Quintessence (Statera Saga Book 2)

by Amy Marie

  “Has anyone seen it since he died?” I ask, thinking of his last conversation with Mrs. Spacey’s cloaked form.

  “No. Why?” Rafe asks, puzzled.

  “Right before he died. He told the destructor that he had added something to it. It sounded like it was something important. Something that would help us go farther than we have yet,” I explain. “Lilly really wanted to get her hands on it.”

  Everyone exchanges looks of disbelief.

  In a fraction of a second, everyone is buzzing at the latest development. Besim is on the phone, making arrangements to enter some sort of vault. Rafe is rooting through a desk drawer in the corner. Char is calling for a cab, and Dylan and I are stuck watching, dumbfounded.

  “I’ll get the book back to you,” Rafe says gathering up a keychain from the drawer. “Call the others,” he says to Char. “We’ll get to work on this tonight. And if you’re up for it, we can get a plan together and start our search tomorrow,” he says to me, almost in question.

  I nod at him. I’ve been working hard to physically train and heal. With the help of my power and training with Dylan, I’ll be ready to go.

  While we wait for the book and the others, Dylan puts his hands back up in defensive stance. “Okay, we have some time yet. Just like before.”

  I begin to punch into each of his palms. My body turns and jerks and I begin to build up a sweat in my efforts.

  With each jab, I move to the rhythm of my mind.

  The voice in my head that has kept me company all along, my soul’s voice, is calling its mantra with each movement:

  Find the fire. Save Darcy. Restore the balance.

  Find the fire. Save Darcy. Restore the balance.

  Find the fire. Save Darcy. Restore the balance.

  END OF BOOK TWO

  Coming Soon!

  Thank you for reading Quintessence!

  Please stay tuned for the final book in the Statera Saga:

  Providence

  The world is changing. Rain floods the entire globe, hurricane winds blow throughout every country, and earth-shattering quakes have destroyed the land. Millions have perished. Three of the four elements have been found, but the emptiness has begun to invoke the destructive end of this world.

  Nora has her toughest battle to face, and she now has to face it without her soulmate. Can she find the fire before it’s too late? Is there a way to save Darcy from the darkness? Can the curse be broken and the balance restored? In the final battle against the evil of the emptiness – let there be light.

  Cover reveal and release info to come January, 2018.

  Be sure to follow Amy Marie and the Statera Saga for all updates!

  (Continue to next page for bonus excerpt)

  Introduction

  Providence is the belief in which there is an extraordinary knowledge of the reminiscent past and the omniscient foresight of things to come. This concept has been historically attributed to a higher power or energy, and its divine intervention to preserve the souls of creation. Providence can be perceived as a manifestation of constant guidance, or a pre-determined fate, and its source varies with interpretation.

  Prologue

  1771 – Grafton Estate, Colony of Massachusetts

  Gabriel can barely keep his seat in the carriage. Everything has changed.

  He places his hand on the wrapped parcel in the seat next to him – his ancestor’s journal.

  Richard Grafton was the original printer of the Statera. After several failed attempts to book passage back to England to research into Richard’s work, it was all Gabriel could do to write to his distant relatives and plea for anything they could share with him. It had been nearly two years before he heard back.

  But he never imagined they would reply with the royal printer’s personal journal. And he never dreamed it would contain such life-changing information. Why hadn’t Richard included it in the Statera? Was this a safeguard in case the book was lost?

  In any case, he knew he had to share this information with Darcy and Eleanor. Not only that, he knew he had to ensure the information was passed on, just in case. Their lives are in grave danger now. The destructor has been identified.

  This new information from the journal is vital now more than ever. It includes notes on elements, hieroglyphs of a necklace and dagger gilded from the gold of Egyptian gods, and information on a compass that will lead to an ancient temple.

  He glances back down at the journal, half afraid of what this information really means. Egypt is a long way from the colonies. It might take half a lifetime to figure out how to fight this battle. Or perhaps it can’t be done in one lifetime. Safeguards will need to be made.

  Gabriel reaches into his coat pocket and removes a rolled-up parchment. He unrolls the compressed fiber paper in his hands, reading his own writing over again in the lamplight, praying that his plea will not fall on deaf ears:

  Sir Charles Thomson,

  ‘Tis with a dire heart I call upon you, our new leader in the pursuit of liberty. ‘Tis rumored that you will be charged as a minister of the new order if our colonies thus liberate. I, along with all other dutiful members under the tree of liberty, pray that will indeed come to pass. But today I write for another cause. As minister, you will no doubt be charged to produce a coat of arms for the nation: a great seal for official authentication. I implore you to include something with this seal: The Eye of Providence. So that we may be guided on the right path in our never-ending quest for this, our new Nation. Along with this symbol, the eye should be set upon an unfinished pyramid. ‘Tis a symbol of the ever-tending care we will need to cultivate the nation. May this new country endure as long as such ancient pyramids may stand, for ‘tis how we forge our future, by finding what we are looking for in such places of the past. This symbol must withstand the ages as sure as Providence itself. This will be a beacon to lead the way to our nation’s balance and harmony. T’will be an honor sir, to offer my services to cast such a seal for you. My experience as a master craftsman in the printing discipline have prepared me for such a feat. I hope you will consider me and my business partner, whom is a fellow Son of Liberty, to join you in this venture. My business partner, Mr. Darcy Hughes, joins me in giving our kindest compliments to you and your family, and we look ever forward to your first opportunity of reply.

  Your humble servant and Brother in Sons of Liberty,

  Gabriel Isaac Grafton

  Gabriel rolls the parchment back up with a sigh. “I pray this will be able to endure, should the worst take place,” he mumbles to himself, holding the parchment between his praying hands.

  The carriage comes to a halt and the footman opens the door. Gabriel scoops up the parcel and steps out, handing the scroll to his servant.

  “I’m entrusting you to deliver this into the hands of a Mister Charles Thomson, and no one else. You will find him in Philadelphia,” he whispers to the man in the dark. With that, Gabriel turns back to head towards the timber and stone cottage built by his father.

  Walking up to the door, he finds it slightly ajar, the lock dangling from its place. Turning, he makes sure the carriage is well on its way before pulling out his flintlock pistol. Very slowly, he pushes the door open with the barrel of the small gun and cautiously steps into his home.

  He quickly wonders if he should call out, but decides against it. Anybody who breaks a lock to get in doesn’t deserve a warning. He doesn’t get past the main room before he realizes the place has been ransacked. Printed pamphlets scatter the floor and all his furnishings have been turned out.

  Only one man could have done this. No, he is no man. He is the destructor.

  Brigadier General Marcus Talbot must have been looking for the Statera. Gabriel gives a small smile of self-satisfaction in knowing that the text is safe, hidden away with his partner.

  He tucks his pistol back into his holster and moves to pick up the overturned table and light a lantern. Setting the parcel that contains the journal down, he moves back to his bed
room, pulling off his jacket.

  That’s when he smells it.

  Gunpowder.

  Turning around in panic, he stops in place as he sees a dark hooded figure in the doorway. Looking around the room in fear, he now realizes there are barrels of the explosive thrown into the mess of his ransacked belongings.

  The destructor raises his arms and removes the cloaking hood. Gabriel is more than shocked to see a young native man, maybe in his late teens or early twenties, hiding under the robe.

  “I am sorry, messenger,” the young man says in broken English.

  Gabriel screams without realizing and dives toward the robed figure, but it’s too late. The young man stretches out his hand toward the lamp light and with a glowing palm, the fire is pulled out of the lamp and into the grasp of his hand. He holds the glowing ball of fire just long enough for Gabriel to grab the parcel and hug it to his chest.

  With one last look of despair, he meets the eyes of the young fire handler and says, “Please…”

  The young man cuts him off, throwing the ball of fire towards the nearest barrel. It only takes seconds for the sound of the explosion to catch up with the engulfment of the cottage, but the earth-shattering boom was the last sound Gabriel would ever hear.

  About the Author

  Amy Marie is a first-time author of the Statera Saga. Her first book Reminiscence is sold all over the world. A sucker for a good old-fashioned good versus evil story, she was inspired to take on authoring a trilogy of her own. She has lived all over the United States, but will always consider Ohio her home. A huge fan of all fiction, she is always looking to get lost in the relaxing escape of a good novel. She’s worked several years for a major book retailer, and now enjoys a career in aviation as an air traffic controller. She delights in her friends and family, and the cuddles of her dog Brutus.

  https://www.amymarieauthor.com/

  Follow her on Twitter:

  https://twitter.com/Amy_Writes_Book

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  https://www.facebook.com/StateraSaga/

  Acknowledgments

  Thank YOU so much for reading my second novel Quintessence! If you’d like to stay with me for the final chapter in this journey, please find me online and follow me for updates on the third installment in the Statera Saga, Providence.

  If you enjoyed this series, and if you have the time, please leave a review on sites like Amazon or Goodreads. It’s the best gift you can give an author.

  A BIG thank you to my editor, Eanna Roberts, for making this book look oh so good and including me in Penmanship Editing’s promotion!

  Also, thank you to my beta readers: Ryan Pence, Mike Reser, and Lynn Harbaugh.

  Thanks to my mom, who is my biggest fan and critic at once, always pushing me to challenge myself. And thanks to Tito for the martini fuel and extra olives!

  Thanks to my dad and Jeselle for always being supportive in this, and all my projects!

  Thank you again to all my writing companions stranded from Authonomy and Write On. You “strangers” were the first to read my work and encourage me to share it with the world.

  Thank you to ALL the fans of this series, everyone who has jumped on board the Nora and Darcy bandwagon. I hope you’re enjoying this adventure and will stay for the final chapter.

  And again, the most important thank you goes where it’s due:

  Philippians 4:13 “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”

  Thank you,

  Amy Marie