The Prophecy Chronicles: Prophecy Revealed
Ron Hartman
ISBN: 978-1-62420-065-6
Genre: Fantasy
Excerpt Heat Level: 1
Book Heat Level: 1
Daniel Marten crossed the Burning
Sea and convinced himself that he is the Prophesied One. But what does that
mean? In this second installment of the Prophecy Chronicles trilogy, Daniel
forges new alliances in his bid to save Naphthali from the Emperor. He meets
the Tene’breon, a magical race that has evolved to use the Weave as
effortlessly as he breathes air. The leaders of this race recognize him for
what he is…but they also see something more. Naphthali has been dramatically
altered by the rule of a new governor, a man whose power is tied to Daniel in a
horrifying way. How far will Daniel go to save Naphthali? And what is the
secret that binds his destiny with his new allies? Only time will tell in The
Prophecy Chronicles: Prophecy Revealed.
EXCERPT
The four burst into the room.
Bastion let Daniel go and he stumbled several feet forward before catching
himself. He sensed Broken Bow and Meadow Song move off in opposite directions,
and heard the door snick quietly closed behind them. Waves of agony rolled up
Daniel's arm. He bent over at the waist, trying to control a grunt of pain. He
saw stars and had time to think, I'm going to pass out, before the voice,
filled with power, spoke. "Who are you?"
Daniel gasped and pulled in a
lungful of air, forcing down the agony. Still bent over at the waist, he
snapped his eyes forward, to where another man just entered the room from the
opposite side. He was at least six and a half feet tall, his head wreathed in
wavy brown hair. He wore silk robes, beneath which muscles bulged and tensed as
he studied Daniel, his bright eyes narrowing. It had to be Bertolli.
Daniel forced himself to stand
upright. "I…" was all he got out before everyone reacted on reflexes
alone.
The man cut him off, bellowing,
"Guards!" He started to take a step forward, but then sensed movement
to his right. He spun to his left just before Broken Bow's great sword made a
low whistle as it sailed through the air where he'd been standing. Without even
realizing he was doing it, Daniel pulled his throwing knife and let fly. The
large man was too fast, though, prancing back the other way before the blade
reached him. He reached around his waist and launched all three throwing
daggers in rapid succession, but the man merely knocked the small blades away with
the backs of his hands.
Behind him, Daniel heard guards
slam into the door, but Bastion was able to push it back and hold them out, at
least momentarily. Bertolli spun away from another unseen attack by Broken Bow
and froze, reversing course at the last moment. He ripped a dagger from his
belt as he did so and whipped around again, aiming low. He led with the blade
until it stopped, seemingly in midair. What Daniel heard next made his blood
run cold.
Meadow Song cried out and the air
shimmered before the big man. In seconds, she was visible, impaled through the
stomach. "No," Daniel cried as he darted forward, reaching for the
A-blade. Meadow Song's eyes were wide in surprise as her robes stained scarlet
around the dagger. Bertolli's face was transformed into a savage grimace of
triumph, until he saw his victim. The beauty there made him pause, but only for
a moment.
Daniel and his friends froze when
Meadow Song cried out. Before anyone could react, Bertolli spun behind her. He
pulled the dagger free as he went, wrapping his left arm around her bosom.
Meadow Song whimpered when the slow stain on her robes became a torrent as the
cloth soaked through. He pulled the bloody blade up to her throat and roared,
"Halt! Show yourselves or she dies."
Daniel's suddenly nerveless
fingers fell from the A-blade. "No, don't! We'll stop."
The air shimmered right beside
the big man as Broken Bow came into view, holding his great sword at the ready.
Behind Daniel, he heard the door give way and soldiers rush in. In seconds he
felt a sharp blade poking him in the back, and knew Bastion stood down as well.
He couldn't take his eyes off Meadow Song's pain-filled face as he heard the
heavy thud of a club hitting flesh, then Bastion was shoved off to the side, a
large welt forming above his left eye.
"Drop your weapons,"
Bertolli growled, poking the tip of his dagger under Meadow Song's chin.
With leaden fingers Daniel pulled
the A-blade from its sheath and dropped it to the stone floor with a clang. A
distant part of his mind registered the dagger Bertolli held had a broad short
blade and wide pommel, not the Blade of Endar. Well, at least there was that.
He raised his left hand in a placating gesture as Broken Bow's sword hit the
floor as well. "Okay. We've done it, please just let her go."
Bertolli didn't move the dagger
from Meadow Song's chin. Daniel could see beads of sweat forming on her brow,
and a small line of blood trickled down her neck. She was shaking, her eyes
rolling back in her head. His eyes bore into Daniel's as he growled,
"Remove your hood."
Daniel's attention was on Meadow
Song, so he didn't immediately obey Bertolli's command. Fire burned in the
governor's eyes as he glared at Daniel. He jabbed the dagger up slightly and at
the same time the guard behind Daniel pressed forward with his sword, splitting
Daniel's robes and skin. He barked in pain and stumbled forward.
"Alright." Blood trickled down his back as he reached up and pulled
back the hood.
Bertolli's hard glare softened in
momentary surprise when he saw Daniel's scars. His eyes shot down to Daniel's
right arm, which was still sheathed within his robes. Even though Bertolli
couldn't see it, Daniel saw the recognition in his eyes, the knowledge Daniel
had been maimed like so many of his victims.
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