The Firebrand Legacy (24 page)

“Good,” said Carine.

“Okay, then.” David shrugged and recited
Esten’s most traditional Festival phrase with teasing eyes. “Don’t
get burnt.”

By the healing pools, Giles held the torch in
his left hand and his sword in his right. The heir of Firebrand
still sputtered and murmured as David and Carine ran toward the
dragon through the steam, smoke, and fire.

All the world was false or simple, yet here
on this sword could be its salvation. Firebrand’s blood thickened
on the blade, where it threatened to spill down onto the bare
earth. Giles smelled the blood of Firebrand, the blood that had
once belonged to a dragon and contained its fearsome powers.

One drop was all it had taken then, and one
drop was all that he needed now.

His Majesty Prince Giles, third heir to the
throne of Navafort, stuck out his tongue and licked the blade
clean.

The adventure will continue in The Manakor
Chronicles: Book 2. Join the T.K. Kiser Readers’ Group at
TKKiser.com
for updates, sneak
peeks, and more ways to explore the kingdom of Navafort.

Publishing a book takes a lot of work and
cooperation, and there is no way you’d be reading this without the
help of a lot of special and talented people, some of whom are
listed below.

For encouraging my work from the start, thanks to my
grandparents, my parents, my siblings, my friends, my teachers
throughout the years, and my wonderful husband. Thank you for
demonstrating such patience and support.

For this book in particular I would like to thank my
incredible beta readers: Jasmine, Natalia, Leanna, Sophie, and
Abby. Special thanks to Megan Koon and Dr. Feldman for your help
and guidance along the way. Editors Courtney Diles Henderson,
Kathleen Tracy, and Shannon Thompson have taken great care of this
book. Without their thoughtful insight,
The Firebrand Legacy
would never have turned into what it is today. Of course, I’m also
obsessed with my cover design, and can't thank Ami Leshner enough
for her beautiful work.

Finally, thanks to you, dear reader, for perusing
these pages. May you find courage and hope in all your
adventures.

AMDG,

T.K. Kiser

T.K. Kiser writes fiction in Greenville, South
Carolina. When she isn’t writing, she researches everything,
relishes good conversations, and buys too many books.

Find her online on
Facebook
,
Twitter
, and at
TKKiser.com
.