The attending druids carefully gathered up the cloths and bowls as Alisher turned away. His people parted as he strode towards Adam.
Kane tensed under the scrutiny of Alisher’s cold eyes, but he didn’t look away.
“You were successful then?” Adam spoke first.
“Yes.” Alisher’s voice filled with weary triumph. “The Baron’s blood has been purified. Deronis’s servant has been able to taste the connection between him and the Seer. He will be able to hunt when we are ready to call him forth. He will use the bond to take the Seer. But we cannot do it here. We need a sacred place—somewhere powerful enough to help him bridge the gap in the worlds.”
Kane clenched his fist tighter around the knife handle. He was far from being even a decent man, but the last few minutes in the room had sent unease tossing through him like a ship in a storm.
“You have a place in mind?” Adam asked.
Alisher nodded. “It only needs to be purified.”
“Good. You might need to wait for a few days until we find and kill the Cairns,” Adam said. “Kane assures me that they will retrieve the Baron for you.”
A bit of fear flickered in Alisher’s eyes. “No, just kill him. We have enough of his blood to move on the Seer. But while the Baron is still alive, the Seer still has some protection. The Baron must die.”
Adam turned to Kane, and jerked his hand toward the door.
“With pleasure.” Kane tilted his head, but he didn’t quite mean the words.
“When will you take the Seer?”
“Soon. Very soon.” The fear faded from Alisher’s eyes to be replaced by glittering anticipation. “We have all that we need.”
Coming Soon
BLOOD
OF THE SEER
The Dragon Keep Chronicles
Book Two
Glossary
The Seven Northern Clans
The Clans reside in the northeast corner of Alsaya where the Cardic Mountains curve to the west. The Clans have long been their own independent ruling body, but they have sworn allegiance to the Seabright Kings for generations. A Chieftain is elected every five years from among the clan lairds in order to have a higher authority over the lairds.
Each Clan has their own land and territory but are known to intermingle among other Clans. If intermarriage happens between members of different Clans, the wife typically takes the Clan name of her husband as in the case of Sarah MacDuffy.
Clan MacDuffy
MacDuffys look after their own.
Plaid: Blue and yellow
Typically known for producing the best warriors among the Clans along with Clan MacMorna.
- Brogan MacDuffy - current laird of the clan, and chieftain of the clans during the Sea Wars.
- Dermot (DUR-MUHT) MacDuffy - one of Brogan’s Talam’s (stewards) and father to Sean and Rhys
- Sean MacDuffy - Seer of Clan MacDuffy and brother to Rhys MacDuffy
- Rhys (REES) MacDuffy - older brother to Sean MacDuffy. Now known as the Mountain Baron.
- Alan MacDuffy - nephew of Laird Brogan
MacTavish
MacTavishes weather any storm.
Plaid: Red and blue
Typically known for producing the best politicians of the Clans.
- Cormac MacTavish - current Chieftain of the clans
MacLarrah
MacLarrahs ride the winds
Plaid: Purple and yellow
Predominantly raise horses and serve as the message riders for the Clans.
MacGaffrey
MacGaffrey’s bonds weave strong.
Plaid: Green and red
Predominantly textile based, and provide the cloth for the clan tartans
- Sarah MacGaffrey - wife of Sean MacDuffy
MacMarran
MacMarran’s roots are unshaken.
Plaid: Black and purple
Predominantly an agriculturally based clan.
MacCullough
MacCulloughs remember their friends
Plaid: Black and green
Secretive even among the Clans. MacCullough territory is up in the Cardic Mountains where they raise herd animals and contribute some of the finest metal working in Alsaya from iron mined from the Cardics.
- Neil MacCullough - the man who helped Rhys MacDuffy after his banishment
MacMorna
MacMornas are stronger than steel.
Plaid: Black and red
Known for producing the best warriors among the Clans, along with Clan MacDuffy.
People, Terms, & Locations
The Talam - steward to a laird. There are up to three Talams in a Clan that individually oversee farming, the warriors, and the affairs of the Laird’s house.
The Highlanders - Residing in the northwest corner of Alsaya in the elevated hills and formations of the Cardic Mountains before they spill into the Durne Strait, the Highlanders broke from the Clans hundreds of years ago and have lived as their own independent population since. They are ruled by a Ladair but have also sworn allegiance to the Seabright Kings. The men shave their heads and tattoo blue spiral designs across their scalp. The women are known to shave part of their hair above their ear and do the same or tattoo the designs on their forearms. Governed by a Ladair who chooses his or her heir from two or three candidates. Not necessarily an inherited position.
Ladair (LAD-AIR) Lachlann – current Ladair of the Highlanders. Allied with the Clans and Lord Sarksten against Lord Adam Barkley.
Carraig - castle of Lord Sarksten.
Lord Sarksten - controls the eastern half of Alsaya from the Bear River to the Cardic Mountains. Allied with the Clans and Highlanders against Lord Barkley.
Seabright - family name of the ruling family of Alsaya
Castle Bright - former ruling place of the Seabright kings
Lord Adam Barkley - current steward of Castle Bright. Instigating civil war by kidnapping Sean MacDuffy and attacking the Highlanders and Sarksten’s lands alike.
Dragon Keep - once a border checkpoint between Alsaya and Gedrin. Now the headquarters for the Mountain Baron.
Cairn (KERN) - nickname for the Mountain Baron’s men. Given to them by travelers and other bandits who claim they will either “guide the way or build a grave.”
- Bryn Athey - Dragon Keep lieutenant
- Fulke Gohan - Dragon Keep lieutenant
- Rorie O’Hagan - exiled Highlander
- Jessimalan “Jes” Brovinisti - Gedrinian who has pledged loyalty to the Baron
- Natan Aldin
- Luca Evermann
- Milo Sorenson
- Alec Fitzsimon
- Rowen Master – Dragon Keep healer
- Rake Caniff
- Cam Hanlon
Deronis - the demon that the Druids from Cressa worship. Seeks Sean MacDuffy’s power for himself.
Ilan - the god that the inhabitants of Alsaya worship. Multiple saints attributed to this religion.
Karanti - seafaring warrior race that have built up their own empire in the southern oceans. Their attempt to expand to Alsaya resulted in the Sea Wars, known as the bloodiest war in Alsayan history.
Darvani - The illegitimate offspring of the Karanti and their conquered nations. Typically have light blonde hair inherited from their Karanti sire. Have no great love for the Karanti. Those who hate the Karanti the most make their way to the Darvani territory, a fortified archipelago from which they launch their own ships to interfere with any Karanti conquests. The Darvani came to the aid of the Alsayans during the Sea Wars and helped turn the tide against the Karanti.
Acknowledgements
This book has been so long in the making, I’m almost not sure where to start. Maybe with the moody weather that gave me the inspiration for the opening scene of this book five years ago.
It also wouldn’t quite be here without my younger sisters who latched onto the idea for this wild mess of a story and even grew to like Sean eventually.
Definite thanks goes to my entire
family, who’s always been so supportive of me and my writing. And for putting up with me trying to write this book and survive physical therapy school at the same time.
I’m so grateful for my sister Catherine, who started reading this book quite late in the first draft process but gave me some invaluable feedback and the idea for one of my favorite lines in the entire series. (You don’t get to find out which until book two.)
To my dear friends who have had my back from day one.
Huge thanks to Deborah, Hazel, and Sarah for agreeing to beta read in the shortest amount of time possible when I was prepping to submit this series. You guys are absolute champs and thanks so much for believing in me and in this story. All the Reece’s Pieces for you, Deborah, for making me laugh in our multiple discussions about the smol floof of anger management issues that is Rhys.
To the wonderful team at Crosshair Press who decided to take a chance on this wild story and successfully dealt with my multiple existential crises during the entire process.
And to my Heavenly Father, for giving me the passion and drive to write and find Your truth in fiction. And for giving me the grace to find some of my own healing within these pages.
Other Titles from Crosshair Press
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About the Author
C.M. Banschbach is a native Texan and would make an excellent Hobbit if she weren’t so tall. She’s a pizza addict, a multi-faceted fangirl, and a firm believer in being authentic—even if it means acting like a dork sometimes! When not writing fantasy stories packed full of adventure and snark, she works as a pediatric physical therapist where she happily embraces the fact that she never actually has to grow up.
Connect with her on social media!
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About Crosshair Press
Founded in 2014, Crosshair Press is a traditional fiction publisher. Our stories are packed with action, adventure, and a deeper meaning, regardless of genre.
At Crosshair, we develop cinematic-style storytellers who create characters worthy of their own memes, and we write for the most under-represented audience in the industry: The Old Millennials. These are the kids who grew up with Saturday morning cartoons, who love superheroes and magic adventures, who read their
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