The Dark Throne (79 page)
Authors: Jocelyn Fox
“We all knew the dangers,” said Vell, but sorrow pressed lines into her face. Now in the light of the sunset, she looked tired, gore still staining her skin and shadows under her eyes. “It does not make it easier,” she added in a quieter voice, “but we all knew the dangers.”
And so, bloodstained and weary, the three Queens and the Bearer rode in victory from the Dark Keep, carrying their stones with the imprisoned spirit of the Enemy. The remnants of the army—and it was still a great army, despite the toll of the battle—had gathered on the plain before the White City. The ruins of the magnificent city rose a small distance from the base of the mountain on which the Dark Keep stood. A rocky path twisted down the side of the mountain, just wide enough for four mounts to walk abreast. Titania and Mab, like Vell, bore signs of the battle, but their ethereal beauty still shone even beneath the grime and gore. A great roar rose into the air when the warriors caught sight of their queens. Nehalim tossed his head and pranced, knowing very well when his rider was the one for whom the masses cheered. I listened to the sounds of celebration and felt the Sword’s power settle contentedly within my chest. I raised my face to feel the last rays of the sun on my skin and gave a great sigh. I was the Bearer of the Iron Sword, and I had vanquished the Enemy, but a long path still stretched before my feet.
“Don’t know about you, but I’ve had enough of this stately procession,” Vell said with a sudden grin, breaking into my solemn thoughts. The weariness on the
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’s face fell away, and for an instant we were once again just a Northwoman and a slightly bedraggled mortal girl, riding together toward adventure. “Race you!” Vell shouted. She gave a Northern war cry and kicked her mount into a gallop, raising a cloud of dust behind them. Mab looked vaguely disapproving and Titania suppressed a smile.
“I suppose we shouldn’t let her win,” I said to Nehalim, who snorted in agreement. I leaned forward and he leapt into a gallop, following the High Queen into the light of the setting sun.
Author’s Note
The journey for Tess and me began on a winter day in Annapolis over six years ago when I was a midshipman. Both writing the books and my military experience has been an incredible voyage from the start. I hope that you, through joining Tess, feel like you’ve lived a little bit of the adventure too.
I’ve struggled with the idea of writing this Author’s Note for a while, so forgive me if I’m not as eloquent as most authors in their thanks. First and always, I have to thank my parents. Mom and Dad, words can’t describe my gratitude for your love and support, from when I was a bookworm kid with a penchant for writing stories to my days as a midshipman and then on to my first deployment as an ensign in the Navy and beyond. It’s meant the world to me to have your encouragement. To my brother and sister: thanks for being my original test audience, back when G.I. Joe and Barbie went on epic quests that I carefully crafted into elaborate stories. To Erin: from my best friend to my editor, you’ve been on this roller coaster with me from the start, and I can’t thank you enough for your steady guidance and sharp eye for nuance. To Krista Walsh, thank you for being my sounding board and fellow adventurer into the wilds of indie publishing. To all the rest of my friends, too numerous to name here, who reached out to me with support and encouragement on my creative journey, I appreciate all your kind words. And to the original Show Ponies, the Rough Sea Crew, thanks for accepting me as a “regular guy” and making sure I didn’t die while we were out having adventures on the high seas; you showed me the true meaning of camaraderie and teamwork. To the rest of my brothers and sisters in arms, watch each other’s backs and stand firm. It’s my honor and privilege to serve alongside you.
To the design team: Peter and Caroline at Bespoke Book Covers, Maureen Cutajar at Go Published Formatting Services, Ilana and the team at Nailed It! Media, and Joelle at Moxie Design Studios—thank you for your unflagging professionalism and unparalleled work ethic. I write the stories, but you all package them prettily and top them with a bow.
Finally, to my readers: I’m so very grateful for all of you. Your passion for reading and for my books has been my armor against self-doubt and uncertainty. I can only hope that I’ve given you equivalent joy through my writing. Since publishing my first novel independently in 2014, I have been giddy with excitement every time a new reader enthusiastically tells me their favorite character or their reaction at a certain scene; it’s been incredibly rewarding to connect with readers all over the world through social media. I can honestly say that the excitement still hasn’t dimmed and I look forward to many more years of our symbiotic relationship.
Now that I’ve said my thanks, I’d also like to say to everyone reading this book: go live your dream. Once upon a time, I was just a kid who read voraciously, wrote stories in black and white journal notebooks and dreamed of being an author one day. If you have a vision, if you have an adventure that calls to you in your blood and won’t let you go, even when you sleep—go after it. It will be hard at times, but it will also be incredibly joyful at others; it will be absolutely terrifying and indescribably wonderful. At the end of many years—perhaps at the end of all of your years— you’ll be able to say that you rose to the challenge and fought hard. All it takes is the decision one day to pursue that dream. Then wake up the next morning, and decide to pursue it again. And again. And again.
The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all. Be brave and leap.
Jocelyn A. Fox
28 March 2016
About the Author
Jocelyn A. Fox is the bestselling author of the epic fantasy novels
The Iron Sword
and
The Crown of Bones,
the first two books in
The Fae War Chronicles
.
The Dark Throne
is her third novel. She is in the military by day and an author by night; she likes dogs more than she likes most people, drinks too much coffee for her own good and is constantly looking for her next adventure in real life or in a good book.
She is constantly awed and humbled by the courage, tenacity and sacrifice of the men and women with whom she has the privilege of serving. Their fighting spirit and sense of fellowship inspire her every day, and her military experiences provide her with ample material to ground her fantasy world in the reality of the modern warrior.
You can find her at
www.jocelynafox.com
, or on the following platforms:
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/author.jocelyn.a.fox
Twitter:
Instagram:
@jocelynafox
Amazon Page:
www.amazon.com/Jocelyn-A.-Fox/e/B0051DX7G0
