The Broken Blade

By Carol Hightshoe

Delavan is a young man who only wants a chance to join the town guard and defend his home against the evil elves who regularly attack it. For ten years he has tried to hide the fact he was born with mage powers, but an accident in the
training arena results in his arcane powers killing a fellow recruit. His only hope is the Arms Master of the guard who stands by him and the now broken blade that once belonged to his grandfather--a knight of Oliaric the Lord of Order and Justice.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WolfSinger
• Release date: Apr 30, 2013
• ISBN: 9781936099467

Carol Hightshoe

A native Texan, Carol found her way to her current home in Colorado by way of a five-year detour in The Nederlands - courtesy of her husband Tim and the US Air Force.An avid reader at a young age, her strong desire to write came from her love of (her husband calls it her obsession with) Star Trek. It was this early love of Star Trek that led her to the Science Fiction and Fantasy genres.In addition to her writing she has worked as a receptionist/office manager for two veterinary clinics, a deputy sheriff in El Paso County Colorado and for the Professional Bull Riders.She has been published in various anthologies and magazines including "Creature Fantastic", "Illuminated Manuscripts", PanGaia Magazine, "Stories of Strength", "The Stygian Soul", Baen's Universe, Tales of the Talisman and Beyond Centauri.She is also a contributing author to Dragon Moon Press's "Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction".She is the editor and publisher of the online ezines: The Lorelei Signal and Sorcerous Signals. She also runs her own micro-press - WolfSinger Publications.

Book preview

THE BROKEN BLADE

Carol Hightshoe

Copyright © 2012 Carol Hightshoe

Originally published in Tales of the Talisman – Fall 2012

Published by WolfSinger Publications at Smashwords

www.wolfsingerpubs.com

ISBN 978-1-936099-47-4

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Delavan stood outside the guard barracks and read the tattered proclamation again as he waited to be admitted to the training arena. Today, the arms master of Bretinia would be testing those interested in joining the guard. He had grown up in the aftermath of the long war with the elves; hearing stories of those who had defended the city and those who had been killed—like his father.

His mother had never told him much about his father; only that he had died fighting the elves during one of their attacks against the city. His grandfather, a knight of Oliaric the Just, had also been one of the fallen heroes of that war. It was his grandfather’s sword he carried with him today.

Delavan did not have the patience to follow the path of a knight; but he did want to honor his grandfather and father’s sacrifices. So he was here today, to join the guard and to defend his home against the elves.

Delavan, son of Elsbalth, step forward.

He looked up to see a tall, well-muscled woman standing in the doorway. Delavan