by M. S. Verish
“I will be fine.” Hawkwing looked at Jinx questioningly.
“I’m alright. Arcturus helped me,” he said.
Hawkwing glanced at the Ilangiel. “We should go, then.”
Arcturus almost called after him as he turned away. He knew, though, that nothing he said now would feel right. He needed time—they all did—to heal. The Ilangien helped them to rise, and soon they were on their way to Veloria, a heavy pall of silence upon them.
26
Refuge
Kariayla waited anxiously, rapt to the narrow forest path that would guide her friends to sanctuary. Atrion stood behind her, his presence a constant comfort in the strange and verdant world. She held Ruby’s tiny hand and gave it a squeeze. “He’s coming,” she whispered to the imp. Ruby looked up at her, then back at the path. Her relationship with the imp had grown in Jinx’s absence, and Kariayla wondered what the reunion would be like between the two friends. Her heart ached to see all of them, and when Snowfire had come alone to the forest, she knew all could not be well.
“I thought they were closer,” Kariayla admitted.
“Time does not pass here as it does beyond the trees.” It was not Atrion who had spoken. She turned to find the old man—Chierond, as she had learned his name—had joined them. His pale eyes glittered, but he did not smile as he thumped his walking stick upon the path. It reminded Kariayla of how Arcturus did the same with Whitestar when his frustrations got the better of him.
“They do not have the Ravenstone,” Chierond said.
How can that be? Kariayla wondered, wringing her hands together. What has happened?
The trees rustled and whispered, withdrawing from the path as the procession came into view. An Ilangien woman dismounted from her stag and set it free. She bowed low before Chierond and Atrion before taking her leave. Arcturus came next, looking weary and worn, a scruffy white beard marking the passage of the time they had been gone. He slid heavily from the saddle of his horse, and Kariayla was quick to his side. His smile was genuine, but his dark eyes were sad—clouded from unshed tears. He embraced her in his meaty arms.
“Oh, my dear, you are such a welcome sight,” he said. One of the tears had loosed.
Kariayla did not know what to say to him, but she never had the chance to find her words. Jinx rode up next, his dark beard achieving little in hiding the pallor of his face. His shoulders sagged, and his eyes were reddened. His hand clutched at his side, and Arcturus left her to help the thief from the saddle. Once he was on solid ground, Jinx caught sight of her and Ruby.
The little imp made a sound—more like a gasp—and bolted for her protector. Jinx winced as her little hands squeezed him.
“You must be careful with him,” Arcturus told Ruby, and the imp’s smile faded in her uncertainty.
“Is he hurt?” Kariayla asked. She went to the thief’s side. “Are you all right?”
“Better than I was,” Jinx admitted. He sighed and sat down, pulling Ruby into his lap and messing her hair. He seemed reluctant to say any more, and Kariayla did not press him.
Snowfire fluttered above them, lighting on a branch. Kariayla did not have to wait long for Hawkwing to appear, followed by another Ilangien. She froze at the sight of the tracker, for it looked as though Death itself had stolen the life and color from him. His face was drawn, his eyes dull and vacant. When the Ilangien behind him came to his aid, his legs nearly buckled beneath him, and he was eased to the ground.
Chierond stepped forward. “Now you see for yourself, Lady Kariayla,” he said to her. “The Ravenstone is poison to all magic.” The old man went to Hawkwing and lifted the tall man to the support of his shoulder, as though the tracker weighed no more than a bundle of twigs. Chierond disappeared with him, a wall of leaves and trees obstructing the path behind them.
Distraught and confused, Kariayla looked at Arcturus. The Markanturian gently guided her by the shoulder, and the two of them sat down together. “My dear,” he started, but his voice choked. He did not look at her. “I have been a fool, Kariayla,” he said. “And for that we have paid in failure.” He began to weep, and Kariayla embraced him, unsure what else to do. If it all had fallen apart, then what, if anything, was left to salvage?
She took a breath and swallowed her sorrow. Be strong for him. Be strong for them all, for you have more strength within you than you could ever know. The voice of her protector spoke not with tones of consolation. Her words were spoken with the promise of resolution.
To Be Concluded In…
Afterword
Thank you for sharing in our adventure in Legend of the Ravenstone. We hope you will continue to follow our epic tale in the subsequent book, Curse of the Ravenstone, when it is released. Please consider sharing your thoughts through a review on one of the following sites: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, or Goodreads. Your honest feedback is insightful to us as well as other readers, and we appreciate your time and consideration.
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Again, we thank you, and hope you continue your journey into the World of Secramore for more magic and adventure with our characters.
Sincerely,
Matt and Stef
Glossary and Pronunciation
Alethrium (al-EE-three-um): a type of metal that naturally inhibits magic when in contact with a person’s blood
Archive, the: the clandestine source of all knowledge amassed by the Gray Watchers
Arcturus Prentishun (ark-TER-us PREN-tish-un): an outcast Markanturian politician who assumed a career in Mystland as a curator of magical antiquities
Argamus Dunn, Medoriate (AR-gam-us): the assumed identity of Arcturus Prentishun when traveling with the Priagent
Atrion of Celaedrion (ah-TREE-un): an Ilangien whose status is similar to a Human prince
Blood Mage: a derogatory or slang term for a Markanturian
Cantalere (kant-ah-LEER): a tool that aids a wizard in focusing and accessing magic; often magic is instilled within them to serve a purpose; cantalere may be a gesture, an object, or a spoken spell
Cantalereum (kant-ah-LEER-ee-um): a place where items of magical value—cantalere—are kept and maintained
Caster: a slang Human term for a magic-user or medoriate
Cataclysm, the: a catastrophic event in Secramorian history involving the battle between the being known as Jedinom and his nemesis Ocranthos
Chierond of Veloria (shee-AIR-und): the oldest living Ilangien in Veloria; also known as “the Elder,” the “Old Man of the Forest,” or the “Keeper of the Forest”
Demon, the (White): the notorious half-Falquirian, half-Ocrantilian mascot thief of the Prophet’s clan
Durangiel (der-ANN-jee-el): Ilangiel who freely promote the Durós though they cannot wield it; singular, Durangien
Durgoth (DURE-goth): an immortal race of beings who bear and wield the Durós; they are referred to as Mages of Death
Durós, the (dure-ŌS): the energy or magic of Shadow
Eruane: the Stormbringer; name for the Nemelorean Spirit of the Storm
Forging, the: Trinnad Markanturos’s journal and firsthand account of the Cataclysm
Falquirians (fal-KEER-ee-ans): a race of metamorphs with the ability to change between an avian raptor and a Humanlike form
Gray Watchers, the: a clandestine group formed as a result of the Cataclysm; oath-bound observers who cannot interfere but record all they witness to contribute to a vast archive of information kept by the Three
Great Welling, the: the Markanturian alternative explanation for the Cataclysm, where an amassing—-a welling—-of magic altered the land and nearby inhabitants
Hawkwing: a Falquirian of the eagle tribe reputed for his skill as a tracker and as a guide for travelers; Emérion Aguilos is his birth name
Hou
nds: slang for the mercenary-like law enforcers of the Freelands
Humans: a race of mostly non-magic-wielding, mortal people
Ilán, the (ill-AHN): the energy or magic of Light
Ilangiel (ill-AN-jee-el): an immortal race of beings who bear and wield the Ilán; Humans refer to them as Elves; singular, Ilangien
Immortal: a semi-divine being impervious to natural sickness, injury, and the passage of time
Jaharo Halensa: the renowned cartographer identity passed down to Hawkwing from his father
Jedinom: in Human religion, he is the deity who assumed physical form to save his followers by battling the Dark One known as Ocranthos
Jedinom’s Order: the organized system of Human religion that is centralized around the deity Jedinom
Jinx: a Human thief who resided in the Freelands; his birth name is Jameson Tyegus
Jornoans, the: a Humanlike race bearing special magical abilities relating to an individual’s resident spirit
Kariayla (kair-ee-AY-lah): Nemelorean magess and temple priestess who was exiled by her people and became a slave for the kingdom of Belorn
Light: see Ilán; magic of order and life; the opposite of the Durós
Links: Northern, Eastern, Southern, Western: the four main roads that comprise the Traders’ Ring
Lorth: an abbreviation of Delorth—-a place where Humans believed the condemned souls of the dead are taken; often used in Human slang, curses, and expressions
Mage: a magic-wielding person or medoriate with a special aptitude for channeling natural energies, such as elemental magic; a mage does not need cantalere; feminine form, magess
Magic: a form of energy that can often be wielded or influenced by medori
Markanturians: the proper term for the race known as Blood Mages; Markanturians are a long-lived, red-skinned race with the ability to heal through a physical extension of their being
Medori (meh-DOR-ee): the plural form of medoriate; a general grouping and proper term for magic-wielders: wizards, mages, and the like
Medoriate (meh-DOR-ee-at): singular form of medori
Mentrailyic (men-TRAY-lik): a “mind wizard” of varying abilities that involve the mind; some Mentrailyic abilities include telepathy, clairvoyance, telekinesis, and similar capacities
Merchants’ Guild, the: the organization throughout Secramore that influences commerce
Mystland: medori territory
Nikolon Omarand, Duke (nik-OH-lon OH-mahr-ahnd): also known as the Prophet, this one-time noble of Southern Secramore was outcast and relocated to Northern Secramore with his band of followers; as a notorious band of thieves, they stole mostly from higher-class merchants; the Prophet was named for his abilities of foresight as a Mentrailyic
Ocranthos (oh-CRAN-thōs): also known as “Oqrantos”; the being known as the Dark One worshiped by the Ocrantilians; the deity nemesis of Jedinom imprisoned during the Cataclysm
Odemir-Shiradoh (OH-da-meer SHEER-ah-doh): the true Jornoan name of Rashir Diemh which means “the Devourer”
Othenis Strix (ō-TEN-us): former Gray Watcher
Priagent (PRY-uh-jent): the devised, self-proclaimed ruling title of Rashir Diemh over the territory of Lornabaez; the Jornoan word for “emperor”
Prophet, the: the alias of Duke Nikolon Omarand, the Mentrailyic who led a notorious band of thieves in the Carycos Desert
Rashir Diemh, Priagent: name of the Jornoan self-proclaimed ruler of Lornabaez; see Odemir-Shiradoh
Ravenstone, the: the Shadow remnant of Ocranthos when he was vanquished during the Cataclysm; the Ravenstone was trusted to the care of the Jornoans; it is reputed to unravel magic
Rourke of the East Freeland Enforcers: the assumed identity of Jinx while traveling with the Priagent
Ruby: the imp befriended by Jinx
Scorch: thief and close friend of Jinx
Sebastian Hale, Lord: assumed identity of Hawkwing when traveling with the Priagent
Secramore (SEK-rah-more): the world of the Northern and Southern continents
Seroko, the: the corrupt faction of the former Gray Watchers; they use the Merchants’ Guild as their front
Seven Brothers, the: Priagent Rashir Diemh’s close followers: Nesif, Arshod, Asmat, Hesun, Dalred, Jamil, and Kasim
Shadow: see Durós; magic of chaos and disorder; the opposite of the Ilán
Snowfire: the white hawk who accompanies Hawkwing
Three, the: the clandestine trio at the head of the Gray Watchers
Traders’ Ring: a prominent, well-traveled route connecting all parts of Northern Secramore; it is divided into four parts: the Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Western Links
Tyrianne Xiuss (teer-ee-ANN ZĪ-us): the last of the Vandrean Warriors who pledged herself to Priagent Rashir Diemh before she was betrayed
Veloria (vel-OR-ee-ah): the Ilangien forest territory; also known by Humans as the Great Forest or the Haunted Forest
Vigil, the: faction of Human Freelanders who seek to oust foreigners from their territory
War of Light and Shadow, the: war between the immortal races of the Ilangiel and the Durgoth to maintain a balance of order and chaos in the newly-created world
Welling: an amassing of power that occurs when magic is restrained; the power is usually released in an eruptive reaction
White Demon, the: see Demon
Whitestar: the staff-cantalere entrusted to Arcturus; wrought from a Velorean tree, Whitestar retains the magic of Light
Wild, the: untouched nature and all within it
William: sometimes referred to as a wizard, though his abilities are beyond that of common medori; William resides in the secret city of Jumull; he is often called, “Bill”
Wizard: a magic-user or medoriate who generalizes in contrived magic but must summon his power by means of cantalere
Wizard’s Eye: a crystal sphere that can transfer images through its counterpart “eye”
Wizard’s Fire: artificially induced fire devised by wizards that burns longer and requires less fuel than natural flames; some Wizard’s Fire may or may not generate heat in addition to light
Wizard’s Sand: a solid form of Wizard’s Fire
About the Authors
M.S. Verish, better known as Matthew and Stefanie Verish, are co-authors as well as husband and wife. They knew they were destined for marriage when they could write together without killing each other. Their writing partnership has rewarded them with wonderful journeys into the realm of fantasy, culminating in their epic world, Secramore. The couple shares a love of nature and art and lives in Northeast Ohio with their Kirin and large family of cavies.
