By Sword and Sea

By C.K. Rieke

Time doesn't heal all wounds.

 

In a world where fate brands its victims from birth, Gogenanth bears a cursed mark—a pale complexion and a haunting widow's peak. But his destiny is more sinister than most: enslaved by the gods, he endures the loss of family and is thrust into a cycle of violence.

 

Trained to become a formidable soldier like others of his kind, Gogenanth rises among the best, yet the shadows of his past threaten to consume him. As he grapples with the darkness within, he discovers that conquering it might unleash powers beyond imagination, propelling him toward a destiny greater than he ever dared to dream.

C.K. Rieke is the author of the Song of Ellydian series, the Riders of Dark Dragons series, the Dragon Sands Series, and the Path of Zaan trilogy.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: C.K. Rieke
• Release date: Jan 13, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386596219

Book preview

PART I

A Child of Cruelty

Chapter One

The days wandered in and out like the sands flowing on the long dunes—unforgiving and harsh—and time had become meaningless to me. To be completely helpless and beaten down caused my mind to go to a place that’s difficult to describe. With my family gone and to be stuck with their murderers caused me to revert back to more of an animal. Scrounging for bugs to eat, as hungry as I was, I found myself acting the way the Scaethers, my captors, wanted me to.

There were only two real rules in my time in Sorock, their training ground, and in the desert after—strength, and obedience.

My only solace was Lilaci, a young girl my age, who’d been taken the same way I had. She had the same unfortunate appearance as me—pale skin with a sharp black widow’s peak. Almost all in the desert had dark skin, so we were cursed from birth. It was called a gift, but Lilaci and I knew it was the single thing that made us targets, and ruined our lives.

We’d tell each other stories at night in our captivity, she especially liked the one about the Tangier my grandmother used to tell me, a beast like a tiger with great ivory antlers of an elk, but I could only tell it once every week or so, as it brought back too many strong memories and emotions.

I told Lilaci about the water on the other side of the desert. My grandmother told me that story, too. I’m so grateful I can still remember some of her stories. She saw the sea once when she was a child. Endless, sparkling like diamonds, and as beautiful as you could possibly imagine, she told me. Evidently, the water wasn’t drinkable, which I supposed was another gift of the gods. Every time the gods were mentioned, I assumed something bad was going to happen.

Lilaci often asked me about that sea, as if I’d been the one to glimpse it. She was intrigued, as we often talked about the impossible idea of escape, and being free.

What did the water taste like? Lilaci asked, under the majestic moonlight in Sorock.

It was strong, and it bit at your tongue, I told her that was what my grandmother said, as she’d tried to taste it.

Like a sharp prickle from a cactus? she asked, twirling her long black hair in her slender fingers.

It was more like fine sand, but salty and would melt in your mouth. It gave you runny insides for days, he said.

Why would the gods make such a thing? Lilaci asked.

"My grandmother also told me the storms that blew over the sea was the most dreadful thing she’d ever seen, and if she wasn’t already scared of the wrath of the gods, she certainly was then.

I think I’d like to see the desert of water, even if it is poison, Lilaci said. How far did it reach?

To the end of the world, he said.

Looking at her in the moonlight, she had an elegant, innocent face—and she was the most beautiful thing he’d seen in his youth. Her eyes came to sharp points at each corner and held beautiful violet eyes like the color of a summer lilac.

To the end of the world… My grandmother told me of the other continents out there, but they were so very, very far away. I’d like to see this desert of water, but I’m a prisoner. I wish she was here now to take me… I wish… They were still alive to help me…

Chapter Two

After what felt like an eternity of imprisonment, and walking with the Scaethers, I saw my first Great Oasis. At the center of the vast city, I looked up to see the high-reaching palace at the city center. I’d never seen anything like it before. Golden statues of all six of the gods rose high above the city, each facing outward—vigilant and powerful. The palace was of a light, reflective stone, and had thousands and thousands of clear, shining windows encircling its high towers. Sweeping arches cascaded across the towers in what almost looked like thin, sharp fingernails pulling on a spider’s web.

There were too many buildings to count that scattered out into the distance as far as my eyes could see. There were scattered pools of water held together by stones all throughout the city, and tall, strange looking trees with bright green leaves at the top. Even before I entered the city, I could smell the food, so many aromas I could have fainted from them. Yet the closer we got to the city, the more I could smell the trash and excrement. That was what I thought of cities, eventually. They looked great from a distance, but reek of shite the closer you get.

We’d arrived at the Great Oasis of Noruz, one of the three Great Oasi of the Arr, a hundred miles from the next. Positioned atop the Great Oasis was the vast, sprawling city of Voru. Each of the three Great Oasi held a massive city constructed on it. At Voru’s center was the palace, which housed the king and queen, put in power by the gods themselves.

As we approached, I saw Lilaci wasn’t as impressed as I was by the hundreds of fountains with fresh water, and the smell of fresh-baked bread in the air. Her eyes shown that same fear I’d grown to know.

Have you been here before? I asked. Look at all the water. People are walking in it. They’re drinking it all they want, and it never stops flowing.

I’ve heard of this place. My parents warned me about it, she said.

What’d they say?

I was always to avoid this place, because for people like you and me, once we enter, we’ll never be the same. We are going to end up like them. She motioned her head back to the leader of the Scaether group. His name was Vorotu.

I’m never going to end up like them, especially him, I whispered to her. No matter what happens. I’m never going to be like him.

One of the Scaethers said something to them from over to the side, and Lilaci and Gogenanth quieted.

Vorotu yelled at me in their foreign tongue and, with a closed fist like a stone, punched me squarely in the jaw, knocking me to the ground, and I struggled to stay conscious. He then went over and slapped Lilaci across her cheek with an open palm. She managed to stay on her two feet. You can hit me all you want, but don’t touch her. I want to scream, but I’m just a child, and he’s a warrior. I have no chance against him. He began to laugh, pointing at me on the ground, mocking me in their language, and the others laughed. I wanted to kill them, if not for their torture, but for taking my family from me. The things they did—I didn’t know such horrors existed.

We made our way, winding through the streets and alleys of the city, to a cylindrical building of light, coarse stone. The doorway was arched with a curved, black wooden beam, and held dark red curtains the same color as the sashes all the Scaethers wore around their waists.

Vorotu yelled out something at the curtain and I heard a voice from the inside return his call. He went forward and disappeared behind the curtain, talking to the other voice inside. Vorotu’s hand came back out of the curtain and made a gesture for someone to enter the building. The other Scaethers didn’t enter, but Lilaci and I were pushed through. As I walked through the curtain, I looked up to see Vorotu smiling at me. The room we were in had a stale smell, like that of a dark crypt. I hate his smile. Every time he beat me, every time he hit Lilaci. Even after he had his way with my mother before he killed her, he always gave me that same—evil smile, like he enjoyed tormenting me. In my dreams, I dreamt of sliding a sharp dagger into his heart and smiling as I did so.

After entering the building, Lilaci and I—after watching Vorotu leave back behind the red curtain—were left alone with another set of Scaethers. We were then bound and blinded with itchy rags over our eyes. We were led back out into the sunlight, as we could see the bright cracks above and below our blinds. We heard a loud knock on a hardwood door before us, after we’d walked for what felt like another mile. I heard a crack and the rustle of sound beneath the door as it seemingly swung open. The Scaethers had a brief conversation with another set of people from inside the door and we were rushed inside. I heard the slow closing of the door behind us.

Our bindings and blinding scarves were removed. My sense of relief from seemingly being free of Vorotu’s grasp was quickly replaced by a new fear when I opened my eyes. Lilaci and I were in the middle of a training ground with high-reaching walls on all sides, littered with thin vines. There were a dozen clay buildings in the encampment, and there were dozens more- or hundreds- of children like us, practicing with weapons in lines as an older child yelled out commands. We were in a new place, a place built to imprison people like us. The sort of place Lilaci’s parents had warned her about.

Welcome to Sorock, one of my new imprisoners said in my language. I didn’t respond. This is your new home. The woman tried to feign a smile, but it came off as fake to me.

Lilaci looked over at me. She had tears strolling down her cheeks, and her lips were quivering. She mouthed the words to me, I’m scared, Gogenanth.

I mouthed the words back to her. I’m scared too.

I want my family back, she mouthed to me, and the tears began to flow. Her eyes were so wet, it appeared she could barely see him.

Now, let me show you to your new quarters, the woman said in a serious tone.

No, Lilaci yelled, as they took her by the arm.

As I reached out for her, powerful hands latched onto my arms. I watched as they took her, kicking and screaming, to a far corner of Sorock. No! I yelled. Take me too! Take me with her! My cries were in vain.

I was thrown into a dark room, and the door was shut and latched from the other side. I heard their footsteps