by Candy Crum
CONTENTS
Dedication
Legal
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Epilogue
Author Notes - Candy
Author Notes - Michael Anderle
Social Links
Series List
DEDICATION
From Candy
To my boys, thank you for
being my reason for everything.
To my family who support me
no matter what.
To the fans and readers--thank you!
From Michael
To Family, Friends and
Those Who Love
To Read.
May We All Enjoy Grace
To Live The Life We Are
Called.
The Arcadian Druid Team
JIT / Beta Readers
Alex Wilson
Keith Verret
Joshua Ahles
Kimberly Boyer
Paul Westman
Kelly ODonnell
Melissa OHanlon
Peter Manis
Sherry Foster
Micky Cocker
John Raisor
If we missed anyone, please let us know!
Editor
Amanda R. Browning
THE ARCADIAN DRUID (this book) is a work of fiction.
All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Sometimes both.
This book Copyright © 2017 Candy Crum, Michael T. Anderle, CM Raymond, LE Barbant
Cover by Mihaela Voicu http://mihaela-voicu.squarespace.com/
Cover copyright © LMBPN Publishing
LMBPN Publishing supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.
The distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
LMBPN Publishing
PMB 196, 2540 South Maryland Pkwy
Las Vegas, NV 89109
First US edition, July 2017
The Kurtherian Gambit (and what happens within / characters / situations / worlds) are copyright © 2017 by Michael T. Anderle.
Ten Years Ago
Matriarch… Patriarch… Please don’t let her die like this. She must survive.
Silent prayers filled Elayne’s mind; her arms held her young daughter tightly on the horse as they raced through the woods. The Hunters weren’t far behind, and death was sure to accompany them.
The druid said she was extraordinary. Arryn must live. Her mind focused on the promise, to the hope the druid provided.
Elayne pleaded to the old gods as she ducked under a tree branch. Please accept my sacrifice and save her life. I believe she would serve you well.
The sound of iron-clad hooves thundering against the damp ground echoed through the night air, assaulting their ears. The cool wind whipped the coarse mane of their spotted horse into Arryn’s face. She closed her eyes tight as Elayne cradled her tighter.
The darkness scared Arryn, and she wasn’t quite certain if it was the heavy fog that had settled in the woods or the pounding of the two horses in stride behind them that terrified her more. Things lurked in the darkness—large things with ferocious teeth—especially in the fog, but the greatest threat right then were the Hunters not far behind them. They may not have claws, but they had magitech.
Weapons far worse and much more lethal.
Now, riding on the back of a horse whose thundering hooves carried them further away from Arcadia and closer to freedom, Elayne and Arryn silently prayed that they be delivered to safety—to Elysia, the Druid they had met in the Dark Forest. Free from the Hunters who Elayne could now see were getting closer. Free from Adrien. Free from death.
“Arryn,” Elayne said, her voice trembling with fear. She knew the words that she needed to say, but they killed her to speak them. Tears welled in her eyes, knowing what she was about to do. “I love you. I love you so much.”
Arryn’s entire body stiffened in Elayne’s arms at the sound of her voice, and she knew that her daughter was far more aware of their situation than a small girl should have been.
“No! You can’t! Please!” her daughter pleaded, somehow knowing exactly what was about to happen.
Elayne had heard that very same tone that she’d just taken in her husband’s voice before he’d pulled them both to his chest. He’d hugged them and then forced them to run while he sacrificed himself to the Hunters to buy them time to escape. But it didn’t take long for the Hunters to catch on, and now Elayne sounded just as desperate.
“It has to be this way, baby. I can’t let you die when I can stop it.” Her mother blinked the tears away. “Remember, you have greatness in you. One of these days, you will come back and save our people. Help them, guide them.” Elayne squeezed her daughter’s waist with the arm that held her in place. “You know where to go. You know what you must do. You’ll be safe there.”
Arryn began to cry. Elayne felt the tears drip from the girl’s cheeks down onto the bare skin of the arm that she had wrapped around her waist. There was no way to know if Christopher had survived, and now Elayne planned to sacrifice herself as well.
It didn’t matter as long as their daughter lived…
The sting in her eyes fought the pain in her chest as she continued instructing her only child. “Please. Do this for me. For your father. Don’t let us die in vain. Let this be our victory—let your full life be our victory. One day, Arryn, one day you will make this right. Return to Arcadia when you’re strong enough and take it back. Do what we couldn’t.”
Her daughter was too young to understand the love a parent carried for their child, but she certainly understood her love for her parents. Elayne hoped that it was enough to drive the girl forward and allow her never to look back.
“Arryn, promise me!” Elayne demanded, her own need to hear it come back coloring her request.
“I promise,” Arryn said, her small arm lifting to wipe away her own tears.
Elayne pulled hard on the reins, the horse crying out into the murky darkness as she did. He slowed to a stop, and Elayne quickly dismounted. She moved to the side and squeezed her daughter’s hand.
She pointed down the path. “Hold tight to the reins and head west. That’s all you need to know. Stay close to the water. She will find you and keep you safe. I love you!”
Arryn was barely able to choke out the words, “I lo
ve you,” before her mother slapped the horse’s rear, sending him into a full gallop.
Then, her mother turned from watching her daughter streak away, and settled herself in the middle of the path, waiting for those who would do her child wrong.
***
The girl wanted nothing more than to stop. She wanted to go back for her mother, but her instincts and the promise she made drove her forward.
The foggy darkness lit up bright orange behind her as the tortured screams of men echoed throughout the vast wooded land. Suddenly, a bright flash from a magitech weapon filled the sky, and the sound of her mother’s pain-filled screams reached her ears.
Then—there was nothing.
No horses. No men on foot. No voices. No screams. Just the sound of her horse running through the night, the tiny branches and ground giving way with every stride. She said another prayer that the Matriarch and Patriarch would take care of her heroic mother, knowing she’d just given her life to protect her.
Blinking the tears away, Arryn focused on moving faster to get to safety. The Dark Forest was a long ride away. The horse would need to stop for water, and she would need to sleep, but fear and desperation pushed her. Her mother had told her to head west and stay close to the water, so she found the Kalt river and travelled along the edge.
Horse and rider traveled as long as they could before her horse couldn’t go any farther.
Being outside of a city was new and scary. After a not-so-restful sleep from losing her mother and anything familiar she'd ever known, she and her misappropriated stallion carried on.
They traveled in search of the druid, Elysia, the woman who only a few months prior had vowed to care for Arryn in any emergency to repay a life debt. As Arryn approached the edge of the lush Dark Forest, Arryn saw people waiting for her.
Elysia was standing there with several other druids. Arryn saw another familiar face with those standing—Elysia’s son, Cathillian.
Somehow, the druid Elder had known of her coming. How she knew wasn’t important to Arryn at the moment, but the success of her parents’ sacrifice, was.
Arryn pulled back on the reins and slowed her horse before slowly climbing off. Taking the reins in her hand and walking alongside him with tears in her eyes, she approached Elysia and the others.
“Oh, Arryn,” Elysia said, opening her arms to the young one.
Elysia took in a deep breath. The young girl’s presence without her mother could only mean both of her parents sacrificed all for their child. Elysia’s expression was warm, but sad. It held the weight of young Arryn’s reality.
Arryn dropped the reins some ten feet from the group and ran into Elysia’s arms, the tears finally releasing in a torrent, overflowing. Cathillian stepped forward, placing a hand on her back. She turned her head over to see who was touching her, and he brushed the black hair from her face.
“I’m sorry about your parents,” he said in a small, fragile voice. She watched with her eyes as he turned his face to the horse, and with a wave of his hand, her stallion approached. Cathillian took hold of the reins and turned to face her once again. “You have a home here now.”
Arryn pulled back off of Elysia’s shoulder and nodded to him. “Mourn tonight, child,” Elysia told her, gently stroking Arryn’s right cheek with her thumb. “Tomorrow is a new day, and we will go to the river to honor them. Tomorrow, you’ll say your goodbyes. They will rest well knowing that you’re safe.”
The words pierced Arryn’s heart.
Her mother had said as much. Arryn’s life would be her mother’s victory. If she wasted her life wishing for other outcomes, she would dishonor her. As Arryn turned and looked into the eyes of the beautiful, golden-haired druid, she knew that her parents’ judgement had been well placed.
All Arryn could see was the kindness of her heart, and the smile of a mother.
All Arryn could think about was realizing the future that Elysia had seen for her the day they’d met. The power that Elysia had sensed in her.
Arryn nodded to the woman, promising herself she would become strong enough to return to Arcadia.
And she would avenge her parents.
CHAPTER ONE
Present Day – Ten Years Later
The intense, morning sun was bright enough to shine through the thick canopy of leaves overhead as Arryn prepared for the day.
She made her way outside of her small cabin that was expertly crafted out of live trees by magic, bending and shaping them into a thriving home. Walking down the steps made of stone, she stopped to take in the morning view.
The ground was particularly cool against Arryn’s bare feet. It had rained the night before, and the sun hadn’t yet risen enough to allow the dirt to completely dry. Still, it was dry enough for her to walk around without her boots, and that was good enough for her.
Like the druids she’d come to call family, she preferred to explore the area barefoot. In training, battle, and normal, everyday living, the druids went without shoes of any kind. The constant connection to the ground below always kept them close to nature and allowed them to better access magic at all times.
Only when it rained or on journeys did they prefer to wear shoes.
Over the years, she’d grown to enjoy it just as much. It didn’t matter to her that she’d been adopted into their ways instead of being naturally born there—she loved them. The druids’ peaceful way of life allowed her to be free. Free in every way.
Several of her friends were up and wandering around, but she could easily sneak away. Those few moments alone always brought her joy.
Arryn had only made it a few hundred feet away from camp when she felt something slither around her left ankle. She gasped and jumped, trying to pull away, but it held strong.
Then, something wrapped around her right ankle, tugging a little as it did. Another gasp escaped her throat as her heart began to pound. She looked down to see thick, leafy vines encircling her legs.
Her face fell, and her eyes narrowed as a heavy sigh escaped her. “Oh, hell,” she said to herself just before her feet were pulled out from under her.
She landed hard on the ground, the air rushing out of her lungs in a loud oof! She silently thanked whatever gods could hear her that it had rained, and the firm ground beneath her was softer that morning.
Arryn sighed in defeat, lying there, ankles tied together. She defiantly crossed her arms over her chest like an angry child. “Who the hell needs enemies when I have the two of you?”
Wild laughter at her expense echoed through the immediate area, only irritating her further.
“Come, now,” Elysia giggled. “You can’t blame us entirely, now can you?”
Arryn looked to her right to see Elysia and Cathillian standing there, both with mischievous grins on their faces.
The elusive and mythical druids… Arryn had heard tales about them as a child, but no one really believed they existed.
Oh, they existed alright.
And they were assholes.
But they were only assholes if they liked you, and only if they cared enough to teach you to always be on guard and never lose focus. Otherwise, they were just piss-your-pants terrifying.
Arryn, however, was not amused.
Still wearing her smile, Elysia looked around the forest as she inhaled deeply, no doubt taking in the scent of the early morning air. Cathillian locked eyes with Arryn, the smirk on his face telling her he was very pleased with his prank.
“It never fails!” he said. “You have to do better than that. Always keep your senses up! If you don’t close yourself off to nature, it’ll warn you of impending dangers. How do you think we know when something wanders into the Forest?” He tapped on the side of his head. “Guard’s always up.”
Arryn kept her position on the ground as she let him lecture her about the usual. Her mind always wandered a bit. Being in tune with nature one hundred percent of the time didn’t come easy for her. It was something a druid was taught from day one to do, but s
he had to work hard.
Elysia always played little harmless pranks on her to remind her to open up. Cathillian, was just as bad. He was a damn good warrior, but his magic was a bit weaker in comparison.
Though, that wasn’t saying much as he was one of the strongest warriors that they had, and he was also the grandson of the Chieftain which meant his magic was nothing shy of strong. Unfortunately for him, he was always a total scatterbrain. Not much better than Arryn in that department.
And she planned to remind him of that.
As he prattled on, a large bird landed in the tree next to them. It was a golden eagle, not unlike Cathillian’s own familiar, Echo, though much smaller by comparison.
More specifically, the eagle landed on a thick branch just overhead of Cathillian. Arryn furrowed her brows and nodded her head, feigning sincere interest in his lecture.
He was so sure of himself that he didn’t notice the slight shift in the position of her eyes as she focused on the bird. She felt the connection to the eagle, allowing her to communicate wordlessly through her magic. It looked down at Arryn, and the corner of her mouth turned up as she pointedly looked over to Cathillian.
With a familiar—animals that have a much deeper, magical connection to their druid—the communication happens seamlessly. The effects are unpredictable with random wildlife, though the bird seemed happy enough to entertain her.
The bird unfurled its large wings for a moment before settling in, shaking its tail feathers a little, and shitting directly on top of Cathillian’s head.
Arryn laughed hard—almost too hard.
“Oh, my,” Elysia said, sharing in the laughter as well. “I suppose you should take your own advice, son.”
