The Demigod Proving

S. James Nelson

The Demigod Proving

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

The Demigod Proving

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen Nelson

Cover art by Arthur Nelson. Contact him at [email protected].

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.

First edition: August 13, 2011

Dear reader,

Thank you for purchasing
The Demigod Proving
. I would love it if you stopped by
www.sjamesnelson.com
and let me know what you think of the book. In addition, I invite you to leave a rating and review of the book on Amazon.com. I would be much obliged if you did. Thank you.

Let the proving begin!

Best,

S. James Nelson

A book about brothers, for my brothers: Sam, Tom, and Arthur.

Table of Contents

Part I: A young branch

Chapter 1: Not so good news

Chapter 2: Laughter no more

Chapter 3: Unexpected attention

Chapter 4: A lesson in Ichor

Chapter 5: Seeking safety

Chapter 6: A proving promised

Chapter 7: Wearing human flesh

Chapter 8: No time for patience

Chapter 9: A brother’s secrets

Chapter 10: Confession

Chapter 11: Bound

Chapter 12: Interrupting the Reverencing

Chapter 13: A simple question

Chapter 14: Starting out at a disadvantage

Chapter 15: Certainty

Chapter 16: An attempt at mass murder

Chapter 17: Escape

Chapter 18: Binding Ichor

Chapter 19: An old foe

Part II: In the pleasant garden

Chapter 20: Seeing forever

Chapter 21: Not confederate

Chapter 22: A mother’s counsel

Chapter 23: Weakening god

Chapter 24: A disgrace to draegons everywhere

Chapter 25: A second chance

Chapter 26: Divine correction

Chapter 27: Giving up on subtlety

Chapter 28: Chasing living flame

Chapter 29: An unexpected compulsion

Chapter 30: Becoming a mother

Chapter 31: Heavy burdens

Chapter 32: A conspiracy uncovered

Chapter 33: A minor inconvenience

Chapter 34: The Strengthening

Chapter 35: Too many options for death

Chapter 36: Running from god

Chapter 37: The dutiful wife and mother

Chapter 38: Killing a son

Chapter 39: Nothing beats a good cow

Chapter 40: A tasty draegon treat

Chapter 41: Admission

Chapter 42: Not who he said he was

Chapter 43: Accusations

Chapter 44: Accelerated plans

Chapter 45: The deep recesses

Chapter 46: Fire in the veins

Chapter 47: Tipping the scales

Chapter 48: Willful disobedience

Chapter 49: Interrupted

Chapter 50: Situation in flux

Chapter 51: Kicking god

Chapter 52: Grounded

Part III: Pruning branches

Chapter 53: In the Valley of the Elder Gods

Chapter 54: Brotherly hate

Chapter 55: Deferring the Strengthening

Chapter 56: The Task

Chapter 57: Brother against brother

Chapter 58: A mother’s price

Chapter 59: The nature of the test

Chapter 60: On the inside

Chapter 61: An unexpected complication

Chapter 62: The right choice

Chapter 63: The killing cave

Chapter 64: The first kill

Chapter 65: Victor of the proving

Chapter 66: Parting and joining

Chapter 67: Gone to war

Chapter 68: By starlight

Part IV: Ax to the root

Chapter 69: The southern limits

Chapter 70: The past explained

Chapter 71: The choice is made

Chapter 72: Breaking point

Chapter 73: Inexorable path of violence

Chapter 74: Cut in half

Chapter 75: Protected