The Fight for Peace (35 page)

“Kids?” Arinna asked.

“Have you seen her?” Cori asked, sending Captain Vries chuckling.

“Cori thinks she must be carrying twins,” Pyotr explained.

Isabella laughed, her gaze falling on Maureen, who looked thoughtfully amused. “It is fairly early in her term yet,” Maureen said. “It is possible.”

Pyotr sent Cori a nervous look. “You’ll make a great uncle,” she assured him.

“I’m thinking it is a small house ... When is my medical leave over?”

Cori laughed along with Arinna and Derrick. “He’s not going back before me,” Jared insisted, which made Arinna laugh harder.

“Knowing you have new pilots to train will speed your recovery, I’m sure,” Arinna pointed out. “I’m rather enjoying my time off.” Her warm gaze rested on Derrick, who returned the intimate smile.

“Thankfully you ended the war,” Derrick said. “So I can be here rather than managing the fighting from Prague, if not elsewhere.”

“Oh yes. We did this so the two of you could have a vacation,” Jared said with a snort.

“And you’re not enjoying Rhiol?” Arinna asked with a lifted brow.

Jared’s sarcastic smile grew to a grin. “Hey, I’m the one who suggested promoting him. I could retire and train new pilots.”

“I like this idea,” Maureen said.

“What would you do, Captain Prescot?” Cori asked, disbelieving either Captain would actually retire.

“Well I know she wouldn’t stay out of trouble,” Byran said dryly.

“Hah. But Cori is correct,” Arinna said, her eyes shining with a mischievous glint that had Derrick looking nervous and Jared smiling. “The dactyls can’t get out of orbit ... right now at least.”

###

Character List

Arinna Prescot               The unofficial leader of Europe’s armed forces, the Grey Guard. Known as the Lady Grey since she holds no EU military rank.

Jared Vries               Captain of the Grey Guard and its official military leader. Partner is Maureen Simone. Together they have three children: Sevrin, Emma, and Nate.

The Lady Grey               See Arinna Prescot.

The Grey Guard               The name given to the combined military force of Europe. Those who served and/or died during the war were given honorary titles in recognition. Captain is the highest rank of command due to it being the highest common rank of the combined military as well as a rumor during the war that anyone ranked hire died very quickly. Current Captain is Jared Vries. The Lady Grey is the unofficial leader.

Derrick Eldridge               The Earl of Kesmere, he inherited the title and estate through his uncle. Father is David Eldridge. Engaged to Danielle le Marc. British army and then Senator before the war. Joined Guard and served until severely injured. Granted an EU parliamentary seat. Current Senator.

Earl of Kesmere               See Derrick Eldridge.

MOTHER               Acronym for the Ministry Operations Targeting Holistic Emergency Response. It was formed during the war by the Prime Minister of the combined EU government and included the seven members of his cabinet. It was officially disbanded when the EU parliament was formed, and the members became advisory while continuing their cabinetry functions until a new prime minister is chosen.

Byran Vasquez               Spanish baron by inheritance from his father when his family died during his early teenage years. Spanish Senator before and during the war. Current EU Senator. Owns Merimarche estate. Married to Isabella and has two children, Cerilla and Santi.

Isabella Vasquez              Byran’s wife who worked as a political consultant before the war.

Cerilla Vasquez              Byran and Isabella’s oldest child, their only daughter.

Santi Vasquez              Byran and Isabella’s youngest child, their only son.

Danielle le Marc              Daughter of Renault le Marc and his youngest child from his second marriage. She is engaged to Derrick Eldridge.

European Parliament               Functioning European government formed from the remaining senators after the FLF attack that destroyed all existing EU governments. Due to the ongoing war, elections could not be held and any vacant seats were passed to other family members through inheritance. If no existing family could be found, a rotating member of the cabinet (MOTHER) would select a replacement.

FLF              Acronym for the Freedom Liberation Front, a shadowy worldwide military and political organization that excelled at covert operations. Responsible for destroying the US government and beginning the collapse of that country. Annihilated the European and Russian governments on a single day, demanding immediate surrender. Russia responded by attacking an FLF base beginning the war in Europe.

Tatiana Grekov              Young woman who was sent from Russia as a child to England along with her brother, Pyotr, to live with her aunt, Linda Heylor, during the early part of the war. Raised with her cousin Corianne Heylor on a small farm.

Pyotr Grekov              Tatiana Grekov’s younger brother. Sent to England from Russia along with Tatiana when a child to live with their aunt Linda Heylor. Works on his aun
t’
s small farm. Cousin is Corianne Heylor.

Corianne Heylor              Young woman who lives on a small farm in England along with her mother, Linda, and Russian cousins Tatiana and Pyotr. Her father Richard, died in war. Corianne claims inheritance to his title granted for military service (sir) and calls herself dame, with her mother’s blessing.

Phillip Kessler              Former Guard soldier with a disabling injury to right arm. Currently a blacksmith in England and romantically interested in Tatiana Grekov.

Eloise Waldrope              Youngest daughter of Duke and Lady Waldrope. Friend of  Corianne Heylor and Tatiana Grekov.

Farrak Assad              Field Lieutenant of the Grey Guard, part of the active force continuing the war with the FLF beyond Europe’s borders. Prior to the war worked as a double agent between Palestine and Israel.

Gabriella Faronelli              Field Lieutenant of the Grey Guard, part of the active force continuing the war with the FLF beyond Europe’s borders. Prior to the war worked in Italian Intelligence.

Kieren O’Dell              Lieutenant of the Defensive wing of the Grey Guard. Joined the Irish army early in the war and transitioned into the Guard.

Kehm Ra
cé
e              Chief Communications Officer of the Grey Guard.

David Eldridge              Secretary of Defense and part of MOTHER. Derrick Eldridge’s father. Prior to the war was a UK ambassador followed by the UK liaison to NATO, a post he held when the war began. He hired Arinna Prescot and helped her avoid returning to the United States, during which time he arranged for her husband, Michael Prescot, to become a trainer pilot at the NATO component base.

Renault le Marc               Secretary of Justice and part of MOTHER. Sons Pietre and Jacque deceased. Only living heir is his daughter, Danielle le Marc. The family has been politically influential for decades. Renault holds the title of Count.

Miralda Gerschtein              Secretary of Finance and part of MOTHER.

Sabana Pavia Casilla              Secretary of Industry and Reconstruction and part of MOTHER.

Gilles Lieven              Secretary of Health and Welfare and part of MOTHER.

Piero Ardizzone              Secretary of Trade and Foreign Affairs and part of MOTHER.

Ilse Boje              Secretary of Agriculture and part of MOTHER.

Games of Fire

Book 1: Spark of Defiance

Though I have an outline for a new dark fantasy novel, and even a few chapters written, the next story I will publish will be a new epic fantasy trilogy called Games of Fire.

This story begins six months after my first epic fantasy trilogy, the Rise of the Fifth Order, ends. You don’t need to have read the first to begin the second, but if you did and you’ve been wondering how the heroes faired after a brutal battle and losses of good friends … well, in 2016 you will find out!

Until then, find the beginning of a new story below!

Games of Fire

Book 1: Spark of Defiance

Chapter 1

DISOBEDIENCE

“You are not welcome here,” the guard told Zhao, pointing the tip of his stave at Zhao’s chest.

“I want to see my sister Yihn. And then I’ll leave.” Zhao stepped forward, which led to the wooden staff being pressed into his skin. He was very tempted to turn it into something else.

“You defied the Elders and led outsiders to the Temple of the Winds! What did you think the result of that would be? Your punishment will be decreed once the Elders come. Until then, you will be imprisoned in the pagoda.”

“Me too?” Laireag asked, flashing Zhao a glance. Power danced in his light gray eyes. Zhao shook his head slightly, ignoring that Laireag laughed at the guard’s poor threat. Zhao was not returning home to start a fight. At least not yet.

“If you insist,” the guard answered, bristling at Laireag’s laughter.

The guard would not look at Laireag directly, as if uncomfortable with his marked skin. Laireag ignored it. He could have altered his appearance with an illusion to appear black, smudging the lighter patterns of his skin which mimicked bark. But he’d given up on hiding himself during the six months he and Zhao had traveled together. Laireag was Kith and proud of it. More than that, he was still angry at the war and Beite’s death, even if he wouldn’t admit it.

“Well, let’s go then,” Zhao said, pushing aside the stave to walk ahead. “I know the way since its where you kept me my whole damn life anyway.”

“Its good to see you were missed,” Laireag said cheerfully to Zhao as they walked through the Tiak village of Xiazhing.

People stopped what they were doing to stare at the pair of them, some dropping baskets of harvested vegetables to run with news. Zhao snorted. Honestly, he’d met similar treatment when a child when it was discovered he was an Air Elemental, the first of many, many generations born to the strict and reclusive Tiak. Those memories were just one of the reasons he had taken so long to come home. It had been a year since he’d left. That really wasn’t long enough.

The slate pagoda sat unchanged under its Yisha trees. He could have been gone a day. Wind flowed through the wide windows, sweeping across an austere interior. Not once had he missed the place that had been his forced home.

“The Elders will be notified that you have returned. Until they come, it has been ordered that you are to be held here and a sigil preventing the use of your Air Elemental ability will be placed on the door,” the guard said by rote. Laireag started laughing again. Zhao did his best to remain serious, but he couldn’t stop his lip from twitching. Their escort glared from one to the other before slamming the door and scribbling something on the wooden surface.

“Tell Yihn I’m here!” Zhao yelled through the door.

“How... quaint,” Laireag said, still chuckling. 

Zhao turned to his friend, laughter dying at the site of the pagoda. Laireag sprawled on the low stone seat. The central fire pit held old coals, most likely from a sacred fire lit in observance of one day or another. Otherwise, the small octagon room held little visible other than neat rows of drawers set into the walls beneath the windows.

“We can leave,” Laireag said, gaze reading Zhao’s expression.

“No. I want to see Yihn,” Zhao said, running fingers through his dark hair the same texture and color as the guard’s who had brought them there.

When he looked at the faces of the villagers, he saw a reflection of himself. They had the same dark hair and golden skin. Only his eyes were lighter. But those similarities were the false reflections of a mirror. Beyond skin tone and hair color, he was nothing like tribe he’d been born to.

“Is it odd that I’ve been gone only a year and I don’t remember half the names of the villagers. I’ve known the man you escorted us here since we were kids... and I can’t remember his name. I think I could remember everyone in Lus na Sithchaine or the Temple in the Clouds, but I don’t remember the people I grew up with.”

Laireag leveled a sober stare at Zhao. “Maybe not. You said you were never happy here and a lot has happened since you left,” he answered. Insight like that reminded Zhao that his traveling companion was forty-five and not the mere eighteen years or so he appeared. By all rights, they looked to be nearly the same age.

“True. Well, lets see if they left any of my things here. If so, we can at least have some tea. I’ll let you start the fire.”

“What about the ban on the use of Elemental abilities?” Laireag asked with a wicked grin, which reminded Zhao that even at forty-five, Laireag was young for a Kith. They really were close in attitude if not in actual age. And very similar in abilities.

“Oh I think you’d enjoy the challenge if whatever sigil he scribbled did work,” Zhao answered, pulling open drawers.

Warmth erupted behind him along with a disappointed sigh. “Not even difficult,” Laireag muttered. Zhao grinned as he pulled a teapot from its cubby. Really, Zhao couldn’t think of anyone else he’d have wanted to return to Xiazhing beside. 

—

“ Zhao?”

The voice woke him from a light sleep. “Yihn?” he asked, rolling from his sleeping mat on the stone floor and hurrying to the pagoda’s window. A figure hesitated in the shadows of the yisha trees, too much in shadow to see clearly.

“Why did you come back?” his sister asked, a sob stiffled in the words.

He reached out the window toward her, surprised to feel a tingle on his arm. The sigil placed on the door to prevent his abilities as an Air Elemental was weak but contained power.

“I wanted to see you, had to see you. Where I’ve been... I was worried, Yihn. I shouldn’t have left like that, not without saying goodbye. I promised you’d see me again. Did you really think I wouldn’t come back?”

Yihn moved forward, shaking her head when she paused. “Don’t you see?” she asked hoarsely. “You’ve made everything more difficult for us.”

Zhao thought the saw the gleam of moisture in her eyes, highlight by reflected moonlight. But she’d backed in the deeper shadows and was gone before he could be certain. Guilt sat heavy on his conscious, keeping away sleep for the remainder of the night.

“Are you feeling better?” Laireag asked Zhao. Zhao stretched awake from a woozy, mid-morning nap. “You didn’t look very good this morning.”

“Yihn came last night. She said... it doesn’t matter. I couldn’t sleep afterward.”

“I know. I heard. It is a one room in a stone shrine. And I’m not that heavy of a sleeper!”

“Oh, I don’t know about that. I remember after we cast the illusions around Lus na Sithchaine. I thought you would sleep through the war,” Zhao answered with a grin, which folded. He rubbed his tired eyes. “I don’t know why I came back.”

“I thought the same thing when I brought the Erowok to Lus na Sithchaine. I thought they would kick me out along with them. But it got better. Don’t worry about what she said, Zhao. Remember that she came.”

Laireag’s words cleared the doubt smothering him. They stayed lightening his heart as he told Laireag about his life growing up amid the Tiak. By the time he heard the beat of ceremonial drums, Zhao was confident again in why he’d come home.

In the sunlight before Zhao’s once home, the Elder of Xiazhing stood with a crowd behind. Dressed in a richly brocaded cream, thigh-length shirt with draping sleeves, Phet gestured solemnly to a boy in yellow robes next to him. The saffron color of his clothes was a shade darker than the aura swirling around the boy. He was an Air Elemental and Tiak, like Zhao. Zhao pulled at his memory for the children who’d been born after him and had been gifted as well.

“Kattan?” Zhao asked, guessing this teenager was the oldest of the children he’d not seen in over a year.

The boy ignored him, erasing the sigil on the door before returning to Phet’s side.

“You may exit the sanctuary, Zhao, but not step from beneath its shade. I wish to speak to you,” Phet said.

Hot annoyance rose like a Fire Priest’s flames. Laireag glanced at Zhao and laughed quietly. The air hummed around his friend, though the amusement did not fade from Laireag’s silver eyes. “Not here for a fight?” Laireag teased.

Zhao held his power back. Though having Laireag next to him and ready was a good feeling. Zhao pushed open the door and stepped into the sun with a smile.

Phet frowned, an expression which deepened when Laireag emerged from the pagoda as well. The three of them stared at each other.

“There are observances to be made to the Elder!” Kattan snapped.

“I am not here to return to Xiazhing or my role in this village, boy. I am here to see my sister.”

Phet tensed, custom keeping him from reacting spitefully. The same customs that Zhao flouted.

“So I had heard,” Phet hissed. “Despite your crimes and disrespect, I brought her to see you.”

Yihn stepped from behind Phet. Her dark hair was pulled back in a pony tail, strands escaping against her neck as he remembered. The knee length lavender wrap around shirt and cream pants looked identical to the clothes he remember her wearing last. A few worn threads caught his eye. He looked again. They were the same clothes he had seen her in last a year ago. They were clean and well maintained, but wear showed in the softened edges of the brocade. Worry replaced defiance.

“Yihn, what has happened?” Zhao stepped toward his sister. Kattan hissed as he stepped between them.

“You are forbidden to touch her,” Kattan said.

Surprise kept Zhao from laughing at the boy. The monsters he had faced in the war, not to mention the powerful Priests and Priestesses of the Church of Four Orders that had tried to kill him or the carnivorous plants of the Coast of Storms, made the untrained boy blocking his way appear no more a worry than a wayward thistle. Zhao almost hugged him.

But the tiredness in Yihn’s face stopped him. She would not look at him.

There were no laws or customs that should have allowed Yihn to bare the punishment for his defiance. In all the years he had fought the Elders as a child, his sister had always been spared. The last few years, Gagee had protected her when he could not.

Gagee. Zhao did not see Yihn’s husband.

“Yihn, where is Gagee? Tell me what you did to him. Where is Yihn’s husband?” Zhao said, rounding on Phet when his sister continued to stare at the ground.

“Your sister is not married,” Phet answered.

Gagee had been a brother to him before he’d become a brother-by-marriage. Few Tiak gave more than superficial ‘honor’ to the role Zhao played as the first Air Elemental born to his people in over a century. Gagee hadn’t cared. He had been the first person who had treated Zhao like a person. And Gagee had loved his sister. Of all the hurt Zhao had expected returning home would bring, he had not expected to find another friend dead.

“When did he die?” Zhao asked through a tight throat. “How?”

Yihn finally glanced up, eyes wide. “No, he...”

Phet cut her off with a quick move of his hand. “You do not speak. Their marriage was a mistake. It was your arguments to allow your sister to marry that convinced us to condone the union. We feared that she was tainted like you. We were right.”

Zhao stared at his sister. She had no aura, not even the shimmer of yellow or any color that would have donated Elemental abilities. Laireag placed a hand on his arm.

“Behind her,” Laireag whispered to him.

The faintest golden flicker like the spark of a lantern bug shimmered in the air behind Yihn. Now Zhao saw the straps over Yihn shoulders. She wore a traditional pack for carrying a baby. His sister had a child. And the child already showed the gifts of an Air Elemental.