She glanced over to Invar. He nodded. That would have been a difficult concession for the A’ras to agree to help the Reshian, but it was a good one. There weren’t many of the Reshian remaining. The women she’d rescued from the ships hadn’t been Reshian, and from what she had gathered, they had lost nearly all of their people. Only a few ships remained. Would they be able to rebuild with that?
“How are you here?” The question hadn’t come to her quickly enough, but it came now.
“How? We’ve hidden here.”
Carth looked at the Reshian ships. There were so few remaining. “Here?” Her mind lurched through what she knew, and she shook her head. “You remained concealed, didn’t you?”
Her father held her with a hard gaze. “We were not going to let them slaughter us. They use the blood of the Reshian—”
“I know.”
He sighed, looking at the A’ras on his ship as well as those arranged on the shore. “They helped. They stopped the fighting.”
“I didn’t leave them much of a choice.”
He smiled and it was the kind of smile she remembered from when she was younger. “Good.”
“Not good. Peace needs to hold. The Hjan want the accords to fail.”
“I said that it will.”
She looked to Invar. “You have to uphold your end. The A’ras must find a way to maintain the peace as well,” she said.
“We will, Ms. Rel.”
She nodded and started toward the railing.
“Carthenne—”
She shook her head. She’d spent months wondering what she would say to her father if she could reach him, and now that he was here with her, she didn’t know what she wanted. A chance to relax. Perhaps that was all that she wanted.
“You are C’than?” she asked.
He met her eyes and then shook his head. “I am not.”
She frowned. She’d thought that was what Ras had meant by suggesting she find her father, and the reason that her father had come here. Was there a different reason?
“You know of them.”
“I know that they work in the shadows, manipulating events,” he said.
“Interesting choice of words for a shadow born.”
“It was intentional. The C’than are even more secretive than the Hjan.” He reached a hand out, as if to pat her on the shoulder, and she stiffened. It would be a while before she could find that warmth welcome. “You did well bringing the shadow blessed with you. They can study with those of us who remain. As could you.”
Carth sighed. That had been what she’d wanted, but now she didn’t think it was.
“Peace will hold,” Carth said.
“Yes.”
“Good. Then I don’t need to remain any longer.” She’d been uncertain about what she would do, but if peace would hold, then she wasn’t needed.
“You could help ensure that it does,” her father said. “I could work with you—”
“You could have worked with me years ago.” There wasn’t the hurt in the words like there had been before. Now it was only a statement of fact.
“I could have, but you wouldn’t have developed into who you are today.” He patted her arm, and this time she didn’t tense. “What will you do now?”
“I will go south.”
“Why south? The Hjan?”
She nodded. “It’s time I learn more. There’s one among them who claimed I know nothing. I intend to change that.” And she needed to know if the Hjan had infiltrated the C’than. She didn’t know what to make of them other than that they were powerful—and likely had used her.
She smiled to herself. If Ras had played her, she could be nothing but impressed. Perhaps now it was time for her to find a way to use them as well.
They might not want to face the Hjan, but she would see that they had no choice.
“You are always welcome among the Reshian, Carthenne.”
“You might not want me. If peace fails, I will learn and I will return.”
“I would expect nothing else.” As she started toward the railing, her father said, “Carthenne?” She turned to him. “Your mother would have been pleased with who you’ve become.”
She held his gaze a moment, then drew upon the shadows and jumped to Guya’s ship.
Book 5 of the Shadow Accords: Shadow Cross
After surviving the blood priests, Carth heads south with a renewed focus, determined to learn more about the Hjan before they gain too much strength and violate the accords.
They reach Asador as one of her crew suffers from a mysterious illness. Finding answers leads her deeper into an underworld she knew existed but had not expected to find so easily. Now she needs to help not only her friend but the many others within Asador who have been used. Carth discovers there are unexpected ways to counter her magic, and she must first save herself before she can help anyone else.
Looking for another great read? Soldier Son, Book 1 of The Teralin Sword, out now.
As the second son of the general of the Denraen, Endric wants only to fight, not the commission his father demands of him. When a strange attack in the south leads to the loss of someone close to him, only Endric seems concerned about what happened.
All signs point to an attack on the city, and betrayal by someone deep within the Denraen, but his father no longer trusts his judgment. This forces Endric to make another impulsive decision, one that leads him far from the city on a journey where he discovers how little he knew, and how much more he has to understand. If he can prove himself in time, and with the help of his new allies, he might be able to stop a greater disaster.
About the Author
DK Holmberg currently lives in rural Minnesota where the winter cold and the summer mosquitoes keep him inside and writing.
Word-of-mouth is crucial for any author to succeed and how books are discovered. If you enjoyed the book, please consider leaving a review at Amazon, even if it's only a line or two; it would make all the difference and would be very much appreciated.
Subscribe to my newsletter to be the first to hear about giveaways and new releases.
For more information:
www.dkholmberg.com
dkh@dkholmberg.com
Also by D.K. Holmberg
The Shadow Accords
Shadow Blessed
Shadow Cursed
Shadow Born
Shadow Lost
Shadow Cross
The Threat of Madness
The Mage Warrior
Tower of the Gods
Twist of the Fibers
The Teralin Sword
Soldier Son
Soldier Sword
The Dark Ability
The Dark Ability
The Heartstone Blade
The Tower of Venass
Blood of the Watcher
The Shadowsteel Forge
The Guild Secret
Rise of the Elder
The Sighted Assassin
The Painted Girl
The Binders Game
The Forgotten
Assassin’s End
The Cloud Warrior Saga
Chased by Fire
Bound by Fire
Changed by Fire
Fortress of Fire
Forged in Fire
Serpent of Fire
Servant of Fire
Born of Fire
Light of Fire
Cycle of Fire
Others in the Cloud Warrior Series
Prelude to Fire
Chasing the Wind
Drowned by Water
Deceived by Water
Salvaged by Water
The Endless War
Journey of Fire and Night
Darkness Rising
Endless Night
Summoner’s Bond
Seal of Light
The Lost Garden
Keeper of the Forest
The Desolate Bond
Keeper of Light
The Painter Mage
Shifted Agony
Arcane Mark
Painter For Hire
Stolen Compass
Stone Dragon