The Light Keepers: ShadowLight Saga

By Mande Matthews

From the #1 Bestselling Norse Fantasy Author, comes The Light Keepers, a short story prequel to the ShadowLight Saga

Isolated because of what she is—because of the power she holds inside—Astrid longs for contact with another human being. Her well-intentioned mother locks her away from society in order to protect her from an evil that seeks to use Astrid's abilities for his own means. But the resulting loneliness drives Astrid deeper into the shadowwalk—a power she is forbidden to use, a magic that lands her directly into the arms of the Shadow.

This short prequel to the ShadowLight Saga offers a revealing glimpse into the history of the beautiful and mysterious warrior maiden known as Swan, called Astrid in this prequel. It takes place a few moons before Bonded begins and is a self-contained novelette of approximately 10,000 words.

PRAISE FOR THE LIGHT KEEPERS
You've never seen dark versus light like this before! Matthews expertly twists good and bad until the lines are blurred and your heart is racing.

Astrid (Swan) is such an amazing heroine – she's so tough, yet emotionally rich. Since Astrid can't speak, I loved how Matthews weaved in her internal thoughts throughout the action – it gave me an extra layer of insight to her cool personality. I loved her!

It's sexy, intriguing and fast paced…The Light Keepers hurls you right into the action…leaving you begging for more…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mande Matthews
• Release date: Dec 28, 2015
• ISBN: 9781524266134

Mande Matthews

Mande Matthews is a #1 international bestselling author of fantasy fiction and an award-winning artist. She read her gateway fantasy novel, The Sword of Shannara, at thirteen and has since been hooked on all things magical, birthing her life-long quest to create enchanted worlds with both words and images.  Mande lives in the realms of imagination where she occasionally surfaces to face the real world aided by her minions: a husband who plays the dog drum (the belly of their border collie), and a menagerie of furred, feathered and mostly magical friends.

Book preview

PUBLISHED BY:

The Light Keepers: A Prequel to the ShadowLight Saga

Copyright 2012 by Mande Matthews

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Author's Note

THIS IS A SHORT STORY PREQUEL to the SHADOWLIGHT SAGA. The following takes place a few moon cycles before Bonded begins. It is a self-contained story featuring the elusive character, Swan, called Astrid in this prequel. For anyone who has struggled, or doubted, or denied their own truth, this one's for you.

PLEASE NOTE that at the end of this short prequel, you'll also find an eight-chapter preview of Bonded, book one of the ShadowLight Saga. I hope you enjoy the journey.

THE LIGHT KEEPERS

The epic begins . . .

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Chapter 1

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Astrid carefully placed her boots on the frozen ground, hoping her footfalls would not be detected as she slunk along the edge of the creek bed. Early morning left a coating of hoarfrost on the branches that stuck up from the banks of the ice-covered waters. The young woman slid around the dormant bushes so as not to disturb the delicate patterns of frost, while she hunted for enough cover to execute an ambush. Balin would come for her, and she needed to be prepared.

I can see your boot marks in the snow!

The thunder of Balin's voice startled Astrid. Even though she realized her mother's warrior hunted her, she did not expect him so soon. Her skin quivered underneath the layers of her mantle and tunic. She tensed, stopping in her tracks, holding herself still.

The snow betrays your path! You are easy prey to track, even in this morning's mist!

Astrid maneuvered closer to the creekside underbrush, seeking the concealment of the nearby thicket. Once positioned with adequate shelter, she crouched. She had hoped to reach higher ground for her standoff. Instead, she huddled a few paces down from the level of the field, spying over the edge of the bank into the wintry landscape above, searching for movement.

The predawn light washed the starkness of the land in a lavender hue. A blanket of mist obscured long patches of ground, settling across a meadow that extended toward her makeshift home. Vapor clung in the dip of the creek bed, providing more camouflage. Astrid hoped it would be enough to gain the advantage lost by the inferior placement in her surroundings.

Balin's bulk appeared out of the mist, a giant of a man with a battle sword drawn and ready. The sheer mass of him was enough to cow even a war-hardened soldier. As tall as Astrid stood for a woman, she was, nevertheless, an ill match—in both size and experience—against her mother's chosen guardian.

A wise decision. Balin's voice boomed in the stillness. The brush of the creek bed keeps snow off the earth. You can hide your passing.

He knows where I am. A rush of blood shot into Astrid's limbs. She reached for her sword, feeling the cold, hard iron press against her palm. With a singular movement, she released the blade from its cover.

I can hear the ring of your metal! Balin pointed his massive sword in her direction, gripping the hilt with both hands. He rumbled across the ground toward her like a landslide of boulders.

I have betrayed my position.

Astrid scrambled up the bank, flattening herself against the snow-laden earth, hoping the whiteness of her hair and skin would blend with the mist and hide her from the warrior's sight. She slithered on her belly away from the oncoming earthquake of Balin, making a wide circle around him. She sprang to her feet and crept to his backside, training the tip of her blade at the back of his neck.

Balin jerked around and smiled, splitting the muff of hair that covered his lower face. Your stealth is superior, but I outreach you. How will you manage when my blade beats yours in length and heft? You should have taken your lead while you had one. Every fighter knows one hesitation can be fatal. Have you just committed that deadly mistake?

The man's constant jabber rattled her. Astrid knew it was meant to, but she did not share the same advantage. Silence was her only option. Silent from birth, her voice had never once sounded—not even a hum, a sigh of happiness, or a cry for help. The words she spoke remained locked in her own mind. Those thoughts fired up from her depths and fueled her fury toward Balin.

She pressed forward, into the warrior's guard, forcing him to step backward to meet her blow.

This is for the time you hunted me down, dragged me home, and stole my only chance at friendship.

Astrid struck at the warrior, remembering the young villager who had wandered into a remote meadow near their encampment. The girl had befriended her and invited her back to her family’s farm on the far side of the valley. When her mother and Balin found Astrid, the brute threw her over his shoulder like a sack of grain and carried her off. They dismantled their home after her indiscretion with the outsider and moved yet again, deeper into the Scandian wilderness and away from the prying eyes of strangers.

Balin blocked her blow, and Astrid thrust again.

How could the companionship of one little girl have caused us harm?

The clang of iron against iron spoiled the morning's quietude as the two jabbed and lunged.

Do you know what it's like? Being so alone?

I sense anger in your swing, Balin said with a laugh.

Of course, you don't. You have my mother. You follow her like a dog.

Anger prolongs your fight, but you cannot outlast one with my superior strength.

As if to prove his point, Balin's next strike sent a tremor through Astrid's body. Her muscles gelled inside her skin as she struggled to meet his blow. She pushed back but could not match him. Instead, she released, rolling to one side