Children of Destiny

  Copyright © 2018 Nicole R Stevens.

  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 in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.

  ISBN: 978-1-54394-866-0

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-54394-867-7

  Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Names, characters, and places are products of the author’s imagination.

  Book design by Germancreative

  Author Photo by Laura Gysberg Photography

  In loving memory of my dad, Richard Woods, who always believed I could. This is for you.

  This is the hero-heart of the enchanted isle,

  Whom now the twilight children tenderly enfold,

  Pat with their pearly palms and crown with elfin gold.

  -Excerpt from: The Child of Destiny, George William (“A. E.”) Russell (1867–1935)

  Table of Contents

  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

  About the Author

  A Note from Nicole

  Chapter One

  The Human, Fyssh, Elfan and the Shrew

  Creaking.

  The wind pushed the airship farther into the white clouds. The breeze caused the aged wood to groan as the air pressed against her hull. Between the short sprinkles of crystal rain and the sun playing peek-a-boo, two young women sat on the thick wooden railing at the bow of the ship; the breeze playing in their long hair.

  Phoebe, an Elfan, had wild black hair that cascaded to kiss her hips. Emerald eyes that could hold you like a lover and then kill you before her pale eyelids dropped. She sat cross-legged on the ship’s edge; her pointed, bat-like ears were visible through her charcoal mane as she peered over to take in the city below her.

  High marble towers glowed from the sun’s warmth, as if she could reach her hand out and feel them. The hustling marketplaces packed with tradesmen selling their crops, clothing, and the occasional rarity. The burrows filled with children kicking a ball to each other, playing tag, and screams of laughter. To be that carefree, Phoebe mused, felt like many eons ago.

  Noticing the silence between her and her companion, Phoebe looked over her left shoulder. “From up here, Keyla looks like a shining jewel, but it doesn’t have the charm of home. What do you think?” Phoebe’s fingers smoothed the wrinkles in her dark blue trouser trying to avoid direct eye contact. She shifted, causing the leather on her feet to stretch to fit her tiny feet.

  Adriana wore a deep rust-colored corset, her hair was the color of golden sand, long enough to wear in a high ponytail and still touch the back of her thighs. A few wisps floated in the wind. Her calf-high boots pitch toned and so worn that the heel was a nub. Phoebe smiled a little to think, despite her friend’s attitude she gave up the new boots so Phoebe could have them, even though it was clear she needed them more. Her heels tapping the hull. Blue eyes staring off into the future.

  As if she had been paying attention the whole time, Adriana turned to face her companion, “Yes, just like home.” She looked down at what she had been holding onto- a dagger. The edges reflected the light as it moved to the tip. Centering the dagger at eye level in her left hand and ran her whetstone across the blade.

  “Sharp enough.” She placed her little steel treasure into a gold-colored sheath that attached to the hem of her trousers.

  Phoebe placed her finger on her chin as if in deep thought, cocking her head at Adriana and giving her a knowing, teasing smile.

  “Not enough to keep Braian away.” She giggled.

  Adriana glared in return, but under the glare, the crow’s feet pulled at her eyes in a laugh.

  There had always been something unusual about Adriana. It might have been her furry feline-like ears or her long tail that seemingly had a mind of its own. Occasionally, things would be knocked over, and she would swear she had not meant to touch it. However, the few that knew her, knew she was different because she had the worst sort of temper that anyone had ever seen, and had no qualms of showing it. Because of this, she had earned the nickname the Shrew. Polite company would never hear this nickname. Lucky for everyone, this ship was filled with the impolite sort.

  A distorted hiss escaped from Adriana. Pointing her claw-like finger at Phoebe.

  “You know, if you weren’t the only female on this ship, I’d cut open your belly for the vultures to feed on.”

  “How cute,” Phoebe baited. “I’d like to see you try.”

  Adriana moved her feet underneath her so she appeared to perch on the wooden planks, ready to pounce on her prey. She steadied herself, careful not to overestimate how much strength she needed to stand. Too much power and she would send herself flying off the ship; too little, she would end up falling backwards. Once she had enough balance, she took one last fluid motion and stood atop the railing.

  “How’s the view?” Phoebe asked.

  “Just like every other one,” Adriana jumped back down, her feet hitting the ship’s deck with a thud. “I’m starving. Come on. Let’s go. Breakfast should be ready soon.” Nodding her head towards to door to the lower deck.

  They walked side-by-side over to the cabin door. Despite their difference in almost everything, they considered each other their most valued friend.

  The ship pivoted starboard, sending the girls and other crewmembers falling face first into the deck.

  Adriana pulled herself up off the deck snarling, “Who in the hells is at the helm?”

  “Owen,” Phoebe said. She did not have time to regret saying his name.

  “Asshole. This is not the way to Belleza.” Adriana ran up the stairs to the bridge.

  Phoebe pushed herself up off the floor with ease. She scratched the back of her head as she laughed to herself.

  “Poor Owen,” she said. Turning to walk to the dining room, Phoebe stopped upon seeing Braian running up the stairs.

  “Where’s Adriana?” he asked, his long tawny fingers skimmed through his shaggy brown hair. “Oh wait, don’t tell me. Owen is piloting, eh?” Phoebe nodded.

  “Great, just fantastic really,” he sighed. “Breakfast is ready, my lady.” He walked past her to the open deck.

  Braian was human and had lived his younger years in the city of Keyla. He had never been tall or stocky until 2 years ago. At 19 years of age, almost overnight he reached six foot two inches tall and had to duck under doorways to avoid knocking himself in the head. He lived the first 8 years of his life with his alcoholic father who sent him to an orphanage. Braian had the curious feature of bright violet eyes.

  Keyla was a human city, and the humans came in all shapes and sizes: tall, short, thin and fat. Nothing out of the ordinary, except a small percentage of the population born with what many had called a defect.

  Due to the belief that anyone born with discolored eyes could bewitch others, parents sent away their children. Braian’s mother wanted nothing more to keep her little boy, and against all the wishes of her husband
, she kept him. He never found out how his mother died, he suspected his father was to blame. After the healer removed her corpse from their home, his father took him to the orphanage. He told Braian that he could not have him around to continue his shame on the family. As a child people tried to be nice and well-mannered with him, but they would never keep eye contact too long.

  “Stop yelling at him and get down here.” Braian called. She jumped out of the bridge window, crouching only a few feet from Braian, her nails digging into the wooden decking. “I swear to the Gods, if you put one scratch on his head, Aaron might have to bench you on the next job.” He said. Adriana backed away as he wipes away a stray droplet of sweat from her flushed face.

  “I wish you wouldn’t walk away from me,” he said, pained.

  “Aaron said we were going back to Belleza,” She said, ignoring his plea. Not long ago, she wouldn’t have.

  Braian shrugged. It wasn’t even mid-day, his eyes wore crow’s feet, and a dull ache danced while she spoke.

  There was a growl of frustration as Adriana gained her composure, “What is the mission?”

  “First, come have breakfast. Then we will see what happens to you. And if you don’t get put on standby, we’ll go over the plan and start the beginnings for what I assume will be a long day.” He wrapped his arm around his companion’s waist, ignoring her twitching. “Come on now. He’s not going to wait all day for you.” He said. Taking her hand off her dagger, she crossed her arms over her chest. They walked down into the cabin together, his arm over her shoulders.

  The artisans who built the interior of the airship had worked day and night to create a seamless experience, it was difficult to tell where one plank ended and another began. When walking below deck, the first room you entered was the dining room and meeting room. In the middle was a wooden table, with space enough for twenty people. To the left of the dining room stood a corridor of crew cabins. To the right laid the captain’s cabin and the galley. Aaron liked to be near the kitchen.

  Sitting near Braian and Phoebe, Adriana dropped her spoon into the empty blue plastic bowl of what used to be her breakfast. Braian was telling them about the time the baker caught him with his daughter. The image of Braian running down the street trying to keep his pants from falling, his shirt hanging around his neck caused laughter to bubble from around him.

  “And as I was running down the back alleyway, over her father’s screams of how he would kill me, Cassie yelled she would see me later.” He laughed as he recalled the memory. “I avoided her well after that.”

  “Guess that teaches you not to go sleeping around with the baker’s daughter.” Adriana said. He looked over at her, his lips pursed, ready with another story.

  Before he could retort, the sound of heavy footsteps made their way down the stairs. They turned to face them just in time to catch the first glimpse of black leather boots, with a glittering steel toe and silver buckles. Even when he got to the last stair, he still bent down to duck under the doorway, the top of his head skimming the bottom of the frame.

  “What are you all staring at?” Owen said. She stared, defiant. She would not let him get the better of her. Their companions turned to face their breakfast

  Owen was taller and bulkier than Braian, he was greater than the doors and at his shoulders, and he touched each side of the doorframe. No one, but Adriana, would pick a fight with him. He had human-like features-his oval face, slender nose. What made him unique were his deep-set garnet red eyes-his skin was a bright aqua blue the fishlike scale patchwork that acted like armor amid battle.

  He made his way to the table, returning her stare through the hair hanging over his eyes; his hair was the most curious shade of orange. He reached to take a bowl of the porridge. “Feeling better?” venom dripping from his voice.

  Her upper lip curled. As she opened her mouth to return a snide answer, Braian kicked her shin from underneath the table.

  He sighed and took his seat at the far end of the table next to Phoebe. She gave him a small smile and placed her hand on top of his. They had always been close and recently that closeness moved into something a little more. Braian’s yelling for Adriana to cease her caterwauling brought them back to the world.

  When the stairs shook again, Adriana stopped screeching as a burly, rounded looking man walked down from the upper deck. He was as hairless as newborn babe. Missing eyebrows and all.

  “Thank you all for waiting,” the man said as he took his seat.

  “Why aren’t we going to Belleza anymore?” Adriana interrupted.

  “I know we all wanted to go back home and take a break from the traveling, the stealing,” he said, “but this mission takes priority.”

  “You say that every mission,” Phoebe chided.

  Aaron watched her from the corner of his eyes, a smile playing on his thin lips. “You are the best group of thieves and you get the job done. This job will require a little more teamwork than usual, which means I need you all to trust each other.” Aaron pointed to Owen, “You will be in charge of the crew, just in case a quick escape is called for. You will need to ‘punch it’, so to speak.” He did not wait for Owen to argue before he moved to face Braian and Phoebe. “You two, there is armor for each of you in your rooms to change into. Now as for you.”

  “Let me guess,” Adriana started. “You want me to stay here as backup?”

  “Not exactly.” He said. “I want you, with those two, to steal the staff of Elldrod.” They looked at each other in confusion.

  “I thought the staff was a myth?” Braian asked.

  Adriana scoffed, “And where would this wonderful treasure be?”

  The burly man leaned his back into his seat. “In Eskorgan.” he sighed, relaxing the corners of his mouth. They peeked upwards, leaving them wondering if he had not already known about this treasure.

  Adriana stood up, “Are you serious? Why would something so valuable be in Eskorgan? It is such a backwater, out of the way kingdom.”

  “Down!” Phoebe said, pulling on her hair, forcing her to sit. Aaron had lived most his 50 years there. Born and raised. He was the first one to agree that it was a backwater kingdom.

  “We will be there in a little over an hour. Remember that the whole city of Eskorgan is within the castle walls. A guard will stop you when you reach the door. You will need to make your story believable so he will let you in. When we get there, you two,” he said pointing again to Phoebe and Braian, “having adorned yourselves with the soldier’s armor laid out in your cabins, will take her to the castle guard. I would think it goes without saying, but it does not hurt to say it, do not kill the guards. Once inside one of you will take her to the dungeon. I remember as a child when my father was a palace guard that the treasury was in the dungeon, but opposite from where the prisoners were kept.”

  “Why did they do that?” Phoebe asked.

  “My father said it was a cruel joke the guards played on the robbers,” He said, “They were just out of reach of what they wanted the most.”

  Everything went silent in the dining room. Only the sound of pots and pans coming from the galley interrupted the silence.

  “Wait,” Adriana said, “why do you trust me with something this big?”

  “I believe trust is something this group needs to build again,” Aaron said. “And this is how we will start it.”

  “Well, she’s never given me a reason to trust her,” Owen mumbled. Like a flame inside her, she jumped from her seat, pouncing on Owen, spilling his bowl of oats. She had her right hand around his neck, and the left pinning one hand above his head. Her knees were sitting atop his abdomen as she stabbed her nails into his other hand.

  “Take that back you fyssh bastard!” Adriana screamed.

  Braian shot out from his seat, pulling Adriana from around her waist, until he pried her off.

  “None of that today.” He pushed her away from him, putting more distance between Owen and her. “Go get dressed
.” Her footsteps were heavy as she made her way down the corridor to her room, the door slamming behind her.

  “Shrew!” Owen yelled. Phoebe was pressing her napkin to his hand to slow the bleeding. “Stop, it, I’m fine.” She pulled away the napkin, leaving it there before making her way to her room.

  “If you didn’t push her buttons, she wouldn’t attack you like that,” Braian said. His violet eyes piercing at Owen.

  “Maybe.” Owen stood up and made his way to Braian, pushing out his chest. “You should just get over her not loving you and stop protecting her.” Owen could hit you where it hurt, and not just physically.

  Braian rammed his shoulder into Owen’s as he walked away, “You can be the biggest jerk sometimes.”

  Aaron coughed, “You know, he has a point.” He was glaring at Owen. He did not chastise often, but when he did, it was because boundaries had been overstepped. “That was a low blow, to both of them.”

  “Why do you protect that little girl? By the Gods, I’m getting too old for this.” He slumped against his chair, his shoulders aching.

  Aaron’s laugh reverberated around the room, “Wait until you are 50 and still doing this. Then, my son, you will be too old. I protect her because I promised her family I would take care of her until the proper time.” He sighed, “I remember when you both were younger, and she would come after you and all you would do was put your arm out. She would hit your hand and crumble to the floor.” he smiled reliving the memory. “It must be hard for you, a trained warrior, and not be able to defend yourself.”

  Owen smiled a little, “I only became that trained warrior because you spent many days and nights training me to be the best I could be.” He said and placed his hand on the older man’s shoulder.

  “Owen, my son, please believe me when I say, all of you must stay together. No matter what happens. No matter the cost.”

  Aaron walked out of the dining room, leaving Owen looking down, purple blood drying on his hand.