Dawn of Defiance: The Horizon (Kingdom of Destiny Book 7)

By Andi Neal

Dawn of Defiance is the second volume of the thrilling fantasy short story series, Kingdom of Destiny. The Horizon is the second of five episodes within the volume.

A recent college graduate finds himself in an alternate world he never knew existed. Dealing with castles, kings, and betrayal, he will have to use his considerable wits if he is going to face his fate in the Kingdom of Destiny.

Ryder has spent all of his life dreaming of what lies beyond his father's small Baricoan farm. But when a mysterious man falls at his feet from the sky, he finds himself caught in a whirlwind of dangerous adventure that transports him beyond any dream he could have imagined. Now he has no choice but to venture into the unfamiliar territory of his kingdom's greatest enemy. However, when he and his companions are forced to flee south to avoid the greedy emperor, Ryder discovers an oppressed people desperate for relief and inadvertently lays the foundations for the land's Dawn of Defiance.

On the run from the emperor's soldiers, Ryder has no choice but to flee south with Tristan and Xander. But he soon finds himself in a fight he never meant to start, and when Xander is unexpectedly injured, he realizes the people he thought were his enemy are actually his greatest ally.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Andi Neal
• Release date: Jul 18, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311358028

Andi Neal

Andi Neal grew up as an avid reader and devoured books of all genres in her younger years. Finding her passion for writing in college, she was drawn to the fast paced plots and daring, enthusiastic characters that drive her novels today. Her debut novel, Unraveled, began her trademark style of thrilling action and adventure.

Book preview

DAWN OF DEFIANCE:

The Horizon

ANDI NEAL

Dawn of Defiance: The Horizon

Copyright 2016 Andi Neal

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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 author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in the critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Cover Design by Andi Neal

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Dawn of Defiance: The Breaking Preview

About Andi Neal

Dedicated to Michelle, an incredibly special young woman. May your exceptional integrity and character lead you through a life full of blessings.

CHAPTER ONE

Ryder stared out into the dark night. They had set up their camp on the high ground, a mid-size hill under the cover of the forest trees. He couldn’t sleep and didn’t know why. He was truly exhausted. Sleep should have been no problem.

He stared at the dark landscape that was uncomfortably unfamiliar to him. The moonlight glimmered off a small, slow moving stream below. He listened to the loud, constant croaks of the frogs and toads that seemed to be more than plentiful the further south they moved.

He supposed their sound could almost be soothing in its rhythmic consistency. But he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that had plagued him all day. He’d been in the land of his kingdom’s biggest enemy for almost three weeks.

He and Xander had broken Tristan out of the imperial prison inside the palace of the Jagurian emperor. Now they were on the run from imperial soldiers. A surreal situation for him considering he had been a mere farmer of Barico four months before. But his friend Tristan had changed everything.

He supposed what made him most uneasy was the difference between what he’d been told about Jaguria and what he was experiencing. The people, outside of the imperial court, were not as he’d imagined. His mind wandered to Meika, the young woman they had kidnapped from the imperial palace to use as leverage for their escape.

Xander’s idea, not his, he thought, still irritated with his friend for the action. Although when given the choice, she had willingly fled with them through the secret tunnel from which they had found escape. He remembered too the look on her face when she had seen the soldiers at the family’s small homestead. Fear. She hadn’t wanted them to catch her.

They had left Meika in the care of the family, but he felt as though he had not secured her safety as he should have. She had appeared almost reluctant as she watched them continue south without her. What would make a woman welcome her kidnapper’s presence, he wondered.

He sighed as he brushed a