It had to be a machine—it could be nothing else, and I knew as surely as I knew anything that this was what the enemy would employ to drop the bringer of death upon Az-ca's army.
Which was doing its best to destroy itself, with no help from the enemy.
Kerok was in danger.
As were Armon, Levi and all the roses I'd trained alongside. The bringer of death was now overhead as more blasts were launched our way.
I had to do something quickly. If the object which was now dropping toward us met with blasts from the traitors, I had no hope that any would survive such a cataclysm.
"Sherra?" Kerok turned toward me in slow motion.
I have this, I sent mindspeak before disengaging from the shield I'd built over our heads and forming another, to capture the falling object and prevent it from hitting more blasts fired in our direction.
"Get it away," Kerok's shout was almost drowned out as more blasts hit our shields.
As you command, I replied.
The answer was a simple one.
So simple.
What did it matter whether I died now or later? At least Kerok could deal with our traitors afterward.
Without interference from the enemy.
Some of my friends could be lying at the bottom of a blast bowl already; I wouldn't know for sure until after this was over—provided anyone survived.
I wanted to make sure of it.
Gauging the power needed, I hardened my shield around the falling object and the machine that brought it, before flinging both toward the enemy camp.
And, to ensure that they reached their destination, I stepped to follow them.
K erok
I'd turned to fire more blasts toward our traitors, when Sherra disappeared. I wouldn't have known except for Caral's shout.
I learned that day how long it took for an object to sail ten miles toward the enemy before it hit.
It took forever.
It took no time at all.
The earthquake that came minutes later knocked us all to the ground with its duration and intensity. The blast bowl nearby opened wider and attempted to swallow the entire camp.
Step away, I shouted in mindspeak. You know where to go.
Then, I started screaming Sherra's name aloud and in mindspeak.
There was no answer.
Armon stepped me away; if he hadn't, I'd likely have let the ground open beneath my feet and swallow my body.
Ten miles away, too far to see the flash of light that surely came, I imagined the enemy camp was destroyed.
"A rmon?" I asked as I was lowered onto a chair in Vale's Command Center. The earthquake had shaken it, too, but the ground hadn't opened up to swallow tents and bodies.
"I can't get a reply," Armon mumbled. "My Prince, Hunter is asking about your health and continued existence. What shall I tell him?"
"That I am physically whole," I replied.
As for my soul, that fragile thing was now completely gone.
Doret
Kyri and I waited at the tiled-rose landing, hoping against hope that things would come right.
"Merrin did this," Kyri hissed as the wait became longer. "Fuck him for being one of those."
Those. The unseeables. One had to see those around them, in order to locate them. He'd raised Az-ca's army against itself, just as the enemy prepared to bomb the hell out of them at the same time.
Sherra.
Merrin's fault, this. If I ever found the bastard, I'd kill him myself. His meddling had resulted in the Crown Prince's death—much too early.
Thorn was needed elsewhere, instead of babysitting paranoid, ass-kissing council members.
"This is taking too long," Kyri dropped her chin and stared at her feet. Her arms went around herself. Sherra was hope to us.
Hope was now gone.
That's when I realized I was crying.
"Pottles?" The voice was barely a whisper.
She was hurt.
"Quickly," Kyri gripped my arm. We barely managed to catch Sherra before she fell.
K erok
Two weeks passed. Armon had gone with me shortly after the ground stopped shaking in Vale, and we'd visited the enemy camp.
There was no evidence left behind that it had ever been there. Only a very deep hole, the likes of which I'd never seen, was left behind.
Word came from others, too, that to the west, more of the land bridge between Az-ca's border and the enemy lands had fallen into the sea, narrowing that already slender connection.
It was slight compensation for the deaths they'd intended for us.
Merrin was still missing.
Some of the traitorous fools who'd listened to him had surrendered themselves. Others had likely joined him, wherever that was.
We'd lost many in their initial attack; Jae and her warrior were dead, as were several others that Sherra had trained.
Father had taken to his bed not long afterward, and was attempting to abdicate. I told him to wait for a bit, while I mourned my rose.
Hunter had given me a list of names—council members who'd been deep in Drenn's favor and couldn't be trusted.
I had no doubt that were Barth to do his divination, I'd find the ones responsible for alerting Merrin to Drenn's death.
That same story came from the traitors who'd surrendered themselves. They'd been told that I'd murdered my brother.
I took them to see Drenn's body in the catacombs, after having their power burned out of them by Garkus and Kage. Merrin had gifted Drenn with the weapon which brought his demise.
I think they believed me.
Father would pass judgment on them soon; I doubted any would keep their lives after murdering so many of their fellow warriors and escorts.
With a sigh, I opened a desk drawer and withdrew Sherra's book from it; I'd retrieved it from its hiding place shortly after her death. It was the thing I'm sure she'd touched the most. When I became King, the book would no longer be outlawed; I'd made that promise to myself already.
"That wasn't Sherra's book."
The voice startled me so badly I almost fell from my chair. A shield was already up around me—I wanted no surprises coming from Merrin.
A woman I didn't know stood inside my locked study door; she'd stepped inside the room to accost me. Dark hair fell past her shoulders. Dark eyes studied me with an intensity I disliked. "Who are you?" I demanded.
"You know me," she shrugged. "You just haven't seen me before."
"I'll be the judge of that," I snapped while sending mindspeak to Barth and Hunter.
"Your mother told you all about me," she smiled. "I only came to tell you that Sherra is recovering, and should be well enough soon to learn what I have to teach her."
"Stop lying," I whispered as Hunter began to pound on the outside door. He should have been able to step inside the door, as my visitor did—my shield didn't extend that far. Something—she—prevented that from happening.
"It isn't a lie, and that's not Sherra's book. Her book was buried in a pot outside her village. Doret retrieved it because it was hers, first. The book you hold belonged to your many-times great-grandmother, and was buried with her body in the catacombs. Your brother found it and thought to cause mischief."
"Thorn," Hunter shouted outside the door. "Let me in."
"I won't keep you," the woman's smile turned mischievous. "I have things to accomplish, just as you do. I'll return Sherra to you in a few months—after I've taught her."
"Stop saying lies," I shouted at her.
"I'm not." Her words were calm and a smile still played about her lips. "By the way, if you need anything before Sherra returns, call my name. And, since you can't seem to recall that name, I'll give it to you. Mindspeak Kyri. If it's important, I'll actually answer."
She stepped away just as two guards broke down my door to allow a frantic Hunter inside.
EPILOGUE
SHERRA
"Y ou look younger." My first words to Pottles were mor
e a croak than plain speech. Her face leaned over mine as if she were studying me, blind as she was.
"Hmmph," she snorted and pulled away. "Not the first time I've played an old woman. Not the first time I've faked my death, either."
"The blindness?" I had to know. At least my voice sounded better this time.
Pottles didn't answer at first, but busied herself pouring a glass of water from a pitcher near my bed.
"You were very close to death, young one," Pottles informed me as she helped me sit up to drink. "We almost didn't save you. I will say this, however. The first time I saw you make fire, I almost laughed aloud. You're the finest student I've ever had, and I never taught you a thing."
The End
Sherra and Kerok's tale will continue in Rose and Thorn, Book two of the Black Rose Sorceress series.
CHARACTERS AND PLACES APPEARING IN THIS BOOK:
A na: North Camp Instructor, Second Cohort
Armon: Colonel in Az-ca’s army, currently serves as First Advisor to Prince Commander. Chosen by Caral
Az-ca: Desert country ruled by King Wulf; always at war with barbarians from Ny-nes.
Barth: King’s Chief Diviner
Beckley: Warrior, chosen by Reena
Bela: Former washout
The Book of the Rose: A book in the King’s library, describing talents and duties of black rose escorts
Bray: Barth’s secondary Diviner
Bulldog: North Camp Instructor, Sixth Cohort
Caral: Fourth Cohort trainee at North Camp
Colonel Kage: Training Instructor for warrior trainees in the King’s City; becomes a King’s assassin
Colonel Weren: Training Instructor for warrior trainees in the King’s City
Commander Alden: Post Commander at Secondary Camp
Dayl: General Linel’s personal messenger
Doret: Former Queen of Az-ca; more than 200 years old
Drenn Wulfson Meris Rex: Crown Prince of Az-ca
East Camp: One of four training camps for black rose trainees
End-War: Crippling event that changed or destroyed nearly everything on the planet
F’nexscot: AKA the King’s City
Gale: Armon’s former escort
Garkus: Drill instructor at Secondary Camp; becomes a King’s assassin
Geb: Retired warrior; now works as a traveling instructor for all trainees
General Linel: Chief Commander of the army in the Prince Commander’s absence
Grae: Kerok’s deceased escort
Hari: Escort whose warrior was executed for treason
Harnn: Bela’s warrior
Hayla: Black rose trainee
Hunter Lattham: King’s advisor; Uncle to Merrin, Drenn and Kerok
Jae: Black rose trainee; Sixth Cohort, North Camp
Kerok: AKA Thorn Wulfson Kerok Rex, King Wulf’s youngest son and Prince Commander of the army
King Wulf Carlson Alexander Rex: King of Az-ca
Kyri: Female Diviner; believed to be a legend or myth
Lera: Escort whose warrior was executed for treason
Levi: Captain; serves as Secondary advisor to Prince Commander. Chosen by Misten
Lieutenant Marc: Chosen by Wend
Lilya: North Camp Instructor, Fourth Cohort
Merrin: Nephew of Hunter and King Wulf; cousin to Drenn and Kerok (on mother’s side)
Merthis: Small village where Sherra was born
Miri: North Camp Instructor, Fifth Cohort
Misten: North Camp trainee, Sixth Cohort
Narris: Warrior executed for treason
Neka: North Camp trainee, First Cohort
Nina: North Camp Instructor, First Cohort
North Camp: One of four camps where black rose trainees are taught
Ny-nes: Land of barbarian enemies
Nyra: Levi’s former escort
Olan: Chief Diviner for the army
Pottles: Blind pot seller and friend to Sherra (see Doret)
Poul: Assassin for King Wulf
Reena: Former Washout
Secondary Camp: Location for final escort training after warriors are chosen
Sherra: Black rose trainee, Sixth Cohort
Tera: North Camp trainee, Sixth Cohort
The Rose Mark: A forbidden book
Thorn’s Book of Advanced Divination Techniques: a forbidden book
Ura: North Camp trainee, Sixth Cohort
Vale: Northernmost supply village for Az-ca’s army
Varnon: Village elder in Merthis
Veri: North Camp trainee, Sixth Cohort
Welton: Chief Physician, military outpost
Wend: North Camp trainee, Sixth Cohort
Wendal: Assassin for King Wulf
Yasa: AKA Bulldog, or the Bulldog
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Connie Suttle lives in Oklahoma with her husband and the cat conglomerate. Look for the feline takeover soon.
Connie may be found in the following ways:
@subtledemon
Connie Suttle Author
www.subtledemon.com
ALSO BY CONNIE SUTTLE
Blood Destiny Series:
Blood Wager
Blood Passage
Blood Sense
Blood Domination
Blood Royal
Blood Queen
Blood Rebellion
Blood War
Blood Redemption
Blood Reunion
Legend of the Ir’Indicti Series:
Bumble
Shadowed
Target
Vendetta
Destroyer
High Demon Series:
Demon Lost
Demon Revealed
Demon’s King
Demon’s Quest
Demon’s Revenge
Demon’s Dream
God Wars Series:
Blood Double
Blood Trouble
Blood Revolution
Blood Love
Blood Finale
Saa Thalarr Series:
Hope and Vengeance
Wyvern and Company
First Ordinance Series:
Finder
Keeper
BlackWing
SpellBreaker
WhiteWing
R-D Series:
Cloud Dust
Cloud Invasion
Cloud Rebel
Latter Day Demons Series:
Hot Demon in the City
A Demon’s Work is Never Done
A Demon’s Due
Seattle Elementals Series:
Your Money’s Worth
Worth Your While*
BlackWing Pirates Series:
MindSighted
MindMage
MindRogue*
Black Rose Sorceress Series:
The Rose Mark
Rose and Thorn*
Other Titles from SubtleDemon Publishing:
By Joe Scholes:
Malefactor
Transgressor*
*Forthcoming
Table of Contents
Copyright
Dedication
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
Epilogue
Characters and Places Appearing in this book:
About the Author
Also by Connie Suttle