by Drae Box
Shotput of Power
Drae Box
Rodaki Entertainment
First published in Great Britain in 2019 by Rodaki Entertainment.
This edition: 2019 Two Giftens Edition, published 2019.
Copyright 2019 by Drae Box.
All rights reserved.
All characters, events and locations in this publication are fictional. Any resemblance to living or dead people, real places or events, is purely coincidental.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without similar condition including this condition being imposed upon the subsequent buyer.
The Common Kingdoms Series
The Royal Gift
Threat (2019 edition release: 24.9.19)
Shotput of Power (8.10.19)
Broken Crown (5.11.19)
Daggerless (3.12.19)
Become an beta-reader and get some of Drae’s future releases for free (when ready).
Releases expected in 2020 include:
Forged in Magic
Scarab’s Ink (working title)
Dax the Dragon Master
To become a beta-reader, head to draebox.com/tckreaders
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
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Preview Broken Crown
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter One
Raneth
As Royal Official Captain Raneth Bayre rubbed sleep from the corners of his eyes, his doctor smiled warmly at him. He’s obviously happy with my progress, decided Raneth, otherwise he’d have that worried look, as if he’s not sure whether I’ll explode all over him.
“I daresay you have a clean bill of health again. You can continue your assignments now,” said Quinn, the royal doctor.
Sitting on a bed in the palace ward, Royal Official Bayre rubbed at the back of his neck. He swung his long legs and nodded. A few more days of rest would have been nice.
The doctor waited, but his smile devolved into a concerned frown when Raneth didn’t stand to flee the room.
“Raneth, what’s wrong?” he asked gently.
“Nothing. I feel fine now, thanks to you,” admitted Raneth. “It’s the criminals I was assigned. I don’t like juggling four – it’s too difficult to actually catch up to any of them. I could do with a day or two more just to catch my breath.”
“You’re not the only royal official to say that sort of thing recently,” said Quinn. He repositioned the blue wire-framed glasses on his nose as he sat down next to the royal official.
He played with his glasses. He’s being careful about what he says next, noted Raneth. Having grown up with the doctor tending to his needs, the royal official was all too familiar with the man’s ticks. Raneth turned his gaze onto the room around him, giving Quinn a moment to think. The ward was one of the larger rooms within the palace; it contained seven freshly made beds and the messy one the doctor and Raneth were sitting upon. The morning’s bright sunlight smashed through the four tall windows, rolling past the red curtains and warming him.
Quinn nudged Raneth’s side with his own to regain the royal official’s focus. “A lot of royal officials have been visiting the past few months, but normally there’s a decrease in visits during the colder months because the crime sprees are in spring and summer.”
Raneth nodded. Sounds about right, he thought.
“And now you’ve spent the first week of the year in here with me and missed your twenty-first birthday party at Aldora’s. Tribune Jovian’s crime predictions from 2006 are playing out and we’re all stuck trying to prove him wrong.”
“We are not trying to prove that man wrong,” stated King Cray from the doorway.
Raneth glanced his way. Cray’s still not pleased about the tribune’s report being published in The Giften Daily. At least his annoyance isn’t aimed at me this time.
The tall king strode into the room, his hands clasped behind his back, and paused at the end of Raneth’s bed. Cray was already dressed and ready for the day, unlike normal for the early morning. His jawline and upper lip were clean shaven, but the dark rings under his brown eyes revealed that something had been troubling him for the past week or so, or possibly for longer.
“We are trying to keep our beloved Three Ks safe: the Kingdom’s People, the Kingdom’s King, me, and the Kingdom Herself – but most importantly, the Kingdom’s People. Do not forget that, you two.”
“Good morning, Cray,” said Quinn, standing with a smile. He pointed at Raneth. “He’s able to go back on assignment.”
Thanks for the breather, you guys. Raneth frowned at Quinn, but the doctor turned towards a door opposite the one Cray had entered through, missing Raneth’s expression entirely.
“Good,” replied the king, looking Raneth over carefully. “He looks much better than he did.”
Cray stole Quinn’s spot on the bed next to Raneth. He plucked a loose piece of white cat fur from the knee of his cotton suit trousers. Without a word, the royal official looked at the king and frowned. Cray noticed out of the corner of his eye and looked at his subordinate. “What?”
“You’re going to ask me to get ready to leave–”
“Stop whining before you start. What would Aldora think?” said Cray with a smile.
“That I need a holiday,” stated Raneth.
Cray lifted his eyebrows. “I have been thinking,” he said.
Quinn peeked through the doorway of his office with a large grin. “Quick, Raneth, run!”
Raneth smiled a silent laugh.
“Now, now,” grumbled Cray, “not so cheeky, you two.” He shifted slightly, resting his left leg under him so that he faced his royal official and friend. “Raneth, I have been worried about you and the other royal officials in active service. The level of crime does not look to be diminishing so I would have to give you another two assignments if you stayed here.”
“So… I should run out of this room?” asked Raneth a little warily. I’m happy to protect the Three Ks, but I don’t want to if I’m going to keep being overworked, he thought.
Cray shook his head. “No. I need to keep you a little safer for a while and out of reach of the murderers that I would normally assign to you. I’m taking away your current assignments and sending you on just one, out of the kingdom.”
“Is it a contracted assignment?” asked Raneth curiously. This could be OK after all – a contracted assignment is usually just for a company’s insurance purposes, like the archaeologists I guarded last year. Wonder if I’ll have time to see Aldora first.
“No,” admitted Cray. “I have picked this one because it will allow you to be a little safer whilst working at a more relaxed pace, rather than the pace you have been experiencing lately. I need you better rested for whatever is to come when this crime wave hits its peak. Think of it as a working break.”
Cray paused to pluck another strand of cat fur from his trousers. “When Aldora visited yesterday, while you were napping she happened to mention the Shotput of Power and how it’s still missing. It reminded me of a report that came through to me recently about a sighting of the Shotput.” Cray grinned broadly and patted Raneth’s knee. “Who better to find the missing Weapon of Protection than the two who located and rescued the primary one?”
What the heck? thought Raneth. I’m not trained to find items. People, yes. Items, no. Aloud he said, “I’m a royal official, not a royal detective, sir.”
“I am perfectly aware of your job title and its definition, Raneth,” snapped Cray, his mood rocketing down at Raneth’s gentle reluctance.
Raneth frowned, stood up and faced Cray. He rubbed at the black stubble under his chin.
“The Shotput was sighted in the Newer Kingdom. You’ll be heading there,” stated Cray as he too stood up.
And there’s the catch, decided Raneth. “Cray,” he grumbled, “I don’t like going there. The inspectors hate royal officials.”
“I dislike royal officials who complain about their new assignments,” said Cray, lifting his eyebrows.
Raneth sighed and then nodded. Best just get this over with, I guess.
“I have the paperwork in the Royal Official Office, but I would prefer it if you could take three others besides Aldora because of the inspectors,” stated Cray.
“Alika’s unavailable because she’s still on family leave.”
“You made friends on that assignment at sea. Ask a few of them. Surely not all of them have found new jobs since you sunk their ship?” asked Cray, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
“That was an accident,” Raneth reminded him. I need to try not to have any big accidents this year – it’s getting silly how many are being remembered. “I’ll send word around to the sailors. I should hear back from most of them within a few hours.” At least it’s a chance to spend more time with Aldora before I ask her to marry me. I need to make sure that I have no doubts about how we’ll cope with a marriage together.
“Good,” said Cray, his smile blossoming. “Come with me and I’ll fully brief you.”
“Can I change into normal clothes first?” asked Raneth, looking down at his eggshell blue cotton top and matching elasticated trousers. These might be better than a smock, but I still hate them.
Cray inspected Raneth’s tall, wiry frame and then gave a nod. “I’ll meet you in the ROO,” he stated.
When his knocks on the door of 11 High Street in Brown Buzzard Village went unanswered, Raneth strode towards the Leoma Blacksmith. She’s bound to be in the stables working on that rescue horse she told me about yesterday, he decided. As he walked, he carefully inspected how he looked. The round toes of his black boots were scuffed but otherwise looked fine; one of the palace servants had done a good job of getting rid of all the muck Raneth had walked through when he returned to the palace for treatment. His trousers were the regulation trousers all royal officials were required to wear, made of different splodges of blue that ran along his long legs and held six pockets. They were a new pair, so there was no blood, dirt or sand smeared across them like his last pair. I don’t think Aldora would be pleased if I turned up in the old uniform.
He checked over his belt next, regulation blue; he made sure each of his six throwing daggers were nicely spaced out, with the two at the front positioned either side of the two rectangular pouches that flanked the silver, box-shaped belt buckle. His sword patted gently against his left leg. He cast his attention onto his torso. The long-sleeved blue top was hidden under his uniform jacket; the torso of the jacket had the same splodge pattern as his trousers, but in green, and the arms matched the trousers in colour. He righted how the jacket sat on his frame, noting the white feathers running along the seams of the lining on the inside, and then he looked up. He had reached the doorway of the stables. He peered inside.
Dagger Bearer Aldora Leoma was stroking the bridge of a white mare’s nose and speaking softly to it, so Raneth knocked on the door frame. He watched as she glanced his way, a large smile erupting when she recognised him. He strolled inside, noticing that her smile vanished as soon as she saw more clearly what he was wearing. She shook her head, her lips twitching to the right side of her face in clear disapproval as she frowned. She turned back to the horse, picked up a brush and continued to clean the horse’s coat.
Oh-oh, not exactly the reaction I was expecting, thought Raneth. “Hey, Aldora,” he uttered as he reached her side. He pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.
Aldora stroked the mare’s scarred neck and stepped over to the empty stall at the far end of the stable. “Raneth, why did the doctor let you out?” she asked as she placed the brush back onto its peg. “You needed a nap halfway through my visit yesterday.” She turned to face him, watching him carefully with her brown eyes as she leaned against the box-pen and made no secret of checking out his weapon belt.
He gave a small shrug. “I was cleared for duty, Aldora,” he said gently. “I don’t like it either. I could have done with a few more days, but I’ll be alright.” He joined her by the pen wall and gently took her hand in his. “But Cray took my assignments away. He’s given me a new one instead, claimed it would be safer. I need to have a word with you and your dad. Where is he?”
Aldora carefully eyed Raneth.
I hope she’s not thinking today’s the day I’m going to propose to her, he thought. He slipped a hand into his left trouser pocket and toyed with the tatty, barely big enough velvet-covered box hidden there.
“He went to the bookstore. He should be back any minute now. He starts late here today.” Aldora led him towards the exit. “Let’s go and find Dad, but I should warn you, Alika, Drigoe and Nathaniel are living with us. The paintwork for their house isn’t finished yet, so we may need to be quiet. Nat was screaming most of last night.”
“I knocked there earlier.”
“They don’t answer the door when they’ve had a bad night,” said Aldora. “Can you at least use your gifts? Your Common Gift of Ice and your family’s blood-gift? I don’t like the idea of you not being able to use those if you get into trouble.”
“I’m fine, Aldora. I promise. I can shoot icicles and turn into my griffin-self just as much as I can swing a sword. The chance to rest and heal did me good.”
Raneth stepped into Aldora’s home behind her, gently closing the door so it wouldn’t wake anyone still asleep. The soft murmur of voices from the kitchen caught his attention; he glanced over Aldora’s head and through the doorway beside the stairs in the opposite wall. Alika and Drigoe were huddled near the kettle, waiting for it to boil. Both were still in their nightclothes and their baby was nowhere in sight. Reclaiming Raneth’s hand, Aldora led him into the kitchen and pointed questioningly at the kitchen ceiling when Alika looked their way.
“He’s out for the count,” stated Alika. She stepped over to Raneth and gave him a tight squeeze. She then held him at arm’s length, inspecting him. “You’re looking much better,” she declared, taking a step back and smiling at her best friend. “So, what’s going on, Raneth? Why are you here? I’ve seen the crime statistics for December. There’s no way Cray’s given you a holiday right after your recovery days.”
Raneth carefully inspected Alika. He hadn’t seen her since before the birth of Nathaniel, but clearly she had visited him whilst he was in Quinn’s care. She looks good. A bit chubby, but she’ll burn that off easily when she gets back to royal official work. The first thing they did to us was make sure we were between twelve and fifteen percent fat. Other than her gained baby weight, Alika looked as she always had. With her long blonde hair and sea-green eyes, she and Aldora didn’t look anything like sisters, until you took into account their facial expressions – both smiled in the same way, Raneth had noticed, and there were a few other facial expressions they shared when emotionally charged.
“Raneth?” uttered Alika. “You in there?” She r
eached out to knock her knuckles against his forehead. “You sure you’re supposed to have left Quinn’s care?”
He jerked his head back from her hand before her knuckles reached him. “I’m fine. Congratulations on Nathaniel, Alika. I’d love to meet him when he’s awake but I need a word with your dad. Is Isadore about?”
Alika frowned as she nodded, pointing upstairs. “He’s the one who got Nathaniel to go to sleep. I’ll go and get him.”
“I’m late for work,” stated Drigoe as the kettle whistled. He took it off the hob and placed it on the work surface next to the oven. “I’d best get my uniform on and materialise over to the palace. I’ll grab a coffee there instead. Help yourself to the kettle.”
“Congratulations on your promotion to head royal messenger. Quinn told me,” said Raneth.
Drigoe shrugged. “Bit too easy with my gift of materialisation,” he replied. “Makes me fast and reliable.”
Raneth stepped aside to allow Drigoe to leave the kitchen. “You’d think he’d be happier about a promotion when he’s got a baby,” he said as he looked to Alika for an explanation.
“He thinks his gift brings him nothing but trouble - he’s waiting for the promotion to blow up in our faces somehow.”
Oh. That makes sense, I suppose.
Alika left the room.
“Coffee?” Aldora asked Raneth as she gave him a smile.
“Please.”
He strolled over and sat down at the breakfast bar that ran down the right wall of the kitchen, between the living room door and the garden door. Aldora moved over to the counter and took out two cups from the cupboard, placing them next to the two cups already on the counter.
