Light Chasers — A Novel of Lasniniar
Soul Seeker — A Novel of Lasninar
Storm Rider — A Novel of Lasniniar
Light Chasers — A Novel of Lasniniar
(The World of Lasniniar: Book 0)
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– Chapter One –
Valanandir’s throat spasmed as he tried not to choke. He spat out a salty mouthful of seawater, coughing. The unnatural mixture of air and water burned his throat and lungs. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his stinging eyes. He gripped some nearby rigging one-handed and flung out his other arm for balance as the ship rocked beneath him. His vision slowly came into focus.
The sky was completely dark, as it always was. Most of the ship’s lanterns had gone out. As luck would have it, there were other sources of light available, creating a flickering twilight. Enormous forms swooped overhead on dark wings that beat the air, churning the waters below into a frenzy. Sporadic jets of flame blasted down from above, punctuating the darkness as the serpentine juggernauts made one pass after another, their long necks and tails writhing. Bright, slitted eyes peered out from scaled faces, picking out their next target. They were glaurinu—dragons.
Despite the frigid water soaking him to the bone, Valanandir’s skin felt hot. The ship was on fire. Other vessels, already engulfed in flame, lit up the water like torches.
A shocked numbness washed over him as he stood frozen in place, unnoticed for the time being. He wondered if this was what his parents had felt like before they had been killed in battle. According to the stories, they had gone down fighting against the dark army, but his own attackers were hopelessly out of reach.
Would he be remembered as his parents had been? He had no siblings to carry on his memory. The only blood family he had were his aunt and uncle, who would be devastated when they learned his fate. They had always hoped he would stay with them on Arindaria among the fisherfolk of the isle, but the call to follow in his parents’ footsteps had been too strong.
Now he was out on the waters of the sea under attack by dragons of the dark army—just another doomed skirmish in a war that had been raging since the beginning of time between the creatures of light and darkness.
Screams of panicked agony pierced Valanandir’s awareness. He pushed wet strands of long, silver hair from his eyes, tucking them behind pointed ears with his free hand. Bodies lay strewn about the deck of the ship, bloody, charred, and lifeless. Others floated on the waves.
He could see figures running about the decks of the other ships, haloed in flames. Their cries echoed across the water, only to be cut short as they jumped overboard. Even the sea held no escape. The unnatural waves were too strong, even for the crafty Sea Elves. The wounded shadows soon slipped below the surface.
Valanandir had escaped this fate thus far, somehow unnoticed by the relentless dragons. He remained hidden in the shadows, his dusky skin helping to camouflage him. But this had not saved any of his companions, and soon his ship would be consumed. If he could last long enough, perhaps the dragons would leave and he could try to make his escape.
As the cries of the wounded sailors on the other ships died out, most of the dragons seemed to lose interest and flew off into the darkness. Valanandir held his breath, waiting for the others to leave. The next few moments slid by with agonizing slowness as the looming shadows circled overhead.
Just when he was beginning to hope the nightmare might be over, one of the dragons swooped downward. Valanandir let out his pent up breath in a gasp. The body of the creature was huge, dwarfing the others. Its black scales gleamed dully in the light of the fires. Valanandir nearly gagged on the musky stench that radiated from its body and filled the air each time the creature beat its enormous wings.
Not it—he. Valanandir knew this foul beast. All of Ralvaniar trembled at the mere thought of him. He was Nargaz, lord of the dark dragons. Valanandir heard a mew of terror, and realized it was his own. He clenched his quivering jaw and squeezed his eyes shut, wishing himself somewhere else.
Valanandir heard the roar of flame and felt its heat. His eyes opened in surprise once he realized he had not been consumed. His pupils narrowed to mere pinpricks of shock within silver irises, darting left and right in confusion. The air was silent, save for the crackle of flame, the wingbeats of the dragons overhead, and his own ragged breathing.
A fresh scream ripped through the night air. Valanandir felt tears slide down his hot cheeks. He was torn between relief the victim wasn’t him, and a sympathizing despair. Choking back a sob, he continued to cling to the hempen rigging, its rough surface biting into his sweat-slick hand.
The screaming grew louder. Valanandir turned his head toward its source and saw one of his shipmates staggering toward him, engulfed in flame. His face was a tortured mask of agony, beyond Valanandir’s recognition. He weaved and stumbled, eventually falling to his hands and knees at Valanandir’s feet. Valanandir caught his bottom lip between his teeth, still hoping to remain unnoticed by the remaining dragons.
Valanandir was unsure whether the unfortunate soul writhing on the deck had seen him until he looked up, his eyes filled with an unspoken plea. Valanandir knew it was too late to save him. Yet if he did nothing and somehow survived, this moment would haunt him for the rest of his life. He could not in good conscience watch a fellow elf burn alive without trying to save him or put him out of his misery.
Valanandir sighed and released the rigging to bend down to the figure at his feet. He braced himself before scooping him into his arms. The elf cried out once before sagging in relief. Valanandir’s wet skin and clothing would protect him for only a few moments from the flames that licked the dying elf’s body.
He would have to be quick.
Soul Seeker — A Novel of Lasniniar
(The World of Lasniniar: Book 1)
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– Chapter One –
Iarion walked alone on Traitor’s Road. Midnight had already come and gone. The world of Lasniniar was silent, except for the patter of the falling rain.
Was he truly alone?
He kept his pointed ears strained for any sound of pursuit. His elven eyes pierced the darkness with ease, twin points of silver-shot sapphire.
Nothing.
Iarion shivered. He was already soaked through. His shoulder throbbed in pain from an arrow wound. He had managed to pull the shaft free, but his left arm hung limp at his side. As far as he could tell, there was no festering burn of poison, but it was difficult to say for certain. Every drop of rain that trickled into his pierced flesh stung.
He cursed his inattention. He was used to traveling alone and taking care of himself. He should know better. But he was in familiar territory and so close to home that he had allowed himself to become complacent.
Had he killed all the goblins? He thought so, but there had been so many. There shouldn’t be any goblins in the midlands, so far from their home in the north. It was a bad sign.
The Jagged Mountains loomed to his left, keeping the road cloaked in darkness. Being Goladain—a Shadow Elf—had its advantages. If anyone was following him, at least his dusky skin and silver braids would make him difficult to spot.
Iarion muttered a curse as he shifted his pack, pulling his injured shoulder. At least Dwarvenhome was close by. He had already planned to visit Barlo before returning to his own kind in Melaralva. Now that visit had become a necessity. He smiled to think of how the dwarf would scold him when he saw Iarion’s wound.
Iarion was careful to maintain his tense vigil for the remainder of the journey. Of his goblin attackers, there was no sign. His aching muscles went slack with relief when the dwarf stronghold came into view. The huge stone entryway was an imposing work of beauty, carved right into the mountainside. It was guarded by several dwarves bearing axes. Various clan tartans were visible among their armor.
One of the older dwarves recognized Iarion and gestured for him to pass, while the younger ones looked on in surprise at their elven visitor.
Had it been that long? Iarion used to know all the guards.
Under the mountain, the polished stone streets were empty. Iarion followed the lamplit route that led to Barlo’s home. Carved reliefs of dwarven history and legend, accented with metal and gems, flickered as he passed. Barlo’s clan lived in the eastern section of the sprawling dwarven city. As Dwarvenhome’s Chief of Clans, Barlo had the largest dwelling.
Iarion arrived at the arched stone doorway marked by a flag of Barlo’s personal tartan and tapped softly with the bronze knocker. After a few moments, he heard the sound of muffled footsteps from inside. The door opened a crack and a pair of sleepy, deep blue eyes peered up at him.
“Narilga,” Iarion whispered in the Common Tongue so as not to wake the dwarven children who slept inside. “It’s me.” The door opened, revealing a dwarven woman with long, tousled black hair wearing a linen shift.
“Iarion.” She nodded a greeting, as though late night elf visitors were a common occurrence. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed his limp arm.
“Well, it seems you’ve gone and gotten yourself injured again. You’d best come in.”
She stepped aside to allow Iarion to enter, holding a finger to her lips. Iarion had to duck his head to get through the door.
“You sit there,” she said in a hushed voice, gesturing to a couch by the fireplace. “I’ll go wake Barlo and put the kettle on.”
Iarion hung his dripping cloak on a peg by the door and took a seat near the banked embers of the fire. A few moments later, Barlo shuffled into the room on bare feet, rubbing his eyes and yawning hugely.
“So you’re back.” He cracked his brown eyes open wide enough to get a good look at his friend. His roving gaze stopped at Iarion’s shoulder wound.
“You’ve hurt it again? Well, that’s what you get for traveling without me, you fool elf. What was it this time?” He rubbed at his thick, brown hair before trying to smooth down his beard.
Iarion rolled his eyes and smiled before turning serious. “Goblins. They were in the Narrow Pass.”
“Ha! They even jumped you in the same place. You should have been paying more attention. But seriously, goblins shouldn’t be this far south. No one’s seen any dark creatures ’round here since you got jumped twenty years ago.” Barlo tossed a fresh log into the fireplace and stirred the flames back to life.
“I know. That’s why they caught me off guard. They attacked under the cover of darkness as a storm was coming in.”
“Too crafty by half for goblins. I don’t like it. Saviadro’s up to something.”
Narilga came back into the room, bearing a tray of bandages, herbs, and steaming water. She jerked her chin toward the elf.
“Let me see it.”
Iarion pried off his tunic with a hiss. His dried blood had stuck the fabric to his skin in some places. He crouched so Narilga could get a better look.
“Well, it’s not as bad as it could be,” she said. “It doesn’t look to be poisoned. If it were, you’d have passed out by now. Still, you’re lucky those wretched creatures don’t use arrowheads. Now let me patch it up for you.”
She poured the boiled water on the wound. Iarion bit back a scream. For a moment, his vision swam.
“That was the hard part,” Narilga said. “This should help the pain and keep it from going septic.” She smeared some mashed up herbs on his skin. A cooling sensation spread across Iarion’s shoulder. He let out the breath he had been holding and blinked his eyes to clear them.
“There. Now, I’m just going to bandage that up for you.” She bound the shoulder with deft fingers. “All done. You’re going to want to try to rest that arm for the next few days.” She gave Iarion a pointed look. Iarion did his best to appear meek.
“Men!” She sighed in frustration, rolling her eyes. “Well, I’m going back to bed. I’ll see you both in the morning.” She picked up the tray and left.
Barlo gave Iarion a wince of sympathy. “Want something to drink?” Iarion nodded.
The dwarf left the room and returned a few moments later with two full tankards. Iarion took a sip. The cool liquid slid down his throat. Although he preferred wine, he had developed a fondness for dwarven ale over the years. He leaned back on the couch and sighed, basking in the heat of the fire. The new log crackled, filling the air with a fresh, pine scent. A warm languor suffused his limbs as he allowed himself to relax.
“So where are you coming back from this time?” Barlo asked.
“The western lands.”
“And? What did you find there?”
“Empty, untamed wilderness,” Iarion said, tasting bitterness. “I never found any civilized people.”
“So your search continues.”
Iarion nodded and slumped his shoulders. Would he ever find the answers he sought? He had searched for so long… But until he succeeded, he was doomed to spend eternity wandering. Thousands of years had already passed since he had been born into this life, longer than the lifespan of any of his kind. Iarion was tired. He was also running out of places to look.
“Where will you go now?” Barlo’s words startled Iarion from his reverie.
“There is only one other place that I have not tried,” Iarion said.
“Melaquenya.”
“Melaquenya.” Iarion nodded. “The Linadar have the best chance of helping me.”
“The Light Elves. Why haven’t you sought them out before?”
“The Linadar and the Goladar have lived apart since before I was born.” Iarion shrugged his good shoulder. “The Linadar are what we strive to become. We do not intrude upon them lightly. As far as I know, no Shadow Elf has entered Melaquenya since the Age of Betrayal.”
Barlo looked away for a moment. The Age of Betrayal was not a proud time for the dwarves. “Do you think the Light Elves would help you?”
“I would like to think they would, if it were within their power. Even if they aren’t interested in my problem, they should know Saviadro’s creatures are abroad in the midlands and organized. As you say, he’s up to something.”
“Whatever it is,” Barlo said, “it doesn’t bode well for the Free Races.”
They contemplated the dark truth of his words in silence for several long moments until Barlo stood, stretching.
“Well, if we’re going to set out tomorrow, we’d best get some rest.”
“You’re coming with me?” Iarion gave a wry smile.
“It’s been too long since our last journey together. I’ve been stuck here with the children, sitting in on clan meetings. It’ll be good to get away. Besides, you need a sturdy dwarf to watch your back, since you’re clearly incapable of taking care of yourself.” Barlo chuckled before turning serious. “I just hope the missus doesn’t kick up a fuss.”
Storm Rider — A Novel of Lasniniar
(The World of Lasniniar: Book 2)
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— Prologue —
Strange Dreams
Barlo’s eyes snapped open. Slowly, the dark confines of his bedroom came into focus. He tried to slow his rapid breathing. Beside him, Narilga continued to doze, her light snores undisturbed. As the reality of the waking world set in, Barlo grasped at the details of the dream.
Could it be true?
As much as he wanted to believe, he didn’t think he could bear to have his hopes dashed. He had never had a true dream before. He didn’t know any dwarves who did. It seemed more like an elf sort of thing. Still, the dream had been so vivid. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced.
He wished Narilga were awake so he could talk to her about it. She would understand. But she looked so restful, it would be a shame to wake her. It would have to wait.
Barlo closed his eyes and tried to drift off, but the memory of the dream haunted him. His thoughts chased one another in an endless circle. Suppressing a groan, he gave it up as a lost cause. Moving silently to avoid waking Narilga, he rose from the bed and dressed.
Sinstari roused from his usual place in front of the sitting-room fire when Barlo entered. The wildcat stretched before looking up at him with blinking, green eyes.
“Come on then,” Barlo muttered, beckoning the cat to follow him out the door. Sinstari padded after him into the underground streets of Dwarvenhome, his mottled gray, gold, and silver markings blending into the shadows.
The city was quiet. Barlo smoothed his beard as he walked, in case he came across another early riser. It wouldn’t do for the Chief of Clans to be seen wandering the streets looking as though his wife had kicked him out of bed. Even though Khalid made most of the rulings these days in his stead, Barlo knew his eldest son would be appalled to learn he had left their home without so much as brushing his hair. Despite his cursory grooming, he met no one on the way to his forge.
Sinstari settled in an out-of-the-way corner while Barlo got the fire going. Barlo decided some detailed work would be best to keep his hands busy and give his whirling thoughts something to focus on. Drawing some polished gems from a strongbox, he sat at his worktable, and got started on a brooch for Narilga. Her naming day was coming up, and the sapphires would bring out her eyes nicely.
Barlo soon lost himself in his work, the images of the dream fading to the recesses of his mind. Hours passed before he heard a knock on the forge door. Fidar’s head appeared through the doorway, his eyes bright with excitement and his cheeks flushed above his dark beard.
“Father, you must come quickly.” Barlo’s youngest son’s voice was breathless. “An elf is here to see you. An elf with wings!”
Barlo leaped from his seat and hurried to put out the fire. He stashed his half-finished brooch in the strong box and urged Sinstari and his son out the door.
Sky Elves often served as messengers, but few had come to Dwarvenhome since the Third War of the Quenya. The realm of Lasniniar had been at peace since then. Barlo’s heart hammered in his chest.
Did the Sky Elf’s visit have anything to do with his dream?
The idea was ridiculous. But it seemed eerie that the messenger had arrived the same day. Barlo suppressed a shiver as he walked behind Fidar, who scurried toward their home. Sinstari paced beside him on silent paws.
Barlo followed his son inside. Even though he had known what to expect, the sight of an elf perched on a stool, his blue and gold feathered wings neatly tucked behind him, shook him. Narilga was serving the exotic creature from their best silver tea set. No elf had been in their sitting room since… Barlo shook his head, brushing the painful, half-formed thought aside to focus on their guest.
The Sky Elf stood. “Greetings,” he said. “You are Barlo, yes?”
Barlo cleared his throat and forced himself to speak. “I am.”
“My apologies. My Common, it is not good. I have been sent by the Lady Iadrawyn with an important message for you.” The Sky Elf drew a scroll from his messenger bag and handed it to Barlo. It bore the golden wax seal of the Ruling Lady of the Light Elves. Barlo’s hands trembled as he took it.
Narilga gave Barlo a penetrating look. “Is anything wrong?” she asked him in Dwarvish. Unable to articulate an answer, Barlo shook his head.
Everyone stared at him, waiting. While part of him wanted to rip the scroll open, hoping it was somehow related to his vivid dream, he dreaded the idea of learning the contents were about something completely different. As long as he held the scroll unread, both outcomes were equally possible.
He closed his eyes and took a steadying breath. He was being ridiculous. The message could be anything. He was Barlo, a practical dwarf and Chief of Clans. Surely he could open a simple message.
Peeling back the seal with his thumb, he unrolled the scroll. The message was short, written in the Common Tongue in Iadrawyn’s flowing script. At first, his eyes passed over the words without making sense of them. He read them again. And again. By the third read-through, their full meaning began to sink in. The scroll dropped from his numb fingers to land on the floor.
“Barlo?” Narilga placed a hand on his shoulder, anchoring him to reality.
Barlo gave a whoop and planted a kiss on Narilga’s lips. Her blue eyes widened. Fidar and the Sky Elf watched in curiosity as Barlo danced a happy jig.
He couldn’t believe it! Somehow, he had been granted a true vision. He had waited for so long, but now it had finally happened! Barlo danced around the sitting room, unable to contain himself, barely avoiding tripping over Sinstari. He wrapped his arms around the cat as the others looked on in bewilderment.
Narilga bent to retrieve the message. She read it in silence. Her eyes met Barlo’s, a grin spreading across her face to match his own. She ran across the room with a cry of delight to embrace him.
Iarion had been reborn.
Extended Excerpts
The download for each title is a free zip file containing an extended excerpt in mobi (Kindle), ePub (Nook, Apple, Kobo, Sony, etc.), and PDF format for you to enjoy on your computer or device.
Light Chasers
(The World of Lasniniar: Book 0)
Download the first three chapters of this novel.
Soul Seeker
(The World of Lasniniar: Book 1)
Download the first three chapters of this novel.
Storm Rider
(The World of Lasniniar: Book 2)
Download the prologue plus the first two chapters of this novel.
– Chapter One –
– Chapter One –
Kay White says:
The World of Lasniniar series is so well written. I am so impressed! I loved your style, to the point, the perfect amount of information without loading the reader down with unnecessary or too much info. I loved how you drew the reader in and made us want more in a hurry. I just wanted to get through it to know how it ended. It drove me crazy because I am the type to read as if it were a movie or play. Therefore, I cannot just read fast if it is such an engrossing book as these.
Thank you so very much for your effort, time, and not charging what they are truly worth. I for one am very appreciative of your kindness and graciousness.
Jacquelyn says:
Thank you so much! Your comment just made my day.
Sometimes I wonder if I should do more in the description department, but I seem to be geared toward writing action and dialogue (which isn’t the norm in epic fantasy). It’s nice to know there are readers out there who enjoy my style!