Othrinia's Rain
by A. J. Adwen
Blurb:
If
truth gave a freedom that could destroy all you've ever known, would it be
better to live shackled to a lie?
When
the kingdom of Othrinia was split down the middle at the hands of feuding twin
kings, leaving Othrinians scattered and the new land of Veodue secluded in
desolation, these two lands, worlds apart, became the epitome of light and
darkness.
Raenah
Brookshire is not a typical Othrinian young woman. She yearns for adventure and
chases danger with a passionate drive that is unmatched by the people of her
village, Farreloch. It would seem as though her life is rich with
possibilities, but she has no idea just how far they’ll take her.
A
mystery of her birth is uncovered by sheer chance that leaves her reeling in
shock and betrayal. The key to who she is lies in the hands of a dark Veoden
stranger who begins to plague her dreams. He has the answers to her undying questions,
but refuses to offer them without a price.
Caught
between the life she knows and a passion more rich than the darkness before the
dawn, Raenah must decide her own fate.
************************************
Excerpt: Angee's After Thoughts
The rising mist curls upward from the
Hallowed Oaks into a crystal clear sky. Such a dark place looks so
unthreatening in the bright afternoon sun that I find myself riding closer to
see if anything about it has changed. From here, I can’t tell.
The circular grove of trees is impenetrable
by the naked eye, due to the denseness of the foliage and the mist that seeps
between the trunks to veil its depths. This place is believed to be sacred, and
legend says that if one seeks to find himself, the Pool of Reflection is where
one may make a self-discovery.
According to that legend, the mist is
heavily laden with the souls of those who sought answers but didn’t make it
past the strangling vines and creatures that emit a weeping sound until closing
in on their victim. They weep with loneliness, yet kill because they know no
other way. This shadowy nook of our land is a piece of Veodue—the only place we
know of that stands in Othrinia. The last time I was here, I was disappointed
by the Pool. It had no answers to ease my restless spirit. I haven’t felt
content for months, while everyone around me moves on with their lives. Gavin
and Mother, even in their grief, are content with hope for the future. So why,
then, do I feel so lost?
I have to know.
I remove Gafian’s bridle and pat his neck,
touching my dagger as my feet tread lightly toward the mist that reaches out
from the trees. The closer I come, the damper the soil is. The first beads of
moist air touch my skin with a cold sensation that seeps to my bones. I think
the legend must be true, because by the time the sun is blotted out, I feel as
though hands are brushing against my clothes. I pause when I notice a moist
handprint on my thigh. With a deep breath, I press onward.
My spine grows rigid at the sound of
weeping. Silence follows, like the pause someone takes before they speak.
Movement catches my eye, my vision focusing on the swaying two-legged creature
with solid black eyes. It sinks behind a tree, then looks at me from the other
side. Six-fingered hands with broken claws wrap around the trunk. He, at least
I think it’s a he, is no taller than my waist. He looks sickly—like he hasn’t
eaten in months.
I unsheathe my dagger halfway, then replace
it when his eyelids narrow to slits. The muted sunlight creates a wet gleam on
the creature’s sallow skin, pulled taut over his protruding ribs and cheekbones
which wrinkle when he bares his teeth to me. Pointed they are, and they drip
with a foul colored foam. I take my hand away from my dagger. “I won’t hurt
you,” I say, as if speaking to a timid horse. He curls his lips back to utter
another wail, then shrinks back into the shadows until I can see him no more. I
press forward again, glancing behind me to make sure I am not being followed.
Only once I am a safe distance from the
weeping do I begin slashing through the vines that move on their own accord.
They reach at a sluggish pace, seemingly intending to strangle me before I
notice their intent. I step over fallen logs and avoid moss covered stones to
maintain my balance, thankful when I am free of the foliage that has far more
of a mind of its own than it should.
The glassy surface of the pool glints with
the only streaks of sunlight that reach through the haze. I crouch at the
water’s edge and tilt my head downward to observe my face. Last time I was
here, nothing happened. No grand revelation of my future; no clarification of
my wild tendencies. I left disappointed and bleeding from my calf where
something, I’m not sure what, sank its teeth into me. I never saw the creature,
but it wasn’t like the one I witnessed moments ago. It gave me a nasty
infection, but nothing that couldn’t be healed with a concoction of Father’s
herbs—in secret, of course. I couldn’t tell anyone where I’d been.
I sigh when nothing appears in my
reflection, wondering if I’m going about it all wrong. Perhaps I should have
brought an offering of some sort, though nothing like that was mentioned in the
stories told in my village. I trail a finger across the glassy surface to
disrupt it. A strange sound begins to build as the ripples reach outward, until
a shriek pierces the air. I fall away from the noise. The angry cry echoes
through my eardrums even as I clap my palms over them until the water returns
to normal. Clearly, I’ve disturbed it somehow other than physically. I inch
forward until I’m on my hands and knees with my face hovering over the inky
surface.
“S-Sorry,” I utter stupidly, feeling foolish
for speaking to a pond. But nothing in the Oaks is typical, so my apology
doesn’t feel typical either. I lie flat on my stomach with my cheek propped on
my palm, gazing into nature’s mirror for any sign of life. I puff air between
my lips to blow a lock of hair out of my face, nearly falling forward into the
water when a flash of color reflects before me. It’s like fire, flickering all
around my reflection, but when I turn my head, nothing is there. I return my
gaze to the pool and watch it closely. Perhaps this is the moment of truth, I
think.
Nothing.
I rub my face and then push my hands into my
hair, disheartened. Fire? What was
that supposed to mean? I rise to my feet to brush the moistened earth from the
front of my clothing, turning to leave the way I came.
Father once said, “Only a hidden darkness of
the heart will protect a soul in the Hallowed Oaks, because purity is too
easily corrupted.”
I can’t help but wonder what this means for
me.
************************************
Fun Facts:
1.
I have been singing my entire life, and started playing guitar over ten years
ago.
2.
I am a crazy cat lady (the married kind).
3.
I collect old cameras.
4.
I own a photography business.
5.
I'm mildly obsessed with owls and dragons.
6.
I detest seafood.
7.
I grew up in Oregon, and relocated to Oklahoma four years ago.
8.
I am 27 years old.
9.
My favorite colors are purple and sea foam green.
10.
I wrote my first story when I was eight.
11.
I won the 2013 Oklahoma Next Generation Under 30 Award.
12.
I'm 6' tall, but still insist on wearing heels when I dress up.
13.
If I could choose any superpower, it would be to teleport. Hello, free travel.
14.
I don't like watching sports of any kind, unless they are equestrian sports.
15.
I talk out loud when I write, especially when my characters are talking to each
other.
************************************
Buy Link:
************************************
Author Info and Links:
Adwen
is an Oregon native, born and raised in the mountains. She currently resides in Oklahoma with her
husband and three cats, where she devotes the majority of her time to writing
and photography.
************************************
November 25
November 26
November 27
November 29
November 30
************************************
Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
No comments:
Post a Comment