Janalya

By Marie Godley

Janalya is an air elemental. She has spent years of isolation searching for others of her kind.Now she is beginning to get weary of her own company, and hiding from the Shatara,and longs for home.

Katsuo is a shape shifting panther.Along with his rogue Shatara pack, he is searching too - for elementals. He finds Janalya.

History decrees that they are enemies. Are they going to prove it wrong or could this be a deadly encounter?

Join Janalya on her journey as she fights witches, saves elves and finds out what her true destint is.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marie Godley
• Release date: Jan 9, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386465126

Marie Godley

Marie Godley resides in Christchurch, Dorest with her family. Lucky enough to live in a town with historical buildings to roam around, as well as having the sea and the New Forest National Park nearby, she has plenty to do when taking a break from writing.

Book preview

Prologue

Kun sat on the edge of the bed, his elbows resting on his knees. His head dropped into his hands; it felt too heavy to lift again. He smelt the mud and sweat ingrained in his skin and wondered if he could smell blood too or if that was just his imagination.

He struggled to his feet and washed his hands in the basin of water. His tunic was shredded where the panther’s claws had slashed at him. Tearing it off, he threw it onto the floor. His skin was littered with scratches, and there was blood coming from a cut across his chest. He bathed the wound, but it wasn’t deep, so he covered it with a dressing and put on some clean clothes.

He fell back onto the bed. His eyelids were heavy and he was losing consciousness when a cough brought him back.

You’re wanted.

Kun groaned and rolled off the bed, stumbling after the messenger.

Men, weary from fighting, were sitting huddled round fires. Some were having their wounds dressed; others were spooning thick stew into their mouths. The aroma of the hot meal made Kun’s stomach rumble. The hunger and fatigue nearly overcame him as a haze descended, and his head began to spin. His steps faltered as he took a deep breath, the blackness abated.

The messenger left him at the leaders’ tent – he took a moment before entering – once he was sure he was steady, he pushed the flap aside.

Finton greeted him. The fire elemental showed signs of weariness and had a bandage around his arm, for he had been alongside Kun on the battlefield, leading the attack against the Shatara.

What’s going on? Kun whispered.

Possible truce. The panthers halted their attack just after we left the field.

After two years of war – why now? Kun’s exhaustion left instantly.

See for yourself. Finton stepped aside so that Kun could see into the middle of the tent.

Seated round the table were Mokosh, the water elemental and Carreen, representing the air elementals. Across from them was Fahd, the leader of the Shatara, the shape-shifting panthers.  One side of his face was scorched, but he was still trying to maintain a superior look. It wasn’t working. He appeared to be in pain, and his eyes were narrowed with anger.

Let’s get it over with, he snarled.

Finton and Kun took their seats at the table.

The terms are simple. You can no longer capture humans or supernaturals and use them as your slaves. They are under our protection, and any such actions will result in a return to war, Mokosh stated.

There was silence. Everybody was watching Fahd. His mouth twitched, but he said nothing. Then he snatched the quill and signed the document.

Kun, please sign for the earth elementals. Carreen passed the scroll after signing her own name.

Kun, Finton and Mokosh added their signatures.

You have two days to withdraw the Shatara. Carreen’s clipped tone drew a sneer from Fahd.

Kun had never seen anyone surer of themselves at their surrender. The Shatara must have been decimated for Fahd to have yielded now – not that you would have known it during the last battle; the panthers had been ferocious fighters. He wondered if this was really the end of the trouble between the elementals and the Shatara.

Kun, Finton, will you please escort Fahd from the camp.

Fahd walked between them, his stride relaxed and measured. Out of the corner of his eye Kun saw faces looking out from the tents, watching as they ushered him out. He could feel the tension as their eyes followed Fahd’s footsteps.

Fahd stepped out of the camp and without acknowledging them further, quickened his pace. He was barely out of the perimeter before he shifted. Kun saw him run over to two other panthers who had appeared at the edge of the field. They turned as a group and disappeared into the shadows of the longer grass.

Chapter One

She stood outside, the wind buffeting against her, making her lean backwards to ensure she stayed upright. Her hair whipped around her head as if convinced that if it kept moving it would soon be free of whatever it was that was tethering it to the girl. Her eyes remained tightly shut.

She stretched her arms out to the sides as far as they would go and smiled as her exposed skin tingled from the feeling of the air pushing against it. She loved the wind in all its forms, even when it was blowing a howling gale that sent shivers down the elders’ spines. She turned her head a little, and her ears were filled with a roaring, whooshing noise that obliterated all other sound.

The girl was lost in her own thoughts, which wasn’t unusual; she was happier on her own, rather than playing with the other children in the village. She felt a tug on her arm and opened her eyes. Tears began to trickle down her face as the wind rushed into them. She turned her head towards the woman standing in front of her, releasing her ears from the wind’s song.

Janalya, come back into the house, the woman commanded.

The girl’s water filled eyes may not have been any use at the moment, but there was no mistaking the firm tone in her mother’s voice. Eloise guided her inside and sat her on the stool in front of the hearth, clicking her tongue.

I don’t know why you insist on standing outside every time it’s windy, she scolded.

Ah, Mum, the girl answered as she wiped the tears from her eyes and face.

You’d better warm yourself by the fire, child. Then get on with your reading before your father gets home. You know he wanted you to finish that chapter today, Eloise reminded her sternly.

I’m not cold, Mum, Janalya hurried to assure her but thought it wiser not to argue when she saw the expression on her mother’s face. Eloise’s blue eyes were flashing, a warning that she wouldn’t tolerate an argument; so Janalya picked up the leather bound book from the chair where she’d dumped it earlier and started reading. Her eyes were continually drawn to the flickering flames of the fire, but she forced them back to the book.

Janalya completed the chapter her father had set her, even going over some of the lines again to ensure she fully understood them. Her father liked to discuss the book thoroughly; she was certain that he did so only to satisfy himself that she had actually read it properly. She peeked out from under her fringe at her mother, trying to gauge her present mood.

At that moment, the door opened, and a gust of wind entered the room followed by a man whose red face told of his battles against the weather. Janalya watched as her dad, Cathal, struggled against the strength of the wind, and then the door shut with a bang. He yanked his hat off of his head releasing his mop of light brown hair. She met his eyes as he looked in her direction, then he turned to glance at her mum as she prepared the dinner in silence. She saw him frown and jumped up from her stool, smiling at him as she took his hat and coat and hung them on a hook. He tousled her hair, kissed Eloise on the cheek and sat in the wooden chair by the fire. Janalya joined him, sitting on her stool again; in case he wanted to discuss the book they were reading.

Cathal picked the book up but didn’t open it.

Did you do all of your chores today? he asked her.

Yes, Dad, she answered truthfully.

The wind raged against the corner of the house.

Did you go outside today? he asked.

Janalya followed his gaze as the sound of her mum’s chopping ceased; Eloise was staring intently at the vegetables, but her knife was frozen in mid air.

Yes, Dad, she answered again; she couldn’t understand why her parents didn’t like her going out in the strong wind, but she wasn’t about to lie about the fact that she had.

She waited as she saw her dad nodding, but he didn’t say anything. She watched as a fleeting expression of sadness crossed his face but then he started to question her about the book. After answering all his questions right, her dad smiled at her.

Go and help your mother with dinner.

Eloise explained what she was doing and Janalya’s attempt to mimic the cutting technique earned her a small grin from her mother.

Everybody retired early; the wind was so fierce there wasn’t much else to do, and Janalya enjoyed being cosy, snuggled under blankets, listening to the weather outside although it was gradually becoming less severe.

She lay looking out of her window at the moon and stars, a favourite pastime, with her colourful quilted blanket wrapped tightly around her. She wasn’t cold, but its softness was comforting. The hushed whispers of her parents as they talked were a continual background hum until the noise of the wind momentarily ceased, and her father’s voice carried into her bedroom.

Have you checked her moles recently?

No, Eloise replied, but anything else she might have said was lost as the wind took hold of a nearby tree causing the branches to shake noisily.

Janalya was confused. What had her moles to do with anything? She wriggled her arms free of the blanket and looked at them, even though she knew her room was too dark to be able to make anything out. With a bewildered shrug, she cocooned herself once more and went back to staring at the moon. She listened to the sounds of the night until she drifted off to sleep.

The minute she woke up, her parents’ conversation of the previous night returned to her and she bolted upright up in bed.  Luckily there was now enough light in her room to see by so she pushed the sleeves of her top up and examined her moles. There was a group that, together, made up a triangle and another set that marked the corners of a square, sort of. When she was younger, her mum had always made a game of finding shapes in her large round freckles. Janalya shivered. Was it only a game, or had her mother been checking them? But what for? She continued to search them, and then her gaze froze on her upper left arm. The moles there seemed to be in the shape of a crescent moon. She’d never noticed that before. Fear tightened her whole body, even though she didn’t understand why she was afraid.

She stumbled out of bed and fled into the kitchen, her bare feet slapping against the stone floor, glad to see that both of her parents were present. Her left sleeve was still pushed up but, unconsciously, she had covered her moles with her hand. She let go.

I have some moles in the shape of a crescent moon, she blurted out, barely audible but she may as well have shouted; the effect her words had was the same. The kitchen became shrouded in silence the minute she finished speaking.

Her mum went deathly white and clutched at the edge of the table. Her dad shook his head, looking sad. He got up and held out his hand.

Come here, child, he said softly and led her to the hearth.

A small fire was already burning brightly, and she was glad of its warmth. Usually she didn’t feel the cold but this morning she felt chilled, deep inside of her.

She glanced between her parents. Her mother seemed to be silently pleading; whether it was directed at her father or someone else, she wasn’t sure. Her father looked serious, he cleared his throat. Cathal held onto her left arm, turning it so he could examine it closely and studied her moles. She saw him peer over at her mother and nod; her mother sank into a chair in response. Janalya started to tremble. Her father placed his hands over her arms and cleared his throat once more.

He looked her straight in the eye. We now know you are different. The crescent moon shape marks you out as a child of the moon. This means you are an air elemental; that explains why you like being outside in the wind so much. You are special, child.

Janalya didn’t understand, and if she was so special, why did her mother look so worried?

Go into your bedroom, Cathal whispered as someone knocked on the front door.

Janalya hurried into her room and hid herself behind the door. Staring through the crack, she sighed. Her parents had been very protective of her over the last couple of days, only letting her outside if one of them accompanied her. She knew they were looking after her, but she found it stifling and still didn’t know why they were concerned. She was excited to find out she was an air elemental, although she wished she had a better idea of what that actually meant, but she thought it would be fun.

Eloise, this is Fionn, an air elemental. He lives in Anilthar, an air elemental settlement two days walk from here, Cathal said as he shut the front door and presented the man who followed him to his wife.

Janalya had time to scrutinise Fionn whilst her mother went and fetched him some refreshment. He was shorter than her father and definitely older. He had white, shoulder- length crinkly hair and a short white beard. His tunic had embroidery running along the edges, unlike their own plain clothing.  He sat at the table, and Cathal joined him.

Thank you. Fionn smiled at Eloise and drank heavily, draining the cup in one go.

He leaned forward.

Forgive me for the intrusion, but I felt the arrival of a new child of the moon, and I was led here. His face neutral, he patiently looked at Cathal without seeking conformation or asking further questions. Neither did he offer an explanation as to how he knew where to find the child and Cathal evidently didn’t want to ask. Instead, he sighed with resignation. He had quietly feared this. When the villagers got married they were told about their ancestors being elementals. How there was a possibility that their children could be born an elemental; however, there hadn’t been any born in generations. Cathal had sensed that Janalya was an unusual child, and although he had hoped he was wrong, he suspected that she could be one. When she showed a desire to be outside in the strongest of winds, he was certain and had lived the last couple of months on edge waiting for his suspicion to be confirmed.

Janalya, he called.

She stiffened in her hiding place then, with her heart thrumming in her chest, she pushed open the door and went to stand by her father’s side; she didn’t want to look at Fionn, however, she found herself unable to resist doing so.

Hello, Janalya. I’m Fionn, he introduced himself with a gentle smile.

Janalya automatically gave him a small smile in return. She wasn’t afraid of the man in front of her; she thought he looked nice.

Let me show you something, he said in the tone of a conspirator whilst he rolled up the sleeve of his tunic, revealing a crescent moon on his upper left arm.

Janalya gasped and stared at the mole pattern. It was the same as hers. Although she had heard her dad say that Fionn was an air elemental, it hadn’t occurred to her that he would be marked in the same way. Her heart leapt again but for a different reason. Now perhaps she would find out what she was. She was sure her parents hadn’t told her all they knew, they couldn’t have.

Yes, child, I am an air elemental too, he confirmed.

Whether or not he knew she had been listening, Janalya wasn’t sure, but he had proved to everybody in the room that he was what he claimed to be.

What does it mean? Janalya found her voice for the first time since entering the room.

Fionn glanced at her parents.

We haven’t told her much, admitted Cathal.

We didn’t want to frighten her, Eloise added.

An air elemental can learn to control air, Janalya, but it takes a great deal of practise and training, Fionn told her.

Janalya waited, but Fionn didn’t say anything else. The silence stretched and she saw that he was watching her. Perhaps he wouldn’t mind if she asked him a question.

Why are we called children of the moon? she said quizzically.

Cathal smirked.

"Air is all around us but you cannot see it, only feel or hear its effects. The moon is in the sky, the place you think of as air. Although the moon is visible, it is mysterious like air. The moon affects Earth, but we only know this because it affects our tides. The two are different yet similar, and for that reason the air elementals are known by the visual representation of