by Charley Case
Anthem Of The Dwarf King
The Adventures of Finnegan Dragonbender™ Book Three
Charley Case
Martha Carr
Michael Anderle
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.
Copyright © 2020 Charlie Case, Martha Carr and Michael Anderle
Cover Art by Jake @ J Caleb Design
http://jcalebdesign.com / [email protected]
A Michael Anderle Production
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, January 2020
eBook ISBN: 978-1-64202-697-9
Print ISBN: 978-1-64202-698-6
The Terranavis Universe (and what happens within / characters / situations / worlds) are Copyright (c) 2019-2020 by Martha Carr and LMBPN Publishing.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Free Books
Author Notes - Charley Case
Author Notes - Martha Carr
Other Books in The Terranavis Universe
Other LMBPN Publishing Books
Connect with The Authors
Dedications
From Charley
This book is dedicated to my wife and best friend, Kelly. Without her belief in my abilities, and patience to see the process through, this book wouldn't exist.
From Martha
To all those who love to read, and like a good puzzle inside a good story
To Michael Anderle for his generosity
to all his fellow authors
To Louie and Jackie
And in memory of my big sister,
Dr. Diana Deane Carr
who first taught me about magic, Star Trek,
DC Comics and flaming cherries jubilee
From Michael
To Family, Friends and
Those Who Love
To Read.
May We All Enjoy Grace
To Live The Life We Are
Called.
Chapter One
Finn leapt back, the tip of Mila's sword missing his chest by less than an inch. He twisted and rolled left to avoid Danica's staff. Stepping forward, he wrapped an arm around Mila's waist and pulled her against him, using her as a shield to forestall Danica's next sweeping blow.
Mila jabbed her elbow at his face, but Finn extended his arm and spun her away like a dance move. She pirouetted into the charging Danica, sending them both tumbling to the ground.
Finn loomed over the two women, his fists on his hips. He grinned. “That was better. You almost had me with the coordinated sword and staff attacks, but you projected your intentions too much.”
He offered a hand to each, helping them to their feet.
“How did we project? We didn't say a thing.” Mila rubbed her hip where she had fallen on the thin floor mat.
Finn picked up the dropped practice sword and staff and headed to the rack on the wall, putting the practice weapons alongside other wooden ones. “You said it all with your eyes. Remember lesson one: always watch your attacker’s eyes. You glanced at Danica and gave just the slightest nod.”
Mila blinked, looking baffled. “I didn't even realize. Man, it’s hard to keep control in the heat of battle.”
“That’s why practice is key,” Danica commented, going to a second rack on the wall. She grabbed a short bow and some practice arrows. “My family trained me when I was young. They gave up after discovering my healing talents and started focusing on that instead. Still, I remember my uncle telling me how important it was to go through the motions of battle so, when the time came, you could think about tactics instead of the moves.” She put the arrows on a small table set aside for just such a purpose and tested the draw on the bow. She plucked an arrow up and, in a smooth action, notched, drew, and released.
The arrow zipped across the new condo’s practice space and slammed into the center of a target mounted on the far brick wall. She sent three more arrows after the first, all of them hitting the target in a tight pattern.
She smiled, lowering the bow, and glanced at the open-mouthed Mila.
“I kept up the bow training,” Danica said with a wry smile, “because I was already pretty good.”
“That was incredible!” Mila peered downrange at the target. “I’ve known you for years, and I never knew you could shoot a bow, especially like this.”
Danica shrugged. “I haven't practiced much since starting at the hospital. I still have my equipment in my room, but it’s a little powerful for an indoor range like this.”
“That’s so cool.” Mila slapped Danica on the ass, making the elf jump and squeal. “Atta boy, Danica. You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?”
Danica laughed, handing the bow to Mila. “Want to give it a try?”
Mila nodded, and Danica went into teacher mode, showing her the basics while Finn watched. Both women were barefoot and wore matching black leggings and sports bras. They glistened with sweat from the hour-long practice, imparting them with a glow that made his heart pound faster. Danica was the ‘traditionally’ attractive of the two with her long legs, high cheekbones, and blonde hair sweeping down her back, but Finn couldn't help staring at Mila. To him, there was no one more attractive than the four-foot-ten, half-Mexican woman. He watched the determination on her face as Danica instructed her on how to aim. Mila was the hardest worker he had ever met, willing to try anything—at least once. Everything about her was genuine and thoughtful.
Mila was his ideal.
He wished he were worthier of her. As an exile, a black sheep, and a target of fear and ridicule from most magical species, Finn was less than desirable. She deserved a king, and he was not that.
Finn pulled his eyes from the women and admired the new addition to their home.
Two days ago, the contractors finished the remodel of the now-huge condo. Simon’s and Becky’s old place was larger than Mila's original condo by about a thousand square feet, and Finn had designed the new space for maximum efficiency.
The long wall in the living room of Mila's place now opened into the main area of the second condo, the area Finn called the dojo; instead of another living room and kitchen, it was one open area with the kitchen removed. Thin blue mats covered the floor for martial arts training, with recessed indirect lighting
so they wouldn't be distracted by uneven glare. Racks of every type of practice and real weapons lined the walls, most of which Mila admitted she had never seen.
One of the three large bedrooms had been converted into a workshop, although it needed to be outfitted with machinery in order for it to be a proper one. It had some work benches and a few hand tools, and that was about it. The other two bedrooms were for Penny and Finn. They had their own bathrooms, with Penny's modified as a sauna with a hot and cold bath. She didn't need to shower regularly, but she enjoyed her therapeutic soaks.
The dojo’s main bathroom was constructed as a locker room with a large walk-in shower with several showerheads, along with benches and wood-trimmed cubbies to accommodate a small troop of people changing and storing their belongings while on the floor. Mila asked why they needed a locker room since they all lived there and had their own showers. Finn said he was planning ahead. He had a feeling the dojo would get plenty of use.
The additions were utilitarian, yet the woodwork was the finest Finn had seen aside from Preston’s manor. Kevin and his selkies were jacks-of-all-trades. The brown-haired, otter-shifter leader had contacted Finn as soon as he had been released from the hospital, just as Finn had asked. The dwarf gave Kevin all the healing potions he needed for re-growing his amputated leg. When they met, Kevin mentioned several of his people were master carpenters who would be happy to renovate the condo. Finn agreed to use them as long as they worked quickly. Helped by magic, they completed six months of labor in two days, and Finn showered them with homemade food and a substantial bonus.
He was elated with the new place. Mila had been skeptical at first, although once she had seen the beautiful woodwork, she was sold.
Finn heard the thwap of a bowstring and turned to see Mila had hit the target on the outer edge—still a hit. She pumped her free fist into the air and let out a whoop of excitement.
Mila turned his way. “Did you see that?” She was all smiles, and Danica chuckled behind her.
“I did. Pretty good for a first-timer.” Finn gave her a polite golf clap.
She rolled her eyes at the over-the-top patronizing. “Give me a month, and I’ll be hitting bullseyes all day.”
“I don't doubt it.” Finn was serious, but it still made Mila laugh. “What do you guys say to some lunch? Now that you’re feeling better after the ordeal with the hounds, we need to talk about the info Preston gave us.”
Mila nodded, handing the bow to Danica, who set up to take a few more shots. “Sounds good, but I want to get a shower first. You should take one too. I don't want you dripping dwarf sweat in the food.” She stuck her tongue out, giving him a wink.
Finn sniffed his armpit. “That’s not a bad idea.” He glanced around the condo, then asked, “Have you seen Penny?”
Mila grabbed a small gym towel from the stack they kept against the wall. “She went out on the balcony about half an hour ago,” she said after wiping her face.
Finn glanced out the double French doors and spied the small dragon’s blue body, the red stripe down her back nearly glowing in the morning light. She was perched on the railing, eating from a box of Charleston Chews.
He stepped to the door and opened it, then stuck his head out. The sharp cold of early winter hit him in the face. Finn shivered. “Hey. You okay out here? I was about to make lunch after a shower.”
Penny turned her head while keeping her body in the same position, her long neck craned over her shoulder. “Shir chi.” She pointed at the distant mountains.
Finn took in the view of the city spread out below the four-story condo building and the mighty Rocky Mountains in the distance. On this clear day, the mountains were a painting, colors popping against the clear blue sky as the sun lit their faces in brilliant definition.
“It is beautiful. I’ve been wanting to get back out into nature myself. The location Preston gave for the Anthem is pretty remote. Maybe we can get a hike in while we’re scouting it.”
Penny bit into another mini-Chew before turning back to the view. “Shir shi shi.”
Finn chuckled. “Okay, I’ll let you know when lunch is ready.”
Chapter Two
Finn set three plates of food on the kitchen island as Danica, Mila, and Penny entered. The two women had wet hair from their showers and padded in their bare feet across the hardwood floor, showing off painted toenails under the cuffs of their comfy pajama pants. Mila had her traditional matte-black polish that matched her fingernails, while Danica sported a cherry red that glinted in the light. Penny had a smear of chocolate on her face from the Charleston Chews.
Finn joined them at the counter. He cracked open three beers and slid two to Mila and Danica. Penny dove headfirst into her fried bologna sandwich. They ate in silence except for the loud crunching of potato chips.
Finn finished his sandwich before everyone else and washed it down with a few chugs of beer, then opened Mila's laptop and pulled up a map. “Preston sent over a flash drive with the info about what his people found.” He wiped the corner of his mouth, making sure no crumbs were in his beard. “He said there was a high level of magical dispersion form this location two days ago. Me and Penny checked the numbers. They matched what we’d see from an exhaust plume from the Anthem.”
“I thought…” Danica swallowed her bite of sandwich, then took a drink before continuing, “I thought the Anthem was destroyed by the Huldu when the Dark Star agent tried to steal it.”
“That’s what we all thought, but I remember this wash of red magic before the explosion.” Finn raised an eyebrow. “Red magic indicates dark magic. It’s possible the Dark Star was able to teleport the ship, but I can't imagine it didn't suffer some damage. Things that large are not made to be teleported long distances.”
Danica's eyes went wide. “She was able to teleport an entire ship? How powerful is this bitch?”
“Is that bad?” Mila asked. She was not in the loop when it came to power levels. “I mean, I’ve seen Hermin transport a bunch of people in one go before.”
“A bunch of people and an entire asteroid are two very different things.” Finn finished his beer and walked to the fridge for a second. “Only someone using dark magic would have that kind of raw power. Well, there are a few creatures powerful enough to do it without resorting to dark magic, but they’re pretty far and few between.”
“And what makes dark magic so bad?” Mila had the look she got when she was mentally filing things for later.
Danica answered her, letting Finn open his beer and rejoin them. “Well, dark magic is super powerful, but anyone that uses it too long will be consumed by it. Some people go mad, others become evil, it depends on the user, but no one uses it for long without some serious side effect.”
“And remember this is a woman that wants to start her own country,” Finn added. “You can't imagine how messed up that government would be, being ruled by someone like that.”
“Okay, so the Anthem was taken before it was destroyed.” Mila narrowed her eyes. “So, we just go take it back, right? I mean, we did it before. Why can't we do it again?”
“Chi squee. Shir shee chi,” Penny said, swallowing her last bite of sandwich and starting in on the chips.
“Yeah, we can't count on them being that sloppy again,” Finn agreed with whatever Penny had said. “She knows what we’re capable of, for the most part, and I’m sure there will be measures in place now to keep us out.” He turned the computer and pointed at a lake on a satellite image of an area northwest of Denver. “I think I know what she decided to do, though. She put it at the bottom of this lake.”
Mila squinted at the image. “That’s Grand Lake. I used to go up there with my uncle and dad on our hunting trips. Back then it wasn't all that impressive, but now it’s a destination for wealthy Denverites. Why would she put it in a lake surrounded by homes? Doesn't that seem obvious?”
“That’s what I was thinking, but then Penny looked up the information on the lake itself, and it all made se
nse. It turns out Grand Lake is the deepest lake in Colorado that’s not being used for hydroelectric. It’s deep enough the Anthem would be hidden below the surface, and no one would suspect a thing due to changes in the flow of water.”
Mila gave a half-smile. “Well, I see this as a good thing. Even if they have the ship guarded, there is at least a chance we can get it back. You could go home.”
Finn felt a pang in his heart. He had accepted this was home, but now he had a second chance to leave. Was that something Mila wanted? Was she sick of him throwing her life into chaos?
“Well, maybe,” he said soberly. “But that’s a pretty big if. We need to stop her from getting the ship up and running at all costs. Having the Anthem at the head of an attack force could spell all kinds of trouble for the Peabrains. The ship would need to be outfitted with armaments, but her shielding is far superior to anything that could be thrown at it on this planet. It would be an unstoppable machine of destruction.”
“So, what do we do?” Danica wiped her lips and took a sip of beer.
“Chishee.” Penny shrugged as if it were obvious.
“She’s right. We need to scout the area, but the engines venting like that tell us they have a lot of work still before they get the Anthem in the air. With the time that gives us—a few weeks, maybe a month—we can do one thing to slow them down.” Finn opened a browser tab, displaying a drawing of what looked like a tube with metal handles on either end of a glass cylinder. A yellowish-green liquid filled the cylinder. “Penny drew this up for us.” The women gave Penny an appreciative look. She waved them off, although her blue skin flushed purple. “This is the fuel rod for the Anthem. Out in the universe, these are commonplace; every ship is powered by these in some capacity. They contain a fluid that holds concentrated magical potential. The raw magic is converted into power for propulsion and hyperdrive systems.”
