The Sower Comes by Melissa Eskue Ousley

Author:Melissa Eskue Ousley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: friendship, mercenaries, kingdom, battle, war, dungeon, monsters
Publisher: Gazebo Gardens Publishing, LLC

David stood at the window in Eulalia’s parlor, alternating between pacing and looking anxiously out the window, watching for signs of the Sea King’s arrival. The ocean was calm, peaceful even, with rhythmic, rolling waves. There was nothing to suggest that this night was different than any other.

It was some time before he heard his mother stirring, calling for him. Hearing her voice, he felt a deep sense of dread. He found himself thinking about Margaret Corbin, the woman who had raised him. He couldn’t stand the thought of losing Eulalia—not when he’d already lost his adoptive mother.

Forcing himself to put one foot in front of the other, David entered Eulalia’s bedchamber. Cael was sitting next to her at her bedside, holding her hand.

The expression on her face was as peaceful as the sea outside. Her eyes were closed and she seemed to be resting comfortably. Maybe she had just fainted. It had been a stressful day. Maybe all she needed was rest.

David wanted to believe that. He sat down on the other side of Eulalia’s bed and placed his hand on her forehead—it was hot with fever, erasing any hope that she wasn’t sick after all.

He stole a look at Cael. The knight looked distraught, and rightly so.

It was rare for someone of the Light to fall ill. When it happened, it was seen as a bad omen, a sign that there was evil afoot. David was unsure if the Cai Terenmare superstition was grounded in truth, but he’d seen enough death lately to believe Eulalia’s sudden illness was no accident.

Her dark hair was sticking to her sweaty forehead. Gently, David brushed it away. Eulalia opened her eyes. With relief, he noted they were blue and not white like Nerine’s had been. He shivered, reliving the moment when Nerine changed after he pushed her away.

“David,” Eulalia murmured, reaching up to stroke his cheek.

He hid his fear and smiled at her. “Hello, Mother. How do you feel?”

But she had turned away and was staring at Cael. “You,” she said, her voice dropping an octave.

“My sweet wife,” Cael murmured, smiling as he grasped her hand in both of his.

“You killed the Western Oracle,” she accused.

“No, Mother. It was Erela who killed Nerine,” David corrected her.

“Not the mermaid,” Eulalia growled, narrowing her eyes at David as though he’d said something unimaginably stupid. “The true oracle.”

“Who?” David stammered.

Eulalia tore her hand from Cael’s grasp and slapped him hard across the face. Then, while Cael was still startled, she wrapped both hands around David’s throat and began choking the life out of him.

Overcoming his shock, Cael grabbed her wrists, trying to release her hold on David’s neck. But she was too strong. David could see dark spots blossoming in his vision. Behind him, he heard a door bang open. It sounded far away, surreal, as though he were dreaming, or falling down a very deep hole.

He was vaguely aware of Abby beside him. She placed her hand on Eulalia’s forehead, wrenching it back, and the pressure around his throat eased.

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