Kneeling between the shattered legs of Drakenhurst’s queen, Anna pulled the small babe from the birth canal, reeling at the scent of so much blood. Devoid of a knife, she bit through the umbilical, drinking deep of the young blood before tying off the cord. Pulling the bloodied leather tunic off of the deceased woman’s body, she gingerly wrapped the babe. She needed to find something to feed it.
“We need to find a nursing woman, or at least a goat.”
“Yes, Queen.”
Holding the babe with one arm against her breast, Anna sprang upwards, digging her free hand into the freshly rent soil and digging in her toes. Even as powerful as she was, it took her several minutes to reach the top using only one hand. Kanth rolled over the edge and standing, reached down to take the babe and then hoist her up. All around them the field of battle was empty. A trail of dust to the south proved that the orc, troll, and goblin army marched away. To the north only human remnants of her husband’s army marched away. She had no idea what had happened, but something was different. Even though her wish had been granted, and the enemy queen was dead, something felt… off.
“Where are the Lycans?”
“Gone, my queen.”
“Gone where?”
“Dead.”
“All of them?”
“All. Dead.”
“We lost the battle?”
“No bodies. Kanth not know.”
“What do we do?” Anna asked, looking all about the empty field of battle. Across the gorge only a single man remained. He watched them from the opposite side, seemingly just as lost and confused as they were.
“Kanth think we go.”
“To Valdadore?”
“No. Valdadore weak. Not home.”
“Where is home?”
“Forest.”
Anna pondered it. Valdadore meant a throne, but it didn’t feel right. Nothing felt right. She no longer even felt her connection to the now deceased enemy queen. The child likely would not be safe there either. Maybe Kanth was right. Maybe they should hide. “Is there a place we could go?”
“Kanth know a place.”
* * * * *
Borrik stood looking down into the gorge. Sara’s body remained broken at the bottom. She deserved to be buried. Across the gorge Garret’s young lover, now holding a babe, and another man, spoke in hushed tones. He watched them a few moments as they turned and began fleeing the field of battle in haste. He wished he could recall all that had happened, but it seemed he had taken a blow to the head. He remembered Sara, however, and knew that somehow he was bound to serve her. Even in death.
Discarding his armor which seemed entirely too big, he was cautious to climb down the steep wall. Reaching the bottom nearly eighty feet below, he walked to Sara’s side and knelt down, brushing her eyes closed with tears brimming his own. Straightening her limbs to their normal positions, Borrik noted a bloody coil between her legs. It was a severed umbilical cord. Sara had been pregnant!
The baby the people had fled with was her child… Hers and his friend… whatever his name was. His head hurt so badly… He needed to retrieve the babe. It was heir to Drakenhurst. But he couldn’t leave just now. If they had meant to harm the babe, they would have left it here or stomped its skull in. No, for now it was safe.
He would find them, but first he had to pay his respects and give Sara a proper burial before the carrion birds had their way with her. Reaching down, he picked up the small leather bound tome that lay beside her body. It had been her husband’s. He’d keep it to remember them by.
-End
Thank you for joining me on this journey through Thurr and getting to know a few of the people I’ve carried around in my head for more than a decade. It is both a relief and heartbreaking to be bringing the story of Seth, Garret, Sara, and their many companions to an end. Of course the story of Thurr is not yet over. I intend to write a great many more series in this world using characters you already know, and some you have yet to meet! I hope you’ve enjoyed Seth and Garret’s story, and loved them every bit as much as I do.
Also, if you would be so kind, please return to Amazon and leave a review for the entire series right here:
AGE OF THE GODS
To be the first to know when I release a new novel, learn about the contests I hold (for signed books, cash, and even real armor), or simply to say hello, please visit my web page and send me an email via the Contact page. I am always happy to hear from my readers and look forward to chatting with you. You can sign up for my mailing list by sending me an email right here:
Contact Me
Books by Jeremy Laszlo
Clad in Shadow (Poetry for a Burdened Soul)
The Blood and Brotherhood Saga
Age of the Gods
(Fantasy, Ages 15+)
The Choosing (Book One of the Blood and Brotherhood Saga)
The Chosen (Book Two of the Blood and Brotherhood Saga)
The Changing (Book Three of the Blood and Brotherhood Saga)
Crimson (Book 3.5 of the Blood and Brotherhood Saga)
The Contention (Book Four of the Blood and Brotherhood Saga)
The Champions (Book Five of the Blood and Brotherhood Saga)
The Crowned (Book Six of the Blood and Brotherhood Saga)
Orc Destiny Trilogy (A Blood and Brotherhood series)
(Dark Fantasy, Ages 13+ for gore and violence)
Twisted Fate (Orc Destiny, Volume I)
Fallen Crown (Orc Destiny, Volume II)
Three Kings (Orc Destiny, Volume III)
The Beyond Series
(Adults only due to extreme mature content)
Beyond The Mask (The Beyond Book One)
Beyond The Flesh (The Beyond Book Two)
Beyond The Soul (The Beyond Book Three)
Children of the After series
(post-apocalyptic, Ages 10+)
Children of the After: AWAKENING
Children of the After: REVELATION
Children of the After: EVOLUTION
Children of the After: REBIRTH
Left Alive series
(Zombie Apocalypse, Adults only due to extreme mature content)
Left Alive #1
Left Alive #2
Left Alive #3
Left Alive #4
Left Alive #5
Left Alive #6
The Detective King Trilogy
(Adults only due to Extreme Mature Content)
The Monster Within
The Demon Inside
The Darkness Inside Us
Stand Alone Novels
Infinity’s Daughter
About the Author
Jeremy Laszlo is the bestselling author of more than 30 novels. His works have broken the top 10 of over 90 Amazon lists by genre, at times reaching the top 10 of all books on Amazon.
He lives in southern Louisiana where he enjoys scorching heat, a million percent humidity, and long barefoot walks on the blistering pavement. Aside from writing, Jeremy enjoys hunting mosquitos the size of Bald Eagles and water-skiing atop Jurassic Alligators.
Who are we kidding? He’s a writer. He spends most of his day with his bum securely fastened to a chair, in front of the AC, either reading, writing, or being beaten by children with Hulk boxing gloves that make really cool action figure sounds.
To learn more about his work, or receive periodic updates when he releases new books, check out:
www.jeremylaszlo.com
or
http://www.facebook.com/bloodandbrotherhood
Semper Fidelis
...and no, he is not a Cylon. I swear!
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Age of the Gods: The Complete, twelve novel, fantasy series (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga) Page 209
