Etania's Destiny, page 1
Etania's Destiny
Daughters of Tamnarae, Volume 3
M.H. Elrich
Published by M.H. Elrich, 2024.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
ETANIA'S DESTINY
First edition. May 11, 2024.
Copyright © 2024 M.H. Elrich.
ISBN: 979-8224760176
Written by M.H. Elrich.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Etania's Destiny (Daughters of Tamnarae, #3)
Bible Verse for Etania’s Destiny
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Epilogue
Dear Reader
Recommended Reading
Works Cited
Glossary
About the Author
C.E. Stone: thank you for editing my books!
My husband: thank you for your unending, loving support.
My writer's group: thank you for encouraging me every month.
For everyone who has read or reviewed my books: thank you.
Bible Verse for Etania’s Destiny
“All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
-1 Samuel 17:47
Prologue
Fire rained down upon the citizens of Khartome. Women screamed. Children cried. Grace Stegel squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could drown out the noise. Instead, she tried to remain calm. She shouted above the crowds, beckoning civilians with her arm toward the bridge connecting Khartome to Nova.
“This way!” she said. “Evacuate!”
Some heeded her directions, but others froze in fear. Grace heard a deafening roar from the dragon assaulting Khartome. Arrows whistled. Soldiers yelled as they defended the castle. Heart pounding, she looked up to see a great cloud of darkness surrounding the dragon and its rider.
Why doesn’t Damien leave? She thought. He can’t get what he wants! The Skazic had demanded Jakin’s head, though Jakin wasn’t there. Yet, Damien continued his assault. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed in the dark cloud, and Grace watched in horror as the defensive catapults did little to stop Damien and his dragon.
The crowds around her wept. A few of the men had tears in their eyes, but most looked utterly defeated. Grace shook, her teeth chattering, but she still urged the crowd away from the sight to the safety of Nova.
A hush fell upon the crowd. Grace took her eyes off the masses to look in the direction of the destruction. Before them, the castle walls were crumbling. Hundreds of the Changed poured through the gaps in the walls and Damien’s voice boomed.
“If you want freedom, follow me!”
The Changed rejoiced in loud voices. The black cloud left Damien and floated towards the Changed who had escaped. Many stepped onto the cloud, but Grace could hear Sage’s voice echoing through the darkness.
“Do not give in!” Sage said. “This is not true freedom!”
Some of the Changed hesitated.
“Whoever will not join me will burn!” Damien shouted, his voice otherworldly.
He signaled his dragon to spew its flames. Grace clasped her hands over her mouth. Several adults in the crowd of citizens cried “No!” in unison.
A red dragon flashed across Grace’s vision slamming into Damien’s black dragon. The cloud holding the Changed who had joined Damien disappeared, dropping them into the lake below. They cursed, but began swimming toward shore. Damien’s black dragon and the red dragon engaged in a fierce duel in the sky. As they wrestled, the dragons paid no attention to where they flew. They slowly lost altitude and began coming toward the civilians and Grace!
She couldn’t move. Men and women pushed past her, but Grace could only stand, heart pounding in her chest, staring at the dragons as they descended. Her limbs felt frozen. The dragons’ claws were inches above Grace’s head before they crashed into the ground several meters behind her. She felt someone tug her arm.
“Grace, it’s Tevan!” one civilian told her.
The familiar name snapped her out of her fear. Hiking up her skirts, she ran to where the dragons had crashed. Somehow, they had missed the buildings of Nova and flattened the forest instead. When Grace approached, she noticed Damien’s dragon limping to its feet and taking off. The Changed that had followed Damien disappeared into the forest, and no one dared pursue them. Tevan slipped off of his dragon’s back, and Grace ran to meet him.
“Are you well?” she asked, breathless.
He smiled wryly. “For now, anyway.”
She smiled back. “Thank you so much! You saved us!”
Tevan’s eyes narrowed. “Not in time, I think.”
Grace followed his gaze to look back at the castle. Fires blazed and the stone walls looked like rubble. The civilians surrounding Grace had pale, drawn faces. A pit formed in her stomach. What will happen to us now? She wondered. There were so many people around her, and Nova could not accommodate them all. Not to mention the fact that rebuilding would be impossible.
She bit her lip to keep it from trembling. “What...what should we do now?”
“We’ll have to go to Renata.” Her father, Priest Alfred, emerged from the crowd.
“Renata?” the citizens around Grace repeated. She heard whispers all around her.
“What will we do when we’re there?” Grace asked.
Her father grimaced. “Prepare for war.”
Chapter One
Etania shielded her eyes as she stepped off Cam’s boat and onto the land surrounding Renata, the capital city. Construction bustled around them as Kinzoku, Naymatua, and others worked to complete the gaps in the curtain wall from when Damien’s dragons attacked. Two stone towers guarded a huge metal gate that stood open to permit entrance. Soldiers were marching through the gates, bearing banners Etania recognized as Ningyo.
Jakin seemed oblivious to the chaos of war preparations and marched ahead. Zaden pulled his cloak hood forward to hide his face, trudging behind him. Etania hesitated, feeling overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of men around her. Even some women accompanied their husbands to battle. In her frozen state, she felt a gentle tug on her fingers and looked up to see Keyel’s reassuring smile. She laced her fingers through his and took a deep breath. Together, they walked forward into the chaos.
They had to jog to keep up with her father, whose curse didn’t stop him from forging through crowds at a hurried pace. They passed the construction and funneled through the gates, tailing behind the Ningyo soldiers. Too bad Cam didn’t want to join us, Etania thought. He might be helpful. The idea floated in her mind before they entered the main part of Renata, where thousands of people camped. Keyel tightly gripped Etania’s hand, and anxiety crept into her stomach. They had only been gone a single week. Already, soldiers were filling Renata with their tents and flying the banners of their people. This is just the beginning, she thought.
Somehow, Jakin led Etania, Keyel, and Zaden through the chaos and straight toward the meeting tent where the council would be gathered. They are coordinating efforts for the upcoming battles, Etania thought. That is where we must plan for the war. She clenched and unclenched her fists.
Etania entered the meeting tent, expecting to see the leaders of Southern Tamnarae sitting around a table, murmuring. Instead, everyone did something different. Cephas spoke with the Naymatua. The tension in his stance made her wonder if they were arguing. Maiya, Thandor, and Adeline engaged in discussion, and it looked like even Rhys was part of it.
Adrianna consulted with several Ningyo who looked vaguely familiar. Sage, Vartok, Loren, and Tamar (with a sleeping Indira against her chest) looked over a map. Bayanna, Ivan, and Calder examined a pile of weapons. The Draconian representatives were absent, but Etania guessed they were coordinating dragon riders and incoming troops. No one noticed Etania and her companions until Jakin marched to the center of the tent, announcing their arrival with a flourish of purple fire.
“Let the meeting be called to order at once!” he boomed.
The voices quieted, making Etania want to hide behind Keyel. Her fiancé crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. Zaden suppressed a bemused smirk.
“Who are you to call this meeting to order?” Adrianna asked, her voice filled with disdain. “We have appointed Cephas to be the Supreme General, not you!”
“Oh?” Jakin smiled, unaffected by her tone. “Wonderful. My dear Cephas, will you call this meeting to order?”
Cephas arched an eyebrow. “Certainly. I call this meeting to order—in one hour.”
Adrianna tossed her head. Jakin gaped at his friend, and everyone went back to th
“Cephas, why wait one hour?” Jakin asked.
“Can’t you see we are all preoccupied?” The Lehrling gestured around him. “An hour will give us time to finish our tasks.”
Jakin groaned. “I wanted to get it over with and to help my daughter with her wedding.”
“Oh no, don’t bring me into this,” Etania protested.
“You’re engaged to Keyel?” Cephas smiled. “Congratulations! Alondra will be pleased.”
Etania blushed. If it hadn’t been for Cephas’s wife, Etania wasn’t sure the two of them would be together. She felt a mixture of anticipation and nervousness as she realized they would be in attendance for the wedding, which would happen within the week.
Adeline wheeled up to them before Jakin could discuss what they needed to do next.
“Excuse me,” Adeline said. “May I speak to my brother for a moment?”
Jakin nodded and Etania hesitated, unsure what to do.
“Sister, Etania has become my fiancée,” Keyel said, making Etania blush. “I think it is important that whatever you have to say is told to both of us.”
“Congratulations!” Adeline’s smile was genuine. “In that case, come along...both of you.”
Rhys, Adeline’s ever-present bodyguard, cast her a sideways glance. Yet, he wheeled her away, and Adeline beckoned them to follow. As they did, Etania wondered: what will my future sister-in-law say?
Despite his calm appearance, sweat slicked Keyel’s hands when he saw Maiya and Thandor waiting for them outside the tent. Maiya glared at Keyel, and her eyes narrowed even further when she noticed Etania’s ring. Undesired memories of harsh words filtered through his mind.
“You stupid nothus,” Maiya sneered. “As if my daughter would be friends with you.”
“Yes,” one of her ladies-in-waiting confirmed. “For any woman associated with you would be a nothus as well.”
“Why did you even come here to ask?” Maiya snapped. “I will never let you see your sister.”
Of course, Maiya’s words to him as a young boy did not prevent Adeline from seeking him as a teenager. Because of that, Adeline had lost her legs. Keyel shook his head and tightened his grip around Etania’s hand. He wouldn’t let Maiya’s comments affect him anymore, nor his future wife.
“Congratulations, son!” Thandor squeezed Keyel’s shoulder, beaming.
Keyel realized that in his daze, Adeline or Etania must have shared the news. He smiled, feeling reassured that his father approved of the match, even if his stepmother did not.
“Thank you,” Keyel said.
“I’m grateful I will see my son’s wedding before the war begins,” Thandor said.
“So am I.” Keyel relaxed slightly. “I will need to invite my mother to join us as soon as possible.”
“Of course. I will send your request to Shayna, along with my own letters, to the commanders at home.”
“Lord Thandor, know your place.” Maiya censured her husband. “Such personal matters belong with the general mail, not diplomatic.”
Keyel clenched his jaw.
“But—” Thandor began.
“Do not trouble yourself,” Etania interrupted. “My father is a Lehrling. Or have you forgotten, Lady Maiya? I can include his letters in the diplomatic mail.”
Keyel was grateful for Etania’s quick response, even if it earned her another glare from Maiya. Before his stepmother could speak again, Rhys said, “Should we discuss why we really brought Keyel and Etania here, my lord and lady?”
Keyel was surprised the bodyguard spoke, as he was the strong and silent type. Maiya glared at Rhys disdainfully, but sighed.
“As much as I am loath to admit it, or to ask for a nothus’s help...” Maiya began.
“What my mother is trying to say,” Adeline interjected, “is that we need your help.”
“The Leici need someone who knows how to wield a blade and command others,” Thandor added.
“What about Rhys?” Keyel asked. “He is adept at the sword.”
“He is, but he is much better at using a bow,” Adeline said. “Thandor has appointed him over the archers.”
“Surely there is someone else,” Keyel replied. “Someone without my...reputation.”
“There is no one else,” Maiya stated. “Why do you think we’re asking you, of all people?”
Keyel gripped the hilt of his sword. His mind raced. As much as he wanted to prove he was more than a nothus to the Leici, he also had other responsibilities.
“I’m sorry, I can’t.”
“What!” Etania exclaimed. She lowered her voice and whispered in his ear. “Why not?”
Keyel faced her and leaned his forehead against hers.
“My love,” he whispered. “I can’t leave your side. That is why I refused.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Thandor said, “but what is the reason?”
“I must protect Etania.” Keyel faced them. “That is my first duty. My second is similar—my obligation to train Zaden.”
“Couldn’t Etania join us?” Rhys suggested. “She uses a crossbow, correct? She could be part of my archers.”
“I like that idea. How about this?” Etania let go of Keyel’s hand and flexed her arm. “I train Zaden.”
Keyel’s eyes flashed. “There’s no way I will let you be alone with that rogue!”
“I won’t,” Etania reassured. “My father will be there, and I will bring Bayanna to chaperone when he’s busy. Trust me.”
Trust. Something that broke them before and something he tenuously held onto now that their relationship was rebuilt. He nodded.
“Then it’s settled.” Adeline clapped her hands together. “My brother will lead the swordsmen!”
“Unfortunately,” Maiya grumbled.
“After the wedding, come to our banner and meet your troops,” Thandor said.
Keyel agreed, and his family returned to making war preparations. Unease filtered through him after they left. Will I really be able to lead the Leici? He wondered. His Mark glowed, and Melchizedek spoke to him. You will, with my power.
Keyel let out a breath, allowing Melchizedek’s reassurance to fill him. Even if he was weak, the One Who Saw All would give him strength.
“Are you sure about training Zaden?” Keyel squeezed Etania’s hand as he asked the question.
Am I sure? Etania repeated inwardly. She felt nervous about the prospect, despite saying she could. The rogue prince had deceived her once, and Etania feared she would fall for his tricks once again. She wanted to believe he had changed, and his compliance on the boat with Keyel’s swordsmanship lessons and Jakin’s lectures seemed to show that. But is mere compliance enough? Etania thought.
“I am certain I can train him,” she said aloud, “since he already knows the basics of swordsmanship. What I am less certain of is whether he can change inside.”
“I agree,” Keyel said. “I find it difficult to trust him after everything that has happened.”
“Yet, Melchizedek has called him to be a Lehrling!” Etania shook her head. “Sometimes, I don’t understand His ways.”
“I’m glad I’m not the only one.” Keyel chuckled.
Before her fiancé could say anything further, Grace approached them.
“What are you doing here?” Etania asked, shocked to see her friend.
“Wow, I thought you would be pleased to see me!” Grace clasped her hands in front of her.
“Oh, sorry Grace, that’s not what I meant.” Etania felt sheepish. “I wanted to know why you are in Renata instead of Nova.”
“I, too, am curious,” Keyel said. “I saw Loren earlier, but didn’t speak to him.”
“I thought you knew.” Her eyes darkened. “Damien’s attack frightened the citizens of Khartome and Nova. They migrated from there to Renata.”
Etania’s mouth hung open. They had known Damien damaged the previous capital when he freed the Changed, but they didn’t know how badly. I must stop him, she thought, biting her lower lip, before he hurts anyone else. That resolve shook her. Etania didn’t want to fight, but destiny forced her hand.
