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EXCERPT
Realm Immortal Book Three
STONE QUEEN
By
Michelle
M Pillow
“Lord Kalen,” Merrick
acknowledged.
“My king.” Kalen bowed
his head.
Merrick motioned to the
side, away from Juliana’s throne though it was empty. A chair grew, twisting
silently up from the stone floor, and a goblet of piskie ale appeared on the
arm. As he drew his fingers back, a matching goblet appeared in Merrick’s hand.
He took a leisurely sip of the liquor, enjoying the sweet flavor and knowing
Juliana liked tasting it on his mouth when she kissed him. “How is the war?”
“Violent. Long. Bloody.”
Kalen’s smile widened as he moved to take a seat. Generally accepted as a
madman, he led the elite dark elfin warriors known as the Berserks. The noble
often made what appeared to be careless decisions to those peering in from the
outside, sometimes calling off his troops on the eve of a great battle they’d be
sure to win. He would judge a person with one touch, turning an apparently great
ally from his door and accepting an unquestionable enemy into his home. Other
warriors outside his Berserks thought him reckless, but the Unblessed King knew
the true secret to Kalen’s genius. He was a clairvoyant, cursed with empathy. It
was something he didn’t tell many people. “How is the queen?”
“Guarded.” Merrick took
another sip. He focused his feelings briefly on his wife before drawing his
attention back to his friend. “I worry.”
Kalen took a long drink,
finishing his ale before setting down the empty goblet. Taking a deep breath, as
if bracing himself, he reached toward the king, fingers pointed up, palm out.
“Tell me.”
Merrick pressed his palm
to Kalen’s, pointing his fingers up as well. The instant they touched, a thin
band of light entwined their joined hands. All information Merrick wished to
impart to the man flowed between them. It was over as soon as it began. Kalen
slowly lowered his hand back to his empty goblet, tilting it slightly in the
king’s direction. “You got something stronger than ale, my king?”
Merrick chuckled, waving
his hand over it to fill the drink once more. This time with a green, potent
concoction the mountain wizards produced in strange stills hidden in caves. It
was vile, strong and had been known to make lesser creatures sleep for days
after a single sip. Kalen glanced at it, made a small noise of appreciation and
took a drink without hesitation.
“Do you see why I
worry?” Merrick asked, keeping to his ale.
“All carrying women have
moods,” Kalen answered, moving the goblet from his mouth only long enough to
answer. “It passes with the birth.”
“I fear it is more than
that. I want you to read her just to make sure.”
“So you told me.” Kalen
lifted the hand he’d touched to Merrick’s and wiggled his fingers. “But as I’ve
warned you before, to know the future is to know madness.”
Kalen’s visions were
only pieces of the future—bigger pieces than most, but pieces nonetheless. When
Merrick first found out about his son, he’d gone to a divining basin to see the
future. The images it showed were of his hands covered in blood as Juliana
screamed, her pale cheeks stained with tears. The memory of it haunted him
still.
“See, madness,” the
noble whispered.
“Kalen, Juliana is my…”
He took a deep breath, not daring to say the words out loud. To do so, to admit
the depth of what he carried inside would be to weaken himself to those
unscrupulous creatures who would gladly relieve him of his throne. Now was not a
time to be weak. Fate had been cruel to him once when it made him decide between
a life of happiness on the Blessed throne and the life he now led. Though, it
wasn’t much of a choice. If the old king hadn’t been stopped, the Blessed throne
wouldn’t have been much. Would fate be cruel again? Would it take the dream of a
family away from him? If he whispered how he felt about his wife, would fate
hear him?
“I will read her again,”
Kalen said. “But, methinks it best if—”
Merrick shot to his
feet. A searing pain ripped through him, a cold, barren gash in his power. He
felt a burning across his gaze, indicating the whites of his eyes filled with
black as he looked up to his bedchamber, every sense on alert. Bitter, icy
emptiness greeted him where Juliana’s essence should’ve been.
“What?” Kalen stood, his
body tense. “What has happened?”
“Juliana,” Merrick
whispered, shaken. He’d sensed her great need before all traces of her
disappeared completely. Panicked, his body turned to mist, drifting faster than
he could run through the great hall to the door behind his throne. Going under
it, he arrived in his bedchamber only to solidify. His wife was there, waiting,
only she wasn’t as she should be.
© copyright Michelle M. Pillow, 2007
This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the
author’s imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living
persons or events is merely coincidence.
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REVIEWS
"4 STARS! Twists
abound in Pillow's third Realm Immortal tale, which boasts drama, intrigue and
unique characters. " -Romantic Times Magazine, December 2007
"5 Klovers! When many authors would have been
satisfied with a pat little happy ending for a couple, Pillow revisits them
with a realistic approach to love and relationships, proving by example to
her readers that ‘Happy Ever Afters’ do not just happen, they must be worked
for and maintained." Jennifer, Kwips and Kritiques April 2007
"4 1/2 Kisses!
Realm Immortal: Stone Queen
is a detailed fantasy romance... Rich in detail and genealogy, many
characters are included and all are well-delineated. The plot is rapid and
keeps the reader's attention right through the story." Two Lips Reviews,
April 2007
"4 Angels! Michelle M. Pillow has created a
fantastic series overflowing with magic and a plot so thick I found myself
rereading different chapters to make sure I hadn’t missed a thing. Lovers of
Ms. Pillow’s work will enjoy her latest book as it is enchanting and
full of everything needed to keep you coming back for more." FAR, April 2007
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