by Susan Faw
“Why is the emperor doing this?” The words burst from Niloo’s lips, her poker-straight hair swinging as she tossed her head in anger.
“We believe he is building an army with the forced enslavement. Most that are taken are in their prime. We believe that he intends to seize control of the provinces and become emperor in truth. The role of emperor has always been one empowered by the provinces, a figurehead set up to act as a lightning rod for disputes. But as you know, the provinces have always been self-ruling. We believe he intends to change that and bring everyone in every province under his yoke. To do this, he needs a massive army and has created the perfect excuse to recruit without repercussion. By the time that the provinces realize what the plan is, they will be too far under the Citadel’s physical control. This is where you all come in. It is your task to disrupt his plans. It is your calling and your destiny to be the ultimate barrier to his plans.” Madame Cherise’s eyes swept the faces turned up to her.
“You are tasked with destroying the source of his power in the Citadel. But first you must free your provinces, for buried deep within each province is a key that will aid you. You must seek out the Keeper of the Heart in each province. This person’s identity, man or woman, has been hidden from the world, even my eyes, to protect them from the emperor. You must find the Keeper and recover the key. When all keys are recovered, you will be ready to face the emperor directly but not before. Fail to do this and the world is doomed.”
Worried looks were exchanged and muttering. Seraphina said with a tremor in her voice, “But where do we start? How will we find this person?”
“I am not sending you out with any guidance. I have a parting gift for each of you.” Madam Cherise climbed down the steps and walked over to the triads. She opened a satchel at her waist, pulling out a scroll sealed with red wax and tied with a ribbon. On each ribbon was a tag with a name. She handed a scroll to each daughter and stepped back. “The Keeper left instructions on how to find him or her when the time came. Do not open these scrolls here, for the ink will fade once it has been exposed to the light. When you reach your shores, open the scroll and commit the words to memory. You have the power of three sets of intelligence to aid you. Do not waste it.” The young women tucked the scrolls into the saddle bags on their dragons and turned back. Chryso had followed Cherise and was now handing over a larger sack to each of the women. “These are critical supplies, healing ointments and medicines for your dragons. Do not lose them and do not waste them. Once you gain the shores of your homeland, finding the elements necessary to replenish these will be difficult. The brewing instructions are enclosed, but you will need to find a healer with magic to have the medicines made correctly.” To his Djinn counterparts, he handed a second pack. “I have also packed supplies unique to your physical requirements. Enhancers to help maintain your bonds over long distances, should you be physically separated. Dehydrated food supplies for the unique nutritional requirements of shapeshifters. Remember, if you shift too often or for too long, you will deplete your reserves of magic needed to maintain the illusion. Do not shift unless there is great need.” They nodded, accepting their parcels.
“I cannot impress on you how critical your task is. Each of you will have a unique journey, but the goal is the same. Stop the emperor before he enslaves the world. Go, daughters of L’Ordre du Coeur Sacré.”
Chryso touched Madame Cherise’s arm and squeezed it gently, sharing an understanding with her, then went to join Shikara and Beryl. Madame Cherise watched with apprehension as Shikara climbed onto Beryl’s back.
It is time to break the bond, Marion. We are about to leave. I will look you up when we arrive in Gaia, he thought to his former bonder.
I will miss you, she sent back, and he could feel her sadness. He felt a snap, and then Shikara’s consciousness replaced Marion’s in his mind.
Hello, little one! Our bond is now complete. Shikara’s mind fulfilled with of wonder and excitement.
Hi there, she thought back. Uh oh, why are you sad? She sorted through the bundle of sensations for the first time.
“I will miss Marion. She was a great witch,” he said.
“We will find her and make sure she is safe,” promised Shikara.
The daughters of hope mounted their dragons, their Djinn shifting into birds to sit on their shoulders. The dragons stretched their wings and one by one bounded down the grassy slope and launched themselves out over the cliff. With powerful strokes of their wings, they pulled themselves skyward and turned in the direction of Gaia.
Cherise watched until the last triad shrunk to a pinprick then faded from view.
“Farewell!” she prayed in a whisper, “and may luck be your constant companion.” With a sad, final glance, she left the platform to return to the silent halls of the school, the other teachers trailing in her wake.
Chapter 22
New Leadership
THE NEWLY SWORN COUNCILLORS of Gaia, one from each province, crowded the council chambers once again, but this time, they stood. They had been denied permission to sit. Instead, they cowered behind their chairs and stared in horror at the heads of the previous councillors from each province sitting on a shining silver platter, blood still dripping from the severed necks, mouths frozen in screams of pain. Sweating profusely, several of the councillors surreptitiously wiped their palms on their coat jackets. A woman licked her lips and paused when the action attracted Madrid’s gaze. She dropped her eyes and immediately wished she had not, for the action brought the macabre scene back into focus. She locked her eyes on the corner of the ceiling and clamped her lips together to keep from licking them again.
Madrid walked past the newly minted councillors and mounted the stand to his chair and sat down, elbows resting on the carved armrests and fingers steepled in front of him. One finger stroked his mustache before he said, “Be seated,” in a soft, neutral voice.
Trying not to look at the heads, the councillors did as instructed, all except for one, who turned away to the window and leaned out it to retch. The sound of his sick splattering on the tower wall caused several other councillors to stand and run to adjoining windows. The remaining councillors, quivering in their seats, focused on Madrid and waited. When all councillors were finally seated, Madrid spoke again.
“As you can see, the previous councillors were…reluctant to increase the tithe as decreed by the Citadel. Refusing to support the Citadel with the tithe is an act of treason. Any threat to the Citadel must meet with the swiftest of responses. Treason must be met with the harshest of punishments. There is no middle ground. Swift, harsh punishment quells insurgency.” His eyes traveled amongst the recruited councillors, most recently mayors or deputy councillors of their various provinces. He didn’t even know their names. “I am a benevolent emperor. Have I not cared for the provinces? Sheltered them from conflict, purged them of the evil of magic? To deny the tithe when the need is so great is to encourage the spread of witchcraft. Have you so soon forgotten the young women snatched by the witches? One can only imagine the horrors they have endured.” One councillor nodded.
Where there is one ready to cave, there are more, Madrid thought. Time for the final push.
He leaned forward as his chair began to rotate, so that he could see all their faces as he spoke.
“Today you will swear allegiance to the Citadel. You will swear on behalf of your provinces to support the Citadel in exchange for our protection and judgment as it has been for hundreds of years. But today, I am adding a second oath. This one you will swear personally. You will swear this day your fealty to your emperor in life and in death. You will be the first and by doing so, you will usher in a new era of unity and peace for all of Gaia. You will be the leaders of a new and prosperous Gaia, united under the loving umbrella of the Citadel, and prosperity such as you have never known will be the vanguard of your councils. Those provinces that swear willingly, those councillors who pledge fealty of their own free will, will be given special positions within
the new government. Put aside the petty loyalties of your city-states and grasp the vision of a new Gaia. Yes, that is what we will call this new paradise, New Gaia! For it will be reborn from the ashes of the old. Join me!” Madrid flung out his arms and then lowered his right hand proffering his ring of office.
First one councillor, then a second, then all stood and approached his chair. One by one they knelt at his feet to pledge their fealty and kiss his ring. When all had sworn, Madrid clapped his hands together and servants swept into the room to remove the trays of heads. Behind them, a second wave of servants brought platters of steaming food and flagons of wine. The table was soon crowded with meats and cheeses and fresh fruit and puddings and every manner of bread. The impromptu feast turned into a raucous party as the shell-shocked councillors imbibed copious amounts of well-aged wine.
Madrid left them to their celebration, exiting the room to find Commander Cayos waiting for him as instructed.
“Walk with me,” he commanded, and then, with quick strides that carried him swiftly away from the council chambers, he entered the library at the end of the hallway. Commander Cayos closed the doors behind him then turned to his emperor.
“They are ready,” he said.
“Excellent. They are ready to return with the councillors to their home provinces?”
“Yes. They have all passed their training and have been sworn into the Citadel Guard.”
“Good. There is no time to waste. They have been outfitted with the best mounts? I will spare them no expense. They must have the best.”
“Yes, my lord. They have been given estates and servants to care for their estates as commanded. With the titles you have bestowed on them, they should be powerful representatives for the Citadel and for you in their local communities.”
Madrid stopped in front of a bookcase with dusty tomes that appeared to not have been read in centuries. He felt along the cracked spine of a book entitled Magical Poisons and pulled on its top. It tilted out of its space and with a click, a two-foot section of shelf slid aside to reveal a hidden safe. Madrid spun the dials on the safe then pulled open the door and pulled out a velvet bag. He relaxed the drawstring, peered inside, then drew them tight and tucked the small bag inside of his shirt pocket. He closed the door of the safe, replaced the book then said, “Take me to them.”
Ten minutes of walking brought the emperor to the barracks where the guards slept and when the door opened, ten young men rose to their feet, bowing as they recognized their visitor. The young men were trim, well-muscled and in the prime of their lives. Strong and cocky, they eagerly awaited their assignments.
“Rise, and approach me,” said Madrid as he stopped with his back to the cold stone fireplace.
When they had gathered around him, Madrid reached inside his pocket and pulled out the bag, upending its contents into the palm of his hand. Out tumbled a cluster of jewels, sparkling in the stray rays of sunshine splashing across the carpet. Rainbows danced across the walls as he held out his hand.
“Show me your crystal hearts.” The young men reached inside their shirts and pulled out their hearts on their chains. “As a reward for your hard work and training and your fealty to your emperor, you are to pick one jewel from my hand and place it in the center of your heart.” One by one, the young men did as instructed, opening the clasp on the back of the hearts and placing the jewel inside. As soon as the jewel touched the crystal, it melted into its middle and became a solid part of it. The crystal healed itself, the seams disappearing until no sign of the opening remained.
“This jewel has triggered your heart. In times of extreme need, you need but clasp the heart in one hand and ask for help and the Citadel will send help, no matter where you are or what your circumstance. Never take your necklace off. Welcome to the service of the Citadel.”
They bowed once again and murmured their thanks, and Commander Cayos marched them out of their barracks and down to their waiting horses. Madrid watched with a smirk as they disappeared around the corner.
The door opened and Carissa slipped up next to him and wrapped her arms around his torso, laying her head on his back. Sensing her mood, Madrid turned in her arms and kissed her, merging into her body and drawing a gasp from her lips. Obediently, she left the library and walked to his chambers, dropping her blood-soaked clothing onto the floor. She entered his bathing chamber and began to scrub the blood from her hands and under her nails, a pleased smile drifting across her face. The feminine eyes that stared back in the mirror had a feral quality to them, a beast held in check by the magic of his possession. Ancient and knowing, the beast purred. All of the pawns were in position. The trap was set. The battle for control of New Gaia loomed. It had begun.
The adventure continues in Heart of Tyr, coming soon!
Thank you for purchasing Heart of Destiny, book one of The Heart of the Citadel series. I hope you have found this an enjoyable read! Rejoice, for the journey is not over.
A dozen books are planned for this series, continuing with the next volume, Heart of Tyr. Books two through eleven can be read in any order. Each will feature the heart bearer’s battle to free her province of birth from the grip of the emperor.
Please enjoy the sneak peek to follow, and watch for book two’s release, coming soon!
Heart of Tyr
Chapter 1
A Rocky Beginning
ELISSA STIRRED SLEEPILY as Mysty’s rhythmically beating wings slowed and steadied into a glide that angled down out of the chill of night. They plunged into the cotton fluff of the thunderhead, lit from above by the dual moons that rode the heavens. She pushed herself upright, just as the cloud broke across her face, dampening her skin and hair. Lightning flashed, blinding her and she threw an arm across her face, to cut the reflective glare and protect her night vision. Druzy, from his perch on Mysty’s neck bone, cocked his head and ruffled his feathers. His beak opened. While Elissa expected to hear the caw, somehow she understood his words even while in bird form.
“We are just off the coast of Tyr, Elissa. Where is it that you wish us to enter? We could go directly to where we found you, or do you have another place in mind?”
Elissa dropped her arm as the lighting faded. “Sure, it’s as good a place as any to start our quest.” Mysty burst from the clouds and flattened her descent, craning her neck to find the castle where she had stayed so briefly. Spying the village spilling across the hills on which the castle had been built, she angled toward the spot. Elissa stared over the dragon’s side, peering at her homeland of Tyr. She had never seen it from above and was amazed at how it looked like a child’s sandbox city, with scattered toy buildings and fields and dots of cattle and horses. To the east, the white-tipped peaks of the Tyrian Fold Mountains were visible against the faint blush of dawn tinging the sky. Lightning flickered and that is when she saw it, a shimmer that was there for a second and then gone.
“Druzy, what is tha…” Her words were cut off as the claw of Mysty’s foot touched the shimmer. With a blinding flash and a jolt of power, Mysty was flung away from the force field with the strength of a giant’s swatting hand. Electricity plunged into Elissa, and she screamed at the pins and needles that jabbed into her muscles. Her hands on the reins spasmed, and she dropped them. Her legs jerked and she slid sideways, only to be caught by the safety harness she had fastened for sleep on the time warped journey. She slumped sideways and hung suspended over Mysty’s side, unable to do anything more than squint painfully at the spinning scene below her.
Druzy had launched himself into the air just in time and flew above the dragon, as Mysty howled with pain, flapping her great wings to rise above the field and back to the safety of the sky. Her wingtip touched the dancing surface of the field and sizzled out of existence, the feathers burned away in a flash of acrid smoke.
“Focus on me, both of you. Let’s retreat back to the sea.” Pain radiated along their shared thoughts. “I remember seeing some rocky outcroppings off the shoreline. I will fly ahead
and check to see if they are included within this dome of protection. Mysty?”
I will follow you, Druzy. Please hurry. I need to set down soon. The shock of the barrier is too much to resist. Ahhh! she moaned, curling the toes of her burnt foot in close to her body and labouring to maintain their height just below the clouds.
Trapped between the thunderhead above and the shimmering protection below, Mysty roared, a jet of flame shooting from her snarling lips then shook her head to clear the fog of pain that clouded her judgment. She focused on a rocky outcropping that was barely distinguishable from the choppy seas surrounding it below. Waves washed up against the sides and shushed through the cracks to spill back to the sea, but there was a flattish spot that appeared to be large enough to land on. Relaxing her flight, she dove toward the darker surface and at the last minute flapped frantically to slow her descent. She dropped to her rear feet skidding several lengths on the wet surface before she could drop down on her good left front claw.
