“I was charmed by a beautiful woman, a woman fearless and clever,” I said, “and in her name I joined the Ghosts.”
Corvalis snorted. “Now you are repeating my story back to me. Keep your secrets, if you like.”
I smiled and walked into the darkness.
My hand dipped into my pocket, and I felt the worn impression of the stone seal of House Naerius I had received thirty-eight years ago. But not from Alexius, of course.
From his older sister Rhoanna.
Caina was right that Alexius had become Emperor thirty-three years ago. But old Emperor Staurion Basilicus had been sick for years, and the intrigue to become his successor had been brutal and often bloody. Rhoanna and Alexius had fled to my father’s vineyard, hoping to elude their pursuers. Stunned by her beauty, I spilled a glass of wine on her gown. My father was furious, but Rhoanna laughed it off.
And when the Kindred came, my father opened his doors to them…but I hid Rhoanna and Alexius in wine casks, and lied to the assassins.
Rhoanna thanked me for protecting her brother, and gave me her family’s seal.
And so, all these years later, I still protected her brother.
All because a kindly woman took pity on a nervous boy so long ago.
Just as millions now lived because I had given a grief-stricken girl a channel for her rage.
So odd that the fate of so many depended upon such small things, that a moment’s kindness could rule the lives of uncounted thousands.
I considered the seal for a moment longer, then went in search of dinner.
THE END
Thank you for reading GHOST CLAWS. If you liked the story, please consider leaving a review at your ebook site of choice. To receive immediate notification of new releases, sign up for my newsletter, or watch for news on my Facebook page.
Other books by the author
The Third Soul Series
The Testing
The Assassins
The Blood Shaman
The High Demon
The Burning Child
The Black Paladin
The Tomb of Baligant
Computer Beginner's Guides
The Ubuntu Beginner's Guide
The Windows Command Line Beginner's Guide
The Linux Command Line Beginner's Guide
The Ubuntu Desktop Beginner's Guide
The Windows 8 Beginner's Guide
The Linux Mint Beginner's Guide
The Ghosts Series
Child of the Ghosts
Ghost in the Flames
Ghost in the Blood
Ghost in the Storm
Ghost in the Stone
Ghost in the Forge
Ghost in the Ashes
Ghost Dagger (World of the Ghosts novella)
Ghost Aria (World of the Ghosts short story)
Ghost Claws (World of the Ghosts short story)
The Demonsouled Series
Soul of Tyrants
Soul of Serpents
Soul of Dragons
Soul of Sorcery
Soul of Skulls
Soul of Swords
The Dragon's Shadow (World of the Demonsouled novella)
The Wandering Knight (World of the Demonsouled short story)
The Tournament Knight (World of the Demonsouled short story)
The Tower of Endless Worlds Series
The Tower of Endless Worlds
A Knight of the Sacred Blade
A Wizard of the White Council
The Destroyer of Worlds
$1.99 Dark Fantasy
Driven and Other Stories
The Devil's Agent
Angel Sword and Other Stories
About the Author
Standing over six feet tall, Jonathan Moeller has the piercing blue eyes of a Conan of Cimmeria, the bronze-colored hair a Visigothic warrior-king, and the stern visage of a captain of men, none of which are useful in his career as a computer repairman, alas.
He has written the DEMONSOULED series of sword-and-sorcery novels, and continues to write THE GHOSTS sequence about assassin and spy Caina Amalas, the COMPUTER BEGINNER'S GUIDE series of computer books, and numerous other works.
http://www.jonathanmoeller.com
Visit his technology blog at:
http://www.jonathanmoeller.com/screed
Contact him at:
jmcontact@jonathanmoeller.com
You can sign up for his email newsletter here, or watch for news on his Facebook page.
Table of Contents
Description
Ghost Claws
Other books by the author
About the Author
Table of Contents
Description
Ghost Claws
Other books by the author
About the Author