With that, she led the way back to the wagon with the others close behind. They approached as Cole and Eloc were jogging out from a line of trees. The only evidence remaining from their fight was a crimson stain on the gravel.
“What should we do with the bodies still inside the shop?” Leal asked.
“Leave them. The Senka will know we were here whether we bury them or not,” Raysel said. His voice was ragged with restrained anger. “Let his loyal subject deal with them.”
Having left the horses’ saddles and bridles on, they were readied to depart with lightning speed. Nerissa mounted Alba and gripped the reins tightly to keep them from shaking. What were they going to do about the book Casimer now had in his possession? What if they had now lost a key section of the prophecy? And what if he got to the sixth book before they did?
Rian rode up beside her and held out a canteen of water. “Take a drink. You’ll feel better.” His blue eyes were fierce, determined. “We’re all thinking the same thing, but don’t worry. We’ll find the last book before Casimer does, no matter what.”
He looked around to see if anyone else was paying attention to them, and then he leaned over in the saddle and added in a whisper, “My Phoenix.”
List of Characters
May contain some spoilers
Nerissa's Family and Friends
Addy—Pan’s wife
Charis—Nerissa’s best friend
Dallin—Childhood friend of Nerissa
Nerissa–Heiress of Chiyo
Pan—Baker in Niamh
Parlen—Nerissa's father, Bond of Chiyo
Rica—Nerissa's mother, Blood of Chiyo
Tao—Nerissa's mentor, teacher, researcher of crystals and their uses
Casimer's family
Amon—Casimer’s nephew
Casimer—King of Marise
Echidna—Queen of Marise
Ladon—Prince of Marise
Ohanzee
Alala—Senka defector that takes refuge in Darnal, friend of Caelan
Aravind—Daughter of Haku and Ebba, apprentice blacksmith
Beadurinc—Personal guardian of Parlen and Rica
Caelan—Senka defector that takes refuge in Darnal, Rian's mother, teacher
Caeneus—Mysterious young man brought to Darnal by Einar
Cattleya—Daughter of Haku and Ebba, jewelry designer
Cole—Disguise specialist, twin of Eloc
Ebba—Wife of Haku, blacksmith
Einar—Nerissa’s archery instructor, Chief Guardian
Eloc—Disguise specialist, twin of Cole
Gerda—Wife of Hania
Haku—Chief Preceptor
Hania—Chief Advisor
Harbin—Personal guardian of Parlen and Rica
Ildiko—Wife of Einar, practitioner of medicine
Jarold—Swordsman and hand-to-hand combat specialist
Leal—Swordsman
Raysel—Son of Haku and Ebba, First Swordsman of the Ohanzee, Nerissa's personal guardian
Rian—Swordsman, Raysel’s best friend
Valter—Personal guardian of Parlen and Rica
Senka
Nils—Chief of the Senka
Others
Akkub—Governor of Silvus
Alden—Governor of Rhea
Argia—Prophetess during the time of King Gared
Barr—Friend of Alden’s great-grandfather, rumored to be over 300 years old
Darci—Daughter of Akkub
Desta—Daughter of Shae
Erik—Village messenger, Ohanzee agent
King Gared—First King of Renatus, united the land after the Fall of Civilization
Gladys—Wife of Erik
Gullintanni—Secret group that defends Renatus under orders of King Gared
Luca—Valen’s mentor
Matin—Zada’s son, Barr’s protégé
Shae—Prophetess, extractor of plant oils
Valen—Argia’s guide
Zada—Barr’s caretaker
Lands and Towns
Ameles—Tributary of the Yoshie River forming the extreme eastern border of Rhea
Chiyo—Country ruled by Rica and Parlen
Darnal—Hidden city of the Ohanzee
Kisoji—Village in the Northern Mountains near the border between Marise and Rhea
Marise—Country ruled by Casimer and Echidna
Maze—City in Marise with network of underground canals
Niamh—Capital of Chiyo
Nyx—Capital of Marise
Renatus—Name encompassing all the lands of the world
Rhea—Capital city of the mountain province of Rhea
Silvus—Capital city of the province of Silvus
Warren—City in Marise where a large print shop is located
Yoshie River—River that forms the southern and eastern borders of Rhea
The Prophecy
May contain spoilers
Section 1:
One day Renatus will be divided into two nations, each equal, but opposite. In the days of this new world, the Destroyer of Peace will assume power. His ambition is to guide the future of the entire land. That fate belongs not to him, but instead to the One that will finish the work that King Gared started.
The Destroyer is a creator by nature, and he fosters prosperity with his skill and vision. His ambition grows to consume him and blinds him to the betrayal perpetrated by those he trusts most. The Destroyer will slay the Peaceful Ruler and claim her throne. In doing so, he will set the events in motion that will ultimately result in both kingdoms becoming nothing more than a memory.
The Destroyer will fulfill his wish to rule Renatus, and even the memory of the Peaceful Ruler will be erased. But there is still One who can alter the course of the future. That person, the One who is no more, the One who has become another, the One who was seen before, the Reflection, will appear from the shadows.
Section 2:
The will of the Reflection is the catalyst that guides the fate of the reborn land. They will not seek revenge, but will instead seek to take back the stolen throne. Though the Reflection does not know it, they were born with the power needed to suspend the Destroyer’s actions.
All the while, a Traitor toils unnoticed under the Destroyer’s command. The Destroyer will be too caught up pursuing his ambitions to recognize the approaching danger, and no guardian’s sword will shield him from it. The Traitor will raise the dead, and they will walk, recognized yet unrecognized, amongst the living.
Section 3:
Sickness will spread in the streets of the Destroyer. Both a curse and a blessing, the Destroyer’s modern cures will fail to save the ill. An ancient remedy for fluid in the lungs and fever will succeed where the modern one fails.
To be rid of the walking dead, the heirloom hidden among the leaves must be saved. Combine that which sparks from the flames in the forest with the artifice from the mountain city. He who governs the mountains is a true ally, but beware of the spirit that protects the book hidden in the cave.
Section 4:
Deep in the caves, the inborn talent of the Reflection will draw a spark from the Heart of Fire that will ultimately return an ancient power to the world.
They will journey through the ruins in the mountains to the place where time stands still. Here, the lost suspension technique is still remembered. The Reflection will confront the Destroyer using this technique in order to retake the throne without staining their own hands with blood.
Section 5:
The attempt is ill-fated, however. Entering the presence of the Destroyer will put the Reflection in grave peril, and he will spill their blood a second time.
The Destroyer’s reign will be brought to an end by one who bears the dragon’s mark, but the sword that pierces his heart will not be wielded in malice. In his absence, the Revenant will seize the empty throne.
Section 6:
Not yet found.
About the Author
Rachel R. Smith lives near Cincinnati,
Ohio with her husband and the cutest dog in the world, Sumo. When not writing, she plots to fill the interior of their home with books and mineral specimens and to cover the exterior with roses. Stay up to date on the series and learn more about Rachel by visiting her blog (www.recordsoftheohanzee.com) or by following her on Facebook (RecordsOfTheOhanzee), Twitter (@RRSmithAuthor), and Instagram (@rachel_r._smith).
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