Worthy of Fate (Realms In Peril Book 1), page 1
Copyright © 2024 by A.N. Caudle
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permission requests, contact ancaudle@ancaudle.com.
The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.
Book Cover by Covers by Jules www.coversbyjules.crd.co
Map by Cartographybird Maps
Developmental Editing by Kirsty McQuarrie - The Travelling Editor
Line Edits by Noah Sky
ISBN:
Ebook: 978-8-9894445-0-2
Paperback: 979-8-9894445-1-9
Hardcover: 979-8-9894445-2-6
Content Information
Worthy of Fate is a dark fantasy romance with some dark elements that may be triggering.
For a list of trigger warnings, please refer to my website at www.ancaudle.com/content-information
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this list, my DM's are always open or you can email me.
Your mental health matters.
Contents
Dedication
Map left side
Map right side
Reference Guide - Characters
Reference Guide - Gods & Terms
Reference Guide - Places
1. Chapter One
2. Chapter Two
3. Chapter Three
4. Chapter Four
5. Chapter Five
6. Chapter Six
7. Chapter Seven
8. Chapter Eight
9. Chapter Nine
10. Chapter Ten
11. Chapter Eleven
12. Chapter Twelve
13. Chapter Thirteen
14. Chapter Fourteen
15. Chapter Fifteen
16. Chapter Sixteen
17. Chapter Seventeen
18. Chapter Eighteen
19. Chapter Nineteen
20. Chapter Twenty
21. Chapter Twenty-One
22. Chapter Twenty-Two
23. Chapter Twenty-Three
24. Chapter Twenty-Four
25. Chapter Twenty-Five
26. Chapter Twenty-Six
27. Chapter Twenty-Seven
28. Chapter Twenty-Eight
29. Chapter Twenty-Nine
30. Chapter Thirty
31. Chapter Thirty-One
32. Chapter Thirty-Two
33. Chapter Thirty-Three
34. Chapter Thirty-Four
35. Chapter Thirty-Five
36. Chapter Thirty-Six
37. Chapter Thirty-Seven
38. Chapter Thirty-Eight
39. Chapter Thirty-Nine
40. Chapter Forty
41. Chapter Forty-One
42. Chapter Forty-Two
43. Chapter Forty-Three
44. Chapter Forty-Four
45. Chapter Forty-Five
46. Chapter Forty-Six
47. Chapter Forty-Seven
48. Chapter Forty-Eight
49. Chapter Forty-Nine
50. Chapter Fifty
51. Chapter Fifty-One
52. Chapter Fifty-Two
53. Chapter Fifty-Three
54. Chapter Fifty-Four
55. Chapter Fifty-Five
56. Chapter Fifty-Six
57. Chapter Fifty-Seven
58. Chapter Fifty-Eight
59. Chapter Fifty-Nine
60. Chapter Sixty
61. Chapter Sixty-One
62. Epilogue
Acknowledgements
About the Author
To my modern-day fairytale,
for giving me the inspiration.
Chapter One
Kya
Ididn’t ask to be born into this life, to become who I was. Fate was a cruel force beyond my comprehension. Inescapable and ruthless, caring for nothing but its own will. I didn’t fear death. I pressed against it, waiting to be pushed into the endless void of the After. I walked the shadowed line, always teetering on the edge of life. No, I didn’t fear death. It had always followed me. What I did fear was life. However short it may be…
But the same could not be said for this male as he cowered against the stone wall, trying to dig out the poisoned arrow as the inky black liquid crawled its way toward his heart. The vibrations of his weakening heartbeat pulsed through the floor and to my feet just outside the cracked-open door. I could feel it in my bones as each beat became slower and slower, my own heart calm and steady. Brown eyes bored into me from across the bedchamber; a plea to spare him from this fate.
He would receive no mercy from me.
I had no intention of taking his life tonight, only to retrieve what was not his and getting out. But once I saw the monster within, the vile things he had done to those who didn’t deserve it, I couldn’t leave him to roam the world.
Eamon will not be pleased. Neither will Nik, for that matter.
This was supposed to be a simple job. Get the book. Get out. I wasn’t supposed to take justice into my own hands. That wasn’t what a Roav did. But it was what I did, when the opportunity presented itself.
And why shouldn’t I? Shouldn’t I leave this world better while I can?
Taking an unworthy life had never bothered me.
My nostrils flared at the pungent odor of fear as I lowered my wooden bow, squeezed through the opening of the door, and approached him. His eyes were trained on my hooded face as he slumped to his knees and braced an arm on the edge of the overly extravagant bed. Flame-lit sconces reflected off the gray stone walls in the large bedchamber, his body darkened by my shadow as I towered over him.
I reveled in the feeling of his thin body kneeling before me, heartbeat quivering through the stone of the room and humming up my skin. I bent down so my masked face was level with his, my dark brown braid falling over my shoulder.
I could sense the other figure shaking with terror in the corner. My eyes flicked to his battered victim as she fumbled to pull down the tattered remains of her gown back over her bruised hips. I would get to her later.
Holding the male’s stare, a tiny bit of satisfaction filled me. He must have seen something in my eyes, for his own widened in horror and the color drained from his already pale face.
Good. He should fear me.
I relished his terror and felt no shame in doing so. He brought this upon himself. I wouldn’t have interfered with him if he hadn’t been such a fucked up bastard. If I hadn’t found him over the female, laughing while she begged for him to stop.
“P-plea-se,” he stuttered, his jaw clenched from the pain of the arrow embedded deep in his chest. Terror made his voice scratchy as he pleaded for his pathetic life. I rolled my eyes.
They always begged.
“I-I’ll give you anything you want. I swear to the Gods,” he gritted through yellow teeth. “Anything!”
I tilted my head toward him and narrowed my eyes, irritated with his bargaining. “Your life holds no value.” My voice was cold and calm, concealing my rage.
His mouth turned into a sneer and he attempted to spit at me, but the blood-stained saliva just dribbled down his stubbly chin. He tried to throw a gust of wind to push me back, but with his air abilities weakened, it simply ruffled my cloak.
I chuckled at his feeble effort. Air wielders. Always so relentless.
“Roav bitch,” he mumbled, fury etched on his face.
My eyes narrowed to slits. I leaned forward, close enough to his face that I could smell his rancid breath. He grunted and hunched over as I slowly pulled the arrow out of his chest, my gloved hand avoiding the tip. Even with the severity of this wound, he would heal quickly, as all fae do. However, my arrows were laced with the toxic oil from the stem of the Onyx Flower—a beautiful flower that only bloomed at night, with petals that glistened in the light of our two moons. Once it entered the bloodstream, the poison hardened the victim’s veins, not stopping until it reached the heart. Anything it touched suffered a slow and painful death. It was called the Onyx Kiss for the black blood visible even through the thick flesh of fae, like the one before me. His skin was already tinted gray from the venom. It wouldn’t be long now.
I left him to bleed. He didn’t deserve a quick death—let him suffer for his repulsive pleasures.
I turned and carefully approached the other figure cowering in the corner of the room, wedged between the wall and a mahogany armoire. Her pulse raced with trepidation as I neared, and I flinched at her fear. I knew I wasn’t exactly a welcome sight, with my tight black leathers and my face masked, but surely she understood that I wasn’t her enemy—seeing as I had just sentenced her captor to death.
I squatted down and pulled my mask below my chin, smiling warmly at the captive. My eyes softened as I revealed a friendly face. She seemed taken aback by the change in my demeanor, but her shoulders fell with relief.
I gently reached out to the iron chains twisted around the girl’s hands. She hissed as I removed them from her raw skin, then I set them aside and made quick work of the ones around her ankles.
“Are you alright?” I asked softly, while my eyes roamed over her, looking for any apparent
injuries that could prevent her from moving. Thankfully, I only found a tiny cut already healing on her delicate cheek and slight burns on her wrists and ankles—that said nothing for the wounds she likely bore on the inside. We needed to get out of here quickly, and although she was petite, I wasn’t sure I could carry her. She gave me a shaky nod, her dark brown eyes watering with tears.
Offering her my gloved hand, she took it as the tears began to fall, streaking down her dirt-smeared face. I carefully pulled her to her feet, noticing her torn dress and the filth coating her long golden hair. Her pointed ears peeked out from the tangles, framing her fair face. After making sure she could stand independently, I let go of her hand, and she wrapped her arms around herself, glancing down at the floor as if in shame.
“Can you walk?”
She nodded again.
“I’ll lead you out of the estate and help you get home. Are you from Lublad?” I gave her a tight smile after the girl offered another silent nod. There was no time for pleasantries, as I was already behind schedule. The estate was just on the other side of the forest from the city, and while it wouldn’t have taken long, it was more time than I had accounted for.
I should have been out of here by now.
I turned to walk away. “I just need to grab something before—” I stopped as she grabbed my forearm.
“They took me when I was asleep in my room. What’s to stop those bastards from doing it again?” Her voice shook, though she was trying to mask it. Her fear was understandable—even I would be shaken up after being taken from my bed and forced into another’s.
She had a good point, though. With the rising desperation for coin, thieves—of all kinds—had been getting bolder, selling their wares to the highest bidder without a care about the consequences. Not that there were many, anyway.
I glanced around the room, searching until my eyes landed on the glinting metal at the hip of the now-dead male. I walked over to his lifeless body, seeing blood trickling from beneath his untucked tunic and onto the exotic rug, soaking it in a crimson red with swirls of black from the poison. My boots squelched as I bent over and removed his sheathed dagger. I cringed at the mess I had caused—not from disgust. I just preferred to go unnoticed until I was well and far away.
I walked back over to the female. After getting a better look at her, I saw she was younger than I had initially thought. She looked to be in her late teens—barely older than a child, but not quite at the staying age of twenty where our fae bodies seemed to stop aging. We didn’t stop, though; it was just that we aged at a much slower rate, making our lives ridiculously long. Having reached my staying age six summers ago, I didn’t look much older than her, but I already felt protective over the young female.
I held out the dagger. “Learn to wield this, and you will be the one to stop them.” My tone was firm yet warm. I desperately wanted her to take it. The world was only getting more dangerous, and I didn’t have much longer to help those who needed it most. I needed her to learn to protect herself, but I kept my desperation from my expression.
Her mouth fell open, and she hesitated before taking the weapon. A slight sense of pride filled me as she studied the blade, testing it with her grip. After a few moments of silence, she glanced at me. I gave a slight nod as she straightened her spine, confidence written on her face and determination in those big brown eyes.
I walked back over to the dead bastard. His body had already begun withering to reflect his true age, and from the rapid rate of decomposition, I’d say he was at least in his third century. I fished through his blood-soaked clothing until I found a brass key tucked inside his jacket pocket.
Removing the key, I walked over to a wooden chest behind a chair next to the window. I jammed the key into the lock, opened the chest, and pulled out a dense object wrapped in thick cloth secured with a pin.
I beamed at the sight of the tome I had been tirelessly searching for these past few weeks. I quickly tucked the book underneath my cloak before returning to the female, who looked at me curiously. I didn’t answer her stare, though she was clearly wondering why her savior was stealing from a thief. If she understood who I was, she’d fear me just as much as the others.
“Let’s go.” I motioned to the open doorway.
We left the room and entered the long, windowless hallway heading toward the south side of the estate.
“I think that’s the way out,” she whispered, pointing in the opposite direction. “That’s where I was brought in.”
I murmured over my shoulder, “Two guards are on the north side. I’d rather prevent more bloodshed.” I continued walking, knowing she was following from the vibration of her steps.
“How do you know? I didn’t see anyone there earlier, and that was just shortly before you showed up.”
“I didn’t see them either. I felt them. But trust me, they’re there.” It wasn’t the time to explain.
“Felt them…” she mumbled, pondering to herself. “You have…terbis abilities?” She sounded surprised, which she shouldn’t be. Elemental magic of ground wielding wasn’t uncommon. Although having the finely honed skill to feel vibrations through terra, like rock and dirt, was. I turned my head and gave a quick nod, then put a finger to my closed lips.
We continued down the damp, dimly lit hallway until we came to an exterior door leading to the grounds outside. The estate was massive and not too far outside the city, but it was secluded enough that whatever went on inside was unknown to others.
I stopped at the door, and the female went to open it. I blocked her with my arm, then closed my eyes and bent down to place my now-ungloved hand on the stone floor. My bare skin was more sensitive to the vibrations. Once I was sure I didn’t feel anyone near the door outside, I stood back up, placed my mask over my face and opened the door. Peeking my head out into the darkness, I glanced around, double-checking that no one was near where I couldn’t feel. I flicked my head from the female to the tree line beyond, not waiting for her acknowledgment before I sprinted toward the forest.
I needed to get far away from here, and fast—it wouldn’t take long for someone to find the male. The Onyx Kiss delivered by arrow was a signature only associated with the Roav on the rare occasions I used it, and I’d rather not have a hunting party after me until I was long gone.
Once we were far enough into the trees to keep from being seen, I slowed to a walk and allowed her to catch up, thankful for the fresh, crisp air compared to the stuffy, damp atmosphere of the estate.
I was no stranger to the forest, as I had navigated through it several times to stalk my targets. The trees weren’t very dense here, so I could see the ground well enough with the moonslight—though I didn’t need to rely on my eyesight. I couldn’t say the same for my attendant, though.
With my terbis abilities, I could feel exactly where things were. I could feel where the trunks sprouted from the ground, the lurking creatures of the forest, and, in the distance, the city’s buildings. I didn’t know how others managed to rely on sight alone—I would feel blind if I couldn’t see through the ground. I shuddered at the thought of losing half my senses. Though I knew it would happen eventually.
We would reach the city’s edge in under an hour at this rate. I picked up the pace, eager to get back on schedule. I reveled in the quiet, closed my eyes briefly, and deeply inhaled the calming scent of the forest. We walked for a few more minutes in blissful silence before she spoke, her voice coming out in a rushed whisper.
“I’m Sora, by the way. I wanted to thank you. For before, I mean. With…you know. Him.” She stumbled on her words. “I’m sure that wasn’t easy.” Sora’s voice turned somber.
I shrugged my shoulders. “It wasn’t difficult.”
“Oh. Well, that’s good…I suppose?” She paused for a moment. “So, you’re a terbis wielder?” she asked again.
“I am.” I didn’t mean to be short. I just preferred solitude when working. The place I needed to go inside myself when I was playing the part of a Roav didn’t make for great company.
“And your ability allows you to feel others?” Sora sounded as if she were in awe. She was a chatty one, but I’d bet she was trying to keep herself distracted with all that had happened to her. “How does that work?”
“I can’t feel them, but I can feel their vibrations through anything made of land.”
