The Rabbit and the Raven: Book Two in the Solas Beir Trilogy

THE

RABBIT

AND THE

RAVEN

BOOK TWO IN

THE SOLAS BEIR TRILOGY

MELISSA ESKUE OUSLEY

All rights reserved.

Castle Garden Publications,

an imprint
of Gazebo Gardens Publishing

www.GazeboGardensPublishing.com

Edited by
Laura Meehan, S. C. Moore,

and C. E. Moore

Cover Art by Aaron Cheney

Printed in the United States of America.

Copyright 2013

For my Father,
who makes all things

work together
for my good,
and for my mom,
for her unconditional love and support.

My appreciation to Shelley and Caitlyn Moore of Gazebo Gardens Publishing for everything you’ve done to make this series possible. It is a pleasure to work with you and I can’t thank you enough for your guidance, editing, encouragement, and friendship.

Thank you to the ever brilliant Laura Meehan and Indigo Editing and Publishing for editing the manuscript. I appreciate your much needed advice in making revisions, and your wonderful support and se
nse of humor. You are amazing.

My gratitude to Aaron Cheney for another stunning book cover—your artwork is fantastic.

My appreciation to my beautiful family and friends who have been so steadfast in their support. Thank you for your encouragement and for coming with me on this adventure.

T
o the readers and bloggers and who have helped spread the word about
The Solas Beir Trilogy
: you people rock. In the
Alchemist
, Paulo Coelho writes, “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it.” My thanks to all of you for conspiring with me.

―Howard Parsons,
Parsons’ Rant

“When reading a great trilogy it is
so exciting to pick up the second book of a series and get a feeling of visiting old friends. This is how I felt when I began reading Book Two in
The Solas Beir Trilogy, The Rabbit and The Raven
. Melissa Ousley creates with her pen a world you want to enter—her characters leap off the page and take you on their adventures. Each conflict the characters experience, I felt I was strapping on my sword to help them battle through each challenge. The most important quality of a well written book is the ability to help the reader see the story through the eyes of all the characters. Melissa truly has this ability to illustrate a compelling story.”

―Deborah,
Goodreads

“Melissa Eskue Ousley’s second book in the Solas Beir Trilogy,
The Rabbit and the Raven
has ramped up the conflict, raised the stakes and increased the peril to the human realm as well as Cai Terenmare. The fate of the world is resting heavily on the shoulders of mere teens, new to their powers and their heritage. Will the allure of the dark side be their downfall? Once again, a job well done, well written and magnetic by this talented author who deftly travels that fine, yet twisted line of magical YA fantasy!”

―Dianne,
Tome Tender

"Tynan Tierney is a most excellent villain. One minute I was almost sympathizing with him, then the next I understood why he was the villain of this story. I think he is very well written. He is almost one of my fave characters. Did
I just say that? Or should I say he is one of my fave villains? He does know how to manipulate his minions like a true puppet master....A fantasy adventure with endearing characters, a villain that is quite unpredictable and a cast of fantasy creatures that go bump in the night. I am left tapping my foot for the third installment."

―Michelle Auricht,
Novels on the Run
, Australia

“Melissa Eskue Ousley has outdone herself with
The Rabbit and the Raven
. Beautifully written it begins exactly where
Sign of the Throne
left off. From the first page I was hooked. Ousley's descriptions are so vivid you almost feel as though you are watching a movie rather than reading a book.”

―
Amber,
Goodreads

“Melissa Eskue Ousley’s
The Rabbit and the Raven
is the perfect continuation of the
Solas Bier Trilogy.
Ousley takes the readers on an exciting journey to the outer edges of Cai Terenmare as Abby and David try to secure the support of the oracles in the fight against Tierney and his followers. Readers will fall in love with the rich and vivid world that Ousley has brought to life in the pages of
The Rabbit and the Raven
as they uncover its dark secrets. Abby and David’s relationship is tested as dark forces threaten not only their lives but the lives of everyone they love.
The Rabbit and the Raven
is guaranteed to pull the reader in and maintain its hold long after the end of the novel. Melissa Eskue Ousley delivers a beautifully written novel that is imaginative, captivating, compelling, and exciting; it’s a must read.”

―Kira Watson,
My Dear Bibiophage

“
I loved it, loved it, and loved it. The writing was really great. I think Melissa did a really great job with
The Rabbit and the Raven
from start to finish. I really liked how it started where book one left off. I found it very hard to put this story down. I just wanted to keep turning the pages.”

―Johnnie-Marie Howard,
Whispered Thoughts

“Melissa Eskue Ousley has done it again. Give yourself some uninterrupted days to read this book, because there is no way you're going to be sleeping once you start. You know it's a good book when you start rooting for the characters only to realize that everyone in the library is giving you a weird look because you actually cheered out loud. You will get sucked into this story, and you will be left eager for the next book! In most trilogies, I am interested in the first book but don't care much for the following second and third; The Rabbit and the Raven, however, is not like other books. This book made the story grow. You still get the romantic tension, you still get the fear for the characters in tense situations, you still get an incredible story. Also, this is a great clean book! You still get all the romance and the action without the gory details…and Ousley’s story telling is absolutely breath-taking.”

―
Cyndi,
Goodreads

Chapter One

ESCAPE FROM THE WASTELAND

T
he walls of the large, wood-paneled room in the dilapidated Newcastle Beach mansion were dominated by floor to ceiling mirrors in gilded frames, all shattered, save one. Piercing through the glass dome on the rooftop, the moonlight created a perfect circle of bright white light on the hardwood floor inside the otherwise darkened room. There was a stillness in the air, as if the entire world were holding its breath. It was an electric tension, the kind of silence that precedes a thunderstorm; a prickle of static anticipation. A single particle of dust hung frozen in the beam of moonlight, suspended motionless, as if it too were waiting.

The circle of light dimmed for a second—a brief flickering that could have been the wind pushing a wispy cloud across the face of the harvest moon. Then a low rumble emanated from the bowels of the mansion, followed by a sharp crack. The dome imploded in a shower of glittering glass shards, littering the circle of light with razor-edged droplets, ringing out like chimes against the floorboards.

Two lithe figures, dark as night, leapt nimbly through the rain of glass, materializing from nowhere. The larger figure took the lead, walking with long strides toward the empty doorframe with dangling hinges. The smaller figure hesitated, taking the time to tuck something into the folds of a gown, something round with a metallic glint that flashed in the light, and then, with quick, graceful steps, hurried to catch up.

“You know we’re dead, don’t you?” Jon asked Abby.

Abby gave him a look, but didn’t answer. Instead, she finished pulling on her boots and then buckled a belt around her waist. Hanging from the belt was a sword, sheathed for now, which she hoped she wouldn’t have to use anytime soon.
During the last encounter she’d had with the Kruorumbrae—in the not-so-distant past—things hadn’t gone so well. Technically, the good guys had won that round, saving David Corbin and ensuring he became Solas Beir. But no victory comes without a price, and both Abby and Jon had paid dearly.

“I’m serious, Abby,” Jon said. “My mom is going to kill me for scaring her to death. She has no idea where we are or if we’re okay.”

“I know,” Abby muttered, scowling.

Jon took her expression in and then retreated to the other side of the armory to retrieve his own belt and sword. She felt guilty for being grumpy with him, but she had a lot on her mind.

He rubbed his arm absently before picking up his belt. Now healed, it had been shattered when the beast, Calder, ripped a heavy wooden door from its hinges and hurled it across the room like a discus. Abby had nearly died from the creature tearing her torso open with its claws. The attack was meant for David, but Abby pushed him out of the way and took the blow. She had survived. Calder…not so much. Abby’s silver blade had found purchase in the beast’s belly, and Calder’s nasty little friends had finished the job. So much for loyalty.

They’d barely made it safely through the portal into Cai
Terenmare after the attack. If it hadn’t been for the healing pool in the ancient, magical world, Abby would not have survived, and even Jon’s injury would have needed surgery and months of therapy. In spite of her near-fatal injuries, there was no question that Abby would do it all again if she had to. Truth was, she was madly in love with David. She would have walked through an inferno to save him, though thankfully it hadn’t quite come to that. Still, she would rather not be tackled by a giant cat monster from hell twice in the same week. Abby was certain that Jon would agree, that given more cheerful options, he too would rather not stare death in the face again. And yet, here he was, arming himself.