by L. Penelope
“I had another vision.” He looked around at the chaos unfolding around them. “I will tell you about it later, but it concerns your future. The path ahead is rocky for you, my dear. It holds happiness—” His gaze moved to Ember. “But also many trials. And your road is longer than you probably expect. You will be needed in the days to come. You must continue to prepare and study.”
She nodded, her shoulders releasing the tension she didn’t realize they held. “I will. And thank you.”
He pursed his lips, his eyes seeing something far away. Maybe recalling his vision. “Don’t thank me yet. By the time all is done, you may feel quite differently.”
He looked down at his simple drawing. Three globes divided. She didn’t know what it meant, and he wiped it away before standing and dusting his palms.
Part of her wondered what his vision would mean for her. But the other part was deeply grateful for the reprieve he’d given.
The official placed the ribbons of victory on Ember’s shoulders and stepped away. A chill went through him, and his father stepped up beside him. No one in the audience was paying attention, still chattering away with one another, no doubt about the strange circumstances of their collective comas.
Ember sought out Mooriah and found her standing alone, expression plaintive. He motioned for her to come over, but she shook her head and crossed her arms over herself.
Crimson held his hands up over his head and waited for the crowd to settle and hush. Quiet descended as the clan awaited the words of their chieftain. The energy bubbling around was cautious and curious.
“I know that we all want answers as to the strange occurrences of today. One thing is clear, I have lost a son during the brawl. What the Mountain Mother and the Breath Father give unto us, they also take away.”
“Umlah,” the crowd repeated as one.
Rumble’s body was still there laying at their feet. It was not the Cavefolk way to hide the dead with covers as if afraid to look upon them. Ember glanced at his brother’s lifeless face. The medic had been shocked to discover that Rumble’s eyes were completely blackened but posited that he might have accidentally ingested some of the poison he’d tried to kill Ember with. It was a decent explanation as no one knew what poison it was.
Crimson continued. “The Mother showed favor to my son Ember, saving him from the poisoned blade. And the prophet Murmur and our shaman, Oval, believe that while She delivered Ember from harm, She blessed the rest of us with sleep so as to keep Her mysteries intact.”
Gasps sounded in the audience as this news penetrated.
“It was the Mother’s will!” someone shouted.
“We are truly blessed by Her!” cried another. Exclamations of praise and gratitude rose until Crimson hushed them all again.
He gazed at Ember, solemnly. “My heir and your future chieftain is one consecrated by the Mother. Sanctified by the Breath Father who poured breath back into his lungs. Night Snow will be led by a warrior embraced by both our divine parents, and he will lead our clan to heights heretofore unseen!”
The crowd exploded into cheers. People cried out, chanting his name. “Ember! Ember!” He had no idea when Crimson had decided to spin the mystery into some divine selection, and as much as it made him uncomfortable, he had to admit it was brilliantly done.
The mass fainting of the entire clan could make them look weak, both to others and among themselves. It could deplete morale and give an opening to other clans to sow seeds of dissent. But if their chieftain was chosen by the divine parents—then Night Snow maintained its superiority, one touched by sacred hands.
And while to Crimson, this might be fertile ground on which to start another war, to Ember this was the planting ground for lasting peace. This tale could help his quest to eventually unite the clans under one banner and preserve their true strength for as along as possible against the threat of dying out.
As the crowd continued to cheer, he acknowledged their praise with a bow. When he rose, he was pleased to see Mooriah approaching Oval. There was no doubt some type of ritual necessary now that he had been chosen as heir.
He looked around them and found Glister slowly retreating. She was sliding backward through the group of highly ranked clan members that usually flanked Crimson, trying to remain inconspicuous.
He motioned to Coal, the clan Protector, who approached. “Have Glister taken to the detention chamber. She has displeased me.” Coal bowed and motioned to a guard who went to apprehend the woman. She had much to answer for.
Ember turned back as the crowd’s chanting began to subside and lifted his arms to quiet them. Now that he was the heir, his commands were second only to Crimson’s. And there was one thing he needed to take care of immediately.
He stepped forward to address his clan. “I am honored to be chosen as the heir and future chieftain. To serve Night Snow has long been my dream. I would also like to thank the Mountain Mother and Breath Father for their gracious blessings. I also owe a debt to the ancestors for their wisdom, to my mother, Raven, whose sacrifice has served the clan and my father, Crimson, who has led us with distinction for so long.”
Applause and hurrahs rang out. But Ember was not done.
“Before the ritual begins, I would also like to show appreciation to our prophet, Murmur, for the gift of his visions and our shaman, Oval, for his protection of our home, our persons, and our spirits. Their work is essential to the clan. And to our future shaman, Mooriah—she has my deepest gratitude.”
A hush settled over everyone as he called out a woman as yet unclanned. He turned to her, noting her shocked expression. “And beyond my gratitude, she holds my heart. If she will have me, I would make her my wife.”
Mooriah’s eyes widened and she blinked rapidly. She didn’t appear to be breathing.
Beside him, Crimson hissed, “She is unclanned, son.”
Ember smiled. “The chieftain’s wife is by definition clan. Once we wed, she will be Lady of the Clan.” He approached her, holding out his hands, waiting for her to accept them.
She looked around the silent arena. It was as if everyone was holding their collective breaths, awaiting her next move.
She extended shaking hands to him and grabbed hold. He squeezed her, and a band around his heart loosened.
“Will you have me? Will you be my wife, Mooriah?”
She was quivering, and it took her a moment to speak. “Yes, of course I will.” He grinned and pulled her toward him.
Then the crowd began to cheer, more raucous and livelier than ever before. Chants went up of, “Ember! Ember! Mooriah! Mooriah!” They echoed through the stone walls of the arena all the way to the ceiling high above.
Holding her tight in his embrace, he whispered in her ear, “I am yours alone for as long as you’ll have me.”
“Well, you have me for life,” she said, burying her face in his chest.
He was not sure that was long enough. But he would be happy to find out.
Fenix and Mooriah return in Requiem of Silence (Earthsinger Chronicles book 4).
http://lpen.co/requiem
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If you’re new to the Earthsinger Chronicles, start at the beginning with book one, Song of Blood & Stone, to learn more about Yllis, The Mantle, and the war between Earthsingers and the Silent.
http://lpen.co/song
Next in the Earthsinger Chronicles
REQUIEM OF SILENCE
Read Book 4 in the Earthsinger Chronicles!
The epic conclusion in the stunning Earthsinger Chronicles.
Civil unrest plagues the nation of Elsira as refugees from their old enemy Lagrimar seek new lives in their land. Queen Jasminda is determined to push the unification forward, against growing opposition and economic strife. But the True Father is not finished with Elsira and he may not be acting alone. He has built a powerful army. An army that cannot be killed. An army that can only be stopped by Nethersong and the help of friends and foes of Elsira alike.
Former as
sassin Kyara will discover that she is not the only Nethersinger. She will need to join the others to harness a power that can save or end Elsira. But time is of the essence and they may not be ready by the time the True Father strikes.
Sisterhood novitiate Zeli will go to the reaches of the Living World to unlock a secret that could save the kingdoms. When armies meet in the battlefield, a new world will be forged. Whether by the hands of gods or men, remains to be seen.
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http://lpen.co/requiem
Thank you!
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About the Author
L. Penelope is an award-winning fantasy and paranormal romance author. Equally left and right-brained, she studied filmmaking and computer science in college and sometimes dreams in HTML. She lives in Maryland with her husband and furry dependents. Sign up for new release information, exclusives, and giveaways on her website: http://www.lpenelope.com.
Also By L. Penelope
Earthsinger Chronicles
Song of Blood & Stone
Breath of Dust & Dawn
Whispers of Shadow & Flame
Hush of Storm & Sorrow
Cry of Metal & Bone
Requiem of Silence
The Eternal Flame Series
Angelborn
Angelfall
Other Romance
The Cupid Guild
Copyright © 2020 by L. Penelope
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All rights reserved.
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No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Copyediting: Align Editorial
Proofreading: Lillie’s Literary Services
Cover illustration: Xueyuan Gong
