by Devon Vesper
With nothing to see but snow and that randomly flashing light, Valis dozed in the saddle again. Again, he woke tipped over with Kerac shoving him back onto his horse. “Phaerith’s balls, Son. Stay in the saddle!”
Groaning, Valis rubbed his eyes. “Are we there, yet?”
Just then, Valis heard the clomping of hooves on wood. He looked around to find that the snow had been shoveled away for some distance. Fine sand and salt crystals kept ice from forming and made the falling snow melt at almost the same time it fell to the path. Ahead stretched a vast, frosty lake. It surprised him that it had not completely frozen over by now. Only a few chunks of ice floated in the dark water. Beyond, in the center of the lake, as far as the eye could see, stretched a vast wall.
“Gods, how big is it?” Valis asked aloud, his voice barely making it over the wind.
Kerac grinned as they made their way toward the ferry that headed across the lake for them. He’d pulled his shirt-rope down sometime before Valis nearly toppled off his horse and now let it hang about his neck. “Four leagues radius in the largest areas. The wall follows the shoreline of the island, so it varies.”
The closer they got to the water, the warmer it seemed. Whether it was true, or just his imagination was yet to be determined. One look at his fathers, though, and Valis grinned. They both radiated peace and joy. Both relaxed in their saddles.
Darolen glanced over at him and gave him a warm smile as he pulled down the twisted shirt that covered his face. “Do you feel it?”
Valis searched his feelings a moment, then tilted his head and perked a brow. “Feel what?”
“The warmth that floods this place,” he said.
“Sort of.” Valis nodded. He did feel it, in a strange way. “I’m numb all over, but I still feel… something.”
The elder man nodded and cast his eyes toward the high walls. “It isn’t something your skin feels, but your spirit. This feeling is what guides us home. It was what Kerac spoke of back near camp. It tugs at us when we turn our faces toward Avristin.”
“So you can never get lost?”
He chuckled and smoothed a frigid hand over Valis’ forehead. “Oh, getting lost is always a possibility. We just don’t stay lost for long.”
The ferry pulled up to the dock and tied down. Once the ferryman landed the wooden plank from the boat to the docks, Darolen led them onto the deck and waved Valis up toward him while Kerac took up the rear behind the pack horses and wagon.
“Do you remember what Kerac and I said about The Cleansing and The Harrowing?” he asked. Valis nodded, and he continued. “Clear your mind, Son. Relax and close your eyes. The journey will be done all too soon.”
Too weary to argue, and with his trust in his fathers high, Valis closed his eyes. Clearing his mind of all thought was simple. Fatigue meant coherent thought didn’t exist for the most part. Though, the last part—relaxing—became harder than the rest. As numb as he was, he couldn’t tell if he was relaxed or tense.
Once the ferry rocked away from the docks, however, all cares fled him. The warmth from the docks and lake seeped into his bones. It washed over him in gentle waves. Between that feeling of utter peace and the almost cradling rock of the ferry, Valis nearly fell asleep. He forced himself to stay awake.
To Valis’ horror, he didn’t succeed.
“Wake up, Son,” Darolen crooned near his ear. “Wake up, now.”
Groaning, Valis sat up. Somehow, he found his way down across Chath’s neck when he dozed. He blinked and glanced around. The ferry was gone. The horses walked along salted cobbled roads through what looked like a quaint village. The walls surrounding the city seemed so far away. How long have I been out?
Smoke rose from stone chimneys and scented the air with fragrant wood and cooking food. Rubbing his stomach, Valis blinked in surprise. He wriggled his fingers and rubbed his legs. “I’m not numb anymore.” He frowned in confusion. “I feel warm…”
Darolen laughed and reached over to squeeze his shoulder. “Welcome home, Son. Welcome home.”
To be continued in Avristin...
Want to Know More About God Jars?
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Short, newsletter-exclusive stories are on their way! Did you like Kerac in the first few books? The first short story that I'm working on now is picked by reader poll from my newsletter, and features Kerac and Darolen's romance!
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Also by Devon Vesper
The Dragon Highlands Duology
Mage of Legend
Lurir: Going Home (Get it FREE in the Newsletter!)
Dragon Court
The God Jars Saga
Saviors
Avristin
Possessed
Support
Mentor
Betrayal
Marshal (Coming Soon)
About the Author
I'm a mother, furbaby spoiler, and a girl who can't get enough of pretty, pretty boys. As a kid, I traveled the world, too young to appreciate the gift I was given, but now those adventures spur on stories that my brain just can't keep up with. Well, my brain tells me it keeps up just fine, but my fingers are the slow ones. I'll let you decide. But the boys, man. The boys I remember make my heart sizzle looking back on them. Being a kid at nude beaches, I never cared, but looking back on those memories of Sicily, WHEW! There are some really great childhood images that I wish I could have been an adult to savor.
Home is some place I call "rustic". I'm used to large cities, stores everywhere, gas stations on every corner. Here in rural Pennsylvania, it's rustic and beautiful. And quiet. Too quiet. With all this quiet, all there is to do is write stories, and let the hot men in my head out to play. We all benefit, yes? I like this development. The only thing I dislike about this rusticness is the fact I can't find a coffee shop that sells a proper chai latte. They make it from powder. Ew. This makes for a disgruntled Dev. Ugh. I miss my chai.
Most of all, I am a down-to-earth southern girl at heart from spending 16 years in Florida. If you chat with me, you'll hear endearments like darlin', sweetheart, and hon/hun/hunnie. It's who I am, and if we chat, you're almost instantly family, so get used to it.
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Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for reading the God Jars Saga! I hope you enjoyed it. Valis has been one of my favorite characters since 2014, and I'm so stoked I get to share him and his adventures with you!
If you enjoyed the books, I would be honored if you would leave an honest review. It only takes a few minutes, and it can mean the world for your favorite authors.
Please, take a few minutes to review this book, give your honest thoughts, and help me continue writing stories so you can lose yourself in my next great book.
You are my hero.
Sincerely,
Devon Vesper
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