Cover & Excerpt
Elven Chronicles Book Nine
After a horrifying ambush by the Demons, the Elves realize that it is only a matter of time before the war is brought to the forefront once more. The younger generations have come of age and are expected to take their places beside their parents in battle. It is something they trained hard for and are ready to do. They begin by looking into the past for other battle techniques that might have been lost to them over the millenniums. The one who is the most vigilant on that front is Ennacas, an Elf who seems to always have to learn everything the hard way.In her studies, Ennacas has learned that Tratchars were once the most feared warriors. She wants to know why and there is one Elf she can turn to for answers. As an ancient, Rothliel was fully trained to serve the Empire as a Tratchar Warrior. At her request, he will share the knowledge that has been lost to those who share their talents. Only one Tratchar cannot attend his classes, Endiku, for the war in the Free Lands, where he lives, has not abated.
The order of the Great Guardian of the Free Lands to bring Ennacas leaves Endiku no choice but to face his Life Mate, for The Great Guardian has a quest for them that will take their combined talents to complete. When the time comes for him to collect his bride, he is apprehensive. He has not spoken to her for centuries and is unsure of his welcome. She is a woman now, and there is nothing more dangerous than a female who feels she has been taken for granted, especially one who is a Tratchar and an Eagle Claw.
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Content/Theme(s): Fae, Elves, Dragons, Demons, Magic, Paranormal
Release Date: February 4, 2016
Publisher: Indie
Excerpt & More
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Excerpt:
“I can tell you no more. My last service to the world is to the Great Guardian and our people. Remember the words of your Oracle, the one who dwells in the forest now. In them you will find the way. Tears will be our only salvation. These are but the first of many that will be shed.” The voice or the ancient Oracle warned.
She was right, the words echoed S’Larea’s, he remembered them distinctly because he had been close enough to hear them the day they were spoken. He motioned the others forward and approached the spot where Ennacas once stood. As he got closer he began to sing the words of a spell he had never heard before. He picked up one tear after the other and joined them. While he worked, they formed into a flat fabric. He gathered tears from the past, as well as those that they were shedding while they worked. The cloth grew, as the Tratchars sang, and wove the cloth that would shield the Talisman’s heart. They were oblivious to what Ennacas was doing.
Ennacas felt the light surround her, embrace her, merge with who and what she was. She could feel the wisdom of the ages flow through her veins and it stretched through eternity. She had first thought, when she had been told that she would be cutting the lighted part of the taproot from the tree, that she would need tools to do it with. Now she realized her error. No metal would touch this root, nor would the tree die, although it would become no more than a simple tree after they left. The essence that once made it great would be gone, and she would be transporting the first part of the root that would become the new Great Guardian to its new home.
While Rothliel worked the magic he had been given by the spirit of the ancient Oracle, Ennacas sang to separate the lit taproot from the tree. They finished their tasks at the same moment, and her call for help alerted Endiku of danger.
Endiku raced to Ennacas’ side and noted her struggling with something dark, while she continued to hold the lighted section of the Talisman in place. He could feel the evil, as it took form, and slithered towards his Life Mate. He moved quickly, reaching for a sword that wasn’t there, and silently swore. No one had taken their weapons into the root system, they would have considered that a desecration of a holy site. He had to think of a different way of challenging this creature. He stood between the advancing threat and his mate and steeled himself to face the danger with nothing more than his hands.
Neither the creature nor Endiku noticed Eöl, as he ran to face the evil that was stalking his brother. They didn’t see his swords flashing in the green light of the Great Guardian’s heart, or hear the song he sang. The swords turned blue, as they slashed through the body of the serpent that stalked those who served the Talisman and the creature turned to dust. Eöl turned to Ennacas and Endiku and quickly ordered.
“Move fast, before more like this one comes. The attack on the Talisman has been renewed. This is but the first strike, many more will come.”
“It is too heavy for me to handle,” Ennacas admitted.
“Rothliel, bring the shield,” Eöl ordered, while he kept guard.
Rothliel came running with two of the other Tratchars, and within moments the heart was wrapped and secured. They didn’t, however, move fast enough, for more serpents were forming to renew the attack. They ran, with Eöl guarding their backs. He killed two more before they rushed through the opening that had been made for them to enter the root system of the Talisman earlier.
“Lothrariel,” Eöl yelled. As he bellowed his warning, a dozen serpents followed him from the depths of the hole, he turned and quickly severed their heads and tails, while Lothrariel closed the ground behind him.
King Garoldth drove up to the group, with a heavy cart that was meant to serve as transportation for the Tratchars and their cargo. He jumped down from the drivers seat and raced to check on his sons, to make sure neither had been bitten or hurt. Both Eöl and Endiku were safe and no one had been lost. It didn’t make him feel any better, for he knew that there was a good chance that they might not be as lucky the next time. He turned to his nephew and ordered him to bring him a horse and weapons. He was not about to let his sons go into enemy lands to fight alone.
“Camthalion, tell Dínendal I want my battle gear,” Garoldth ordered.
Camthalion allowed a slow smile to spread across his face, as he replied. “No, my uncle, this is not your fight. You will never defeat this evil with steel and might, not when it takes this form of darkness. The light can only vanquish this enemy. I am your brother’s son and I know how to use a sword as well as any man, but I also share my mother’s heritage. I am a bringer of light and this is my battle.”
“Golradir would be devastated if something happened to his only son,” Garoldth objected.
“My father would be proud to know, that if anything happened to me, that I died while fighting the darkness that threatens to destroy our world. I, however, have no intention of losing. I warned the one who is reaching out to eliminate the light of our world once and, I will do so again, now that I am close to his lair. I am the son of the sun and I do not fear him.”
***
“You are apt to get yourself in trouble if you go to face her with that attitude. You sound as if you think you can do no wrong and I bet she has other ideas about that.” Eöl warned.
“Then come with me. I probably could use a bodyguard and someone who can heal injuries.” Endiku urged. He sounded like he was teasing, but they both knew he was totally serious about the offer to take Eöl with him. To make it sound more attractive, he added. “You could spend some time visiting with Gabriel and hone your swordsmanship, while I chase his daughter.”
“What you just said could be closer to the truth than you realize,” Eöl teased. The idea did sound good, and he hadn’t seen Gabriel for several hundreds of years. They could spend time strategizing and rehashing the past. He would go to visit his uncle Golradir and aunt Lúthien for a while, to see how they were doing. He could also check to see if there had been any activity near their meadow, for he knew how badly the Demons would like to get their hands on Lúthien, or one of her daughters. He doubted, however, if that was about to happen any time soon, for the girls had not moved away to find their own homes yet, and neither had their son. Lúthien’s meadow probably was the safest place in the Elven Empire.
“So, will you come?” Endiku urged.
“Sure, besides I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to you, especially knowing what I do.” Eöl teased. “I will be ready to go when you are.”
“Aren’t you going to pack anything?” Endiku asked.
“You are the one going courting, not me. You might consider bringing her a small token of your regards to make up for your delinquency.” Eöl suggested.
“I am bringing her something,” Endiku replied smugly. “I am taking her me.”
Eöl shook his head and responded. “You are begging to get your ears trimmed. Well, it is your funeral, but heed my warning, it doesn’t pay to be overconfident.”
“Ennacas could never keep her distance from me, even when she was a child, I can’t see that changing at this point.” Endiku grinned in memory. He remembered Ennacas at different stages of her life. The ribbons she had woven into his carefully combed hair. The way she liked to cuddle with him, when she sat on his knees. The snowball fights and sleigh rides. They had so much to catch up on for, like Eöl had pointed out, Ennacas was not a child anymore.
As for taking her a present, he doubted if there was anything that he had that would mean anything to Ennacas. When it came to how she might receive him back into her life, after not hearing a word from him in almost five hundred years, he was shooting arrows into the dark and he was not ashamed to admit it.
Endiku packed a small bag of clothing, grabbed his weapons and headed for the Great Guardian, to check on it one last time before he began his trip. He found the Talisman waiting for him.
“Endiku,” the Great Guardian began. “I am sending you with a message for Ennacas. Tell her I have a task for her, one that includes the will of every Great Guardian in the Elven Empire. I will tell her the details when she gets here. Tell her not to be tardy, for time is limited. The Demons will not make things easy when they find out what we are about to do and she will need help.”
“Every Great Guardian in the Elven Empire?” Endiku wondered.
“Do not ask questions, Endiku, just do as you have been told. Bring Ennacas to us as quickly as you can.” The Great Guardian returned.
Endiku wasn’t happy about being excluded from the secret, although he was sure that when Ennacas came, he would find out more about what she was expected to do. He wondered if Eöl would be able to figure out what was going on before then, or if he would even try. His brother was good at things like that.
After speaking to the Great Guardian, Endiku went to collect Eöl and to tell their father where they were going. He found his brother in the Library of the Ancients, translating one of the oldest scrolls he had ever seen. The moment Eöl noticed him, he put the manuscript aside, along with his notes, and rose to leave.
“What are you working on?” Endiku wondered.
“To be honest, I am not sure. I have only managed to translate half of what it says so far. I am having trouble with this script, it is different than the others, but I am slowly winning.” Eöl admitted.
“It looks even more ancient than the others,” Endiku noted.
“I found it lying on a small shelf of similar items in the middle of the forbidden section. I was able to touch it, which means it wasn’t spelled to protect whatever was inside, so I believe it might have been misplaced at one time. I couldn’t resist the urge to check it out.” Eöl confessed.
“Sounds about right for you. So what conclusions have you come up with?” Endiku asked.
“It is either a story relating to some Elf’s dream, or an ancient missive on bonding. They had some interesting ideas, but I haven’t gotten far enough in my translations to know how real it is.” Eöl admitted.
“Do you really think it could be a narration?” Endiku asked.
Eöl nodded, as they entered the room where Tári and Garoldth were planning out their next day. They said their farewells and left a few moments later. As they walked into the woods, Endiku asked.
“You wouldn’t have any idea what the Great Guardians could want from Ennacas, would you?”
“No, and before you push harder, I would say that if the Talismans wanted us to know, they would have told us. There are some things we are best not knowing.” Eöl admitted.
~~~~~~
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Song |
Champion |
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Be on the lookout for M.A. Abraham's future release(s): Earwen's Song coming Apr 2016, Into the Demons Lair coming Jun 2016, To Capture An Ancient coming Aug 2016, Hunter’s Challenge coming Oct 2016, Beyond the Myth coming Dec 2016 and Kings of the Empire coming Feb 2017
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