The Obsidian Throne
Michelle Soper
Copyright © 2020 Michelle Soper
All rights reserved.
The Obsidian Throne is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places,and incidents either arethe product of the author’s imaginationor are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover design:wyndagger
[email protected]
Author photo: Vixen Pin-upPhotography
vixenpinupphotography.com
First edition
www.michellesoper.rocks
Acknowledgements
I would like to sincerely thank my family for their continued and enthusiastic support, especially my husband Cam and our children Connor, Cade, and Collin. Cam, I appreciate the many, many hours you spent listening to me obsess over the daily lives of my characters. Now please finish your readthrough of the next one!
A big shout-out to my brother Brian Cohoon and his wife, Jeanine. I’m forever thankful for the happy dance you both did when we got the concept cover art.
Thanks to my other brother Bruce Cohoon and his wife, Kim. I couldn’t do it without all your encouragement! Love you guys!
Thank you to Jen Ramo for taking time out to help my first novel get the editorial attention it deserved! I promise to give you much more time next time, though I can’t make any promises about the nagging. ;)
A picture is worth a thousand words, or, in this case, more than 80,000. I was so fortunate to find a fantastic artist who is such a pleasure to work with, especially when I’m fretting in the middle of the night! A huge thank you to wyndagger.
To the lovely ladies at Vixen Pin-Up Photography, thank you so much for taking what is usually a stressful experience for me and making it fun!
Lastly, to all of the friends who gave me continuous words of encouragement along the way, I am hugely thankful. You are all simply the best!
For Connor, Cade, Collin, Steven, Phoebe, Evelyn, and Marcus.
Chapter 1
Nev intensely scanned the settlement in the valley below through her spyglass. As there were neither falls nor serenity to be found within its boundaries, Serenity Falls was a complete misnomer. That was true even before the seemingly unending rainy season, or the empire’s political trouble befell it. This settlement’s sorry state was a scene mirrored across Obsidia over the last three decades. The price for the lack of steady rule had been paid by the people and land.
Nev had been patiently waiting for dusk to draw near. The mandatory curfew at nightfall would make navigating the town unseen significantly easier. Dodging undue attention was a lesson she had learned well over her life. However, the cost of remaining unknown, unattached, and undetected had been high. Being constantly isolated and on edge left her with a heavy burden to bear alone. Peering up at the darkening sky, she breathed in deeply. She was desperate to wash the scars of her past from her thoughts. Nev let her mind focus on feeling each drop of rain land on her skin for several minutes before returning to the task of scanning the happenings below.
The spyglass pressed tightly to her eye yielded little useful information. The heavy rain made it difficult to make out much of any real detail. Still, she watched the inhabitants go about their business for many long minutes. She was searching intently for something, anything that would sway her from her current course of action.
With a heavy sigh, she lowered the spyglass and reflexively wiped the rain from her brow. For Nev, it felt like it had been raining for years. She found it fitting that the dark and gloomy weather reflected her current mood. It was, after all, the catalyst for the current situation she now found herself. Well, that and the arrow.
The thought caused her to shift uncomfortably on the rocky ledge overlooking the valley. She gingerly flexed her left arm as she extended the spyglass out over the ridge. Pain raced through the length of her arm. The intense discomfort, almost causing her grip to release the spyglass. She breathed in sharply and closed her eyes, unsuccessfully attempting to push back the pain. The wound she hadn’t let herself look at for the past two days had no doubt grown severely infected. She could tell by the smell, even though the wound remained hidden beneath her impromptu bandaging.
With her right hand, she secured the spyglass in her bag and pulled out a small glass vial with a cork stopper. She held it close to her face and squinted as she gently shook it and stared at the minuscule bits of dried, green plant material still clinging to the sides. She let out a defeated sigh and placed the vial back in her pack. Quick and quiet, she thought. Pulling her dark green cloak snug around her, she lifted its hood over her head and began her careful and purposeful descent.
Her anxiety built as she traveled the mile down the rocky embankment, moving closer to the settlement. It had been a prosperous trading town, but now was struggling to survive. The outskirts were surrounded by rocky cliffs on two sides, with the remaining lined by forests. A single, main road exited the settlement. It was a path Nev was careful to avoid. Just outside the town, Nev felt an energy coming from the amulet she always wore. Holding it close to her face, Nev examined it and saw a dim purple light was glowing from it. She’d only seen it behave that way once before, but she had been holding it and focusing on it at the time. Why it was suddenly glowing independently, Nev didn’t know, nor did she have time to ponder it for long. Tucking the amulet back under her shirt, Nev pushed herself to reach her destination swiftly.
She moved with a silent and focused determination through Serenity Fall’s twisting alleys. The marketplace would be at the heart of the settlement. Navigating its corridors left Nev feeling, as usual, uncomfortable with the thought of being around others. As she approached her destination, she felt like she was slowly being squeezed of breath. Instinctually, she scanned her environment for threats and escape paths. Unfortunately, there were far too many winding paths and obstructive corners for her liking.
With trepidation, she continued to travel through the settlement. She needed to be efficient in her movements, to prevent her nerves from getting the better of her. Nev was careful not to move too abruptly or swiftly, however, lest she draws the attention of the enforcers that likely dotted the settlement’s streets. With cautious haste, she reached the healer’s stall as dusk began its rapid approach.
Noticing a single guard stationed near the healer’s stall, Nev sighed heavily. The large man, wearing the recognizable armor of an enforcer, would definitely complicate matters. It was thick, metal, and encompassed almost every inch of his body except for his head. Due to her injury, Nev was in no state to deal with him directly. Being cautious and avoiding his focus would be her best strategy. Unfortunately, the enforcer had already noticed her approach.
The guard’s gaze intensified, assessing her meticulously as she neared the healer’s shop. Instinctually, she lowered her head downwards and pivoted slightly away from the enforcer’s gaze. Still, she could feel his steely glare burning through her hood. Building anxiety crept into her mind, and she felt as if it might consume her composure at any moment. Her breath quickened, and her hands trembled slightly as fearful thoughts raced through her mind.
Perhaps they had been expecting her. What if they had anticipated her injury would push her to seek treatment? They would have dispatched enforcers to the huts and stalls of every apothecary, alchemist, and village wise person this side of Obsidia. No. Remember what you were taught, she scolded herself under her breath. She closed her eyes for a brief moment to center herself. Gradually feeling her breathing slow, and her hands become still once more. In her mind, she recited the code she had been taught from the moment she could speak. Quieter, swifter, and cleverer is the predator than the
prey. Though I am hunted, I am no one’s prey.
With her mind and body again steadied, she approached the healer guardedly. The market was eerily quiet. The empire-wide curfew was approaching ever closer, descending upon the settlement with the darkness. Sensing the enforcer’s attention turn to a beggar that had unintentionally drawn his ire, Nev seized upon the moment of opportunity. Scanning the healer’s wares, she spotted the tiny vial that was her sole goal in this venture. With trepidation, she reached for the bottle and gasped softly when she felt the healer pounce on her left hand. Pain violently rushed through her arm as the force of his grasp yanked her shoulder forward. She was left reeling. Reflexively, she clenched her teeth tightly and attempted to force her agony to retreat enough for her to hide her discomfort, at least a little.
“Show me your mark, then you buy,” the healer ordered firmly, his voice full of disgust. Nev hesitated for a moment as the healer refused to relent, pulling her closer to him. His face scrunched up as he glared at her and whispered menacingly, “Raise your other sleeve, or I call that enforcer over here. Allowing an Unmarked to shop here will only bring hardship to my patients and family. Show me your mark. Show me you have been tested, and then I will consider selling my wares to you. Risk my livelihood, and I’ll see that you are drug off for testing today.”
He continued to glare at her with scorn. For a heartbeat, Nev cursed herself for thinking this venture would end any differently. With the next heartbeat, she stopped thinking and simply acted, driven purely by desperation. Allowing her instincts to take over as she suddenly produced a dagger with her right hand and drove it deep into the healer’s throat. His eyes flashed with hatred and then suddenly went dark. Nev snatched the tiny vial of herbs with her left hand and returned the dagger to her belt. Deftly she turned to leave down the alley, opposite the enforcer and now, unconscious beggar. After taking a few apprehensive steps, an older woman’s scream pierced through the air. The shriek was immediately followed by a thunderous voice barking orders. “You. Stop!” decreed the enforcer.
As the scream echoed down the alleyways, the few citizens not yet home began to scurry into their dwellings and locked their doors. Whatever ills were befalling someone, most people just wanted to avoid it. The emperor and his enforcers had a well-deserved reputation for being ruthless and uninterested in separating any potential innocents from a perceived threat. Anyone and everyone caught even slightly interfering with the official duty of the emperor would be met with swift and severe justice.
Nev, however, never turned to see if his order was directed at her. Nor did she have a nearby home to take shelter in. So, she kept moving farther into the alley, hoping against hope that it wasn’t meant for her. Any optimism Nev nurtured was quickly crushed when she heard the enforcer in full pursuit behind her. Her senses kicked into high gear as she ran down the alley, quickly scanning for potential escape routes.
The rain had caused the streets to become thick with mud, making the side streets inherently treacherous. The enforcer’s thick and cumbersome armor was intimidating and fierce in battle, but impractical for mud-slicked pursuit. He blew his whistle as he chased her, beckoning reinforcements to aid in his efforts.
Nev clung to the possibility that there was no more aid to be summoned or that they would arrive much too late to offer their assistance. As Nev rounded a corner, she almost tripped over a scrawny dog. It desperately scrambled into the shadows, no worse for wear. Nev, however, was not so fortunate. Having pivoted at only the last moment, she lost her footing in the slick mud and tripped. Her landing was hard and far from eloquent. Her left shoulder slammed into the wall of a small, decrepit shack.
The impact ignited white-hot pain that quickly engulfed her entire body. The tiny vial she had desperately clung to fell haphazardly from her hand and was immediately swallowed by the heavy mud. Nev’s eyes followed its descent for a moment, but her heart sank as she lost track of it. She tried to focus her mind as she had before to suppress the agony.
This time, however, the searing misery racking her body refused to be subdued. Despite her most valiant efforts to regain her footing and flee, Nev slumped to the ground, her senses muffled by the burning pain emanating from her shoulder. Stand! You are no one’s prey, she berated herself. While her words echoed in her head, she attempted to push herself onto her feet—one last time. The effort caused Nev to groan in agony, leaving her to rely on her willpower alone to get her feet back under her.
Even through her muted senses, she could hear the heavy footsteps of the enforcer growing closer, along with others scrambling in the background now as well. Perhaps the sounds were from unfortunate bystanders rushing for safety, or maybe his calls for reinforcements had been answered. Either way, they were a threat. She drew her dagger from her belt and tried to focus her mind. I will make you fight for every piece of me you take, she silently promised herself. Then she waited for her fate to finally ensnare her. The fate she’d been running and hiding from for her entire life.
A man had heard the scream originating from the marketplace as he headed towards home. Only moments earlier, he had collected his satchel from the dead drop. The man could hear his sister’s voice scolding him in his head. Don’t involve yourself. If I find out you did something stupid and got yourself hurt while I am not there, I will kill you! He was inclined to humor his sister tonight. Feeling exhausted, the thought of a warm and dry bed was more than a little appealing. I think I’ll let you have this one tonight, sis, he said as he continued on his way for a few moments.
Then he saw her. The woman was undoubtedly the focus, if not the cause, of the commotion in the market. She had, a moment before, rounded a corner and almost stepped right onto a poor dog that was in the wrong spot at the wrong time. The dog she’d managed to avoid but had crashed into a nearby home as a result. He expected her to pop back up instantly and to continue fleeing the scene. Instead, she slumped to the ground. She had certainly hit the wall hard, but it should not have been enough to incapacitate her in any way.
As he watched her struggle to stand back up, he heard the familiar sound of an enforcer coming down the alley towards them. The man also sensed something else, a menacing figure approaching from the side alley. If they were who he suspected, then they did not wear the intimidating and substantial armor of their compatriot but were even more dangerous.
Watching her struggle, he couldn’t help but be reminded of his sister. He’d often wished that he could have intervened or a kind stranger would have stepped in to help her, but neither had happened. He couldn’t let this woman be taken to suffer the same outcome—not when it was within his power to help her.
The man sprang into action and sprinted towards the struggling woman. She had managed to get back on her feet by the time he reached her, but it was clear she was still grappling with the effects of the impact. The apartment he was renting was only a few doors down from where she now stood, and he raced towards her. He stopped just a foot shy of her and only inches from her dagger, only realizing it was there a moment before he would’ve impaled himself upon it.
“I am no one’s prey,” Nev insisted. Her voice was sincere but strained by pain.
“Good to know,” the man responded with a small smile.
“I can kill the enforcer, and I can kill you,” she stressed, her voice saturated with desperation.
“I don’t doubt it. But we are not the only ones lingering near curfew,” the helpful bystander stated, before pausing a moment. “I’m almost certain there is a prowler, and they do not fall easily. We need to leave now. How about you lower the dagger and let me help you out of this mess?” the man proposed.
Nev sighed and stared at him for a moment. He was close to her in age and had sandy blonde hair that was matted down along his brow from the constant rain. Studying him quickly, she was instantly drawn to his amber eyes. She’d never seen eyes that color before, and she found herself staring at them longer than intended. Feeling suddenly uncomfortable, she lowe
red her gaze and dagger before nodding.
He quickly wrapped an arm around her and ushered her inside his apartment, which was fortunately very close by. Once inside, he gently set the woman down on a chair and turned to immediately lock the front door. An enforcer would have no difficulty breaking through the door. Still, an unlocked door after curfew would raise suspicion, and he was hoping their hasty withdrawal from the alley had gone unnoticed. Perhaps the enforcer would only check his front door and be satisfied enough to move on.
Nev’s eyes darted around the room. As she heard the door lock click into place, a shot of anxiety pierced her pain fogged mind. I have made a colossal mistake, she thought.
The man, with the most immediate danger briefly subdued, turned his attention to the woman from the alley.
Nev felt his eyes studying her. Before he could say anything, she blurted out, “I need to leave.”
He stared at her in disbelief and stated incredulously, “I thought all you hit was your shoulder out there. I guess hitting your head must have happened earlier.”
Nev shook her head in disagreement and looked at the ground and then to the door. “I appreciate what you did, but they will search the buildings once they realize I’m no longer outside. They will find me. I would rather meet my fate on my terms than theirs,” she stated softly.
Nev took in a long, slow breath before attempting to stand. She felt her legs wobble under her but not collapse. The toll of her exertion, fatigue, and injury were taking their toll on her. She moved towards the door and found herself surprised when her would-be rescuer refused to move from in front of it. “They’ll kill you—badly—for the aid you have already provided me. Look, you helped me when you had no reason to. Please let me repay you by helping you now,” she said quietly.
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