Legacy of the Blood (The Threshold Trilogy) Read online

  Legacy of the Blood

  Callie Kanno

  Cover art by Alyssa Harper

  Map art by Calvin Sharper

  Copyright © 2013 by Callie Kanno Harper

  All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior permission of the author.

  For Seth and Charles,

  My dearest, sweetest fellow adventurers

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One: The Queen

  Chapter Two: An Unexpected Guest

  Chapter Three: The Tracker

  Chapter Four: Lake Breezes

  Chapter Five: Liberation

  Chapter Six: Betrayal

  Chapter Seven: Deeds of the Alchemist

  Chapter Eight: Doubt

  Chapter Nine: Within the Dream World

  Chapter Ten: Emerald Harbor

  Chapter Eleven: Ravi’s Gift

  Chapter Twelve: Fair Tides

  Chapter Thirteen: Reunion

  Chapter Fourteen: Arrival

  Chapter Fifteen: Two Journeys Begin

  Chapter Sixteen: Suvi

  Chapter Seventeen: Confessions

  Chapter Eighteen: Tales of the Historian

  Chapter Nineteen: The Aekuor

  Chapter Twenty: Joining

  Chapter Twenty-one: Recovery

  Chapter Twenty-two: Landing

  Chapter Twenty-three: Jame

  Chapter Twenty-four: The Apothecary’s Request

  Chapter Twenty-five: An Experiment

  Chapter Twenty-six: The Great Desert

  Chapter Twenty-seven: Dreaming or Joining

  Chapter Twenty-eight: Faith to Endure

  Chapter Twenty-nine: The Lives of Many

  Chapter Thirty: Without Guidance

  Chapter Thirty-one: More Misfortune

  Chapter Thirty-two: Vyuhava

  Chapter Thirty-three: Vyuhava Continued

  Chapter Thirty-four: A Life Saved

  Chapter Thirty-five: Two Forms

  Chapter Thirty-six: The Henka

  Chapter Thirty-seven: Legends

  Chapter Thirty-eight: Private Instruction

  Chapter Thirty-nine: Storms in the Desert

  Chapter Forty: Bonding of the Mind

  Chapter Forty-one: Upward Path

  Chapter Forty-two: Training

  Chapter Forty-three: The Final Piece

  Chapter Forty-four: The Ending of the Storm

  Chapter Forty-five: Approaching the Mount

  Chapter Forty-six: Barriers

  Chapter Forty-seven: Weakening

  Chapter Forty-eight: Cha-sak

  Chapter Forty-nine: Remnants

  Chapter Fifty: Terrible Truth

  Chapter Fifty-one: The Threshold

  Chapter Fifty-two: Falcon

  Chapter Fifty-three: The Brink of Eternity

  Glossary

  Prologue:

  Something wasn’t right.

  It wasn’t just the unnatural stillness of the forest. It wasn’t the uneasiness of the horses. It was another sense that welled deep within L’iam’s being that told him that something was very wrong.

  He raised a hand to his companions, indicating that they should come to a halt. The soldiers all reined in their horses and looked to their young monarch with questioning expressions.

  The L’avan king scanned the trees with his sharp, golden eyes. The flecks of pale metallic green that swam in the gold of his eyes expanded and swirled, lending them a strange glow. Within his mind he reached out to the spirit realm and connected with the power that set his people, the L’avan, apart from the rest of the human race—the power that was sometimes called “magic” by others, but was known as vyala to the L’avan.

  L’iam’s gifts could be used for a number of purposes, but his current concern was to scan the surrounding area for enemies.

  Nothing.

  It was as if there was some kind of void where his sense should be, and that alone warned of great danger. Even if there were no enemies in the vicinity, there shouldn’t be nothing.

  The small movement he glimpsed out of the corner of his eye was his only warning. He barely had time to shout to his companions before they were under attack. L’iam drew his sword and prepared to fight. The others quickly followed his lead.

  First came the rain of arrows. L’iam watched in horror as a deadly shaft struck one of his oldest friends in the heart. A’asil barely had time to look surprised before he slumped and slowly slid off his horse.

  Cries of pain pierced the young king’s ears as two more of his soldiers fell to the ground.

  L’iam and the three remaining men sprang into action, drawing swords and preparing their vyala for a counterattack. Ri’sle, eyes glowing orange, sent out a magical wave of force that knocked the arrows off of their path. At that point, however, his actions didn’t seem to matter. The arrows stopped and several shadowy figures emerged from behind the trees.

  “Your men need not die, King of the L’avan. Surrender yourself and we will spare their lives.”

  The form who spoke wore a pendant with a blood red stone, and L’iam could sense that the pendant was the source of the void he had felt earlier. For whatever reason, the talisman shielded the figures from his vyala.

  That was a dangerous weapon in the hands of enemies.

  “Surrender yourself,” repeated the shadowy speaker, “or you will all die.”

  L’iam hardly knew how to reply. He looked at the hardened faces of his friends and knew that his response wouldn’t make any difference. They would fight as long as there was life left in their bodies.

  The figures did not seem interested in his answer—either that or they already knew what it would be.

  The enemies of the L’avan moved forward with startling speed and attacked.

  L’iam raised his sword and began fighting back. He had been trained by the finest swordmasters among the L’avan, and while he had never attained the same level of skill as his brother, he was still a warrior of renown.

  He used his magic to add energy to his natural strength, and he flicked his blade at the nearest opponent. L’iam knew that he needed speed to match his enemies, and he did not waste movements by trying to hack at them.

  The young king tried to maneuver his horse as he slashed at his adversaries, but there were too many of them and he was their target.

  Two of L’iam’s foes held on to the bridle of his horse, while three more pulled him to the ground. His sword was wrenched from his hand, and a numbing blow disabled his arm.

  The L’avan king refused to give up, and he continued to struggle until all went black.

  Chapter One: The Queen

  Adesina swept her long hair away from her forehead. The black locks around her face were damp with sweat and refused to stay out of her eyes. The rest of her hair was a lustrous silver in color, and the slight breeze stirred it from behind. She paused from moving supplies from the wagon to the nearby tent so she could tie the unruly tresses into a knot at the base of her neck.

  “Would you like to rest, your Majesty? You have been working hard all morning.”

  She looked up at the scarred face of K’eb, her assistant. He set down the ledger he was holding in his one hand and searched his pockets to offer her a handkerchief.

  His eyes were slightly averted as she took the square of cloth with a smile. Even though it had been years since he had lost his other arm, he was still self-conscious.

  “We are almost finished here,” she replied. “There is no point in stopping now.”

  He sm
iled. “Exactly, your Majesty. We are almost finished. Why not go get something to eat and rest for a while? There will be plenty of work later this afternoon.”

  Adesina was about to protest, but she saw the shadowy figure of Ravi, her guardian, appear in the trees. He had been away all night, and she was anxious to speak to him.

  “Very well.”

  Her assistant nodded in satisfaction and immediately set to work, showing her that she was indeed free to leave. She hid an amused grin as she walked away.

  K’eb had not been able to serve as a Protector anymore after the battle with the Shimat—the mortal enemies of their people, the L’avan—and it had been very difficult for him to adjust. L’iam had suggested that Adesina ask K’eb to assist her in training the younger generation of soldiers. It wasn’t long before K’eb’s job as assistant had carried over into most of Adesina’s life. She didn’t know if she could get along without him anymore, especially since her marriage and subsequent elevation in rank.

  Over the years, the young queen had become very fond of K’eb, and sometimes he felt more like a brother than an assistant.

  All thoughts fell away as she approached her guardian. Ravi bore the form of an enormous feline, with his head almost the same height as Adesina’s chest. His fur was a glossy black, and his build was sleek and strong. Adesina had mistaken him for a wild beast when they had first met, but she soon learned that he could speak as well as any human and was more intelligent than most.

  He sat back on his haunches in a seemingly relaxed position as he waited for her to draw nearer, but his golden eyes were tense.

  Adesina didn’t waste time. “What is it, Ravi?”

  His rich voice rumbled from deep within his chest. “A Dream.”

  Visions in the form of Dreams were not uncommon among Ravi’s race, the Rashad. The expression on his face told her that what he had seen boded ill.

  “What did you see?” she asked softly, glancing around to make sure that there were no L’avan passing by close enough to hear.

  His large golden eyes were pained as he looked at her, conveying empathy for the distress she would soon feel. “I saw L’iam on his way home from his latest diplomatic mission.” He hesitated before going on. “They were under attack.”

  The cold fingers of fear gripped Adesina’s heart. “Was he…?” She couldn’t bring herself to ask the question that was in the front of her mind.

  Ravi quickly shook his head. “I did not see him die. However…”

  She nodded bleakly. “He still may not have survived.”

  “Dreams can be symbolic rather than literal,” he reminded her.

  Even with this reassurance, Adesina was filled with anxiety. She studied the bustling camp before her, wondering if it would be wise to leave her people for a time. If she rode hard enough she could meet up with her husband in a couple of days. L’iam would probably chide her for being silly, but her heart would be at rest knowing that he was safe.

  She shook her head as she made her way across the compound. The L’avan would be fearful without the presence of at least one of their leaders, and they were uneasy enough without adding to their concerns.

  Her people had suffered a devastating attack five years earlier from an army of mercenaries hired by the Shimat. The battle had drastically reduced the population of the L’avan—which had never been great—and destroyed their homeland. L’iam’s father and elder brother had been killed during the conflict, casting the crown upon the younger son of the royal family.

  L’iam was now the only member of his family living, and he had the daunting task of leading his people as they struggled to rebuild their lives from the rubble.

  It had been decided early on that the L’avan would be divided. Two-thirds of the remaining population would stay in Pevothem, their homeland, and begin rebuilding with the help of the Rashad. Adesina’s father, Me’shan, had been given the title of governor and was instructed to stay and help with the process of rebuilding. L’iam and Adesina had gone with the remaining third as they ventured to the outside world to find some empty land on which they could found a second L’avan city. Their hope was to create positive relations with the rest of the human race and to dispel the distrust that had been percolating for generations.

  The L’avan pioneers had not expected to be greeted with open arms, but they had been surprised at the undisguised aggression of the local farmers and villagers. Lands that had been abandoned for a century were suddenly claimed by nearby villages, and threats were issued if the L’avan set up camp too close to any settlement. Only the nomadic Northern Tribes were willing to trade with them, and the tribe members were limited in what they could offer.

  The L’avan had finally come across a piece of land that no farmers or villagers wanted. It was the ruins of an ancient city that was said to be haunted by evil spirits. The neighboring communities raised no objections when the L’avan decided to clear away the remains and settle there. In fact, many of them hoped that the “evil spirits” would rid the world of the group of magic-users.

  Adesina smiled sadly to herself. She knew that the trust of others would be hard to earn—the enemies of the L’avan had seen to that. Still, she had not anticipated such widespread hostility. She missed her home, and she missed her father. Knowing the importance of what they were doing only helped a little to ease those feelings.

  Ravi seemed to sense her thoughts. “The paths we choose are not always easy, but what you have set out to accomplish will change the world.”

  “I am not certain that makes me feel any better,” she said wryly. She felt the weight of her responsibility very keenly, and it didn’t help to be reminded of how many people were looking to her for guidance.

  The L’avan believed that Adesina was the Threshold Child—a fulfillment of the prophecy given by the founder of their race. She had first learned of the prophecy when she was seventeen years old, and the pressure of the role was no less intimidating now that she was twenty-two. The words still rang clearly in her mind.

  Look, therefore, to the advent of the Threshold Child.

  One who is of this people yet not of this people.

  One who bears all gifts, Dreams as friends,

  sees as the enemy and shall be called the bird of prey.

  This is the one who stands on the Threshold of a New World.

  This is the one who will save my children

  from the slow destruction of their atrophy

  and lead them back to the light of their purpose.

  Adesina had promised to do her very best in helping the L’avan to flourish in the outside world, but that was all she could do. She couldn’t promise to change the world or to lead the L’avan to find their greater purpose.

  “Do not worry, dear one,” Ravi spoke gently. “If you are true to yourself and act accordingly, all will fall into place. You must not think that you must make the future happen.”

  “And how will I know if I am being true to myself?” she asked.

  “I will tell you,” he replied with a feline grin.

  She gave a small laugh and began walking towards the royal tent. Cor’a, her personal maid, would probably have a hot meal waiting for her. The spritely young woman had a knack for knowing exactly when Adesina would be returning, and it wasn’t even part of her vyala.

  The young queen never found out if she was correct. Long before she reached her tent, she heard a small voice calling her name. She turned to see a plump toddler running toward her.

  “Auntie Adi! Auntie Adi!”

  Her nephew was a small replica of his father, but with round cheeks and metallic red eyes. He launched himself at her legs, and Adesina stooped to pick him up.

  “Hello, En’ver. Where is your mother?”

  The boy pointed, and Adesina could see Wren’na making her way through the crowded camp, holding her one-year-old daughter.

  The two women greeted each other warmly with an embrace.

  “We have been taking lunch
to E’nes,” explained Wren’na, “and now we are headed home to have our own. Have you eaten?”

  Adesina shook her head. “I was just about to do so.”

  “Eat with us,” demanded En’ver, as he struggled to get back on the ground.

  The two women laughed, but Wren’na nodded.

  “Yes, please do.”

  Adesina set her nephew down and watched as he ran in circles around them. “That would be lovely.”

  They set of in a new direction, towards the tent that was occupied by Wren’na’s family.

  “Where is E’nes today?”

  The queen’s brother had taken on many tasks since leaving Pevothem. Adesina teased him that he was never found doing the same thing two days in a row. His actual job was to train young soldiers, but all members of the military were deferring their duties until the settlement was more established.

  “He is helping sort the useable materials from the rubble.”

  “Brubble, brubble, brubble,” sang En’ver, and his running turned into a dance.

  The two adults chuckled at his antics, and Adesina felt a longing that was becoming more familiar with each passing day.

  She had never considered having children of her own until she fell in love with L’iam. They had been married for two years now, and he never pressured her about producing an heir. Instead he simply treated her with the love and understanding that he always had, knowing that she would broach the subject when she was ready.

  Adesina wouldn’t go so far as to say that she felt ready for a baby now, but she was beginning to feel a void in her life—one that always grew stronger when she heard the laughter of children or held a tiny hand in her own.

  Perhaps she would talk to L’iam when he returned.

  Wren’na and E’nes had a tent near the edge of the settlement. En’ver ran ahead when the temporary lodging came into sight, and his mother hurried after him. Adesina started to follow, but slowed to a stop.

  “What is it, Ma’eve?” asked Ravi, calling her by the name that she would have had if she had been born among the L’avan.