“You know nothing of me,” Kain said. “You are tired of watching your sister murder mortals, and that’s why you’re leaving. As far as you know, I am a captive at Ayrith. Do you understand?”
Without knowing why, Tristan nodded his head, and when the man before him had finished speaking, Tristan took flight, flapping his wings until he was so high, even the trees were specks beneath him.
Tristan took a deep breath and looked up at the mountain. He’d felt compelled to return, felt like he belonged there. He wasn’t sure if he was afraid of being alone, or if he trusted the Dia of Ayrith more than he was loyal to his sister. Either way, he wanted and needed a place to call home.
“Do you see it?” Tristan asked.
“It’s a mountain.”
“Yes, but do you see what’s at the top of the mountain?”
Wynn tilted his head from side to side, his mortal eyes unable to see beyond the veil around the fortress. “I don’t see anything,” he insisted.
Tristan smiled and took the boy’s hand. “You will see it soon enough.”
Wynn marched up the mountain, his strength returned to him since surviving the sickness. Tristan had found their old village in ruins. Most of the villagers had been freed from Davina’s spell. Others had become mad with stolen memories restored to them, and the rest had simply died of the sickness. With Bram dead, and his brothers fled, Wynn had been left behind, forced to survive on what little stores of food remained.
“I’m glad you came back for me,” Wynn said. “But why didn’t Malcolm? He promised.” A sad look came over Wynn’s face.
Tristan bit his lip, his thoughts muddled. “I’m not sure.” He searched his memory, trying to remember the last time he saw Malcolm. “Perhaps he couldn’t find the village,” Tristan finally said. “You’ll see him again someday, I’m sure.”
Wynn pursed his lips in disappointment. “I hope so,” he said as a gust of wind nearly blew the cap from his head. He reached up and snatched it before it flew away and looked back up the mountain. “So where are you taking me?”
Tristan smiled, and for the first time in all the years he could remember, he felt completely at peace. He made sure to hold tight to Wynn’s hand, not wanting the boy to fall. “I am taking you to a beautiful palace,” Tristan said. “I am taking you to see a queen.”
A broad, puffy cheeked smile stretched across Wynn’s face as they trudged along the path. Tristan smiled, too. This was where they needed to be, he thought, where sickness, hunger, and blood would never plague either of them ever again.
BOOKS DON’T JUST HAPPEN. I knew when I started working on this sequel I was going to need a good team of people to help make it a reality, and that’s exactly what I found.
Always first, I must thank my husband, Pat, for always believing in me. I want to thank my developmental editor, Julie Hutchings, for helping me bring my characters to life and for understanding their journeys. I want to thank my line editor, Todd Barselow, for your keen eye. I want to thank, Nathalia Suellen, for the amazing cover. I especially want to thank my fellow authors: Kristen Strassel, Summer Wier, Kat Daemon, T.A. Brock, and Melody Winter for supporting me, helping me iron out plot details, and cheering me on when things got tough. If I’d given up a thousand times, I know you’d all be there to push me forward a thousand times.
I want to thank my friends: Marie Majarias, Jordan Shaw, Libby Fox, Sonya Hamme, Geraldine Kinsella, Susan Slenski, Gillian Bolger, and Jenn Salem for reading my drafts, giving me feedback, and always being excited for me.
I want to thank my family and my husband’s family for their help and encouragement over this last year. I don’t know what I’d do without you all.
I also want to thank, Davina Ni Mhaolmhuaidh, for helping me with the Irish language translations and for lending your name to my villain. She turned out quite well, I think.
And last, but certainly not least, I want to thank my readers. Writing books is definitely a lot more fun with you in my corner. THANK YOU.
Tammy Farrell grew up in Orangeville, Ontario Canada where she discovered her love of writing, and all things related to Edgar Allan Poe. She now lives with her husband and six fur babies in Greenville, South Carolina, where she attempts to learn French when she isn’t busy writing.
Learn more about The Dia Chronicles and Tammy Farrell’s other works at: www.TammyFarrell.com
MORE FROM TAMMY FARRELL
The Dia Chronicles
THE DARKNESS OF LIGHT ~ Available now.
THE EMBERS OF LIGHT ~ Available Now
THE RUINS OF LIGHT ~ Coming 2015.
The Highborn Chronicles
THE LYCAN MASTER ~Available Now.
THE LYCAN LORD ~ Available Now.
THE LYCAN LADY ~ Coming Soon.
Table of Contents
Title Page
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
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Books by Tammy Farrell
The Embers of Light Page 30
