Crownless

by M H Woodscourt

  It was a small party that gathered on the edge of the Drifting Sands to honor the passing of their friend. Not Tifen and Sir Palan, of course; but everyone else who mattered had come. Father, Rille, Sir Yeshton—truly knighted now for his valor—and Kyella, reunited with her freed father, along with Ledonn and Shevek, King Aredel, Prince Anadin, and a dark-haired beauty draped in embroidered silks: the Lady Naqin of Shing. She had already been on her way to KryTeer when Ledonn and Shevek were sent to fetch her, brought by a dream of her lost love.

  “When you are ready, Jetekesh,” murmured Aredel.

  He inhaled and, clutching the stick tighter in his hands, moved to the border of the desert and stabbed the stick into the earth. The tiny silver bell fastened to the stick chimed. “May you find your way home to Shinac, Jinji, friend of my heart.” His voice caught. His chin trembled.

  He pulled back.

  Aredel came forward to rest a fistful of soil over the coffin. “Do not forget Nakania, brother. We shall never forget you.”

  Lady Naqin came forward last. She laid a white lotus from Shing over the soil. “My love, my soul.”

  No one moved for a long while.

  “Lady Rille.” Aredel’s voice drifted out like the sand beneath his feet.

  “Yes, Blood King?”

  “You may avenge your father now, if you wish.”

  Jetekesh glanced at his cousin.

  The girl considered Aredel with her strange amber eyes. “No, Aredel. I think not. We’ve both lost what we best loved. Your anguish is enough.” Her gaze drifted to the sea bell. “I think Jinji would want you to live.”

  Rille took Sir Yeshton’s hand and led him back to the small encampment. Others trailed away. Soon Aredel and Jetekesh alone remained.

  The night grew colder. Jetekesh let the tears track down his face, while the lump in his throat swelled.

  A faint breeze danced across the desert floor, stirring the sand. The sea bell chimed.

  Jetekesh looked up. He gasped. Aredel stiffened beside him.

  There, glowing bright as the heavens above, between two pillars of white sand; there stood Jinji beside Prince Sharo. The man from Shing lifted his hand and waved, a smile of purest bliss on his face. He was free of pain, free of guilt. Free.

  Jinji turned away and traveled with Sharo beyond sight. The light vanished.

  The sea bell chimed one last time and then it sang no more.

  Return to the worlds of Nakania and Shinac in the sequel trilogy launching in 2022.

  To stay in the know, sign up for my newsletter at www.mhwoodscourt.com!

  Addendum

  People

  Amaranth [am-uh-ranth] – Prince Sharo’s horse.

  Anadin [ann-uh-din] – Second prince of KryTeer.

  Aredel [air-uh-del] – High Prince of KryTeer. Also called the Blood Prince. His full name is Aredel elvar Gilioth d’ara KessRa [air-uh-del ell-vahr gill-ee-auth duh-arr-uh kess-raw].

  Ashea [aw-shee-uh] – Prince Sharo’s fairy companion in Shinac.

  Bareene [buh-reen] – Queen of Amantier.

  Blayse [blay-ss] – A lost knight of Shinac.

  Breya [bray-uh] – A villager in Amantier.

  Brov [brawv] – A soldier in Duke Lunorr’s service.

  Cavalin the Third [cav-uh-linn] – A legendary hero from a past age.

  Chethal [cheth-all] – A lost knight of Shinac.

  Darint [dair-int] – A king in Shinac. Prince Sharo’s father.

  Drinel [drinn-ell] – A farmer of Amantier. Kyella is his daughter.

  Driodere [dree-oh-deer] – An ancient word for Death or the Grim Reaper.

  DulShil [dool-shill] – Deceased father of Emperor Gyath of KryTeer.

  Ehrikai [air-ih-kye] – The lost prince of Shinac.

  Erisyrdrel [eer-iss-seer-drel] – A water demon from Shinac.

  Foan [fo-onn]– An Amantieran knight loyal to Queen Bareene.

  Frebe [freeb] – Captain of the guards at the Rose Palace of Amantier.

  Galin [gal-inn] – A famous scientist in Amantier.

  Gyath [gye-uth] – Holy Emperor of KryTeer. His full name is Gyath elvar Kenn d’ara KessRa [gye-uth ell-vahr ken duh-arr-uh kess-raw].

  Hashab [hash-obb] – The KryTeeran Devil.

  HeshAr dij Aban [hesh-arr deej ah-bawn] – A Blood Warrior of KryTeer.

  Hethek [heth-ek] – A villager from Lilac Lake.

  Ilim [eye-lim] – A villager of Amantier.

  J’Aka [juh-aw-kaw] – A god of war worshiped in KryTeer.

  Javanti [juh-von-tee] – A priest of KryTeer.

  Jetekesh [jet-eh-kesh] – Crown prince of Amantier.

  Jetekesh the Fourth [jet-eh-kesh] – King of Amantier.

  Jevalla [jeh-vall-uh] – A woman in Amantieran scripture who sold her soul for a married man.

  Jinji [jin-jee] – A wandering storyteller from Shing. Also called Jinji Wanderlust.

  Kethalas [keth-uh-loss] – A dragon of Shinac.

  Kivar [kee-vahr] – A soldier in Duke Lunorr’s service.

  Kyella [kye-ella] – Daughter of Farmer Drinel.

  Ledonn [leh-dawn] – A Blood Knight of KryTeer. One of Prince Aredel’s personal aides.

  Linglia [ling-lee-uh] – Jinji’s mother in Shing.

  Lunorr [loo-nor] – Duke of Keep Lunorr and Rille’s father.

  Majinglee [mah-jing-lee] – Emperor of Shing.

  Marder [mar-dur] – A soldier in Duke Lunorr’s service.

  Milgar [mil-gahr] – A lord of Amantier dwelling at Keep Falcon.

  Mosill [moss-ill] – A blacksmith in Amantier.

  Muhun [moo-hoon] – A Blood Knight of KryTeer.

  Nallin [naw-linn] – A young soldier in Duke Lunorr’s service.

  Naqin [naw-keen] – A noblewoman of Shing.

  Palan [pal-inn] – A disgraced knight of Amantier.

  Peresen [pair-eh-sin] – A dread lord of Shinac.

  Rille [rill] – Daughter of Duke Lunorr.

  Setwesh [set-wesh] – A mysterious guest of Prince Aredel.

  Sharo [shawr-oh] – A fae prince of Shinac.

  Shevek [shev-ehk] – A Blood Knight of KryTeer. One of Prince Aredel’s personal aides.

  Tallat [tuh-lot] – A fisherman from KryTeer in the age of Cavalin the Third.

  Taregan [tair-eh-gen] – A dragon of Shinac.

  Tifen [tee-finn] – Prince Jetekesh’s protector.

  Yarmir [yar-meer] – Yeshton’s deceased father.

  Yeshton [yesh-ton] – A soldier in Duke Lunorr’s service.

  Places

  Amantier [aw-mawn-teer] – A kingdom in Nakania where fairy stories are against the law.

  Araliass Bay [uh-raw-lee-ess] – Located in Shinac.

  Aspen Province – A province of Amantier.

  Bahadronn [baw-haw-drawn] – The royal city of KryTeer.

  Chaos Creek – Located in southern Amantier.

  ChinWan [chin-wan] – A port city in Shing.

  Clanslands – A country to the northeast of Amantier.

  Fortress of Crevier [kreh-veer] – Lord Peresen’s fortress in Shinac.

  Hold of Valliath [voll-ee-auth] – The castle of Shinac’s lost prince.

  Ivy Province – A province of Amantier.

  Kavacos [kav-uh-kohs] – The royal city of Amantier.

  Keep Falcon – The southernmost keep in Amantier.

  Keep of the Falls – Located in Moss Province of Amantier.

  KryTeer [cry-teer] – The conquering empire located to the northwest of Amantier.

  Lilac Lake – A village located in southern Amantier.

  Lormenway [lor-men-way] – An island country located southwest of Amantier.

  Minderen Creek [min-der-inn] – Located in southern Amantier.

  Nagali River [nuh-gall-ee] – A river running from the Clanslands into Amantier through Moss Province.

  Nakania [nuh-kahn-ee-uh] – The mundane world.

  Neminar [nem-in-ahr] – An island country north of Amantier.

  P
eregrine Fortress – Located in Willow Province of Amantier.

  Rahajardaj Temple [raw-haw-jar-dahj] – A KryTeeran temple.

  Rose Palace – The royal palace of Amantier.

  Rose Province – The province where the royal city of Kavacos stands in Amantier.

  Sage Province – A province in Amantier.

  Shinac [shee-nok] – A legendary fae kingdom.

  Shing [shing] – A country to the east of Amantier.

  Tindo [tin-doh] – A great river in Shing.

  Tivalt [tee-vault] – An island country north of Amantier.

  Vylam [vye-lum] – An island country north of Amantier.

  Willow Province – A province in Amantier.

  Terms

  Blood Knight(s) – The elite knights of KryTeer.

  Dragonfriend – A term used to honor those befriended by dragons.

  Jutik [joo-tik] – KryTeeran word for filth.

  Kalakeeridwa [kal-uh-keer-idd-wah] – KryTeeran word for one who sees far away.

  Lah’al [luh-all] – KryTeeran word for beauty.

  Quii dac [koo-wee dawk] – Unsielie speech for fall back or retreat.

  Sahala [saw-haw-luh] – A KryTeeran name meaning sparrow.

  Shamalheer [shaw-mal-heer] – A KryTeeran life debt.

  Shaqel [shaw-kel] – A KryTeeran term of affection meaning younger brother.

  Shaqin [shaw-kin] – A KryTeeran term of affection meaning elder brother.

  Sielie [see-lee] – Light fae in Shinac.

  Traveria [truh-vair-ee-uh] – A rare poison.

  Unsielie [un-see-lee] – Dark fae in Shinac.

  Witches of Lioth [lee-auth] – A cluster of wisewomen in KryTeer who perform dark magic for the Holy Court of Emperor Gyath.

  Dearest Reader

  Thank you for picking up Crownless! I’ve had this story in my head since I was fourteen years old and to finally send it out into the world is my dearest joy.

  If you’ve enjoyed Jinji’s warmth, Jetekesh’s lessons, Rille’s honesty, Yeshton’s loyalty, and the world of Nakania, please consider leaving an honest review online where you purchased this book and/or Goodreads. Reviews help writers gain exposure as well as feedback on what’s working and what isn’t.

  You can also sign up for my newsletter to grab Forsaken, the exclusive prequel short story featuring Jinji just before he left Shing in search of Shinac! You’ll also receive updates on new releases, special sales, other exclusive short stories, and lots more! May all good things attend you.

  Sincerely,

  M. H. Woodscourt

  Acknowledgments

  This labor of love has been possible only with the support of my beautiful family, without whom I’d likely get more writing done—but none of it would have any heart. It’s our loved ones who show us the purpose of life.

  I wish to thank my beta readers for your tireless efforts to help me improve my prose: Laura Barton, CJ Farley, Mandi Oyster, Heidi Wadsworth, and Tawnee Wadsworth. Thank you for believing in Jinji as much as I do.

  A huge shoutout to Sara B., my epic editor, friend, and slayer of plot holes. I’ll never let you slip back into retirement.

  My eternal gratitude to Cac Stiner of www.cactheproofreader.com, who caught those last minute typos and word inconsistencies—as well as encouraged me to get this book out there!

  Most importantly, I humbly acknowledge my Father in Heaven for gifting me with an overactive imagination and the drive to harness it into something tangible and timeless.

  About the Author

  Writer of fantasy, magic weaver, dragon rider! Having spent the past 20 years devotedly writing fantasy, it's safe to say M. H. Woodscourt is now more fae than human. Crownless is her fifth published novel.

  All of her fantasy worlds connect with each other in a broad Universe, forged with great love and no small measure of blood, sweat, and tears. When she's not writing, she's napping or reading a book with a mug of hot cocoa close at hand while her quirky cat Wynter nibbles her toes.

  Learn more at www.mhwoodscourt.com

  Also by M. H. Woodscourt

  Wintervale Duology

  High Fantasy/Young Adult

  The Crow King

  The Winter King

  Paradise Series

  Portal Fantasy/Humor/Young Adult

  A Liar in Paradise

  Key of Paradise

  Other Titles

  October Cove

  A YA/Urban Fantasy Novella