Shadow Kalloire by Skylar Gentry

Author:Skylar Gentry [Gentry, Skylar]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Independent
Published: 2021-02-27T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

No one knows how she came to be. All that is for certain is she was the first of her kind. A shadow raven. An omen of darkness is how most saw her. They believed she was a prelude to the evil that would follow. Aysgarth had disagreed. He pleaded for diplomacy and warned that ancient ones were powerful, and that their ways were not fully understood. Any provocation against the newborn could be viewed as an act of war. And a war with ancient ones, Aysgarth had insisted, was unwinnable. In order to maintain the peace, he had put his reputation on the line. In exchange for her life, Aysgarth vowed to keep a close watch on the shadow raven’s development. Any irregularities in her behavior would be reported immediately to the Circle of Six. Reluctantly, the tribes agreed.

Aysgarth was true to his word. He used his good standing with the ancient ones to monitor the child’s development. It took only two moon frosts for her to reach adulthood. That was not unusual. But what was strange is how she took to Aysgarth. Ancient ones were renowned for their neutrality in all things. No matter how simple or complex an issue, they maintained indifference. They were a strange sort of kind, never showing emotion or an inkling of bias. Ancient ones merely followed the light. And during those days, the brightest light came from Raven Rock. House Aysgarth stood as a stalwart for peace and prosperity. Having the strongest fleet and best trained warriors, Aysgarth often became a reluctant mediator during turbulent times. Whether forced to intercede in disagreements between other Lancian houses, or distant tribes, it was fear of Aysgarth’s retribution that had kept the peace.

But as their relationship grew stronger, so too did the winds of change. Rumblings of how an alliance between House Aysgarth and an ancient one would create an unstoppable force took hold. Distrust and deceit spread within the Lancian ranks as well as the Circle of Six. Aysgarth could no longer be trusted, some said. The shadow raven must be dealt with, others demanded. Kalloire’s fragile peace was on the verge of fracturing.

The breaking point came when Aysgarth was presented with a powerful gift. A mighty sword forged by the shadow raven. Rumor had it the sword was capable of conjuring dark forces. Some claimed it allowed Aysgarth to control light by traveling in shimmer, something only ancient ones were capable of. It was decided in secret the situation had to be dealt with.

According to legend, the only means to subdue an ancient one was to have them bound in what they coveted most. The Fyr-Re were charged with creating fire ropes. The Ma΄Ranie then took the ropes to Brim Hall and used their sun crystals to infuse them with light. All agreed that for the plan to work, the shadow raven needed to be coaxed from the safety of Raven Rock. An olive branch was extended under the guise that the Circle of Six wished to formally accept her presence as peaceful.

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