Balestone

Balestone

Avondale Book III

Balestone,

© 2015, Toby Neighbors

Published by Mythic Adventure Publishing

Idaho, USA

All Rights Reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any print or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

Copy Editing by Allison Hagan

Books By Toby Neighbors

Avondale Series

Avondale

Draggah

Balestone

Five Kingdoms Series

Wizard Rising

Magic Awakening

Hidden Fire

Fierce Loyalty

Crying Havoc

Evil Tide

Wizard Falling

Lorik Trilogy

Lorik

Lorik the Defender

Lorik the Protector

Other Novels

Third Prince

Royal Destiny

The Other Side

The New World

Zompocalypse

Short Stories

Dark Origin

Dedication

To those who fight for our country,

your sacrifice is not in vain

and you shall never be forgotten.

And to Camille whose belief and support has made my dreams possible.

Here’s to our next great adventure baby!

Special Thanks

I want to say thank you to Eric Gabianelli, Shirley Foland, and Trudy Hancock. Your help and encouragement has made me a better writer. I look forward to many more great books in the future.

Avondale Spell List

Spells of the First Order

•
Simple Cuts -
Sano Grasilis Abscido

•
Fever -
Sano Frebricula Reducto

•
Seasonal Ailments -
Sano Retrorsum Adgravesco

•
Broken Bones -
Acies Intrinsecus Accipio Ceptum Sarcio Adiflictus Ossis

•
Lacerations -
Sano Sarcio Acies Deprimo Abscido

•
Internal Bleeding -
Acies Penetralis Deprimo Sano Crudus Viscus

•
Burns -
Acies Sano Cuticula, Acies Penetralis Resarcio Viscus

Corporeus Adfectus -
The physical connection with another person, so that you feel what they feel

Spells of the Fourth Order

Basic spells:

•
Fire -
Accendo

•
Light -
Fulsi

•
Wind -
Flabra

Intermediate spells:

•
Lightning -
Fulguralis

•
Focusing Light -
Specula Fulsi

•
Cyclone -
Furibundus Nimbosus

Advanced Spells:

•
Crucible -
Conflo Fervefacio Aestifer

•
Destruction -
Motus Tellus Aboleo

•
Sealing -
Phoca Obduresco Aevum Infragilis

Princess Ariel’s Practical Spell List

•
Fire -
Ingesco Exsuscito

•
Far Sight -
Ultimus Conspectus

•
Find North - Repperi Arctoa

•
Find Water - Repperi Amnis

•
Calm Minds - Quievi Adfectus

•
Cloaking Spell - Abdidi Incantatio

•
Shielding Spell - Scuti Incantatio

•
Summon Wind - Vocavi Ventus

•
Sleep Spell - Somni Incantatio

Prologue

Leonosis felt sick with fear. He couldn’t move as the ghastly creature called Draggah moved closer to him. His mind refused to accept what his eyes couldn’t keep from looking at. The creature was living shadow, and as it drew near, Leonosis felt its icy breath on his skin.

“You fear me,” said the creature in its deep rumbling voice that was both felt and heard. “Good, you should fear me. Even death fears Draggah, but in time you will come to love me. Isn’t that so, Princess?”

“Yes,” Ariel said in a trembling voice.

“You see, I am the true giver of power, not that fool upstairs weeping for his son.”

“I’m sorry,” Leonosis stuttered.

“Your regret means nothing to me,” Draggah said. “But your body — that is something else altogether.”

For a moment everything was quiet and still. Leonosis almost believed that he had dreamed the entire encounter. The shadow creature seemed to vanish, the secret room just an empty dark alcove in the bowels of the ancient fortress. Then Leonosis felt the cold seeping into his body. It reminded him of jumping into the lake that lay at the center of Avondale’s cone-shaped mountain top. The water there was always cold, even on the hottest days of summer. Leonosis had swum there with his brothers as a child, but never for very long. The water was too cold, and Leonosis had always come out with chattering teeth, anxious to wrap himself in a thick blanket near the fire.

This time there was no escaping the cold. Leonosis instinctively wrapped his arms around his own shoulders, but the unnatural chill was inside him. He felt it rising up toward his head, as if he were sinking slowly down into a cold pool of water.

“What’s happening?” he asked Princess Ariel.

“Don’t fight it,” she said. “He doesn’t like that.”

“Who?”

Then the cold touched his mind, and Leonosis could hear the foul creature Draggah laughing. He had found his new home.

Chapter 1

All Lexi knew was darkness and terror. Her world had shrunk to the small space beneath the wagon’s bench seat. She curled her body, pushing herself into the tiny section of the rumbling wagon that she felt safest in. There was nothing left for her to do but wait.

The horses were grunting with fatigue, but they didn’t slow down. Lexi knew that with the wagon loaded with water, they would die from exertion if they didn’t stop soon, but she also knew the creatures chasing the wagon would kill them the moment they stopped. She gripped her small Wangorian dagger in one hand, feeling the solid weight of the weapon but also feeling as if it were much too inconsequential to be of any use to her against the beasts pursuing them in the darkness.

The wagon shook and rattled as it raced along the prairie, but suddenly Lexi felt a new vibration. In the darkness she couldn’t see anything, but there was a steady thumping sound and an undeniable feeling as if something huge was moving closer to them. Then a roar sounded, and Lexi covered her ears. The growling barks of the creatures behind them changed. The horses slowly turned the wagon in a different direction, and the sound of the creatures behind them diminished. And then the massive roar was met by the sounds of savage, animal fury as one of the huge creatures — what the Hoskali called a
Draccon
— fought the beasts that had been chasing the wagon.

The horses went from a mad gallop into a steady cantor and then to a trot as the sounds of the creatures behind them faded. When the horses finally slowed to a walk, Lexi called to them.

“Whoa there,” she said, her voice sounding small. “Stop now, you can rest. I think we’re safe.”

The horses stopped, and Lexi could smell their sweat on the cool night air. She hoped they wouldn’t run into any more predators as she climbed down from the wagon. Darkness had never bothered Lexi. She had learned to feel comfortable in the darkness, where her size and nimbleness gave her an advantage. She walked around the wagon, keeping one hand on the rough wooden sides of the cart so that she could feel her way around in the darkness.

When she got to the rear of the wagon, she unhooked the board that served to ensure that nothing fell out of the back while the wagon moved. Rafe was nestled between barrels of water. He had slept through the entire chase, and Lexi touched his sweating forehead. His fever was as high as ever. She patiently searched for the pitcher she’d used to fill the barrels with water. She dipped it into one of the wooden containers and then lifted the dripping pitcher. She poured water into her cupped hand and then dribbled it onto Rafe’s forehead.

She drank a little, then carried the water around to the horses, who were still breathing heavily from their long run. Lexi had no idea where she was or where the Hoskali camp where Tiberius lay sick was. After watering the horses, she replaced the back board on the wagon, climbed up onto the bench seat, and fell asleep.

Dawn in the blighted lands consisted of a sudden shift. The first rays of sunlight lit the mists high overhead, which dispersed the light evenly. It reminded Lexi of a lampshade being removed. The all-encompassing darkness was suddenly cast aside. The amber-colored sunlight was soft at first, but within minutes it grew as bright as the sunniest day in Avondale. Lexi felt the light penetrating her eyelids. She laid her arm across her face and rolled over. Her back hurt. She was tired, sore, and exhausted, but she wasn’t sick. She was grateful for that, even if it meant that the responsibility for getting the clean water and ailing Rafe back to the camp fell completely on her shoulders.

She got up and repeated the process from the night before. Rafe’s muscular body now seemed diminished; his clothes were soaked with sweat, his skin pallid and his lips dry. Lexi propped his head up on her arm and helped him drink. The water was still cool, and Rafe’s eyes fluttered open for a moment. Lexi didn’t think he was really awake. He didn’t seem to recognize her or try to talk. After she finished giving him a drink, she saw to the horses.

Before she had fled from Avondale she had never ridden a horse or wagon, but since she had left the city to help Tiberius and Rafe, she had come to love animals. In the morning light she could see that both of the sturdy draft horses had worn sores in their backs and around their necks from the harnesses during their run through the night. She poured water over the raw spaces and spoke soothingly to the animals.

“I’m so sorry,” she said quietly. “But you saved our lives. We’ll take things slow today, but we have to find our way back to the camp.”

The horses looked at Lexi but then returned their attention to the grass at their feet. They grazed as Lexi climbed back up into the wagon and stood on the bench seat. She could see for miles in every direction, but there was nothing to see but empty prairie. There was no sign of the gigantic creature that had effectively saved her life the night before. Nor could she see any evidence of the creatures who had been chasing her. She couldn’t see the river, either, which would have at least given her a clue as to what direction to start in. The sun was hidden by the thick bank of mists high over head, and they were too far away to see the mountains; Lexi was lost.

She wanted to cry, but she knew it wouldn’t make her feel better. There was a time when letting her emotions flood out of her was helpful, but she knew that weeping would only make her feel tired and foggy-headed. What she needed was action. So she climbed down from the wagon and began to slowly walk the horses forward. She felt sorry for the tired animals as they pulled the heavy wagon. The barrels of water were incredibly heavy, and even though the prairie was flat and relatively free from obstructions, pulling the wagon was certainly a tiring task.

She stopped from time to time, checking on the horses or seeing about Rafe. He had begun to mumble occasionally in his fevered dreams. At first Lexi thought he was coming around. She stopped to check on him whenever she heard him speaking, but once she realized he wasn’t speaking to her, that he didn’t even know what was happening, she focused on finding her way back to the camp.

They hadn’t bothered to pack many supplies. Lexi had thought they would be back at the camp by morning, but now she feared that she might never find the group of ailing tribesmen. Even worse, she feared that she would never find Tiberius again. The landscape seemed too open, too empty; it made her feel abandoned and afraid. She tried not to give in to despair as the hours dragged on.

Occasionally she stopped the wagon, climbed back up onto the bench seat, and looked around. She was anxious for any sign that might indicate where she was. Around midday she finally spotted something, although it wasn’t a landmark. As she stood on the wooden board that served as a seat for the wagon’s driver, she could see something moving ahead of her. It was an animal of some type, but she couldn’t make it out. Looking back at Rafe, she decided that she could face whatever was moving. It might be a dangerous animal, but it wasn’t large, and she didn’t have much food left. Her pack had only a few pieces of the mealy bread that was the staple of the Hoskali diet. If the animal could be eaten, then she had to try and catch it or kill it.

Before she coaxed the horses forward again, Lexi went back to where Rafe was mumbling in his fevered dreams.

“I’m just borrowing this,” she said as she drew his rapier from the sheath beside Rafe. “Maybe I can get us some supper.”

She led the wagon forward until she could see the animal from the ground. There was movement ahead of her, but she couldn’t quite make it out. She left the horses grazing and walked forward slowly, holding the sword up by her shoulder and ready to slash down to protect her if she needed to. After a short walk she could see that there were two animals. One was small and furry. It looked clumsy as it rushed back and forth, leaping and jumping to escape the larger predator. The other animal made Lexi’s blood run cold. She’d heard of snakes but she’d never actually seen one. The snake was a dull green color, its long, powerful body easily blending into the mossy grass that covered the ground. Occasionally the snake would raise up into a striking position, and its head would dart forward. Lexi saw the snake’s fangs and forked tongue. Part of her wanted to turn and run away, but it was clear that even though the furry animal was evading the snake, it was only a matter of time before the large reptile caught its prey.

She hurried forward, holding the sword high. She knew that if the snake bit her, she would very likely die. She had heard old stories about poisonous snakes who could kill with just one bite. There were no snakes in Avondale. She guessed that there could be snakes in the forest that circled the lake in the center of the extinct volcano’s cone, but she had never been to the forest. Danger had been a constant threat as she grew up on the streets of the city, and she’d learned to master her fear. When desperate men had her cornered, she would fight; otherwise she made a habit of avoiding danger whenever possible. She wanted to avoid the snake, but there was something about the small furry creature that made her press on.

When Lexi was close enough, the snake reared and hissed at her, showing its fangs. It was a scare tactic, and it worked. Lexi froze, scarcely able to breathe, but her hands tightened on the long sword she held. The furry animal dashed toward Lexi, running around behind her and watching the snake from between her boots.

The snake slithered toward Lexi, as well, and she could see that it was longer than she was tall. The snake’s neck flattened into a hood as it raised up. The creature was several feet away, but Lexi had seen it striking at the furry animal. She knew it could sink its fangs into her if it launched itself forward. Sweat trickled down Lexi’s back. It was a hot day, but her sweat felt cold. The snake swayed back and forth, hissing angrily. Lexi didn’t move. A minute passed; the snake seemed to be studying Lexi. The sword was growing heavy. She held the weapon high, pointed up. Both of her small hands were wrapped around the handle and held close to her right shoulder. She had never learned any sword craft — she was simply doing what felt natural to her.

Finally, the snake inched closer, its long, powerful body slithering up behind it so that it could strike at maximum distance. Lexi wanted to turn and run. She wanted to drop the sword and dash back to the wagon. She didn’t care about running out of food or how tired the horses were. She just didn’t want to die. That’s when the snake launched itself forward. The strike was so fast everything happened in an instant. Lexi saw the sudden movement and instinctively swung the sword. She felt the blade connect, but the weapon didn’t slow down. It continued in a low arc, and the snake flipped and flopped, its long body coiling into a ball. Lexi could scarcely breathe as she watched the snake dying. At her feet lay the viper’s head. The sword had connected with the snake just behind its head and cut clean through.

The mossy grass and the snake’s glossy green scales were splashed with dark red blood. Lexi’s body sagged in relief. She had killed the snake, and her terror passed, leaving her feeling tired and weak. Then something grabbed on to the back of her thigh. At first she thought it was the snake and she screamed. Instinctively she jumped into the air, but she could see the snake’s head still laying motionless on the ground. She felt the creature on her leg scurry up her body. It moved easily, circling around her waist and climbing up to sit on her shoulder. Then it trilled, and Lexi, her terror having passed, laughed.

“Who are you?” she said in a soothing voice.

The small furry creature had brown fur with a black stripe that ran up its back, over its head between two large, round ears, and down to its tiny nose. Its large, black eyes stared up at Lexi. The animal sat back on its hind legs, wrapped its furry tail around her arm, and rubbed its front paws together.

“I’m hungry, too,” Lexi said. “Let me see what I can find.”

She left the snake coiled tightly on the grass and returned to the wagon. The little creature clung to Lexi as she walked, moving closer to her head and wrapping one front leg around her neck as it nestled against her skin. Lexi could feel it trembling and she guessed the animal was frightened.

“It’s okay,” she said softly. “Everything is okay now.”

When she got to the wagon, the horses neighed and watched her, craning their necks around to see what she was doing. Lexi thought that odd, since they had never seemed very interested in her before. She pulled her pack out of the wagon and saw that she had two pieces of bread left. She took one out and tore off a small morsel. She held it out to the furry creature, who let go of her neck and took the bread into both of its little hands. It ate the bread eagerly, trilling between bites.

“You like that, huh?” Lexi said. “Me too.”

She tore herself a bite off the bread and ate it. The growling in her stomach subsided, and Lexi drank some of the water from the back of the wagon. It didn’t seem as cool as it had earlier in the day, but that was to be expected. Lexi poured a small amount of water into her palm and held it up to the small creature on her shoulder. It drank then scampered gracefully around her neck and onto her other shoulder. Its strong but fluffy tail stroked Lexi’s face.

“You’re a little sweetheart,” she said, rubbing the top of the creature’s head, between its ears. “I’m afraid it’s time for me to go now.”

She took the creature in her hands, and it rolled over in her arms, staring up at her like a baby.

“You’re trying to steal my heart, but you can’t have it,” she said. “I’ve already given it away.”

She stooped down and set the animal gently on the ground. It made a crying sound, but Lexi knew she had to keep searching for the camp. Everyone was depending on her, so she returned to the horses and got them moving with a cluck of her tongue. She had been walking beside the horses for several minutes before she looked back. She had felt sorry for the little creature and was completely surprised to see it sitting on the wagon’s wide bench.