Blood Cauldron: Daughter of Havenglade, #3

By H.C. Harrington

                    Blood will flow

In a world where magic stems from crystals and blood, the sadistic and beautiful sorceress queen Loli plots the imminent invasion of Havenglade from high atop the haunted tower of Xanith Castle. In one fell swoop, she will overrun Havenglade's bastion of defense, The Outpost a series of legendary walls which have guarded Havenglade against the threats of the Kastig Badlands for generations.

Laurena came to the badlands under the guidance of her teacher, the legendary wizard Unai. But when Unai mysteriously vanishes Laurena must decide if the cruel and barbaric ways of the badlands are something she can believe in. As rebel groups multiply, the queen's harsh responses will test Laurena's limits, and beg the question: is Havenglade really the enemy?

The Crown Prince Trium is on the run. After slipping away from Gradur Castle and the monotony of life at court he embarks on a dangerous journey. With the help of an aging wizard and a team of rough outcasts, Trium must find the Blood Cauldron, a magical and deadly weapon that allows the minions of the badlands to shapeshift. They must destroy the Blood Cauldron before the assassins lay waste to the leaders of Havenglade.

Meanwhile Razik the mysterious monk of the Black Dragon Order plans a string of assassinations intent on killing every last member of the Duenoro royal family.

A hero will rise…or a kingdom will fall.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Havenglade Press
• Release date: Feb 7, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386787525

H.C. Harrington

H.C. Harrington is an American novelist, teacher, and lifetime learner. From Orange County, Ca. he studied Anthropology and History receiving his degree from the University of Nevada. He is the author of the Amazon #1 Best-Selling Daughter of Havenglade Fantasy Series, as well as the Fantasy Murder-Mystery The Inquisitor.After setting aside archaeological digs in the Sierra Nevadas, H.C. moved to Chengdu, China to study Mandarin Chinese. During his writing journey, he has lived and traveled to more than a dozen countries.His hobbies include traveling, playing boardgames, creating constructed languages, backpacking, and reading.

Book preview

Chapter One

Four hundred summers ago

Her favorite flower had always been the violet butterfly. As a child, she was drawn to the long-stemmed and unusually fragrant plant with its soft and delicate blossoms. Her parents had introduced it to her on a walk through the royal botanical gardens of Solstice Castle so many years ago, it now seemed more like a dream than a memory.

The flower’s sweet scent had a calming effect. Her mother had once pushed the dark petals to her nose and told her to take a deep breath. She could feel the medicinal effects after just a few breaths. She had wondered if it was some sort of magic, to which her mother had laughed softly without further clarification.

And now, so many years later, she returned to the same beautiful flowers, the same sun-cracked stone walls, and the same butterflies fluttering like faeries in the wind, each lending its own natural beauty to an otherwise bleak and gray castle. As she walked along one of the central paths, she let her hands fall to either side and gently brushed her fingertips over the leaves, petals, and branches. It felt almost like the plants were reaching back for her. Or was it the steady cool breeze coming in from the sea?

She turned a corner and continued on in silence.

She had dismissed the caretakers of the gardens as well as her protectors. Being a princess wasn’t always the fairytale it was made out to be. Of course, the power, privilege, and wealth were desirable, but the impossibility of disappearing into the normalcy of life felt like an unshakable shackle at times.

There it is. The violet butterfly.

Her favorite flower grew in this special area of the garden. Bees buzzed around in what she could only imagine to be a blissful and ignorant life. They flew from flower to flower and then back to their hive.

Such a systematic existence. No question of what one should do. Some might think of it as a kind of slavery. But the bees knew nothing of that. She walked over to a stone bench, the same one she’d sat contemplatively on many times before. She sat down and took a long look around her.

Fruit trees and berry bushes grew in the southern end of the gardens—all manner of tasty and juicy varieties. Applets, pelberries, livberries, and votaplant. The dark red juice of the votaplant was a frequent part of her breakfast and she often ate pelberries after light dinners. Over her left shoulder, she heard songbirds enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. They darted under branches, landing wherever they pleased and helping themselves to seeds as they saw fit.

She softly whistled her best mimic of their songs but they didn’t fall for it. She was undoubtedly human and always would be.

Guests always marveled at the gembols—a collection of bushes whose flat leaves produced a shiny gem-like appearance. Dark blue, light green, gold, and even a beautiful black color. For whatever reason, she never really cared for these plants. Perhaps because her wealth allowed her to have real jewels and precious stones, it dulled the colorful leaves of the gembols.

Her many servants kept the interior of the castle, especially the outdoor courtyards and gardens, immaculate. Peasants used to line up outside the castle walls for days on end, crying out for the chance to join the royal staff. One day, she grew tired of their constant begging and had soldiers send the peasants back to wherever they came from—likely filthy countryside hovels supported by a stony patch of land. In truth, she knew not where they came from nor how they survived. That was for others to worry about.

Or so she thought.

Your Highness, it is urgent, a man called out to her, his voice cracking as he spoke.

She turned and rose in a singular movement.

Advisor Gorbit.

He was twiddling his thumbs and staring down at the ground. He was a pitiful excuse for a man. It didn’t take an oracle to know he’d never touched a woman or even thought twice of any personal dreams he may have had. He was woefully single-minded in his devotion to her. One might think such loyalty would be a good thing for a ruler to have at her service, but it only inspired thoughts of contempt.

Advisor, exactly what do you deem worthy of disturbing my solitude? I told you I wanted some time alone, she said as a line appeared across the forehead of her otherwise perfect face.

Advisor Gorbit stepped forward and pushed his drooping spectacles up with a shaky finger before pointing toward the outer walls of the main keep, which could be clearly seen from their elevated position on the bailey.

I’m afraid there’s a bit of trouble coming our way. His eyes moved from the wall to the princess.

Timid fool.

What kind of trouble? She was becoming annoyed with this interruption of what had been an otherwise pleasant late afternoon.

Hamrick has returned. And he’s brought friends.

Hamrick? That filthy horse-riding raftaling?

Summon Commander Tridul. I want this pest dealt with once and for all. She waved her hand at Advisor Gorbit as she made her way back toward the keep with her eye on the tower above.

Best to see things with your own eyes lest second-hand information cloud the true situation, she thought as the large wooden door swung open and closed quickly behind her.

Did Hamrick really have the nerve to return after his forces had just been routed only two moons ago?

She ascended the spiral staircase, not bothering to peer through the slit windows she passed along the way. Climbing up the tower gave her a sense of purpose. She was quite fit and climbing to the top didn’t bother her nearly as much as it did someone like Advisor Gorbit. In fact, she felt the powers she possessed pulsing through her with every beat of her heart.

Two guards in ceremonial violet-colored armor carrying long spears stood at attention as she reached the top of the staircase.. They weren’t much in the way of protection, but she had never needed protection inside the castle. Their postures straightened and they parted and bowed their heads, reciting Keepers of the watch in unison as she walked by.

She turned her head back and shouted, Bring me Commander Tridul!

Before she took her next breath, loud footfalls rushed up the staircase.

Your Highness, a gruff voice echoed its way up between labored breaths until finally an older raftaling in military uniform—the traditional all-black, long-sleeved tunic lined with shiny metallic patches designating various commendations—made it to the top of the stairs.

He stood at attention. He was a good deal taller than the princess and a bit thinner. Her father had forged an alliance with the Tridul family long ago, establishing a link to their military prowess. The princess trusted Tridul because he always crushed her enemies and calmed the peasants when they became difficult to deal with.

But this was, after all, raftaling country. There had always been challenges for the human kingdom her great-grandfather had established on the Solstice Clifftops. Hamrick considered the Triduls to be traitors to the race, and he didn’t seem willing to back down.

Come. Tell me what you know, the princess said, turning toward the open door of the small room. She walked through the narrow doorway and went right to a shuttered window, pushed open the wooden shutters and secured them to the window frame on either side.

She rested her hands on the stone sill and stared out toward the horizon. Dark gray clouds came in from the north, bringing with them brilliant flashes of lightning and a low rumbling thunder.

They bring bad weather, my lady. ’Tis a bad omen, Tridul said as he came up next to the princess. He swallowed hard enough for her to catch the sound.

She looked down below the murky storm clouds. There they were.

Oh my.

Columns of soldiers stretched from the coastal cliffs to the Ujik Mountains. Even from such a distance, the princess could clearly make out the yellow banners of Hamrick’s house Ilih.

She shook her head, gritting her teeth as her fair, smooth face almost transformed under the pressure of strained muscles and frustration boiling just under the surface.

You fools! There must be thousands of them. I told you to finish Hamrick and you…you assured me he was done for, she yelled, forming a tight fist that shook menacingly as she looked at Tridul for answers.

He bowed low in customary fashion, visibly shaken by the princess’s change of demeanor. His tiny ears twitched slightly with every beat of his racing heart. When he raised his head and gazed back at her with those bright yellow pupils, she knew all hope was lost.

Without waiting for an answer, she turned back to see a lone rider slowly trotting in the direction of the castle.

I’ll deal with you later. See that our forces are prepared for battle. She stomped to the staircase.

Your Highness, I’m afraid we have low defensive capabilities presently. You ordered two of our garrisons to the eastern farmlands, he said, the nervousness in his voice no longer held back.

She clenched her jaw. There had been dereliction on tax payments. The farmers weren’t sending the imperial portion of the crop on time. The troops were meant as a show of force more than anything else. But it meant they were now left in an awkward position.

Let’s see what they have to say. Prepare whatever forces are still available.

Captain Tridul nodded and followed her down the staircase.

▽

It wasn’t all bad news. In fact, their forces were still significant. Three hundred infantry made up of freemen all fairly well trained, well equipped and well paid. Eighty-five light cavalry, mostly soldiers with at least three years of experience in riding and combat. Their cavalry’s specialty was a long spear, which could be separated into short hand-held spears. If the rider found himself in close quarters, he could stab enemy soldiers as he passed by without having to drop his spear and unsheathe his sword. And one hundred and fifty long-bowmen. Her long-bowmen were feared the continent over for their deadly accuracy. This was in no small part because they wielded dragon-bone bows from across the sea. Her father had brought back the bones in large crates long ago and directed his craftsman on the use of this fantastic material. But it took little teaching from her father as Tridul and his lineage had always made bow mastery a point of great importance.

They were greatly outnumbered, but the princess felt quite confident her forces could easily repel any attack from the typical peasant-enlisted forces Hamrick and other challengers always brought to fight.

Bodyguards situated themselves around the queen as she waited for the main gate to open. Captain Tridul stood in front as the drawbridge came down and then the gate opened. The captain nodded his head that it was safe, and the princess walked over to the entrance. A single robed figure sat motionless on horseback, staring into the gateway. All others still remained far back on the lower parts of the hills in the distant background.

The princess strode forward, her hair streaming back behind her as she was hit with the force of a strong wind winding through the open gate. Her golden tiara lifted slightly but stayed in place on her head as the gust passed by.

Come forth! Slowly, she commanded, her sweet voice booming through the air.

She wasn’t scared of the rider. Her magical prowess was well feared. It would be unwise for a single assassin to attempt anything if they knew of her capabilities.

The rider gave his horse’s reins a pull and the beast stomped forward.

Who is he? He looks familiar.

This was no common messenger. He didn’t appear to be a soldier at all. He wore several layers of purple robes and a black rope with gold stripes as a belt. His hood made it difficult to see anything but wrinkled, dark-skinned cheeks. But even with such little detail she felt something.

Not a raftaling.

His horse came to a halt without any perceivable signal from the rider as he reached the lowered drawbridge. The rider raised his palms to the princess, presumably as a sign that he was unarmed, and carefully dismounted the horse.

He took a few steps onto the wooden bridge and the princess suddenly remembered everything.

Stop where you are, old wizard, she said sharply.

The robed man stopped and let out a quiet chuckle. A smile spread across his face.

"So, you do remember me," he said. Brown-stained teeth shone over old, chapped lips, and a close-cut gray beard.

The princess considered how to proceed. She hadn’t anticipated that Hamrick might somehow gain the loyalty of one of the few remaining human wizards on the continent. And she had assumed Gogilt long dead after news from afar that he’d succumbed to an assassin’s poison many years prior.

You are supposed to be dead. Or did you create the story yourself and pay others to spread the lie far and wide?

The man raised his arms and pulled back the hood, revealing thick, gray, tightly curled hair and a scar running across his wrinkled forehead. Stories often have an element of truth even if the main substance is lost upon countless retellings, my lady. I was poisoned at one point. But I recovered. He winked at her.

Enough. Why are you here? How much is Hamrick paying you? I’ll double it, she said. A coy grin accompanied the offer.

Gogilt shook his head and his smile turned into a disappointed frown.

It’s over. He stood still and silent as thunder crashed in the distance.

The princess stared back at him for what felt like a lifetime. Questions swirled through her head. What was he up to? Why come now?

Gogilt pointed back over his shoulder at the amassed forces behind him.

Do you see that? They are here to finish this. Once and for all.

She waved his words away in disgust. Hamrick is rock slime. His forces could never—

The wizard suddenly clapped his hands together and a high-pitched ringing sound emanated forth, forcing the princess to cover her ears.

Her eyes glowed red and her magical essence sweltered within her body. You treacherous fool! she screeched.

Gogilt parted his hands and the sound dissipated.

You are beautiful, a little too beautiful, Princess. What have you been up to? Gogilt asked.

Could he know about the draining?

Let’s cut to the heart of the matter, she said, eager to change the subject. "Lest you forget, I’m a sorceress. I’ll not fall as easily as you think, old wizard."

If you refuse to surrender, you will die this very day. That force behind me is made up of over two thousand raftaling warriors—and Wizard Thrabex.

The princess shook her head in disbelief. Impossible. He’d never—

Never what? Gogilt interrupted. Did you think the surrounding lords and wizards would let you continue to turn our world into a wasteland? You’ve sucked all the magic from the ground, from the mountains, and from the plants and animals.

It’s my kingdom. I can do as I like, she snapped back at him. My father—

Your father is dead. His gaze pierced straight through the princess. He’s been gone for hundreds of years. Did your blood magic wipe your memory away as it beautified your body? he asked sarcastically.

He’s not dead! He has the two stones. He can never die. She wasn’t sure if she believed the words coming from her own mouth.

Enough. You may well defeat me but you won’t survive the onslaught nor the wrath of Wizard Thrabex. I give you an alternative to certain death, he said.

What alternative?

Exile.

▽

The waves crashed against the rocks of the coastline. The smell of salt filled her nostrils as she gazed back at her family’s castle, now in the hands of her enemies to do with as they wished.

Wizard Gogilt had stood by his word. She was allowed to load up her two largest galleys with supplies and personnel. Ten loyal servants per boat, all of whom refused to go back to the countryside where they were surely hated by the peasants living in absolute squalor. Hamrick only allowed her to take twenty-five soldiers, and so she allowed Commander Tridul to choose the most loyal warriors. And finally, Tridul himself had begged to be allowed to leave for fear of retribution from the locals.

They continued to pack the princess’s most prized possessions as well as food and supplies.

They would travel across the Great Sea to the continent her father had journeyed to so long ago. She very much doubted she’d ever find him, but she could certainly attempt to carve out a place for herself as long as they landed somewhere sparsely populated. Perhaps even if her father had already passed on she could still acquire the power stones. It would have to do. There were no other options. She had lost without fighting, and it stung. But there would be other battles to win. A new life awaited her across the sea.

▽

She rubbed her fingers anxiously on the coarse rope hanging down from the tall mast of the ship. Its sails spread out behind the unseen wind. She stared back from the stern as the castle faded into the background, concealed behind an incoming fog. Forever a memory.

Her family’s castle.

Gone.

She was now truly in exile.

She turned toward the bow so as to change the view. Sadness was a form of weakness her father had warned her about from an early age.

Don’t be attached to the past, my daughter. The fear of loss and the sadness of its realization are two emotional pitfalls to avoid, he’d told her one day as she fretted over the death of her first horse.

It was time to look toward the future and new horizons.

The sail puffed up as it caught a strong gust and the large watercraft began to pick up speed. Luckily, the sea wasn’t rough yet.

She had spent time at sea as a young girl. As dangerous as it was, her father loved the open ocean. Perhaps as a wizard he never feared things such as sea monsters or getting lost at sea, but the thought of those misfortunes frightened her. She used to spend most of her time in the royal quarters on a soft feather-bed with her mother, while her father directed the dropping of large rope nets, consulted with the navigational officers, and whatever else a sorcerer king did on a ship.

But now she felt more comfortable above deck keeping an eye on the crew and on her second ship. The second ship was a much smaller sailing vessel led by Commander Tridul. It was a much faster ship, and could in theory abandon the princess and make off for uncharted realms, hence the need for Tridul. He’d succumbed to mind control long ago. Even though he’d likely never know it, he would always be loyal to her. Such was the advantage of being magically gifted.

She’d have to find more young blood in the northern lands. She walked over to the cabin and peered into a long window. She picked up her own reflection off the glass and smiled contentedly as she enjoyed the likeness of her physical beauty. Perfect light skin without a hint of blemish or aging. Full, luscious lips. Long flowing dark hair and stunning sapphire eyes.

Your Highness, the navigator has set his course and we are on our way. It’s said to be at least half a moon to the northern continent, said Tauk, a captain who had been in the infantry before being recruited into the princess’s royal bodyguards.

How did you say he knows the way?

Information shared from other sailors and cross-referencing with maps. We also have detailed instructions on star navigation if our compasses are ineffective.

I see. We don’t have much choice. Now, do we? she asked, staring out over the starboard as a flock of seabirds dropped low over the water.

No, Your Highness. We don’t. But I will work to the best of my ability to see you safely to solid ground again. Tauk bowed low to the princess and she waved him off.

To the north, she whispered to the wind.

▽

She woke to the sound of objects falling to the floor. She jumped out of bed, rubbing her eyes as she hurried to the wardrobe and threw her garments on. The ship continued to sway from side to side with tremendous force. She heard yelling and the frantic pounding of footfalls above deck.

After strapping up her boots, she rushed up the cabin stairs and unlocked the thick wooden outer doors where a soldier bowed his head as she passed by.

What’s happening?

Your Highness, Mr. Tauk is defending the ship. He said not to burden you. The soldier’s lips quivered as he averted her eyes and stared down at the deck. He turned his head and vomited.

Defend the ship from who? she demanded.

The soldier wiped his mouth and swallowed hard. His eyes watered.

Her soldiers had no sea legs; they had been selected for their combat prowess and experience on solid ground.

Not from who, the nervous soldier said, regaining his composure. It’s a…monster.

Enough. Where’s Tauk?

The soldier pointed toward the stern with a shaky finger.

Clean up your mess before I return, the princess commanded.

She turned port side as members of the crew ran back and forth with spears, rope, and what looked like some kind of netting. The wind burst from starboard and brought with it a heavy torrent of rain.

She raised her hand to shield her eyes and almost slipped along the slick deck as the ship raised portside and dropped back down before rising back up again.

A crowd of crewmen at the stern yelled out. The princess grabbed hold of the railing with both hands as the ship collided with something large.

She steadied herself as she reached the crowd staring out at the sea.

Make way! she yelled.

At first there was no recognition from the crewmen as they collectively flung a large net over the side.

She yelled again and some men turned to face her and cleared out of the way until there was a path straight to Tauk, who was standing on top of the side railing on his tip-toes with one hand wrapped tightly around some rigging, and the other holding a long metal spear high above his head. He plunged it into the sea and stared down wide-eyed.

The princess reached the edge and looked over the railing. She saw nothing but waves and ripped netting.

What’s the meaning of all this? she shouted.

Tauk seemed taken aback, as if he barely recognized the princess. He opened his mouth to speak but before any words came out, there was a loud splash followed by a deep bellow drowning out everything else including the pouring rain.

Maker be with us.

A large sea monster launched itself partially out of the water and into the air, its great maw wide open, showing off teeth as large as human children and a tongue the size of the royal cabin.

The princess instinctively clutched the railing and braced herself as the beast crashed back into the sea, sending a massive wave of water right at the ship. She felt the stern rise to a scary angle and was sure the boat would flip as her feet left the ground. She looked back to see the crewmen sliding down the soaking wet deck and crashing against the cabin.

The ship’s hull came back down and things were relatively calm for a moment.

Tauk pushed the navigator off the helm and turned right full rudder. The ship tilted sharply and headed on a new course.

What are you doing? she shouted.

Getting us the hell away from that monster, Your Highness!

The rain continued to beat down and a flash of lightning filled the darkening sky. A loud roll of thunder followed the lightning.

They had no reasonable defensive measures against such a massive creature. Tauk’s move to get away from it and hope it lost interest before the ship was destroyed was likely the right one.

After several minutes, the crew had the rigging reset. They waited in silence out on the deck in the cold, billowing wind. Some seemed to be praying for the Maker’s protection with hands raised into the air. After sometime, it seemed the threat had been averted—there were no more signs of the monster.

Tauk, the princess called out. Assess the damage to the hull. We need to know if it’s taking on water. Where is the other ship?

You Highness, the other ship hasn’t been seen for many hours. Several of the crew members said it may have been sunk by the monster, but we’ve not seen any flotsam. I’ll get below deck immediately and assess the damage, Tauk replied and hastily left from her sight.

After a time, the princess was sure the monster had moved on. Good fortune favored her again as Tauk brought news of no serious damage to the ship’s hull. She returned to her cabin and left Tauk to his duties. She pondered over the circumstances of her lost ship.

Discounting the run-in with the sea monster, the voyage had gone off reasonably well. The weather had generally been good. The navigator had no problems with the compass or cloud cover obstructing the star field, and none of the crew had taken seriously ill. It was about the best she could have hoped for. Though it did leave a lot of quiet reflective time, which she desperately wanted to avoid. The loss of her homeland still stung too painfully.

Luckily, if the maps were correct, they’d be sighting the northern continent in a matter of days. Their voyage across the Great Sea would hopefully end without further incident.

▽

She pulled out a book from a large velvet sack. The cover had a thick glaze of dust coating its surface. She wiped the surface clean with a damp cloth.

The book belonged to her father.

The Land to the North.

Her father had accumulated all the knowledge he could about the north—but sadly no information on the actual crossing of the sea—in one large tome. There were sections on local landscapes, plants, animals, and fantastical barbarian races. It was fascinating if not a little frightening. The princess had no way of knowing how her arrival would be taken and if she could even find a place to settle. Would her magic even be powerful in this strange new world?

From what she had read, it would be.

The local sorcerers practiced a crude form of magic that relied on strange crystals which needed to be close by, and the sorcerers needed to learn how to pull the magic forth from the crystals. Or something to that effect. Her father hadn’t learned enough of the secrets of the local magic to provide a clear description of its systematic use.

It seemed somewhat similar to her father’s power stones, the main difference being that without the crystal a sorcerer was not much different than a commoner. The princess couldn’t imagine being unable to use magic at the moment of her choosing. Sure, there