An Excerpt from War of the Nameless
I shared this with my newsletter in October, but here it is again for the blog family.
Garin smirked knowingly as Dranamir entered the tower’s topmost room, his expression a mixture of malice and gloating. Alyra paced not far from his position near the mirror, seemingly unconcerned by his present attitude. Dranamir glared in his direction, which caused his smirk to widen into a cold smile. Uncertain of his motives, she hastily shielded herself from any potential magic he might deign to throw her way. Something had occurred that left the deceptively frail man in a haughty mood, and she knew she wouldn’t like whatever he planned to say.
Garin glanced between the two women, his crimson eyes alight with sudden anticipation. “Where is Kama?”
Dranamir snorted. “I’m not his keeper, and as I recall, the two of you have been working rather closely of late. Shouldn’t we be asking that question of you, Garin?”
Garin flashed an icy grin, revealing a row of yellowed teeth. “With what I plan to do today, you ought to thank me, Dranamir. I’m eager to begin—and Kama is late.”
“He’s likely with the army,” Alrya cut in. “Shall I—?”
“No,” Garin cut her off, his tone unyielding. “You will remain here. Kama will arrive soon, or he’ll face our master’s wrath.”
Dranamir lifted her eyebrows in question at Garin’s tone. He was eager, yet edgy, a dangerous combination.
A portal opened next to Alyra, and moments later, Kama emerged. He scowled across the room as his gaze met Garin’s. “Fucking gods, I thought I’d be granted more than an hours’ rest after our return. This had better be important, or I’ll—”
Garin interrupted him with a bitter laugh. “You’ll do nothing, and we both know it, Kama. Your threats against me are hollow. I summoned you here for a very momentous occasion.”
Garin’s words failed to impress Kama, who continued to glower. “Fine. Let’s get this over and done with.”
Dranamir observed the pair warily, maintaining tight control over her invisible defensive barrier. Garin was scheming and she did not trust his motives. Of the four Soulless, he was perhaps the most dangerous, given his unique bond with the Nameless. Garin took a moment to look at each of them individually, an icy smile twisting his lips. She’d rarely seen him show any emotion beyond anger and his expression made her wary.
Finally, he reached into the pocket of his dark tunic and withdrew a polished onyx stone carved into the shape of a howling wolf. It was small enough to fit in the palm of his pale hand as he held it up for all to see. A satisfied smirk crossed his lips as Alyra gasped.
Dranamir kept her emotions in check while she studied the object from across the room. Prior to its withdrawal from Garin’s pocket, she’d failed to sense its presence. Now that it was on display, she understood why he continued to gloat; it was the most powerful relic she’d encountered, with the exception of the one Ravin had wielded during the recent battle. A tingle of anticipation ran along her spine as she suddenly understood the relic’s significance and the reason behind Garin’s summons.
“With Kama’s assistance, I have acquired the talisman from Kamshat. The Twilight Stone.” Garin closed his hand around the relic as he spoke. “I informed our master immediately, of course, but he demanded a second meeting—with everyone.”
Alyra fell to her knees as tears began to leak from her crimson eyes. “I have waited years to hear his voice again. I have longed for it.”
“Your former beauty and your charm do not impress him,” Dranamir sneered.
She knew when the Nameless returned to his former glory, it would be her, not Alyra, standing at his side. The arrangement had been made long before Alyra joined their cause, and Dranamir believed their master would keep the promise he’d made to her all those years ago. He’d never failed her previously, and her devotion to him was steadfast. The same could not be said for the sniveling bitch kneeling on the floor.
Alyra opened her mouth to argue, but Garin interjected. “Enough. I will summon him now.”
War of the Nameless is currently available for preorder on all major ebook retailers, as well as on Barnes & Noble for paperback/hardcover editions. Preorder link: War of the Nameless