Drakon Book II: Uncarved

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Drakon Book II: Uncarved Page 35

by C. A. Caskabel


  There was nothing to say, to touch, to kiss. I turned my back on her and put my boot on the stirrup. At least I could hide the tremor of my hands, grasping the reins.

  Let’s go, O’Ren, there is nothing more to do here.

  He took very slow steps as if he wasn’t sure.

  Don’t worry, O’Ren. I will keep you with me forever; you are safe. We must leave now.

  “Do you want to go there, Da-Ren?” she repeated.

  Anywhere.

  The gray-white stallion refused to take another step away from her and I turned to say goodbye. And yet the opposite words came out of my mouth.

  “I will come back, Zeria,” I said.

  “I know you will come back. The branches of our lives have been growing on the same tree since we were children.”

  I always came back. To both. I came back to the Tribe, and I came back to the Forest, torn between two worlds, to weld my pieces together. I always came back when it was too late.

  She came close and stretched her hands to touch mine. She placed between my fingers a silver amulet I’d never seen before. It had the shape of a double-headed ax hanging head down by a leather cord. Each edge had a row of wolf’s teeth carved into it. Two silver fangs at the ends and six smaller ones in the middle. Eight teeth on each edge, sharp enough to make a finger bleed at the touch. Two silver snakes embracing each other and coiling around the haft, their heads resting on the ax’s cheeks.

  “Do you still seek the magic, Da-Ren? I brought all the magic I possess to protect you,” she said. “There is no other amulet like that. Wear it, and death will not touch you. My mother had it. Her mother had given it to her, and it saved her from your Tribe. I had it on me when you saved me.”

  “I can’t wear this,” I said. You are not mine, Zeria.

  “Take it. You saved my life first. But you will promise me.”

  “What?”

  The humiliation we accept in life. Another man was holding her every evening, making her his own. Yet she was asking me to promise, and I wanted to listen and say yes.

  “Whatever you do, wherever you will go, you will not bring death upon a woman or child.”

  I was already wearing the amulet around my neck; the silver snakes coiled next to my heart and the wolf’s teeth sunken into the skin. It still had the warmth from her hands.

  “Promise,” she said louder as her hands covered mine.

  “I promise,” I said and reluctantly pulled my hand away.

  “Don’t forget me. Remember me when you hear the wind singing through the wheat fields,” she said.

  How did she know?

  Wind and wheat fields were all I would find for a thousand days and nights. And women. And children.

  O God of the Cross Worshippers. Why?

  The children.

  The Story continues in

  Drakon Book III: Firstblade

  A bloody campaign to the ends of the earth, fierce battles against the armies of the Cross, a thirteen-moon siege of a great city, and an undying dream to return to the Forest.

  Book III is the turning-point of Da-Ren’s story as the Tribe invades the seven cities of the South. Myths unravel and legends drown in the blood of the innocent. Da-Ren learns of new gods, none as powerful as gold. He pays for victories with nightmares, for wisdom with loss. Empires crumble and cities are reduced to ruins, but there is no glorious story to guide him to the stars. Only a faint hope that metamorphosis awaits at the end of the journey.

  Firstblade is a book of poisons: the legends of hatred, the words of the witches, the scorpion’s sting and the Drakon’s blood, the hunger of a mad leader for power. Love. One poison will prove stronger than all others.

  About Drakon

  Drakon is one completed story which consists of:

  Drakon Book I: The Sieve

  Drakon Book II: Uncarved

  Drakon Book III: Firstblade

  Drakon Book IV: Butterfly

  You can find our newsletter, my journal and more information about the book at:

  www.caskabel.com

  journal.caskabel.com

  www.facebook.com/CaskabelAuthor

  Thank you for reading and reviewing.

  Till next time,

  C.A.

  About the Author

  C.A. Caskabel started writing Drakon in 2013 and completed the 350,000-word epic fantasy novel in 2016. He split Drakon into four books which he will release within 2017, he promises. After all, he is eager to start working on the next novel. C.A. is also the founder of an indie publisher of picture books and fantasy fiction.

  Before 2013, C.A. was a serial technology entrepreneur. He studied at Boston and Brown University. He calls Boston, New York, Providence, San Francisco, London, and Athens (and in general Planet Earth) home.

  Table of Contents

  XVII. I Seek Only One

  XVIII. Archers We Need in the Thousands

  XIX. Now I Am Ready

  XX. Born Only to Die

  XXI. A Woman

  XXII. Blue

  XXIII. I Dreamed of Redbreast Robins

  XXIV.Skeleton

  XXV. The Final Battle

  XXVI. The Calling

  XXVII. The Legend of Er-Ren

  XXVIII. Children Hand in Hand

  XXIX. Kar-Tioo

  XXX. Iron End

  XXXI. The Witch, the Amazon, the Cow

  XXXII. Stake and Lard

  XXXIII. Yes, My Leader

  XXXIV. My Iron, Your Fate

  XXXV. To Death

  XXXVI. It Led Me to Both

  XXXVII. The Merciless Rain

  XXXVIII. Behind Me

  XXXIX. Silent, Holy Night

  XL. Armor

  XLI. Rowan

  XLII. Brown

  XLIII. Legs

  XLIV. The Ssons

  XLV. Hunger

  About Drakon

  About the Author

 

 

 


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