Secrets of the Highlands by D. J. Williams

Author:D. J. Williams [Williams, D. J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Action & Adventure / General, YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Thrillers & Suspense / Supernatural
ISBN: 9781496462732
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Published: 2023-11-07T00:00:00+00:00

49

RAYS OF SUNLIGHT PIERCED through grayish clouds as the downpour eased to a gentle mist. Flaming swords circling Elyon’s Vine lifted into the skies before disappearing toward the heavens. Peace washed over Charis. Mountains and forests brightened with life as Elyon’s masterpiece returned to its glory. Emma and Eliška appeared at the top of the stone steps out of breath, carrying their backpacks and the duffel. They trudged alongside Jack through the rice paddies.

“The Merikh are gone,” Eliška exhaled. “Emma kept us alive.”

“I’m sorry I left you,” he replied. “It all happened so fast.”

“We took them deeper into the forest before they retreated.” Emma glanced past him toward Elyon’s Vine before eyeing Chung’s lifeless body. “Are you okay?”

Jack held up the smooth heartwood rod. “He called it Soulweaver.”

“Was that hidden inside of Elyon’s Vine? How did you . . . ?”

“It’s the same rod Asiklua carried that created black fire and the crazy death chain.” Jack shook his head. “I can’t really explain it, but when Elyon’s Vine came back to life, the rod shed its twisted vines, and this is what was underneath.”

Emma shared a stunned expression with Eliška, as if they were having a conversation Jack couldn’t hear. She broke the awkward silence. “There is another name for what you are holding—the Rod of Elyon, carved from heartwood only found in Charis.”

“A legend within the faction says it is the same weapon that defeated Ryder Slybourne.” Eliška stared intently, awestruck by the discovery. “It revealed itself to you.”

“All of it was dead.” Jack pointed toward the magnificent king cypress, thick branches, full vines, plants, and lush emerald grass. “The Rod of Elyon—or Soulweaver—brought it back to life and defended me against Chung before it took the life from him.”

“In the Eternal, the Rod of Elyon is not a weapon.” Emma’s brows furrowed. “The rod is a symbol of life, not death. The legend must be mistaken, and yet . . .”

A rumbling from the ground startled them. Spinning around, Jack was ready for demons to appear from the underworld. Instead, the grass and dirt shifted as Chung’s flesh and bones were swallowed up by the earth. Emma brushed past and walked toward Elyon’s Vine. Eliška followed. Jack wanted to leave, to escape the guilt of choosing vengeance over mercy in such a sacred place. He tried to shake it off and joined them at the foot of Elyon’s Vine, knowing he also desired to stay.

“This is where the world began,” Emma said reverently. “Charis in the Valley of Grace.”

“Elyon breathed life into existence right here,” Eliška agreed. “Stunning and humbling.”

“If Nightingale’s sketches show his memories,” Jack noted, “he took the Testimony from Elyon’s Vine before it was a dead tree. One day we’ll return the Testimony to where it belongs.”

“When this is over,” Emma said somberly.

“Differences between the highest Cherub and the faction do not matter,” Eliška added. “We must protect the Rod of Elyon from the Merikh, and we must find the other artifacts to restore peace.”

“We can all agree on that,” Emma assured.

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