Ice and Fyre: The Afterland Chronicles

By Karen Wrighton

Sacrifice your own life - or watch your people, and those you love die a horrible, painful, death? A choice Rose must make. What would you choose?

Against all odds, Rose has survived El-on-ah's attacks twice. Now, though Rose's powers are growing, she is still not safe. If Rose is to cast the Incantatio spell, then someone must travel to Aurum where Lord Ka and his army are now in full control. She has little choice but to send Ash. The fate of their world rests upon his success or failure.

Rose prepares the city for battle as she knows that the time is fast approaching when Lord Ka will have the means to wipe out everything and everyone she cares about.  Can she ever hope to stop Lord Ka when even the great Lord Eldwyn failed?

The third book in the fantastic AFTERLAND CHRONICLES series.

What readers are saying:

 "A thrilling climax to this wonderful magical series - I just didn't want it to end."

"Everything you want from a magical fantasy adventure - brilliant!"

"One of the best fantasy series I have read since Harry Potter, and I loved the way everything was tied up so well at the end."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Magic Press
• Release date: May 4, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386990550

Karen Wrighton

Bestselling Young Adult Author  An established British Author, Karen Wrighton is an Amazon bestselling author of books for teenagers and for adults with teenage hearts. Karen's books are a blend of everything she loves to read - tales of Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem! Most of Karen's work falls under the broad umbrella of Speculative Fiction, a genre of fiction that involves supernatural, futuristic, or other imagined elements. This encompasses the traditional genres of Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror, Supernatural Fiction and Science Fantasy. This eclectic genre provides Karen with the flexibility to write stories which, appear to be very different from one other, yet maintain that 'other worldly' element which characterizes her work. Karen’s début novel ASCENSION OF THE WHYTE became an Amazon Bestseller, as did the second in the series RYTE OF PASSAGE. The Afterland Chronicles series, described as Lord of the Rings meets Harry Potter, will be completed in 2017 with the release of ICE AND FYRE, the third book in the series. Karen’s Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian novel, THE LAST GIRL GUIDE, also won high praise. Breaking with the current trend for ‘Zombie’ Apocalypse books, the novel has been favorably compared to similar works of speculative fiction such as ‘The Road’ and ‘The Girl With All The Gifts’. Karen has two daughters and lives in a small cottage in rural Norfolk, England with her husband John, crazy dog Jinks, and Pippin, their remarkably lazy cat. You can find Karen at www.karenwrightonbooks.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karenwrightonsbooks  Twitter: @KarenWrighton Get Karen’s FREE Starter Library - two best-selling novels - by signing up for her mailing list at: www.karenwrightonbooks.com

Book preview

Tempus Armenti

"S ine Tempore," Rose spoke the incantation without hesitation .

The magic she cast was not learned at the Oratory. The words leapt from her lips spontaneously, without conscious thought. The spell belonged to Elder. Rose cast the charm without potens action or ring. It was magic in its purest form, the sorcery of the ancients.

Clasped in her hands, the Elder Witch’s green gemstone burst into light as a glowing bubble of energy spread around Rose and the others, enveloping them in its

emerald

glow

.

Time stilled. Ash and El-on-ah stood like living statues, motionless, unblinking, paralysed at the moment. The crimson streak of potens energy from El-on-ah’s descent spell hung in the air, impotent, a fiery rainbow - frozen

in

time

.

Rose regarded the scene through a finely jewelled curtain as droplets of sea mist floated, suspended in the air, drifting in time and space. The roar of the waves faded into the distance as if she had slammed an airtight door on the outside world. Rose had

stalled

time

.

Setting Elder’s stone on the ground, Rose approached El-on-ah who was frozen in the act of casting the descent, one arm outstretched towards Ash. This was not the first time El-on-ah had attempted to dispatch Rose in this way. The last time Arjan intervened and took the full blast of the spell. Then, in the commotion, El-on-ah had escaped. This time, she

will

not

.

Taking hold of El-on-ah’s hand, Rose pulled the potens ring from her finger and gazed into the

woman’s

face

.

I should hate you for what you did to Arjan, and what you are attempting to do now, Rose’s breath misted in the cold air, forming tiny ice crystals floating around her like fine glitter. She sighed, However, I am beginning to understand your motives only too well. Maybe in another time we could have been allies.

Rose removed El-on-ah’s dragon leather belt, coiling it tightly around the woman’s thin wrists, securing the restraint with a wicker loop. It seems knot tying is another skill I have inherited from Elder.

Returning to Ash, Rose lifted Elder’s crystal from the ground and turned to face El-on-ah. When restoring time, she would have less than a second in which

to

act

.

Sileo tempus, Rose spoke the charm, the crystal clenched in her hands as she lunged forward, pushing Ash to the ground at the very moment El-on-ah’s fiery bolt of energy exploded at the spot they were standing an instant before. Sand and shingle shot into the air and showered them with tiny pieces of shrapnel, stinging their skin like a cascade of icy needles.

Rose, what… how? In a daze, Ash brushed the sandy grit from his face as he glanced over to where El-on-ah was standing. The Blood’s face was a picture of confusion as she frantically struggled against her bonds. Ash’s mouth fell open, "how the heck did you

do

that

?"

A little charm I picked up from Elder, said Rose, "I inserted a tiny stitch in time, stalling it for a few seconds while I immobilised our uninvited guest. Then, I merely

unpicked

it

."

If you value your people Lady Rose, El-on-ah lifted her chin, "you should stow your pride and surrender to Lord Ka before it is

too

late

."

Says the lady with bound hands and no potens ring, Ash smiled wryly as he got to his feet and shook the remaining sand from his clothes. If I were you El-on-ah, I would think carefully before threatening an Ascendant wearing a potens ring and holding some kind of kick-ass time-shifting crystal.

I was not addressing you, Lord Ash. El-on-ah glared at Rose, Lord Ka intends to use fractionation venom. Even Lord Eldwyn could not prevent Ka from obliterating a whole race of Whytes. You are no Lord Eldwyn Rose, do you really imagine you and your insignificant band of vigilantes will fare any better?

I have no intention of discussing my plans with you El-on-ah, said Rose, as Ash pulled her to her feet, "and I am sure you understand why you would be the last person I would ever take advice from. However, Lord Dux will undoubtedly wish to talk with you at some point. So, if I were you I would save your breath

until

then

."

They were interrupted by the sound of approaching feet crunching through the snow. Auriel and Lee came hurrying towards them, their faces flushed.

Thank goodness you’re okay Rose, Auriel said panting breathlessly, we went to your room and saw you had gone and then we heard the explosion. We thought… Is that… El-on-ah? How on earth…

This is very worrying, said Lee, the chances of her finding us by accident are small - less than one million seven hundred and fifty thousand to one. A logical conclusion is we have been betrayed.

I don’t think Rose needs to use mathematics to work that one out, said Ash, though there is still a chance that she could have stumbled upon us, even if it is a small one. She could have followed us here maybe?

There will be time to discuss that later, said Rose, now, we have more pressing things to attend to. Ash, would you escort El-on-ah to Lord Dux, she turned to Lee and Auriel, "and I’d like you both to

accompany

him

."

No, said Ash, I will not risk leaving you here alone. El-on-ah may have accomplices.

Ash, If there were anyone else, we would be too busy to have this conversation. Rose rested a hand on his arm, dropping her voice to a whisper. There is something important that I must do, and you know that I cannot do this with El-on-ah here. We cannot risk sending Auriel and Lee alone with El-on-ah. She is proving a rather too resourceful an adversary - don’t you agree?

Okay, Ash shrugged his shoulders, "but as soon as she is secure, I’m coming back

for

you

."

"There will be no need, I will be right behind you. Trust Eldwyn Ash, it is written that we will get through this. I believe that our time

will

come

…"

I hope so Rose, Ash smiled wistfully, "I really do

hope

so

."

It is not me that you should be worried about, El-on-ah flinched as Ash took her arm, "Lord Ka has an army of Afreet, and when I don’t return he will know exactly where to look

for

you

."

Then we must be sure to arrange a suitable welcome for him.

Said

Rose

.

The Final Piece

Rose looked on as Ash and the others disappeared into the distance. Soon, all that remained of their presence was a trail of footprints in the snow. The salty morning breeze dampened her face as Rose turned towards Knucker Bay and walked down to the shore. Fingering Elder’s crystal, she felt it’s cold hardness as she placed it down on a flat rock beside the edge of the shoreline .

As dawn approached, Rose stood back, looking out over the Bay. The Lights of the North had faded becoming faint wisps, smudges of vermilion and gold against a purple sky. Her eyes brimmed as she dropped her gaze to focus on Elder’s crystal. Once this is done, there will be nothing left of her, it will be as if she never existed. There will be no Ascension for Elder. No matter how much I promise equality, we can never truly be equal. Ascendants are immortal, and Natives

are

not

.

The voices in her head returned once more, urging Rose onward. Elder did not die, Rose of the Whyte, she lives within you. Elder gave her life for us because she understood the stakes. Do not squander her sacrifice. You must do what is written.

Rose’s face, lit by the green glow of the crystal, revealed a look of deep concentration. Her heart leapt, seeming to catch in her throat as she felt a surge of panic. Soon, the final piece of the incantatio would be revealed, and with it, the formula for completing the spell. Then she must face

Lord

Ka

.

Ever since that last Ascension Dawn, from the instant Rose, had stepped from her cubiculum, her fate had been sealed. Eldwyn’s masterfully orchestrated series of events swung instantly into motion, as the first in a long line of dominos toppled, each one, so deliberately placed. Dutifully, Rose had followed this trail of catastrophe until the last domino fell, but now she hesitated. What if Eldwyn got it wrong? He got it wrong last time. What if

we

lose

?

The four responded as she knew they would, though Eldwyn’s voice rose above the rest, his natural resonant tone hardening as it reverberated around

her

head

.

If we are defeated, then the Afterlands will be lost to us forever. Ascendants will ascend no more, and so will commence the era of the Djinn. Lord Ka deceives himself. The Djinn will not be subdued indefinitely. If the Fyre that runs through their veins is not completely extinguished, it is destined to reignite.

Another domino tumbled. Rose let out a long sigh as she pointed her ringed finger towards Elder’s crystal. My path forward is clear, Lord Eldwyn leaves no alternative routes for travelling

this

road

…

Incantatio secretum tuum, Rose spoke the words of the incantation.

The crystal burst apart, the explosion giving birth to a shower of tiny sparks as lines of shimmering silver letters were expelled into the air. Like liquid silver, the letters floated towards each other, forming words and then sentences until a quivering script danced

before

her

.

Ice Potion

‘In cauldron, boil your

Knucker’s

spew

,

Add the powdered hair of Rougarou,

With a finger of ice of

silvery

hue

.

Speak the Grimoire spell in

mirrored

view

,

One sip of Ice Potion empowers to disarm,

Fyre in the form of the Confractio Charm.’

As Rose memorised the words they quivered, then all at once, they faded into nothing, their magic extinguished.

Taking in the implications of the words of the last Incantatio, Rose’s heart sank. Somehow she would have to acquire the hair from a creature found only in the swamps of Aurum and, impossibly, a page from one of the rarest books in the Afterlands. Our war is lost before the first battle is begun.

Despondently, she gazed at Elder’s crystal, dulled now, it’s energy spent. Rose knew it had to be destroyed, yet she struggled with her conscience and the guilt of obliterating the last remaining monument to her friend. The only tangible evidence that Elder ever existed. Everything else that the woman had built had been destroyed. Voices murmured, swelling up from within.

Enough! Said Rose, I am aware of my duty… I do not require constant reminders.

Rose stepped back, her hand outstretched.

Occillo, Rose cast the spell, watching as the white bolt of energy shot from her ring, fracturing the crystal into a cloud of tiny splinters that floated to the ground. Most came to rest as small green specks amongst a billion grains of sand, others drifted out over the waves, falling into the sea and quickly being dispersed by the churning waters of

Knucker’s

Bay

.

Rose wiped the salty water from her face, pushing her wet hair back behind her ears, she looked out over the bay at the rapidly lightening horizon, her heart aching with a growing sense of realisation. If we are to have any chance of stopping Lord Ka, Ash has to go to Aurum. Perhaps all this is his destiny as much as it is mine. First though, first… I will deal with

Lord

Dux

.

Truth and Judgement

The door to Lord Dux’s chamber was ajar, the scent of sugared pastries drifting into the corridor. As Rose approached the room, she heard the sound of muffled voices. Inside, Ash, Auriel, Lee and El-on-ah stood in the centre of the chamber, surrounded by six Centurion guards. Lord Dux sat behind his desk, scribbling with his quill. After rolling a blotter over the crumpled sheet of parchment paper, he snatched it up and handed it to one of the guards .

Give this to the Captain of the Guard, he said, glancing from the officer to El-on-ah, "It is an order for you to be taken to the stockade. I have also instructed that you be provided with a bed and refreshments. After Lady Rose and I have spoken, I will no doubt wish to talk to you again. Is there anything you would like to add before I have the guards escort

you

down

?"

No. El-on-ah hesitated, "except… I would like to inquire as to the fate of my servants Che-vah-ra and Tu-

nek

-

ta

."