book of Branches, which will tell her how to find the rogue dryads.”

  “Damn!” Phillip exclaimed, making Rover start. The large poodle ran and hid behind the leather couch.

  That little witch didn’t know what was good for her kingdom, just like her mother. She was going to get herself killed—and Phillip was going to do it.

  Another mechanical bug flew in through the open window and lined up next to its brethren. Phillip waited until the message had fully spun out of its hind end and then tore it off. A smile formed on his thin lips when he read it.

  “The Book of Branches has been stolen from the queen. A Light Elf has it and is going after the rogue dryads to take them out.”

  Well, well, well. It looked like two problems would be solved. No threats from Virgo, and his enemies, the rogue dryads, would be exterminated. All he had to do was plot and execute the Grand Prince’s murder. Frederick had been rather annoying lately, asking sticky questions and inquiring into the affairs of Terran. Soon he’d be invited on a harvest outing, since the young emperor was chomping at the bit to do something for his people. And because he wanted to help so much, maybe he could make the ultimate sacrifice and die for his people. The harpies needed to be fed if they were going to keep serving Terran, after all. Once Emperor Frederick was dead then Phillip would formally take the throne.

  FINIS

  Author Notes - Sarah Noffke

  October 2, 2017

  The idea for this book came to me in a strange way. I’d had the idea for Mage Lenore from the beginning of the series. However, I had no idea that she’d be on the Mountain of Truth or the Keeper of secrets. It’s always so strange for me as the writer to see the way things unfold and connect. It’s kind of fun and totally enchanting.

  Okay, can we discuss Blisters? Talk about a surprise. I knew that Azure would need to turn to the unicorns at some point, but when that little bundle of joy and chaos was placed in her possession, well I was surprised and happy. My dear friend, Colleen, took my daughter and me to Universal Studio this summer (hence my inclusion of Harry Potter in the first book). Colleen, or Leen as I call her, played one of those carnival games where you throw down a hammer and try and make the thing hit the bell. Sorry for my description, it’s not like I’m a writer. Anyway, because she’s a beast, she won…twice. Our girls picked out little white stuffed animal unicorns as their prizes. And now you know when Blisters was officially born. Recently I took a trip to Orlando and went to the Universal Studios there. Guess who went with me? If you guessed Blisters the stuffed animal then you’re correct. I sent pictures of Blisters handing out all of the place to my daughter who was home on the west coast. If you’ve seen Amelie the movie then you get the reference. My daughter constantly talks about Blisters. I think he needs to have a children’s book spin off.

  I always like to give insights into naming in the author notes. Here’s something fun. I named the werecat after a childhood friend names Laurel. She was named after the comedic duo, but I didn’t know that until later. I just thought she had a cool name so I passed it on to the werecat. Another fun fact about cats and names: Finswick, Azure’s familiar is named after my own cat, Finley. This morning Finley brought a lizard into the house. I caught him and he totally tried to hide the thing, knowing I’d toss it out. The cat finally owned it and threw the dead lizard up into the air and ran from the room. Sometimes I feel like a witch and I’m constantly herding cats.

  Thank you to Michael Anderle for giving me this chance. I’m still waiting for the roller coaster you threw me on to slow down.

  Thank you to Martha Carr for your amazing support. I love sharing the ideas that have come out of our collaborations. You are a creative soul.

  Thank you to the awesome authors who pushed me to do this. Jeff and Sarah I wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t for you.

  Thank you to Lynne, Steve, Andrew and Jeff for all the work on the books, covers and championing so much of the publishing.

  Thank you to my beta team Colleen and Heidi. You two keep me sane… or maybe it’s the other way around.

  Thank you to my amazing readers. I asked myself a question the other day and it had a strange answer. I asked if I would still write if trapped on a desert island and no one would ever read the books. The answer was yes, but the feeling connected to it was different. It wouldn’t be as much fun to write if there wasn’t awesome readers to share it with. Thank you.

  Thank you to my friends and family for all the support and love.

  Author Notes - Martha Carr

  October 3, 2017

  What a wonderful thing to see an author grow a fan base like Sarah Noffke has been doing in the Oriceran Universe. My phone lights up every time someone posts to the Oriceran Facebook page (don’t want to leave anyone hanging…). But I learned pretty quickly that if it’s a comment about anything to do with the Soul Stone Mage series I can relax. My phone lights up again in just a minute or two with a response from Sarah.

  Every author who writes in the Universe has a story to tell about why this means so much to them to build a strong fan base. It’s a lifelong dream (for some like me that can literally mean life-long…), it’s financial freedom or the chance to do this full time for a living. So few authors get to realize that dream… except around these parts. That has everything to do with all of you.

  You guys are reading every series, every book and then asking… ‘Where’s the next one?’ Even better, your numbers are growing as more urban fantasy fans discover we’re out here now. We’re becoming a big family (that includes all of you) and so it’s all the sweeter to work with Sarah to craft a story and then see her put in the effort – and there you guy are with encouragement, suggestions, and telling us all what you love about the series!

  Thank you for taking Soul Stone Mage series and Sarah Noffke and all the authors of Oriceran into your lives and popping up on Facebook to chat. We love it all!

  Publisher Notes - Michael Anderle

  October 3, 2017

  Thank you, I cannot express my appreciation enough that not only did you pick up and read this book, but you read it all the way to the end and NOW, you’re reading my publisher notes at the very back!

  Here is a little secret of publishing a series: You are made or broken by the third book.

  What I mean by this, is now we have books 01 and 02 out for the fans to read, and we should have a pretty good understanding of the read-through rate for books 01 to 02.

  Normally, you want this to be a percentage between 63% on the low side, to HOWEVER high you can get on the high side (preferably 75% if possible or above.)

  If you have a book that is in the 80%-90% range? HOLY CRACKERS! I would love one day to put out a series where my read-through rate is higher than 90% book 01 to book 02.

  I’m not sure how to do it, mind you. I just want to be able to have accomplished it.

  Sarah and Martha have pulled together the third book now in the Soul Stone Mage Series and we can see the ongoing efforts of Azure to comprehend and use that comprehension in her life.

  You know, we call it growing up here in the mundane world ;)


  Seriously though, I want to thank Sarah Noffke for an incredible amount of effort and tribulation as we asked her not only to learn a completely new universe. A universe that we change from time to time as new requests for understanding occur from our team.

  Mind you, she would be a part of said team and responsible for creating some of the clarifying questions that kept us busy…Just saying.

  And I’ll second that Sarah is an amazing human being who is so sweet to speak with on the phone. I know she takes time from her schedule to respond quickly (outside sleeping) to all of your questions and comments and we particularly love how you have accepted her into the LMBPN Publishing / Oriceran / Kurtherian Gambit family.

  Thank you!

  Ad Aeternitatem,

  Michael Anderle

  Land of Terran

  Prologue

  “That fucking little fucker,” Azure said to herself, already starting to pace in the cabinet chamber. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t seen this coming. How could it be that she hadn’t known Ever had had a side motive? She had known all along that he was secretive. Maybe she’d guessed that he was hiding something, but not that he’d betray them.

  “Queen Azure,” Gillian said from behind her. “Finswick just came and got me. He said you needed to see me and that it was urgent.”

  Azure narrowed her eyes at the gnome. “Yes, I do, but first I have a few questions for you.” She pulled her wand from her hair, causing it to fall down her exposed back. Azure had returned to wearing uncomfortable dresses that didn’t cover enough of her upper body and sought to tangle her lower half with overflowing material. Presently she wore a black and white medieval gown with a modern flare.