by CK Dawn
“What is your price?” she asked him.
“First my terms, Elaina. You will have the peace you seek. Never again will you be bothered by the Five or others of your kind. You will be able to stay here and live out your life in peace. But you may not leave this world. If you seek to spread your influence among the stars I will have no choice but to crush you. I am happy for you to retain the power you have gained—in fact it is essential if you are to carry out your end of our agreement. Understand, though, it is here and no further that you may use your power.”
Elaina's heart lifted as she realized that against all odds she might actually gain the life she so sorely longed for.”That sounds fine to me, but again, I would know your price.”
“Your sons, Elaina.”
“I don't have any sons,” Elaina responded, confused.
“But you will—and they will shape the future of this world.”
Elaina’s mind was on fire. “Wait . . . they?”
“Yes—twins, Elaina—they will be no ordinary boys. With the power you have attained they will be born to a greater birthright. They will be giants among men. Elaina, they are what I require of you.”
“I'm not giving you my children,” Elaina answered with finality.
“Nothing like that, Elaina,” the Allfather responded with a laugh. “I am not Tharos.” In a popular Astarii fable, Tharos would offer aid to struggling families, but as soon as they were not looking he would steal their young children and vanish into the night.
“Your sons are yours,” he assured her. “Raise them as you see fit. But understand this—they both have a part to play in the war that is to come. You must ensure they are ready when the time comes.”
“What role?” Elaina demanded.
“I can say no more on the matter. The future is like the ocean, its currents ever-changing. Even I cannot read it with a surety. Besides, it is not fitting that one should know too much concerning their own future, or that of those they love. To know what is to come might change their actions, and so the very act of knowing what might come would be the catalyst to ensure an event did not transpire at all. Such knowledge can drive one to madness. Just raise them well and ensure they are ready when the time comes. Those are my terms. Are they acceptable to you?”
“What if I refuse?” Elaina answered.
“Then I find myself without reason to intercede on your behalf. I will allow the Five and your people to finish what Falinor started today. You may be strong but eventually you will falter and fall. The threat you pose will be eliminated and I will return to the Celestial City, disappointed that you would not see reason.”
“And if I agree?”
“Then all I have promised you will come to pass. I'll ensure your people leave you in peace and that you will soon have two strong boys to contend with. The life you want is within reach. Take it, while you still have the chance.”
Skeptical as she was of the Allfather's intentions, she was certain of the truth in his words. Alone against the Astarii, sooner or later she would fall, and Marcus in his stubborn chivalry would end up caught in the crossfire. Not to mention her sons. Elaina's heart threatened to overflow at the thought of her own children. There is no choice at all, she thought. “Very well. I accept.”
“Excellent,” the Allfather replied, smiling. “I shall watch with interest, Elaina Stormborn. Of the panorama of destinies that lie before us, so very much hinges on your sons.” With that the Allfather turned and departed through the portal, which closed as soon as he stepped through.
A knock at the door interrupted Elaina’s surging river of thoughts.
Before she could respond, Marcus stood in the doorway, a puzzled look on his face. “Is everything alright, Elaina? I thought I heard voices coming from your chamber.”
Elaina considered telling Marcus what had transpired, but didn't know where to begin. How did one explain the visitation of a God without sounding mad? Elaina led with what mattered most to her.
“Marcus, when you asked me to stay with you, were you serious?”
“Of course,” Marcus answered, rushing to her side. “I told you I love you. Today changes nothing.”
“It changes everything, Marcus,” Elaina began, thinking of the Allfather’s words, but not knowing how to express them. Elaina abandoned her attempt, deciding she would keep the encounter with the Allfather to herself until it bore fruit. “I have been alone for so long . . .”
“No longer,” Marcus assured her. “You will have a place and family here with me, if that is what you wish?”
“More than anything in the world,” Elaina replied, wrapping her arms around him, completely overwhelmed. Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks.
“What’s wrong?” Marcus asked.
Elaina shook her head as the corners of her mouth creased up into a smile. “Nothing, Marcus. Nothing at all.” For the first time in many years Elaina Stormborn, the woman in the wind, knew what it was to be happy.
The End...and The Beginning
Continuing the series...
The Woman in The Wind is the exciting prequel to my A Kingdom Divided series. The first three books in the series: A Coronation of Kings, When the Gods War and A Kingdom in Chaos are available now.
Continue the series in A Coronation of Kings or grab the entire A Kingdom Divided box set for a bargain! You can find them all at the link below.
S.C. Stokes Library
You can also join my Book Club here, it is packed full of goodies including the exclusive novella Rise of the Mercenary King
S.C. Stokes Book Club
About the Author
Many people love to read a great fantasy book. I love to live it! When I am not glued to my keyboard busily writing my next work, I can be found clad head to foot in armor, LARPing like a mad man. For those not familiar with the notion, LARP stands for Live Action Role Play where people get in costume and armor and fight over real-life battlefields. It's action packed and that is how I try to write my novels.
In my work, you will find yourself submerged in thrilling new fantasy worlds. Each coursing with conflict that transpires at an incredible pace. I draw on experiences from my life and time spent living in Australia, the U.S.A, and Japan to enrich the narrative of my books and provide you a taste of familiarity, as you plunge headlong into a scintillating new world.
Siren’s Lure
Frost Kay
Copyright © 2017 by Frost Kay.
First Edition
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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced. Stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any for or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, with written permission of the author.
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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For information on reproducing sections of this book or sales of this book go to www.frostkay.net
Siren’s Lure
Nothing is as it seems.
Hayjen never believed in myths and nightmares until he came face to face with one. Captured and trapped on a slaver ship, life looks utterly grim. But when mutiny and danger arise, Hayjen is tossed into the ocean’s watery depths where death stalks.
Vengeance is Lilja’s middle name. As pirate captain of the Sirenidae, she’s made it her life goal to destroy Scythia after what they’ve stolen from her. After one miscalculation, she finds herself cast into the sea with a man’s life in her hands. Despite her laws ringing in her mind, she saves him, exposing a secret she’s kept for years.
A secret that could destroy an entire race.
One
Hayjen
Life was never simple. Months on the cursed ship taught him that.
Hayjen stared from his floating prison at the death trap s
urrounding him. The seductive black waves lapped below, beckoning, whispering to him to take the chance, to seize his freedom. Luminescent coral cast soft light below the obsidian waves offering a lie, a hope that one could survive the harsh sea if one stayed in the light, but Hayjen knew better. Just past the comforting glow of the coral, a beast hunted—so deadly that no one chanced the sea at night.
He shivered as a shiny, midnight fin sliced through the water, before silently disappearing into the inky waves.
A Leviathan.
He wouldn’t make it two arms’ lengths before it dragged him below and killed him. His lips lifted into a grim smile. It might not be such a bad way to go compared to what the Scythians had planned for him.
“Hayjen?” a small voice called.
Turning his head, he sought out the unruly mop of white blond hair. Mer, a little girl who had been captured a couple weeks after he had, peeked at him over the top of a barrel. Her soft lilac eyes crinkled at the corners as she smiled at him, revealing a large gap where her tooth used to be. She scuttled from behind the barrel and slipped her small hand into his, their cuffs clinking together.
“What are you doing?”
What was he doing?
Hayjen stared at the tiny pale hand in his rough tan one. He could see her blue veins through her delicate skin. Mer was so fragile. His heart squeezed. This was why he couldn’t escape. His gaze latched on to her sweet face, gazing at him with adoration. He couldn’t leave Mer to the Scythians’ cruelty. For some reason, they delighted in tormenting the little one. If he hadn’t stepped in and given her some of his slop, she would’ve starved a long time ago. He also had his sister to think of. Where was she now? Was she okay?
“Hayjen?”
Hayjen blew out a breath and gave Mer his most brilliant smile. “I’m enjoying the view.”
Her lilac eyes darted to the rolling black waves—they widened with excitement when a fin cut through the water. Mer stabbed a finger at the water, practically bouncing on her toes. “A Leviathan!”
“Only you would get excited over a Leviathan.”
“They’re nice. When I get bigger, I want one as a pet.”
That made him snort. “I doubt that they would want to be kept as a pet.” He tickled her neck. “I think they would probably want to snack on you.”
Mer giggled. “No, they just like the way I smell. One sniffed me today.”
Hayjen stiffened. What was she talking about? He knelt and placed his hands on her dainty shoulders. “How did they sniff you?” he questioned, attempting to keep his heart from beating out of his chest.
A little shrug. “I was hot, so I asked if I could go for a swim, and the mean man threw me in. The Leviathan were happy to have someone to play with.”
Bile burned the back of his throat. They had thrown a little girl into Leviathan-infested waters? Unconsciously, his hands started to skim over her for injuries. “You swam with the Leviathan?” he croaked, trying to not throw up as he said the words.
Her innocent smile almost broke his heart. “Yep! We played tag. They darted in and bumped me with their noses before speeding off. I wish I was that fast in the water. When I got tired, one let me hold onto its fin. I got to ride one, Hayjen! Mama always said that one day I would be able to.”
He sucked in a deep breath and considered Mer’s unique lilac eyes. “You must not swim with the Leviathan again, Mer. It’s dangerous.”
“But they’re my friends.”
“I understand you had a wonderful time today, but they’re not safe.”
“They didn’t hurt me.”
“No more, Mer.”
Her jaw jutted out stubbornly. “I like them.”
If reason wasn’t going to work, he had to scare her. “They like to eat people.”
Her eyes bulged. “Eat people?” she squeaked.
“Yes.” He nodded gravely. “Leviathan eat people, and I love you too much for you to be eaten, so please stay out of the water, for me.” Hayjen watched her emotions flicker across her face until settling into resignation.
“I guess. I don’t want to be eaten.”
“Me neither.” He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. She could have died. Those bastards threw her in the water expecting her to be eaten. Fury boiled through his veins. She was just a little girl. Dropping a kiss onto the crown of her head, Hayjen pulled back and chucked her under the chin. “It’s time for bed, little one.”
“Awww…” she pouted.
“None of that. Let’s go.”
Mer skipped ahead, and bounded down the stairs leaving him behind. He took one last look at the sea, and put his fantasies of freedom behind him. There wouldn’t be any escape for him tonight. Hayjen strode to the stairs and descended into the belly of the ship. He wove around hammocks swaying from the ceiling, filled with sleeping slaves. He was one of the few men captured. Hayjen hadn’t believed the rumors that Scythians were stealing people. He was minding his own business fishing one day when he was stolen. His rigging was tied up, the ship approached and offered him help. They looked like a run of the mill merchant ship right up until the moment they knocked him out. When he woke up, he was cuffed to the wall bleeding with no idea where he was. He was alone at first, that is until Mer was captured a few weeks later. She looked so pitiful, sopping wet and shaking like a leaf. When she wouldn’t stop crying, one of the men cuffed her so hard behind the ear, she flew forward into the mast unconscious. Hayjen made a decision then. He’d protect her.
She was a peculiar little girl, but she had wormed her way into his heart immediately. Even now, months later, he still didn’t know much about her family. Mer couldn’t remember much. He didn’t know if it was due to the blow to her head, her age, or her mind protecting her from a traumatic event.
Hayjen spotted Mer swinging in her hammock. Carefully, he caught it, and gave her a stern look. “It’s time for bed.”
“Okay.” She snuggled down and looked up at him expectantly. “A song?”
Her angelic face, so full of hope, ensnared him. How could he say no? “One song. Just one.” He knelt down next to her and sang a song his mum used to sing to him as a child. Her eyes hooded as sleep tried to take her. At the end, she slipped her hand into his.
“Prayer?”
“Anything for you, baby girl.” He didn’t feel particularly thankful at the moment, but it calmed her. After uttering a few words of thanks, her little eyes closed and stayed closed. Hayjen brushed the blond fuzz from her cheek, admiring the planes of her face. She reminded him of his sister Gwen. After their parents died, he would tuck her into bed and say a prayer with her, even though he was only a handful of years older than she was.
Mer released a soft sigh and smiled in her sleep. He could have lost her today. Rage bubbled at the thought. They had thrown her into Leviathan-infested waters. How did she survive? Leviathan were known for being extremely aggressive and eating just about anything. It didn’t make sense. He dropped a kiss on her forehead and wove through the swinging hammocks. He needed to have a word with the captain. He most likely would receive a whipping for saying anything. It wasn’t the first time, nor would it be the last.
When Hayjen spotted Leth, it was all he could do not to tear his head off. Leth was an extremely tall, widely-built man with cheekbones so sharp you could cut yourself on them. The first mate had a particularly mean streak. He enjoyed causing suffering and pain. Hayjen had received lashes for just looking at the man the wrong way. He blew out a breath—he needed to execute this with care. Steeling himself, he strode toward Leth. The Scythian first mate spotted him and jerked his chin towards Hayjen, pulling the other Scythians’ attention. He clenched his jaw at the slurs thrown his way and halted before the group. “I need to speak with the captain.”
Leth pushed off his chair and moved to stand in front of him. “The slave demands to see the captain. What does a slave need with the captain?”
Hayjen tipped his chin up to meet the first mate’s eye
s. “One of his slaves almost died today.”
Leth chuckled, his cronies joining in. “Why would the captain care about that?”
“Mer was thrown into the sea.”
Leth’s face screwed up in disgust. “She was unscathed the last time I saw the little brat, unfortunately.”
Several men crossed themselves. Something about Mer unnerved them and stirred their hate something fierce. “You threw her to the Leviathan.”
“What concern is it of yours? She’s not your daughter.”
He wasn’t getting anywhere arguing with this lout. “I think our captain would be very concerned that his first mate threw one of his valuables overboard.”
The laughter cut off and Leth’s eyes narrowed, taking on a menacing glint. “Are you threatening me, slave?” His tone took on a dangerous edge.
“No,” Hayjen replied softly. “I am giving you my oath that if the little girl is harmed, I will make the Leviathan look tame.”
Waves crashed against the ship as the air around them filled with tension. “You dare to speak to me this way?” hissed Leth. “You are nothing but a blight on this world. Tonight you will be taught a lesson you will never forget, boy.”
“So be it. It will change nothing.”
The first mate seemed to swell in size, towering over Hayjen. “Tie him to the mast.”
He didn’t fight as he was roughly seized and dragged to the mast. It didn’t matter if he fought. In the beginning, he had fought, but quickly he had learned they were all unnaturally stronger than him. Every once in a while, he would land a blow, but the majority of the time it was he that was hurt. Chain clipped into his metal manacle and bit into the abused flesh around his wrists. His hands were lifted above his head and his shirt cut from his back, exposing his healing lash marks to the cool air. This was going to hurt. He had calmed down for the sake of the girls on the ship to protect them as much as he could. One of the girls, Lera, had refused to sleep with a Scythian and was sentenced to forty lashes for disgracing her betters. He had stepped in and taken the punishment for her. She wouldn’t have survived the lashing.
