Slater (Hengist: People of the Horse Book 4)

by Jacky Gray

  Special thanks to the following – you know the part you played and words cannot express my gratitude: Jo, Steph, Norman, Lynne, Marianna, Sarah, Veronica and Paula.

  Thank you to all those people I have plagued for opinions on the ideas, words, artwork and everything else needed to bring this massive undertaking to fruition. A very special, pond-stretching hug goes to all my World Wise Writer Ladies for their constant encouragement and support: Ace, JD and Sho. An extra helping of Chocolate and Cookies to Hannah for the days (weeks?) she has spent sorting out my badly behaved commas/semi colons, was infestation and most especially her insight into the language development.

  I owe you all, big time. ♥♥♥

  An extra special mention to Rebecca Sterling for the truly amazing cover artwork. You are a visionary, Lady.

  A big thank you to Kerry-Lyn Tosh, Maria Wheatley, the late Hamish Miller and the creators of and contributors to http://www.avebury-web.co.uk/ and for their technical expertise – any remaining mistakes are of my own making.

  The next adventure in this series is Geraint. If you would like a taster, read on:

  ‘Shut up. Keep your head down and for Hengist’s sake keep still.’ As the oldest, Witta was in charge.

  ‘But I wasn’t saying anything.’ BANG. Oeric’s solid, calloused hand connected with Geraint’s ear so hard it felt as though his brain rattled inside his head.

  ‘What did you do that…?’ BANG. The other ear this time; now his whole head was ringing. Unfortunately, Geraint had spent a couple of years away from the tribe, living what his father had called a “soft life.” So now it was the task of the older boys to “toughen him up.” A job they approached with enthusiasm: taking every opportunity to make him miserable and trying every possible way to expose him to the same dirty, smelly conditions they seemed to enjoy. They both firmly believed nothing was retained without a healthy dose of pain.

  It was difficult to undo years of being encouraged to laugh, learn and question everything. The two things he learnt more quickly than anything were: if you were different you got hurt, and if you didn’t adapt quickly enough, you got hurt. So he stopped finding joy in things like a rabbit’s little wiggle as it scampered away. He no longer laughed because it felt good to be alive in a forest where water from the trees trickled down the back of his neck an hour after it had stopped raining.

  Sadly, the habit of asking why was a lot harder to break. Every time Uncle Tol answered a question, he positively encouraged his nephew to ask why, considering “because it is” to be an unacceptable answer. So the summer after his mother died was the longest, hardest one Geraint ever endured. Apparently, he had to unlearn everything he thought was important about manners and behaviour.

  ‘Hey Gawaint, come and smell this flower.’

  ‘Gawaint, go and ask Fredulf for a wooden door key.’

  ‘Would you like to try a country pancake?’

  Any time he bent down, one of them was waiting to kick his behind so he would go sprawling, usually into a puddle or occasionally a cow pat. He tried to avoid it by kneeling instead of bending or, on one occasion, by leaping sideways to avoid a vicious looking pile of nettles. Each time he outsmarted them, the punishment would be twice as bad the next time so he learnt to compromise by letting them think they had bested him.

  At first, it took all his strength and concentration to learn how to dodge a punch or slap in such a way that, although it landed, the damage was minimal. Amidst their gratuitous violence, they did teach him useful skills: how to run so he barely made a sound, how to disable an opponent quietly and effectively and how to stalk an animal for hours without detection. He learnt how to defend himself from every kind of attack and how to inflict pain, both physical and mental, on an adversary. How to hunt and kill any animal and prepare it for the pot and which roots and plants would improve the flavour and which ones made it spoil.

  In the beginning, he had protested, but that made the name-calling worse, so he learned to show no reaction, which seemed to enrage them even more. It seemed no matter what he did it was wrong, so he suffered his punishment with the minimum of fuss, vowing he would never treat anyone that way. He couldn’t remember exactly how old he was when he started to understand that what they did was actually a necessary part of his training.

  Hengist: The People of the Horse

  Book 1: Archer

  Archer doesn’t belong. In case he has any doubts, Edlyn will go to any lengths to show that he never could.

  As if the Beltane graduation competition isn’t tough enough, Archer needs a huge dose of honour and integrity to win through the extra challenges as Edlyn tries hard to sabotage his enemy’s chances. It’s not just about the jousting and sword fighting, there’s even a gleeful moment when Archer takes to the stage as Robin Hood. He attracts plenty of female admirers, but there’s only one girl he really wants to kiss.

  When Edlyn crosses the wrong enchantress, he ends up in the ceremonial bonfire. Archer is faced with the ultimate dilemma – does he defy her and risk his life to save his nemesis, or simply walk away?

  More things people say about Archer:

  “With accurate detail on jousting, archery, and swordplay, this story sucks you in, tickles your fancy, and then spits you out wanting more. This modern-day, medieval-alternate-world is spell-binding, laced with bullies and honorable crooks, friends, and family.” HS

  “Archer is such a great character, with all the strengths you could want and the vulnerability that cuts straight to your heart.” AD

  “These chronicles follow the lives of Archer and his friends as they compete in jousting and shooting arrows at Beltane, the Festival of the May, in well-executed, exhilarating and fun-packed scenes” IU

  “Archer brings a maturity to all he does that is well beyond his years. Archer has become one of my favorite fictional characters due to his level-headedness and thoughtful consideration of ethics. Though the book is targeted at teenagers, it has great cross-over appeal.” VR

  “Jacky has nailed the character of a medieval archer; the books are a thrilling blend of action and rich historical detail.” KH

  “Archer takes a different twist than traditional knight’s tales. Ms. Gray brings to the reader a new world filled with authentic traditional language, giving a sense of travelling back in time.” VH

  Book 2: Rory

  Archer’s reward for being the most worthy student in his graduating class is to lose his home and all his friends. The place he is sent to is a world away from home and he must get used to many different aspects of this new life, starting with daily torment from Peter and his henchmen.

  The first day at the foster home is so bad he wants to leave but the first day at his new school is so bad he has to leave. At the new foster home, Rory and Tom are friendlier and things finally seem to be improving.

  Not for long. He is back on guard with the arrival of two antagonistic sisters, but his normal defences are useless against an adversary like Mandy. Archer is dragged further into the shady world of Stiff and his gang of teenage shoplifters, but how can he hope to survive when the people he thought were his friends betray him?

  More things people say about Rory:

  “Archer faces a tough road in this story, and there are times when he seems utterly and unbearably alone. It's hard to read about a 16 year old facing such difficulties as bullying and an unhelpful foster care system. But the author catches the world brilliantly, and while it is something older readers will really enjoy, it is a great story for younger readers as well.” JD

  “Jacky's in touch with what kids and adults - after all we are all big kids - wish to read. Woven into the words is a journey that we can all relate to and for me that is the magic of a good writer.”MW

  “After loving Archer so much, I wasn’t sure at first because some of the characters were so horrible, but then I turned a page and was back on familiar territory. I couldn’t put it down.”MH

  “Archer again comes to face more challenge
s with life, this time more so with girls in his life and how they can be so influential to get what they want. I loved the cross over between the two aspects of life Archer has seen both the historic and the modern.”CF

  “One thing I've found in life is that there are far more Edlyns in the world than there are Fletches and Finns. I enjoyed the archery scenes and the glimpses of the extreme training, but would have preferred to stay in Archer's world for a little while longer.”JA

  Book 3: Reagan

  Reagan didn’t think he was anything special, lots of boys could sense ley-lines and knew the healing properties of plants and trees. Whatever he did would never be good enough for his mother, not even when he won the Garlanding or scored 100% on his graduation tests.

  With the help of his spirit guide Blaise and master trainer Kalen, he tries to determine the position of the next white horse. After an unsteady start they are aided in their quest by Reeve, daughter of the leading authority on white horses. Reagan needs all his mathematical skills to decode the complex patterns of ley lines and crop circles but it becomes a race against time as the dangerous accidents in the village lead to more serious casualties.

  Can Archer help him to find the missing pieces of the puzzle or will Reagan's perilous gift destroy him as it destroyed so many other chosen children?

  More things people say about Reagan:

  “Reagan is a particularly well-developed character with many facets to his personality. On one hand, he is a son struggling to please his parents while also a young man whose talents win the respect of Malduc, the leader of the council. Ms. Gray does an excellent job presenting Reagan's internal psychological struggle between the teenager and the side of him that is a level-headed professional.”VR

  “Another pacey book - a great way to get lost for an evening or two. Follow Reagan and his friends as they travel around Wessex trying to explain the reasons behind the white horses and their locations. I found this book almost as hard to put down as when I first read Archer.”CF

  “Just finished reading Reagan and thought I would let you know I much I enjoyed it. The book included many of the topics I have taken an interest in over recent years such as crop circles, white horses, ley lines etc. and I loved the way the story wove these together.” RM

  The first three books are available on Amazon, Kindle and Nook. Read more at www.hengistarcher.co.uk

  Find out more about the characters at: http://hengistpeoplehorse.blogspot.co.uk

  WorldWiseWriters

  This group of talented women is committed to engaging stories filled with charismatic characters and exciting adventures. First class writing, edited within an inch of its life, and fronted by breathtaking artwork. Looking for a good book to read? Check out:

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  Jacky Gray: Archer, Rory, Reagan

  Mmm. Shoot an apple off his friend’s head or lose his food, horse and clothes? Some decisions require little thought.

  Website: http://www.hengistarcher.co.uk/index.php/archer.html

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  New jobs aren't supposed to be this hard. Crazy half-gods, time travelers and ex-gladiator thieves? Unemployment never looked so good.

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  S.M. Freedman: The Faithful

  According to I Fidele, non-psychics are cockroaches. And the extermination is about to begin.

  Website: http://www.smfreedman.com/