by K T Munson
The Gate Guardian’s Daughter
Prequel to The Gate Trilogy
By K.T. Munson
ISBN 978-1546506041
Copyright © K.T. Munson 2017
2nd Edition
The right of K.T. Munson to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the writer. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
Cover art by Asahi Art
Edited by Tanya Egan Gibson.
Chapter 1: Planet of Ashlad
F rom her perch in the lush green tree, Elisabeth looked over the outer stone wall that surrounded her family’s property. The sounds of children yelling in the street as they played with a small leather ball filled her ears. She loved to watch all the activity and pretend she was with them. As she hid from the heat of the summer sun in her favorite place in her new home, she swung her legs back and forth, the tip of her toe scraping against the top of the barrier. At the base of the tree, a Netherhound named Duke slept soundly. She peered down and smiled at his sweet, fox-like face. His twin, Nathan, was somewhere else on the sprawling property.
The great house sat back from the road—far too much space for four people and two dogs as far as Elisabeth was concerned. Her papa, Malthael, was the Gate Guardian for Ashlad, a position that Elisabeth understood was very important and had been the reason they’d had to leave their home in the south. But that didn’t mean she had to like it. It wasn’t as though she’d had any friends there either, but at least she’d liked their secluded house on the seaside. Just thinking of Asilla made her miss that peaceful beach home.
She didn’t have any friends and didn’t try to play with the children she was observing because she was a very dangerous young girl — or at least that is what Malthael told her. It wasn’t as though she’d ever hurt anyone. But Malthael insisted that she could and should, therefore, be kept away from people until she was older. Elisabeth didn’t like it, but she loved her papa and didn’t want to make him angry.
“Elisabeth!” her tutor, Milo, called.
Sighing, she leaned forward as he strode across the grounds, searching for her. Milo’s black hair had been smoothed back multiple times in irritation, no doubt at her tardiness. Duke sat up, his ears primed forward as he listened to Milo beckoning for her to return. Lifting her legs up into the safety of the trees boughs, she decided she wasn’t ready to return to her studies. Duke’s deadly triple bladed tail shifted away from his boar-shaped body. Elisabeth eyed the nick in his ram-like horns and wondered for the hundredth time how it had happened.
“Elisabeth!” Milo yelled louder, catching the attention of the children beyond the wall.
Duke vanished. She wondered where he went when he disappeared like that—to another dimension or even the Netherworld? The children scattered, screeching about a monster in the mansion.
Elisabeth giggled because they were so wrong. There were three demons living in the mansion and two Netherhounds, but no monsters!
“Hello?” a voice called out from the other side of the wall.
Elisabeth froze. She heard grunting, and an instant later, a head popped over the top. A young boy with filthy brown hair smiled at her. One of his front teeth was missing. Elisabeth stared, her mouth ajar; she’d never talked to someone her own age without Malthael or Milo present. Elisabeth hesitantly smiled back.
“Hi,” Elisabeth managed, despite the lump in her throat.
This is against Malthael’s rules, she thought. Another part of her mind whispered, But only if he finds out.
“What’s your name?” the boy asked.
She hesitated a moment. “Elisabeth. What’s yours?”
“Liam.” He grinned at her again as he crossed his arms on the thick top of the wall. “Want to come play?”
“Elisabeth!” Milo called again, closer this time. They both looked in his direction.
“I can’t,” Elisabeth replied. “I have to go back to my studies.”
“Tomorrow?” he asked.
Elisabeth nodded. “Maybe.”
With that, the boy dropped down and was gone. Not long later, Milo and Duke appeared. Milo, hands on his hips, looked up at her. Duke averted his eyes.
“Traitor,” Elisabeth whispered to the Netherhound, but she wasn’t really mad.
“Come on down,” Milo said tapping his foot. “We have work to do.”
The next day, Elisabeth climbed the tree and waited. No children came, and for a while she worried that Liam wouldn’t come either. She crushed a leaf under her foot and worried it back and forth as she waited. Just as her break was almost over, Elisabeth heard something. Excited, she leaned forward.
His head popped up a moment later. “Hi.”
She smiled. “Hello, Liam.” Sliding off the branch she knelt down across from him.
“My mom made me run an errand,” Liam said.
Elisabeth straightened the creases in her purple dress. “I was worried you weren’t coming.”
“Why?” Liam asked as he sat down and crossed his legs.
“People are afraid of this house,” Elisabeth replied.
“I’m not afraid of nothin’.” He puffed up his chest in pride.
Elisabeth glanced back toward the house and wondered if he’d feel the same after he met her family. She looked normal—even Milo could look normal—but Tiss and Malthael could not. Well, Tiss could, but for some reason she didn’t like to. And regardless of how they looked, they were all demons.
“I didn’t know any one my age lived here,” Liam said, glancing toward the big house as well.
“We’ve only been here a few weeks.”
“At least you don’t have to go to school right away,” he replied. “I hate school.”
Picking at a string on her dress, Elisabeth vacillated. “I have a private tutor,” she finally said.
“Your family rich?” he asked and looked interested.
“My papa recently got a new”—Elisabeth struggled to find a good word—“business.”
Liam nodded. “My dad started working at the mill. Now we get meat three times a week. As long as the butcher has good meat that is.”
Elisabeth considered his words. “Is that hard? Only eating three times a week?”
Liam laughed. “Oh, we eat the other days. Just not meat. Although sometimes there is enough left over for a stew. My mama makes a good stew.”
“Is it nice having a mama?” Elisabeth asked carefully.
“You don’t have a mama?”
Elisabeth shook her head. “She is dead. I only have Papa.” Even if Malthael isn’t my real father, she added silently.
“That’s awful!” Liam patted her arm, which comforted her.
They continued to talk and tell stories. Elisabeth had to be careful with her stories, though, because she knew normal people weren’t supposed to know. She made him promise to never set foot on the grounds. Liam didn’t seem interested, and Elisabeth knew it had something to do with the gate. It seemed to repel mortals. Even if Liam was special and seemed nice, she knew he wouldn’t understand.
The next day Elisabeth returned at the same time. As she went to climb the tree, she saw Liam already sitting on the wall. He was playing with something, a toy Elisabeth had never seen. She scaled the tree. The lush plant growth aided her ascent. She teetered across the branch befor
e she stood just behind him on the crest of the wall.
“What is it?” she asked, glancing over his shoulder.
His body jerked. “You shouldn’t sneak up on people,” he told her, glaring.
“You should pay more attention,” Elisabeth responded. “My papa says you should be ready for every moment.”
“That seems exhausting,” the boy said before returning to the polished wooden box.
“What is it?” Elisabeth repeated. She knelt on the wall next to him, tucking her navy dress under her knees.
He held it up and turned it over. “A puzzle box.”
“Can I try?” Elisabeth asked.
“Why not?” he said, handing it over.
She looked at it. Liam had been able to slide a few sections, but the box still wouldn’t budge. Elisabeth’s fingers moved across the surface of the box as she tried shifting sections one way and then another. After a few tries, one piece finally gave.
“I did it!” Elisabeth said excitedly.
“There are twenty-two moves to unlock it,” Liam sighed. “There are still twelve left.”
“Can I keep trying?” Elisabeth asked.
He shrugged. “Sure, why not?” Liam stretched out in the summer sun before cupping his hands behind his head.
“What’s inside?” she asked him as she continued to work at the box.
“Something from my father,” Liam whispered.
A few minutes later, Elisabeth was able to get another piece to move. She turned to Liam, eager to show him her progress, but was startled to find him asleep. She continued to work on the box until there were only a few moves left.
“Elisabeth!” she heard Milo call out.
Not wanting to ruin Liam’s fun or wake him up from his nap, she set the box next to him and skipped back to her studies.
Chapter 2
M althael frowned at the little man and the spinning hat. “What do you want?” he growled.
Standing twice the height of the three-and-a-half-foot messenger, Malthael glared menacingly. If the Det Mor Clan sent a messenger, it could be nothing good. The lesser demon looked more perturbed than scared—as an extension of the King of Morhaven, the messenger was protected by him. Being a reformed high demon, Malthael knew the ins and outs of the Divine Court.
“For you,” the messenger said, thrusting an envelope at him.
He snatched it out of the messenger’s fingers, and the lesser demon walked back through the gate. Malthael reached for the multi-starred dial and returned it to the hunter green colored stone that matched the marble of his gate. Except for the ceiling, which was covered in glowing mushrooms, the entire room in which he stood was also made of green marble. When the gate’s light ended, he was temporarily plunged into darkness. Seething, he made his way out of the chamber and up to his study. The hidden stone slab swung open, and he stepped into the only room in the house that felt like home. The heat from the eternal fire in the fireplace made the room sweltering. Exactly how Malthael liked it.
He tore open the envelope as he strode to the fireside. He read the letter once before tossing it in the fire. With a heavy sigh he thought over the words. They were sending an emissary—an ambassador by the name of Zod. Malthael knew their kind and that this ambassador could only add another foothold.
Later, when the Gate Guardians met, Malthael could discuss it with them. No doubt Meredith of Tym Resh would be displeased. He wondered if Brandon in Hystera would threaten the Det Mor Clan again. That could be amusing. Young Stella of Oran would no doubt remain as stoic as always. He had no idea how Yennifer would respond in Lyreane. She was always a hard one to read. All in all, he and Meredith would fight for everyone to keep a level head.
“Papa?” Elisabeth said as she stuck her head around the door. “Are you coming to breakfast?”
“Of course, Elsa.” Malthael crossed the room and followed his adoptive daughter through the door.
She took his hand and they walked together. His black skin with its flecks of gold was a stark contrast to her pale skin and blond hair—one highlighted by the pale purple dress she wore with a matching ribbon in her hair. As he listened to the clip-clop of his hooves on the marble floor, he resisted the urge to touch his broken horns. When they entered the dining hall, Elisabeth ran to her seat, practically jumping into it. Shaking his head, he went straight to his seat as well.
Milo entered a moment later with Tiss, the snake demon, slithering in behind him, bringing in the last of the food for breakfast. He watched Elisabeth stretch her body up to see what they were carrying. Apparently pleased to see fruit and croissants, she settled back down. Smirking, Malthael picked up the paper and began to read, although his mind was still on the letter and its edict.
“You forgot the jelly,” Milo said to Tiss before exiting the dining room.
Almost the instant he was through the door Elisabeth announced, “I’m done!” She jumped up.
“No slipping out of studies today, young lady,” Tiss said with a maternal tone. “Milo has been quite vexed.”
“You’ve been neglecting your studies?” Malthael asked, looking up and noticing that Tiss’s humanoid upper half was particularly well dressed that morning.
Elisabeth’s blue eyes darted between Tiss and Malthael. “I’ve only been taking longer breaks outside. Milo just likes timeliness.”
“It is summertime.” Malthael shrugged, remembering children of the planet dwellers. Elisabeth hadn’t been able to play with them because of what might happen but that didn’t mean she had to remain confined even in the warmer months. “Go off and play, and I’ll deal with Milo.”
“Malthael,” Tiss censured as Elisabeth bolted from the room, “Her studies are important.”
“It is my understanding that the planet dwellers break from school during the summer,” Malthael said, taking a sip of tea and turning the page on his paper. “She will need to blend in with them eventually.”
He considered the issue closed, but apparently Tiss did not. “She needs to be ready for more than that, and you know it.”
Milo walked in, jelly in hand, and returned to his seat. “Where is Elisabeth?” he asked.
“Taking the afternoon to be a planet dweller,” Malthael replied without looking up.
Tiss harrumphed before leaving the room with her plate in her hand. Malthael raised an eyebrow as her long serpentine tail followed her from the room. His tail swished back and forth once in confusion before he set his tea down without taking a sip.
“What was that about?” he asked Milo.
Milo spread jelly on his croissant. “I won’t even pretend to have any knowledge of how a female’s mind works.” He glanced at Elisabeth’s seat. “No matter her size.”
Chapter 3
F or the last week, Elisabeth had snuck out whenever she could to meet Liam. She’d never had a friend before, and the prospect was thrilling. After years of seeing other people her age bond, Elisabeth wanted just one friend for herself. It wasn’t that she didn’t love Tiss or Milo—she did—but they weren’t interested in playing with her.
“Why don’t we play a game?” Liam asked, as he lay on his back on the wall.
Elisabeth looked up from the book she was reading to him. “What kind of game?”
“Hide and seek,” Liam said, going up on his elbows to see her better. “I’m the best seeker on Holly Street.”
Elisabeth bit her lip. She wasn’t supposed to leave. It was one thing to have a friend and quite another to leave the safety of her home. Even in their original home, Asilla, she had never left without Milo accompanying her.
She heaved a sigh. “I can’t.”
“Why not?” Liam demanded, “I want you to come and play. We never leave this place. You won’t let me in, and you won’t come out. I don’t know why we are even friends!”
Elisabeth had never seen Liam like that—she was dumbfounded. Tears spilled over her cheeks and plopped onto the book in her lap. The ink ran as she sniffled and cried. Af
ter she regained her composure, she returned to the house and went to bed without dinner that night. Though Tess tried to get Elisabeth to tell her what was wrong, the snake demon couldn’t pry a peep out of her. They both went to bed angry, and Malthael and Milo were left scratching their heads once more.
Despite her heavy heart, she returned to the wall the next day at their regular time. As she kicked at the grass, disheartened, it took her a moment to realize that Liam was there, standing on the wall beyond the safety of the tree’s shade. Surprised and startled, she rushed toward him, worried that Malthael or Milo would see him.
“Move back,” Elisabeth called as loud as she dared while waving her arms.
Liam saw her and waved. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come.”
Elisabeth started to climb as Liam moved back behind the tree. When she started across the branch that led to the wall, he helped her across. She was both elated and angry at him.
“Why were you so mean?” she demanded.
Liam sighed as he sat down with his legs crossed. “I’m sorry. My father was laid off.” He sagged forward. “He was drinking again.”
“Are you all right?” Elisabeth asked, feeling her earlier anger slip away.
“I’m hungry, the money is running out, and I don’t know what we’re going to do. The longer this goes on, the more my dad drinks,” Liam said with a strained smile. “I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”
Elisabeth touched his arm. “I’m sorry. That must be very hard.”
“I’ll likely have to work at a factory to help, so I won’t be able to come anymore.” Liam patted her hand, his face morose.
Crestfallen, Elisabeth felt tears fill her eyes. Until she remembered, “I have money.”
He looked up at that. “I can’t take your money,” he insisted. “We’re friends.”
“We don’t need it as badly as you do,” Elisabeth replied eagerly. “We are friends and friends help each other.”
