Warriors of the Veil
Page 20
Trevn fought back a sigh. This was not the first rebuke he’d received from Onika on this subject. It did not matter that he had asked her advice that day on the battlefield and Arman had been silent. Onika had warned him of the risks, and Trevn had made his decision. The blame for his people’s fascination with magic was entirely his.
The doors opened in the back of the great hall, and the herald standing beside the door played a line of notes from the Sarikarian anthem. Trevn and his group parted ways, each moving to their proper places.
Two people entered the hall, and whispers tore through the crowd. Women dabbed handkerchiefs to their eyes. A piper began the “Ballad of the Beloved”—the traditional wedding march for Sarikar—and the pair proceeded up the aisle: the Duke of Pixford escorting Princess Saria, who wore an emerald and ivory gown.
Mielle sniffled beside Trevn, but his eyes were on his friend. Hinck stood at his seat in the front row. Father Wolbair chanted prayers in ancient Armanian, then called Hinck forward with his witnesses—he’d chosen only three: Trevn, Danek, and Oli. While Hinck recited the list of gifts he had offered Princess Saria as a bride-price, Trevn, Danek, and Oli raised a canopy of ivory and gold silk at the front of the aisle. The Duke of Pixford accepted Hinck’s offer on behalf of the Sarikarian Council, then left the princess standing alone at the top of the aisle.
“Who wishes to marry this day?” Father Wolbair asked.
“I have come to marry Princess Saria Pitney,” Hinck said, his gaze fixed upon her. “And she has come to marry me.”
“Is that so, lady?” Father Wolbair asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“Then come, both of you, and stand under the holy canopy,” Father Wolbair said.
Hinck took Saria’s hand, and together they stepped beneath the silk. Trevn did his best to hold still, but his breathing made the canopy tremble.
He watched the ceremony with great amusement. He had warned Hinck not to go to Sarikar. Had the man stayed in Armanguard as Trevn had suggested, he’d be a bachelor still. But these two truly seemed smitten, despite the formal way their betrothal had come about. Trevn was happy for them both.
In the midst of Father Wolbair leading Hinck and Saria in prayers, Trevn caught sight of the entry doors swinging open. He glanced toward them and saw that Ottee had entered.
He reached for the young man’s mind. “Are you looking for me?” he voiced.
“Yes, sir,” Ottee replied. “I’ve just received a message from Captain Bussie that the Seffynaw has dropped anchor in the Port of Armania.”
Trevn’s stomach zinged. Tomorrow morning he and Mielle were going on a trip. This land Wilek had named Er’Rets was vast. There was much to explore, and now that peace had been established, Trevn wanted to map it all.
They would not be gone long, of course, as it was unfair to leave Oli in charge of the kingdom for too long. Upon Arman’s word Trevn had vowed to rule Armania. He would not let anything keep him from filling that role.
He put aside all thoughts of his trip and his realm and watched his closest friend pledge a promise of his own. Armania and Sarikar were safe, for now, and with Arman’s blessing, they would stay that way for a very long time.
The End.
A Note From the Author
Thanks for reading King’s War, the third and final book in THE KINSMAN CHRONICLES, which includes the parts The Reluctant King, A Deliverer Comes, and Warriors of the Veil. If you liked the land of Er’Rets, be sure to check out my BLOOD OF KINGS trilogy, which takes place five hundred years later and follows the descendants of many characters in this series.
I toyed around with writing an origins prequel to my BLOOD OF KINGS trilogy for a long time. I started writing it in February of 2014, and rewrites took me through the end of 2017. It’s strange to have an idea and not realize how long it will take to go from concept to final product, but this epic trilogy took four years to complete. I’m thankful to have led Trevn and his companions from the broken and lost Five Realms to a new home in the land of Er’Rets. We all go through dark seasons in our life. My purpose in writing this series was to show that no matter what darkness people might find themselves living in, those who rely on their creator will find their way back into the light (Isaiah 9:2).
I love to hear from my readers. You can email me through my website and sign up for my Sanctum newsletter to get updates on upcoming books and events. If you’d like to help make this series a success, tell people about it, loan your copy to a friend, give it as a present, or ask your library or bookstore to order it. Writing a book review for online stores is also very helpful.
Discussion questions for THE KINSMAN CHRONICLES series can be found online at www.jillwilliamson.com/discuss.
If you’d like to see a larger version of Trevn’s map of Er’Rets, check out the book’s Pinterest inspiration page. You can also discover a lot of fun extras by visiting my website at www.jillwilliamson.com/books/kinsman-chronicles.
Acknowledgments
To my husband, Brad, and my amazing editors, Dave and Elisa, thank you for all of your help, your patience, your questions, and clever insight on this book. The story was so much better, thanks to you three.
A special thanks to author John Otte for bringing out the moose antlers to talk me through magic and ethics and all kinds of random story troubles, to horse expert and author Gillian Bronte Adams for helping get my horse details right, and to Melanie Dickerson for helping me brainstorm political intrigue between royalty and their nobles.
I’d also like to thank the Readers of Jill Williamson Facebook group and my street team for all their continued support and for helping me brainstorm during the course of this series. Special thanks to Lisa Gefrides, Carissa Barrows, Jennie Webb, Dana Black, Jessica Casella Dowell, Mindy Chumbley, Elisabeth Wheatley, Jeff Schenker, Bethany Baldwin, and Alexandria K. Mintah.
To my family and friends who have been patiently waiting for me to finish these epic books and come up for air: I did it! This trilogy is done. Thanks for listening and praying and being there. I appreciate you all.
And thanks also to you, my faithful readers, for reading this epic adventure. Arman be with you all.
About the Author
Jill Williamson writes fantasy and science fiction for teens and adults. Jill grew up in Alaska, staying up and reading by the summer daylight that wouldn’t go away. This led to a love of books and writing, and her debut novel, By Darkness Hid, won several awards and was named a Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror novel of 2009 by VOYA magazine. She also has written several books on the craft of writing fiction and teaches writing in person and online at www.StoryworldFirst.com and at www.GoTeenWriters.com which was named as one of Writer’s Digest’s “101 Best Websites for Writers.” She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two children. To learn more about her novels, visit her online at www.jillwilliamson.com.
THE KINSMAN CHRONICLES
King’s Folly
Darkness Reigns: Part One
The Heir War: Part Two
The End of All Things: Part Three
King’s Blood
Kingdom at Sea: Part Four
Maelstrom: Part Five
Voices of Blood: Part Six
King’s War
The Reluctant King: Part Seven
A Deliverer Comes: Part Eight
Warriors of the Veil: Part Nine
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