Fire and Gold (Sisters of the North Book 1) Read online

  Fire and Gold

  Book 1 of the

  Sisters of the North

  MARA AMBERLY

  Copyright © 2016 Mara Amberly

  All rights reserved.

  This book features artwork under license from Fotolia and brushes under license from Obsidian Dawn.

  DEDICATION

  I’m dedicating this book to my friend Andrew, who passed away last year. He was an online friend and fellow roleplayer, who had boundless inspiration for games and writing. I've named the town of Andrewston on the south coast of Maeridea in his honour.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  PROLOGUE

  PART ONE

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  PART TWO

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  PART THREE

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  EPILOGUE

  GLOSSARY

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I’d like to thank the kind people who sponsored me and encouraged me to write this book, in order to raise funds for the literary site, Elliquiy.com. The following patrons donated and in some instances named characters and locations as a reward of the fundraiser. I hope you enjoy seeing the characters and locations you named/suggested brought to life on the page for all time. There were also some smaller donations and some people chose to remain anonymous.

  Patrons of the Sisters of the North series:

  Geraint of Elliquiy (created Kraven Mistbane)

  Niferbelle

  Kevben Battleheart (named Nemorath and Feidhlim)

  Goldmoon

  TheLegionary (named Rudolf)

  Thank you all, and also thanks to my proofreaders for your help and encouragement. It’s much appreciated.

  “The pieces of the puzzle are visible, but not the grand design.

  Images flicker and dance like memories, hinting at events to come. They scatter the moment I reach for them only to re-form to taunt me. I who never truly possessed them, nor may I ever.

  They do tell me this: a time of great change approaches and it’s not enough to watch. We must act. We can’t count on others to do our work for us or all may be lost.”

  ~ Oracle Lilian’s Diary, Winter of 3765

  PROLOGUE

  Eldennaia - 6 years ago

  The floorboards creaked with Cassia's restless pacing. Night had fallen and her body ached from hours spent working on the farm. Alone in her room, the teenage girl was shrouded in darkness, her long red hair faded by the night. The only sources of illumination were a thin line of candlelight under the door and the subtle glow of the moon, shining dimly through the curtains. Cassia knew she could create her own light, because she was blessed with magick, but now was not the time. Her father wouldn’t like it, because he feared what she could do. There was another reason not to, as well. It was why she was locked in her darkened room in the first place.

  Trouble was coming. Cassia had known it from the moment she heard her mother’s voice tremble.

  “Stay here and don’t leave the room,” her mother Evelyn had pleaded. “Don’t come out for anything. We’ll come get you when we know it’s safe.”

  Evelyn had still locked the door. Perhaps she knew not to put it past Cassia to climb out the window.

  Cassia knew who it would be – who it always was. The Vengard family wanted them dead. They wanted to kill every last member of the D’orelia family, and as her Uncle Gavin had entertainingly put it, dance on their graves.

  It was hard to fathom that people she didn’t know personally wanted her dead, but Cassia knew it was true. She still remembered the fire that engulfed their home when she was small and the man who’d tried to kidnap her older sister, Alexa, from the marketplace. Alexa wasn’t home right now, but Cassia didn’t know where she was or if she was safe. The thought of losing her sister frightened her, but it likely wouldn’t happen. Alexa wouldn’t be out by herself. She’d be with their father or one of her grandparents. Their brothers were away in Avedon learning about commerce and trade, as the D’orelia family made a large portion of its income from its winery.

  It was quiet at first and then Cassia heard raised voices outside.

  “Get out of the way,” a man demanded. Cassia didn’t know who he was but she recoiled at the aggression in his tone.

  “No, you cannot come in here! This is our property. You are not welc–”

  His words cut off abruptly and Cassia heard sounds that chilled her to the bone. They weren’t screams; they were gurgling, pained gasps that evoked a fear of danger. She thought the man defending their property was her Uncle Gavin. Please don’t be dead.

  There was a thud outside her window like something heavy was dropped to the ground, then the feint crunch of gravel, which seemed disturbingly close. Cassia recoiled, taking a step back away from the window. What’s going on? Who’s out there?. She wanted to warn her mother, but if she called out the strangers might hear her. What would happen then? Her family needed to know these men were out there. Cassia struggled with the door knob, but it wouldn’t turn. “Mother?!” I could try using magick to open it. Mother knows the Vengards are coming so she might already know they’re out there, if it’s them, but what if she doesn’t know they’re here?

  Cassia had little training with sorcery, but breaking a lock should be a small thing, not a large one. Magick could do amazing things by shifting and changing the elements. She knew that much and that it ran in families, but not a lot more. The lock was made of metal, which meant its element was earth. She mainly knew how to use fire, but she knelt down beside the door and peered into the keyhole. She could see light on the other side.

  “Open!” she demanded, focusing intently on the lock, but it did nothing. She reached out with her mind, trying to feel the metal and the way it locked. She didn’t know much about locks and wasn’t sure if what she felt was in her imagination or if it was real.

  There was a loud bang nearby, followed by a smaller crash. It was so loud Cassia ducked down, but it wasn’t outside her window this time. Someone had kicked in the front door of their house. Her room ceased to feel safe in that moment and she worried more about her mother. Unsure of what to do, Cassia looked up at the keyhole and felt the lock mechanism crumble apart, almost like the metal had rusted and turned to dust. Cautiously trying the door knob, she found it turned, which meant her door would open.

  Cassia wondered if she’d just made it easier for the Vengards to find and kill her. She didn’t know what to do; she was confused and afraid. Cassia felt like hiding under her dressing table and waiting for it all to be over, or running away, but she didn’t want to do either of those things. She had to help her family. There were shouts and screams from somewhere in the house and she heard something break. Cassia was almost paralysed with fear, because her family were being attacked and she didn’t know who might be next.

  She opened the door and rushed out, following the sounds to the living room. She was greeted by the sight of blood pooling on the floor, while a man butchered her aunt’s dead body. Cassia had a strange, faraway feeling as she confronted the scene, as if she couldn’t quite believe it. The man
had rough, brown farmer’s clothes and he seemed old to her. He was in his 40s or 50s with dark hair, and he was armed with an axe. Her mother, Evelyn, was cowering against the wall, tears streaking her face. She whimpered “no,” when she saw Cassia.

  The man was chuckling to himself in a strange way as he decapitated Cassia’s aunt with multiple swings of his axe. It was a disturbing sight that made Cassia feel incredibly sad and sick. Her gaze lingered on her aunt’s stained auburn curls, remembering the way she used to brush them. Cassia just didn’t understand why he would hurt and kill such a warm person as her aunt.

  “What’s this? Another lamb to the slaughter?” he asked with a sickly smirk.

  Cassia heard her mother start to cry. She had no idea where her father was, but she could hear shouts and the clash of blades outside. She wondered if her father was trying to fight off more attackers.

  “Come over here, pretty.” Her aunt’s killer beckoned to her.

  Cassia may have been young but she had no intention of doing what the murderer asked of her.

  “I don’t think so. You’re not very bright are you?” Her voice sounded strange to her ears; probably because she was trying to be brave. Cassia thought her answer might not be very bright either, but if he was going to kill her, then she wasn’t going to treat him like a boss or with any respect. He’d proven that he didn’t deserve anything from her.

  “You shouldn’t have said that, you stupid brat,” he said, grunting as he hefted his axe in front of her. Her aunt’s blood still dripped from the blade.

  Cassia’s gaze darted to her mother, and with a slight gesture of her head she encouraged her to run. It surprised Cassia that she did. As soon as he saw a flash of movement, the murderer rushed after Evelyn. It was as if a voice in Cassia’s mind protested when she saw her mother in danger. No! I can’t let that happen to her. She didn’t remember summoning fire, but Cassia felt warmth blossom into existence in the palms of her hands. It was strange that elemental fire didn’t burn a sorcerer, much like sunlight didn’t burn you unless you stayed out in it for a long time. A sorcerer could resist their own magick.

  Evelyn stopped at the back door to unbolt it. It gave the Vengard murderer time to catch up with her, and Cassia saw him raise his axe, preparing to swing. He was going to kill her mother! He mustn’t have considered Cassia a threat at thirteen. It was his mistake that he underestimated her. Cassia didn’t know what it would do, but she summoned as much elemental fire into her hands as she could and threw it at him.

  The fire took to his shirt with ease and he went up with an almighty whoosh of flame that completely engulfed him, as if he’d been doused in fuel and set alight. It took a moment for his mind to process what was happening, but he halted his attack at once. His axe clattered to the floor as he began to scream and made a desperate attempt to bat out the flames. He burned like a bonfire and fell to the floor, where his body quickly stopped moving.

  Evelyn opened the door and rushed outside, screaming into the night for her husband. Cassia looked at what she’d done, then glanced away. She felt confused – like she’d done something awful and perhaps even unforgivable, but she knew she’d done it for the right reasons. Cassia didn’t want to stay, so she followed her mother outside and saw her father running toward them. She was overwhelmed with relief that both of her parents were alright.

  PART ONE

  CHAPTER ONE

  The City of Kalle - Present Day

  The early morning was crisp and cool; the day a parchment not yet written. It held the promise of warmth if days past were any indication, but few things about the future were certain. This extended well beyond the weather into more human matters like politics, romance and intrigue.

  The City of Kalle sat at the edge of a large bay with three small islands beyond its shore. The nearest and most easily-visible was Kalle Demorre Island, which held the royal palace of King Merrion. It was a crowning achievement in architecture, luxury and excess. Kalle, by comparison, was a trading hub that attracted visitors from throughout the kingdom.

  This day brought Cerus Arani to the city of Kalle by ship. He was the Governor of Haledor, a large city in central Maeridea, and known for his good leadership and unyielding nature. Cerus – like many others who governed cities and towns – would consider anything less a reflection of weakness. Normally he would’ve travelled over land, but he’d found it necessary to visit Zysa first. It was a visit that had garnered interesting information.

  Tall and well-built, Cerus had dark hair tied into a ponytail and a short, neatly-trimmed beard. He carried himself with strength and precision, which no doubt contributed to his reputation as a man who should not be crossed. Cerus wore a curved sword in a back sheath, which was ornate and inlaid with patterned silver. The pommel of the sword was crafted in the shape of a gryphon’s head, the crest of his family. He wore trousers and a vest of brown leather, accompanied by a jacket of white silk. Seldom were fine silks worn in the desert regions, but they were highly-prized and worn to impress, especially when visiting foreign lands.

  Cerus sniffed the air, crinkling his nose before he walked down the gang plank of the ship. The docks spread out before him, workers ignoring his presence as they unloaded cargo and examined the hull of the Sirocco for damage. A younger man followed him; his brother, Luca. The clothes he wore were similar, though his jacket was grey instead of the older man’s white. Unlike Cerus, he found wearing white more trouble than it was worth. Possessed of similar features, this second man was not so muscular nor did he have the same commanding presence, but he was more handsome than his older brother. He was similarly armed with a curved sword, as well as several hidden knives.

  “It’s taken us too long to get here. There’s little time to make good on our information and extract a decent price from the Sisters of Destiny.” Cerus sighed, his concern evident.

  His younger brother Luca contemplated their options as he formed his first impressions of the city.

  “If they believe us, they might be grateful for the information. It’s a question of whether it’s worth making a powerful enemy to help these strangers.”

  Cerus had thought on the matter extensively during the sea voyage, but there were few ‘good’ options, so far as he was concerned.

  “Luca, you’re right to question. There are bigger concerns for us than this, but I feel compelled to do something about it. I’ll warn the sisters, but if they want names and faces, they’ll have to offer something more. Haledor could always use more healers and that’s something I’m told they have in abundance. If I’m given a choice between cutthroats who would kill us and simple priestesses, there’s not much question of who I would choose. I’ll send a runner to the temple, but first let’s find a decent inn and have our gear brought up to our rooms.”

  Luca sighed with concern. “Cerus, I disagree with you. The Nemorans might learn that you told the Sisters and send assassins for us.”

  Cerus shrugged, but he looked confident. “We’ll have to make sure they don’t. If we don’t help the sisters, we’re helping the Nemorans. I’m not prepared to be that kind of man.”

  ***

  There was a shout of “no!” as the wooden training sword sliced through the air. Red hair whipped to the side, before its owner swiftly spun, thrusting her own blade up to block the incoming attack.

  “Like hell I’m going with you!” the red-haired priestess exclaimed. “Find somebody else like Lara. You know she’d go for it. I really don’t want to be stuck out in the middle of nowhere while you talk with peasants and criminals. Not again.”

  Her blonde sparring partner laughed. “Peasants! Half of our sisters are peasants. It will not endear you to them, Cassia.”

  Lively green eyes sparkled as Alexa playfully kicked her red-haired sister in the shins, eliciting a yell of pain. Both wore loose blue training robes that hardly cushioned each other’s sword strikes. The blonde priestess, Alexa, brought her sword up to defend but she wasn’t fast enough. Cassia
already had it at her throat. Like her sister, she was fair-skinned, but her cheeks were dotted with freckles and rosy from exertion.

  “Haha, and here we are again. Drop your sword! Go on, you know you want to.”

  Alexa frowned, not successfully because she couldn’t help but laugh, and dropped her sword. It bounced off the floor of the training area.

  “I accept your surrender,” Cassia announced. As Cassia took the sword away, Alexa tried to kick her again, but the redhead skipped out of the way. “Tsk tsk!”

  Alexa wiped the sweat from her brow. Her usually tidy plait had blonde tufts sticking out of it from being jostled around by her sister. Cassia was more than her sister in name, as followers of the same spiritual order; they were sisters by blood too. Both had come to the temple from the town of Eldennaia on the north coast of Maeridea. Born of the noble D’orelia family, it was a tradition for a child of each generation to join a religious order. The family took great pride in it, as many nobles and wealthy families did. It had been agreed that Alexa would join the Sisters of Destiny. She had not yet taken her vows when the situation back home deteriorated.

  Rivalries and conflict had grown among the people of Eldennaia over the centuries, dating originally from when the town had served as the central hub of a tribal state. The attack on the D’orelia home had resulted in the deaths of several members of the Vengard family, as well as Cassia’s aunt and uncle. Their father was arrested, but he escaped with help before he could be tried, and he found sanctuary beyond the kingdom.

  Aware of the risk to Cassia, her mother had sent her with Alexa to become a Sister of Destiny. She could’ve sent Cassia in Alexa’s place, but the girls were both young and neither wanted to be apart. Had she been arrested, Cassia might’ve been tried for murder, even at a young age. Now, six years later, both were full initiates. They sparred in the Temple of Solitude, one of the grandest buildings in the city of Kalle.