Ferran's Map (53 page)
Authors: T. L. Shreffler
Tags: #romance, #assassin, #adventure, #fantasy, #magic, #young adult, #quest, #new adult, #cats eye
Far from it,
Ferran disagreed
privately, touching the map in his pocket.
“I think you’ve learned the right lessons
over the last twenty years.” Martin offered him a small toast. “It
would be an honor to have you rejoin our family. This punishment
has lasted long enough.”
Ferran couldn’t believe his ears. He played
the conversation over in his mind and looked for an angle. What did
Martin expect to gain in return?
Martin raised his glass with a solemn look
in his eye.
“You’re joshing,” Ferran muttered.
“No,” Martin insisted. “Really; let’s drink
to it. You will be by my side at the ball for the announcement. No
talking me out of it, now.”
“I don’t think I could,” Ferran said dryly.
He didn’t quite know what to say.
Thank you
seemed far too
weak, and he wasn’t truly sure this was an occasion to be thankful
for. He would be more than a curator of the family fortune; should
anything happen to Martin, he would have to take on a vast world of
responsibility. But Ferran had only just gotten control of his own
demons. Perhaps his brother would sober up and change his mind; he
couldn’t possibly want to reinstate Ferran as heir to the
estate.
Ferran took the goblet Martin handed him and
quickly drank a toast. The wine burned his throat.
Martin refilled his glass. “You’ve certainly
changed, Ferran,” he said. “I sense the future holds many surprises
and grand possibilities. This is a night to celebrate. Come, drink
with me.”
Ferran sat down resignedly. But one thought
still nagged at him. “What of Danica?” he asked. “She is the
current heiress, isn’t she?” Property usually went to children
before wives or brothers.
“She's only fifteen,” Martin said. “She
can’t take over the accounts. And who would leave an estate as
large as this in the hands of a young girl? She’ll need
guidance.”
“Surely you can’t expect anything dire to
happen that soon?” Ferran asked.
Martin shifted his gaze to the wide, dark
windows. “Hard to say, brother…but let’s not dwell on that.”
“I can help you,” Ferran repeated
softly.
Martin shook his head. “You already
have.”
Ferran sighed and sat back in his chair.
Martin had his secrets, and perhaps after a few more glasses of
wine, he would tell a few. But his brother seemed afraid to speak.
Perhaps, in his own way, he was trying to shelter Ferran and Danica
from his own failures—from the true extent of their family’s
danger.
Ferran's eyes wandered to the large tapestry
that engulfed the far wall of the room. Their family tree stretched
up and up, becoming lost in the shadowy corners of the ceiling.
A map,
his father had called it. A chart of the Ebonaire
line. His name had been removed years ago, but now it would be
written again on those winding branches. He would become a piece of
a much larger picture. He would belong to that tapestry once
again.
Ferran raised his glass to his brother, and
then to the tree, and drank deeply.
Coming Soon!
(The Cat's Eye Chronicles, Book 5)
by
T. L. Shreffler
Continue Sora's adventures in The City of Crowns as they track down
Cerastes and The Shade!
Can't get enough of the world? Check out
for exclusive content, fan art, quizzes, and
to
purchase a Cat's Eye
necklace
handmade by the author!
Don't miss this NEW dragon hunting adventure
from T. L. Shreffler!
Release coming soon in 2015!
(The Dragon Pearl, Book
1)
by T. L. Shreffler
http://www.dragonpearlseries.com/
“Ever since the White
appeared in our valley of Windridge, my people have lived in fear.
But today that fear ends. Finally, the King has sent his most elite
dragon hunters to capture The White, the last of the imperial
dragons. They want to use it as a weapon. Me? I just want it
dead.”
Foxburn hasn’t felt safe. The White, a fire-breathing imperial
dragon, terrorizes the Valley of Windridge with no end in sight.
But Sienna isn’t satisfied hiding behind the walls of her keep. She
is tired of fearing the dragon, but she can’t fight it alone.
Then a mysterious sorceress and two elite
dragon hunters arrive. They want to capture the White and use it as
a weapon in the King's war. But Sienna doesn’t care about war. She
just wants the beast dead.
Thus begins the great hunt for the White.
Sienna embarks on a dragon hunting adventure through the exotic
valley of Windridge, all while uncovering secrets and conspiracies
that could endanger the entire Kingdom….
more!
http://www.dragonpearlseries.com/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
T. L. Shreffler is a noblewoman living in the
sunny acres of San Fernando Valley, California, a mere block from
Warner Bros. Studios. She enjoys frolicking through meadows,
sipping iced tea, exploring the unknown reaches of her homeland and
unearthing rare artifacts in thrift stores. She holds a Bachelors
in Eloquence (English) and writes Fantasy, Paranormal Romance and
poetry. She has previously been published in
Eclipse: A Literary
Anthology
and
The Northridge Review
.
Feel free to connect online! She loves hearing from readers,
reviewers, orcs, elves, assassins, villains, figments of her
imagination and extraterrestrials looking to make contact. Her
online accounts are as follows:
Email: [email protected]
Website:
www.tlshreffler.com
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