Blood of the Guardian Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Bonus

  Map

  Shay Symbols

  Dedication

  Prelude

  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

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Postlude

  Acknowledgements:

  Author Info

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events or locales, is purely coincidental

  Copyright © 2016, Kristal Shaff

  Illustration © 2016, Anne Drury

  All rights reserved. Published in the United States of America by Kristal L. Shaff. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any in form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from Kristal L. Shaff, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Edited By: Courtney Koschel

  Cover illustrated by: Anne Drury

  Typography by: Liesl Mensinger

  Cover Copyright © 2016 Kristal L. Shaff

  First Edition, July 2016

  Bonus Content: Free ebook

  Visit www.kristalshaff.com for a free fantasy

  ebook, THE PARDON STONE

  Also, learn more about the Shay powers and keep

  up to date on other books in this series,

  as well as Kristal’s other works.

  To my husband, Peter, who put up

  with me in the ups and downs of my

  writing adventure over the many years.

  I love you.

  Prelude

  A RAT SKITTERED ACROSS THE FLOOR and disappeared down the hall. It was one of the few living things in the dungeon, amongst the filth and the roaches and the occasional idiot guard. Alcandor shifted on his pathetic excuse for a bed, so unlike the luxuries he once knew. He inhaled deeply, drinking in the putrid odors of his dungeon home.

  At one time, he could have smelled or listened outside of this wretched place with his Perception, but now he could only hear the vermin and the occasional movements of the guards. Once, he could have torn open these simple iron bars with his Strength or used his Empathy to persuade the soldiers to let him go.

  Now, he could only sit and do nothing.

  For over five hundred years, he had ruled them all. Then that boy reduced him back to the state where Brim had brought him, before he had become king. He was stuck, once again, in the body of a simple man … a Shay-less man. But he’d found a way past Brim’s isolation that first time. He had done it despite Brim’s punishment, and he’d blissfully destroyed Brim’s favorite creation in the process.

  He would kill man again.

  Alcandor sneered, his frustration building at being trapped, like one of these infested rats. If he could reach the guard—and claim his dagger—he could stick it into the man’s throat, drain his power, and start his own life all over again.

  The guard snorted and resituated. Ignorant, stupid man.

  Alcandor released a long sigh. Even without his Shay powers, he was proficient in the fine art of persuasion. He would wait for the right moment. When they least expected it, he would escape. Then, after a kill or two, his reign could begin again. It might take some time, but it would happen. He could be patient. Immortality gave him all the time in the world.

  Chapter One

  A MULTITUDE OF BLANK STARES surrounded Nolan Trividar, as though he’d spent the last ten minutes speaking in a foreign language. A man scratched his chin. Another picked his teeth. And a few whispered to each other, staring at Nolan as if he were insane.

  Nolan sighed. Sometimes people were just plain dumb.

  Pressing his thumbs to his temples, he looked at the lights of Brim illuminating the ground of the emptied storage building. Piles of fishing nets and rusted spears leaned against the wall. Earlier that morning, Nolan had climbed this rickety building and secured the six stones into holes cut into the ceiling. Now, with the sun at its peak, beams of light shone through the stones, brilliantly refracting the six symbols of Brim in spectrum hues on the dirt-caked floor.

  “Perhaps if you told them again, Master Nolan,” Greer suggested. The Guardian, who had taken the form of an old man, smiled at him encouragingly. His eyes flicked to the ceiling, and Nolan followed his gaze. A dark, cloud-like mist darted back and forth. It dove into the crowd and circled around a man’s unknowing head. Nolan could feel the result of the Nass’s taunt; the man’s apprehension and fear increased, causing a similar mist to slither out of the man and join the other Nass drifting about the ceiling.

  Nolan frowned. This wasn’t going so well.

  “I know you can all feel it,” Nolan continued. “Surely the stones call. Step into the light and bring forth your Shay power. It’s hiding inside you. Just step into the light and let it come free!”

  More blank stares followed. Nolan surged his Empathy Shay and didn’t feel indifference like he had thought; fear mounted from them in a swelling wave. Why were they afraid? Was it him? He was … different, of course. After becoming a half-Guardian, he was taller and broader than any normal man. And he wielded all six powers, which, he supposed, might intimidate them a bit. Or maybe change scared them. The people of Adamah didn’t like to stray from their monotony, even if for the better. The stubborn townspeople didn’t know what was best for them, even when Nolan stuck it in front of their ignorant faces.

  A dark mist darted by Nolan and zipped off again, as if teasing him. Nolan ground his teeth. The Nass weren’t helping much either.

  “Who sent you?” a voice called from the crowd.

  A woman stepped forward, her hair braided in numerous locks. Huge, circular earrings hung from her lobes, and bangles covering her wrists chimed softly with each swing of her slender arms. Her tight-fitting shirt dipped low, displaying far too much to leave anything to the imagination. And her skirt consisted of strips of cloth, revealing olive-toned legs with every step. She was a gypsy—a Talasian outcast. But her complexion seemed fairer than the typical gypsy. Her black hair and dark eyes complemented her skin and instantly drew every man’s eyes.

  It took Nolan a moment to realize he’d been gawking as well.

 
He cleared his throat. “King Emery Cadogan sent me.”

  The woman threw her head back and laughed. “Ah! So the new king sent you? Why should we trust a man who took the crown by force? Why should we follow such a king, a traitor before he took the throne? And why should we trust you?” Her eyes searched him, starting at his face and traveling down the length of him. A smirk formed on her lips. “We don’t even know what you are.”

  Nolan’s face warmed, but he shoved the emotions away.

  Murmurs of agreement spread throughout the crowd. Several more Nass joined the mass of hovering and twisting mists. Though these people could not see the Nass, Nolan could.

  “And we know nothing of this magic.” She motioned toward the colored symbols as their light flickered with a passing cloud. “If we step into this light like you say, it might strike us all dead!”

  The complaining of the crowd increased at her words, and a new supply of Nass filled the room.

  “I can take her down,” a voice whispered in Nolan’s ear. “No one would even see me drag her gypsy arse outta here.”

  Nolan turned to the hazel eyes of Lieutenant Kat Connelly, one of the Speed Rol’dan who had come with Nolan to spread the light of Brim.

  Kat winked and grinned. “Believe me. It’d be my pleasure.”

  Nolan considered her offer; however, the gypsy seeming to magically disappear would reinforce their ridiculous fears. “No,” he replied. “There has to be another way.” I need to convince them … somehow.

  “Just listen!” Nolan pleaded. “There is no magic! If one of you would step into the light, you’d all see the truth.”

  However, instead of listening, the crowd’s complaints only increased. They had grown so loud they couldn’t hear him at all. He scowled. The people of this town weren’t the smartest. But even so, how could they listen to that wench? The gypsy’s smug grin made his fists clench. His blood boiled in his veins.

  “Master Nolan,” Greer said, “please calm yourself before you do something rash.”

  Nolan didn’t care anymore. The light of Brim began to build inside of him. He closed his eyes, focusing on the specific Shay power he would need. He had done it to Alec once, had frozen him in the throne room back in Faylinn. Surely a handful of simple townsfolk would be easy compared to Alec’s hard head.

  “Master Nolan, please,” Greer said.

  Nolan ignored him. These people would listen to him, whether they liked it or not. He surged his Shay of Empathy, held his palms toward the crowd, and let the power burst forth.

  Instantly, the room went mute. Every man, woman, and child—including his friends—froze like statues.

  Nolan walked through the crowd, watching their motionless faces: some scowled with anger; others’ eyes were wide with fear. Even though they couldn’t move, they were aware of him.

  “I’m sorry,” Nolan spoke, his arms shaking slightly at his exertion of power. “I’ll let you all go once I’ve had my say. It’s important you listen.” He pointed at the frozen gypsy, the sneer still embedded on her face. “She’s wrong. What you see here is no magic; it’s a gift. A gift given to us by Brim, the god of light, the creator of the powers we hold.

  “After Alcandor became king, the stones were lost, and only those with the strongest abilities were able to come into their Shay powers. That is why King Alcandor formed his army, so he could manipulate those with power and keep them under his control. And he also concealed a very important truth: Everyone in the land, not just his soldiers, are gifted with Shay powers.”

  Their frozen silence followed. Nolan surged his Empathy and searched them, hoping they understood. He sighed, shoulders sagging, when he only felt fear and confusion.

  Of course they were afraid. I suppose if someone petrified me, I might be a little scared too. Once they were calm, they’d be more ready to listen.

  Several more Nass tore out of the frozen bodies.

  Nolan glared at the mists. The Nass only heightened their fears. Even if he soothed them with his Empathy, the Nass would drag them down again. He needed to get rid of these nightforsaken things. Nass first. Soothing after.

  He had done it before.

  He could do it again.

  Nolan summoned the light of Brim, letting it build and gain strength. Last time, the act of cleansing the Nass had almost killed him. But this was nothing like before; it was only a small room, not a battlefield. With a small burst of Brim’s light, he could get rid of them and break through their thick heads with the truth.

  He closed his eyes, feeling the light build. He let his focus slip and could hear commotion as people were released from his hold.

  Someone grabbed his arm. “Nolan! What are you doing?”

  Nolan shrugged off the hand and focused on his inner light. It was almost ready.

  A woman screamed as the light spilled from Nolan, illuminating the space around him. In successive, gushing waves, the power of Brim exploded.

  Chapter Two

  MUTED LAUGHED AND FOUL LANGUAGE slowly drifted into Nolan’s conscious thoughts. He opened his eyes and slammed them closed as the all-too-familiar throbbing pulsed through his head. The last thing Nolan remembered was the room full of people, their stubbornness as they ignored him, their fear, and the Nass filling the room. Then he remembered the power of Brim exploding, and then he remembered nothing at all.

  “He’s awake!” a woman said.

  “Praise Brim!” someone else said. “Now I can kill him.”

  In the distance, muffled bar music droned on—a flute and drum, maybe—followed by another round of bawdy laughter. Nolan blinked as his vision cleared.

  He lay in a simple room with chipped, red paint covering rough walls. The lumpy bed made his body ache from a position he had probably held too long. Thin blankets hardly covered him they were so threadbare. A desk, with a mismatched chair, sat against the wall. Nolan’s leather bag dangled limp and empty over the chair.

  Nolan scanned his surroundings and found three figures watching nearby. He swung his legs off the bed and stood. As soon as his feet hit the floorboards, his knees buckled, and his vision swirled. He braced for impact.

  An arm appeared under his.

  “Crows, Nolan. You weigh a ton!” An angry red scar ran down Alec Deverell’s face and puckered through his pursed lips.

  Nolan shook his head as he fought unconsciousness.

  “Come on, Nolan,” Alec said. “Either stand on your own or get back in bed. Otherwise, I’ll drop your naked arse right here on the floor.”

  The fog cleared abruptly, enough for him to see both Greer and Kat standing on the far side of the room. Kat’s eyes met his, and her face flushed. Nolan fell back into bed under the safety of the covers to regain any smidgen of modesty he might have left.

  His muscles shook, and his breath came in pathetic gasps. His heart pounded along with the drum still playing somewhere below. Instead of an all-powerful half-Guardian, he resembled a pathetic, feeble old man. A naked one at that.

  “Forgive us for your current state of attire,” Greer said. “The cleansing destroyed your clothes. We’ve been unable to find a replacement. You are not a common size among men. And the tailors in town are a bit … uncooperative.”

  “Cleansing?” Nolan said. His voice sounded rough as gravel.

  “Yes, Master Nolan. The cleansing of the Nass.”

  Vague memories of screaming and horrid fear emanating from the people passed through Nolan’s mind. Then the light of Brim exploded, ripping the clothes from his body and plowing through everything in its path. The warehouse probably hadn’t stood a chance.

  “You destroyed it,” Greer answered, as if he had read his thoughts.

  “And the people?” Nolan asked.

  “They survived. I healed the injured in time.”

  Nolan released a breath. At least he hadn’t killed anyone. He had always been good at control. He’d hid his power of Accuracy for years—at least when he was normal. But this time, even Greer�
��s prodding had done nothing to stop him from his impulsiveness. Impulsive? Him? Maybe the Nass had gotten into his head as well.

  “How long have I been like this?” Nolan asked.

  “Two weeks,” Kat answered.

  “Two weeks?” When he’d released Brim’s light before, he’d only stayed unconscious five days. What happened?

  Nolan adjusted his position and something hard rolled against his arm. He closed his hand around a smooth stone, and the Shay of Accuracy fluttered inside him. It was one of the Stones of Light.

  “We kept them next to you to keep you alive,” Greer said.

  “Why bother?” Alec huffed. “He’ll only kill himself next time.”

  Alec stood off to the side, arms crossed over his chest, a scowl drawn on his scarred face. His blond curls were messier than usual, as if he hadn’t combed them in a day or two. Though his expression showed anger, concern leaked from Alec’s emotions.

  What was Alec doing here, anyway? He hadn’t come along with them. He had opted to stay behind. But here he stood in all his angst-filled glory. And apparently, his mood hadn’t improved any since they’d left him at the castle in Faylinn.

  “Alec?” Nolan asked.

  Frustration oozed from Alec. “Emery wants you back in Faylinn.”

  “Why? Is everything okay?”

  Alec leveled his gaze at Nolan. “Think he’d send me if everything was fine? The soldiers are on the verge of mutiny, and there’s talk of an invasion—”

  “Invasion?”

  “From Talasi,” Greer added. “I have heard the murmurings here as well. Fishermen spotted Talasian boats in the distance, and there is talk of them coming in this direction. People suspect they might arrive within the next day or so.”

  Why would Talasian boats come here? Most Talasians kept their distance from Adamah; they were rarely welcomed with open arms. For the most part, their two races weren’t fond of each other. But that wasn’t grounds for them to invade. Nolan couldn’t help but wonder if there was another reason for their appearance.