THE
ALLSEER
TRILOGY
KAITLYN
ROUHIER
The Allseer Trilogy
Copyright © 2019 by Kaitlyn Rouhier
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the publisher
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Printed in the United States of America
Kindle Edition
ASIN: B08353DPJK
CONTENTS
THE BONDED – BOOK I
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
CHAPTER 39
CHAPTER 40
THE CURSED – BOOK II
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
CHAPTER 39
THE FATED – BOOK III
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS – THE BONDED
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS – THE CURSED
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS – THE FATED
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
To the extraordinary league of writing motivators,
This is for you.
CHAPTER 1
The ritual was held in the Temple of Union, inside the vast hollowed heart of a glowing wraith wood tree. The tree itself jutted upwards, jagged spires reaching high into the heavens. The bark of the tree was a pale blue, the surface shining with a whisper of icy light.
The inside of the tree was an empty core that formed a circular chamber. The normal furnishings had been removed, save for a row of wraith wood chairs in a semi-circle at the back of the room. Robed council members sat quietly, waiting for the ritual to begin. They wore cloaks the color of the midnight sky, their faces hidden in shadow, but she could feel them watching. Candles formed a ring at the center of the room, warm light at war with the blue glow from the tree. It was in that ring of light that the girl sat, another Bondless at her side.
It was their sixteenth year in the cycle, and after years of waiting, the ritual was finally upon them. The girl reached up, tucking a lock of ashen hair behind her ear, and surveyed the boy sitting beside her. His dark eyes roamed the room, darting from place to place with the nervous energy of a frightened rabbit. He had a full face, a boyish chubbiness to his body that only a growth spurt could take away. His wavy brown hair was smoothed back, an unusual look for him from what the girl had seen.
He wore a robe that matched her own, dark blue with a silver sash tied around the waist, customary clothing for the Ritual of Union. They’d removed the dark leather boots they’d been wearing before entering the chamber, and the girl wiggled her toes, happy to be free of them. She tugged impatiently at a loose thread poking out of her robes, thoughts wandering. How many Bondless wore these robes before me?
Once the ritual was complete, she’d no longer be Bondless. Over the course of their youth, the Council had watched them closely. They’d picked apart their personalities, studied their interests, and dissected every action they’d taken. It was with that information that they chose one boy and one girl to bond together. After the process, the two would cease to be apart. Their thoughts, minds, and hearts would meld. She’d heard so many stories of what being bonded entailed that it was hard to pick out the truth from fiction, but she would know soon enough. It was meant to be an honor with no equal, the greatest gift a Bondless could be given. Such a bond would grant them the strength to the face the Darkness lurking outside the walls of Sanctuary.
She’d known her entire life that it would come to such a moment, that someday she would become Bonded. As she’d grown older, she’d watched the boys in the brief moments they were allowed contact and wondered which of them the Council would see fit to pair her with. Over the years, that curiosity had changed. The allure of being permanently bound to someone had lost its shiny luster.
Now the thought frightened her. To fully give her mind and heart to another wasn’t something she could even fathom. The women that had raised her, with their vacant eyes and hollow words, had tried to allay her concerns, to convince her that it wouldn’t be as terrible as she thought, but she’d always had the inkling they’d been lying to her. She cast another glance to the boy at her side and studied him with a dissatisfied frown.
If it had been anyone else, she might have been slightly more interested in the ritual, but they’d chosen to bond her with him. Weak willed and pliable, he’d always been the kid running to tell the mentors when someone did something wrong. He was just so obedient, the cherished Bondless that the mentors hoped they’d all aspire to be. It grated on her nerves that he didn’t seem to po
ssess an opinion of his own. How he could simply follow their orders without ever questioning why was beyond her.
The ritual did have some benefits, the best of which involved finally receiving a name. Throughout her youth, she’d always been referred to as the Bondless, or simply called ‘Child.’ During the Ritual of Union, they’d be given a permanent name. She’d finally have an identity of her own, something that belonged to her and her alone.
A soft rustling caught her attention and she glanced up, surprised to find herself staring at the Union Master. The man had always been an enigma. She knew he commanded the lands of Sanctuary, keepings its citizens safe from the Darkness that threatened them from beyond. Along with the Council, he made the rules and kept the peace. Until their time of union, the Bondless rarely saw him.
He was older than she remembered. His thinning hair had faded to a dull gray, and he had a sharp, weathered face that looked like it had been carved from rock. He wore similar robes; dark blue with a silver sash. They hung loose on his lanky body, swirling about his feet as he approached. He regarded them with hawkish eyes, lips drawn into a tight line. His cold expression made her nervous, and she exchanged a weary glance with the boy that would become her bond mate.
With a silent gesture, the Union Master commanded them to rise. They stood and, just as they’d been taught, knelt on one knee and bowed their heads with respect. “Good,” the Union Master said. “You may rise. I welcome you both. It is good to see you here today. You may not remember me, but I am the Union Master. No doubt you’ve seen me throughout the years, but now I may properly introduce myself. From this point on, you may refer to me as Master Nyson.”
“Yes, Master Nyson,” the girl and boy said in unison.
“Ah, such manners,” Nyson said, his gravelly voice taking on an edge of approval. “You come before me today, two Bondless ones ready to take the next step in your journey. As you know, the Council has watched you closely over the years. They have seen your desires, watched your actions, and studied your choices. We are all amazed how you’ve grown over the years. We are honored to guide you through this process. Shall we begin?”
The girl nodded, her stomach twisting as she thought of what would follow. She kept her expression passive. The last thing she needed was the boy next to her thinking she was as frightened as he looked. He shuffled from foot to foot, wringing his hands together and looking anywhere but at Nyson.
From the shadows, two men emerged. At first glance, the girl thought she was seeing double. It wasn’t just their robes that matched, the men were identical in every way. Tall and lean, they were both dreadfully pale, chin length white hair making them look like ghosts hovering at the edge of the candlelight. They bowed respectfully to Master Nyson, then took up a seat opposite the girl and boy. They each held a bag, and from these they produced several vials filled with dark liquid, parchment, ink, quills, and a strange contraption with a needle-sharp point. This was all done in silence, the strange men mirroring each other’s movements without even glancing at each other. They hardly seemed to be separate people at all, so precise and perfect were their mirrored actions.
The girl watched, fascinated by the way they moved.
“This is what it is to be Bonded,” Nyson said. “You’ll know the thoughts and feelings of another so deeply, you could mirror their movements without even looking at them.”
We’ll share our thoughts, the girl lamented. She glanced at the round-faced boy again and silently cursed her luck. She didn’t want to be Bonded, not to him or to anyone. It wasn’t her choice though, and it never would be. Just like everything else in her life, who she’d spend her life with was being decided for her.
She caught Nyson staring at her, frowning as he studied her face. “Something bothering you, girl?”
“No, of course not, Master,” she said swiftly, shifting her features to something more agreeable. “My thoughts merely strayed.”
He nodded, holding her gaze a moment longer before he continued. “Let us continue the ritual. You both know the importance of this. This bond that you are to be gifted is unlike anything you’ve yet experienced. To succeed, you must treat your bond, and each other, with the utmost respect. If you can do that, you will flourish, but first you’ll need a name. Sit, both of you.”
The girl’s heart fluttered at the mention of receiving her name. She sat down opposite one of the white-haired men, watching as he smoothed a piece of parchment between them and arranged a bottle of ink to be within easy reach. He picked up a quill and dipped it in the ink, then waited for Nyson to continue.
The Union Master turned his eyes back on the girl and she met his gaze. She forced herself to remain still, hands interlocked in her lap, nails digging into her skin as she tried to keep herself calm. “It took some time picking out a name for you, Child,” Nyson began. “Through your youth, you’ve shown that you are spirited and intelligent. Your kindness and bravery are commendable traits, and it is these qualities we smiled upon when we thought of who to bond you with. Your strength compliments him greatly and will bring happiness and stability to you both.”
The girl smiled as she listened, nodding in agreement as he listed off her more redeeming qualities.
“One cannot just be made of good qualities, however,” he said, and the words wiped her face clean of her smile, unease settling into her bones. “Be mindful of the doubt that plagues you, girl. We’ve seen it too much over the years and we do not wish to see it lead you astray. You are curious about your new life, and rightfully so, but curiosity tends to lead to trouble. Be thankful for this life and never cast doubt upon it. In this, your bond mate will help you. His dedication will reveal to you the value of devoting yourself to this process.”
“Yes, Master Nyson. Thank you,” the girl muttered, bowing her head. She bit back her frustration, glaring at the ground as she lowered her head. Her cheeks burned and she was grateful for the dim light masking her embarrassment.
“Are you ready to hear your name?”
“Yes.” The girl found it hard to breathe, anticipation burdening her lungs like a thick cloud of noxious gas.
“From this day forth, you will take the name Kirheen. It speaks of strength and elegance, a perfect match for an intelligent beauty such as yourself.”
Kirheen. She whispered the name, let it slip off her tongue, and reveled in the power of it. She finally had an identity, something she could claim as her own. Raising her head, she smiled at the Union Master before turning her attention to the silent man before her. He worked carefully, deftly scrawling her name on the slip of parchment between them. He turned it towards her so she could see, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Nodding her approval, she set to memorizing the lines, the careful swirls of ink that formed her name. The boy, still without a name, leaned close and whispered, “Congratulations. It’s a beautiful name.” He touched her gently on the arm, an action that would have irritated her moments before, but she was too elated to care.
Nyson called for his attention. He turned away from her quickly, dark eyes shifting to look at the Union Master. “Ah, you’re a dedicated one, boy. You’re steadfast and loyal, always putting others before yourself. You’ve a firm love of life and see good in all things. However, you’re also doubtful of yourself. You are nervous and uncertain, lacking the strength of will to realize you are worth more than you give yourself credit for. In this, Kirheen will guide you. Her strength of character will fuel your inner fire, showing you how to be courageous and confident.” Master Nyson paused, giving the boy a reassuring nod. “You’ll grow to be a fine man, but first you need a name. Are you ready?”
The boy said nothing, merely nodded his head. She heard him suck in a breath and hold it, eyes wide as he waited anxiously to hear his name.
“From this day forth, you will take the name Garild. It speaks of dedication and kindness, but also of a strength and confidence you will develop in the coming years.”
“Thank you,
Master Nyson,” the boy said, bowing his head. If he was pleased with his name, he didn’t show it. Instead, he watched closely as the man in front of him wrote his name, eyes trailing the quill as it danced across the paper.
Leaning over, Kirheen nudged him. “Nice name,” she smiled. “It suits you.”
“T-thank you,” Garild stammered. He turned away from her, but she didn’t miss the blush creeping across his cheeks.
“Kirheen, Garild. You’ve been given names, but you are still without a symbol. I’ve personally chosen one for you. As I’m sure you’ve learned by now, your symbol is meant to represent two things found in the world that are unified. It is meant to represent a powerful bond, one that you will soon develop. Your symbol is unique and special. Unlike your names, it represents you both. Never bring shame to your symbol, to your bond. Do you understand this?”
“Yes, Master Nyson,” they replied.
“Good. You must always remember what it means. It is of utmost importance. For your symbol, I have picked for you the sun and the stars. It is a subtle symbol, but it holds much strength.”
The next part of the ritual was something Kirheen was both curious and terrified of. They’d explained it to her time and time again, that the symbol would be etched into her skin and that the process itself would be quite painful. Even knowing that, it wasn’t the process itself that scared her, it was the permanence of it. The symbol would never come off. It would be in her skin forever, a permanent reminder of a bond she did not desire, a reminder that her life and her mind were no longer her own.
The silent twins set to work, drawing the symbol beneath their names. It was of a sun, a crescent moon and stars hiding in its embrace.
“This final part of the ritual is not without discomfort,” Nyson explained. “It is through this pain that your bond will grow stronger. You’ll carry your symbol with you always.” The Union Master pulled back his right sleeve and flipped over his arm, exposing his wrist. His symbol was of an elegant fish, blue and silver scales flashing as it leapt from a pool of water.
“It’s beautiful,” Kirheen remarked. She wanted to move closer, to see the design up close. The only thing keeping her rooted in place, other than humiliating the whole Council, was knowing she’d have her own symbol to gawk over soon enough.
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