The Darkness: Book One of the Fallen–Fey Chronicles

By S. L. Gavyn

The Fey have only one enemy they cannot conquer—time. Time can crumble cities and cause the most vital memories to become nothing more than wisps of dreams passed. When that endless time is spent alone, it could drive the most formidable warrior to his knees.

Searching for an elusive fairytale to help his people end their suffering, Logan Callanach's ramblings brought him to Savannah, Ga. Being a long way from home is the least of his problems, though, as a man is killed in front of him by a being Logan had never even heard of. That only began what would be both the worst and best day of his very long life.

Riya Grayson had hoped she wouldn’t live to see this day. She had trained her whole life to fight the Darkness in the event they came to her new world, but her only family was dead, and she would now be forced to face the Darkness alone—or so she thought. Her journey to fight a being that has plagued her nightmares since childhood would side her with a group of men she knew only from stories, and it would seem she would need to embrace their assistance to defeat the Darkness before this world, too, is lost.

• Language: English
• Publisher: S. L. Gavyn
• Release date: Apr 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463136195

S. L. Gavyn

S.L. Gavyn lives in Mobile, Alabama with her husband, three children, two dogs, two betta fish, one guinea pig, and a tree frog that hangs out in her bathroom shower. She tries to write fantasy novels that are funny, interesting and adventurous with just the right amount of romance worked in. You can find her blogging about her books and various other things at slgavyn.wordpress.com.

Book preview

The Darkness

Book One of the Fallen–Fey Chronicles

S. L. Gavyn

Copyright 2015 S. L. Gavyn

Discover more information about S. L. Gavyn’s books at http://www.slgavyn.com, like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/slgavyn or follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SLGavyn.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any person (living or dead), business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

The Darkness

All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © 2015 S. L. Gavyn

Cover Design © 2015 S. L. Gavyn

Poem Darkness by Katie DesChenes © 2008

This book and its content are protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork herein is prohibited without the express written permission of the author.

First edition: October 2015

Available Books by S. L. Gavyn

The Forged by Magic Series

Brimstone

Iron Made

Dragon’s Flame

Ange Noir: A Forged by Magic Prequel Novella

The Avery Tywella Series

Darkened

Deadened

Deceived

Craven: An Avery Tywella Companion Novel

Damned

Devoted

The Fabled Series

The Fabled

Fable City

Fabled Lost

The Fallen–Fey Chronicles

The Darkness

The Cursed

The Light

The Broken

The Driven

Content

Acknowledgments

Darkness: A poem by Katie Deschenes

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Also Available

Acknowledgments

I would like to say a little somethin’ somethin’ about the peeps who helped me on this long, winding journey to authorism. The first is my family, of course. They’re there for me, even when I really wish they weren’t.

Next, I’ll thank my editor Wendy Jo. Oh, how far I have come because of you. I tip my hat to you, the most tolerant woman in the world.

I would also like to say thanks to Katie DesChenes. In my search for a bit of poetry that didn’t sound like Dr. Seuss, I found just the Darkness I was looking for. Thanks.

Darkness

When darkness descends upon your skin

Don’t let it fill you, don’t let it in.

Don’t turn to look or let it know

That you’re willing to let the light go

When the light is gone, darkness will embrace

Those who wish it to take light’s place.

When you find a passion in the dark of night,

Be watchful of a love that blinds your sight

For darkness has a beauty that hides all lies

Tricks you to think love is before your eyes.

There is something that lurks in the dark

Longing to drink in your spark.

Be careful of what you see or feel

For you may be its very next meal.

Katie DesChenes © 2008

Find out more about this author at: http://www.katiedeschenes.com

Chapter One

Foreboding filled my gut as I rushed to pack supplies into my bag. I hoped I wouldn’t be gone long, but if I was, I could buy any necessities. Otherwise, I really only needed two things—my gun and the spellbook I had already added to the pack. I would only use the latter as a last resort. None of the spells would work on the being I was trying to find anyway, except to make him stronger.

My aunt’s words ran through my mind warning me that it was only a matter of time before they came here and that I would need to be prepared when they did. We were the only ones who knew what they were and possibly the only ones who could stop them.

Why did she have to die on me? Why did they wait until I was alone to come here? I would have been quite contented to train another to do the fighting once I was a more experienced Witch. Instead, I was running off to fight a fight I didn’t want but had been preparing for as long as I could remember. It was better when I was younger and still had the delusion of my aunt’s protection to soothe me, but she was gone now. A plane crash had taken her from me. The strongest Witch I knew, but even magic had its limitations. She was the one who taught me that. Though we could regenerate our cells to stay youthful for millennia if we choose, we couldn’t put our body back together after it had been practically incinerated in a fiery explosion.

I couldn’t harp on that now. I should have already been in my car. I should have already been there, fighting, protecting others like myself, and preventing this world from going to hell. My hand shook as I put the key in the ignition, and I pulled it away before taking a deep breath and steeling my resolve. I would do this. I could do this. I had to. Despite my attempts at bravado, my mind turned to other options: I could run. There were other dimensions out there similar to this one. I could use the stored magic I possessed to open a portal to one of them. It would give me time. How much, I wasn’t sure, but I was sure it would be more than I would have if I started this car.

Could I leave others to die? The Humans on this plane were very strong with their advanced technology. They should be able to wipe any threat off the face of this planet, but I knew they wouldn’t stand a chance. A spell beat technology every day of the week, and this adversary undoubtedly had enough magic to demolish this entire plane, after they took what they wanted.

I looked at my cabin getting smaller in the rearview window as I drove down the long, winding dirt road that would take me to civilization. The sky was just starting to turn the dark purple that would soon become dawn, leaving an otherworldly glow on my home. I would miss my cabin in the swamps terribly. I rolled down my windows and listened to the frogs, cicadas, and crickets serenade me on my journey away from my sanctuary. For just a moment, a smile graced my face as I pretended I was on my back porch watching the fireflies and swatting the mosquitos.

A deer crossed the road in front of me, pulling me out of my reverie. I hit the brakes and came to a stop as he, too, paused just on the side of the road facing me. He wasn’t looking into my headlights, though. He was looking directly at me. I stared back into his black eyes for a moment before nodding. His head lowered slightly, showing his full set of antlers. I smiled and started on my way again as he ran back into the forest. The smile stayed in place as I continued on my way. There was nothing quite like a good, old-fashioned omen to put things into perspective.

I headed east, leaving Louisiana behind, passing through the southern tips of Mississippi and Alabama, and entering Florida. Jacksonville is in the northeast part of the state, within minutes of the Atlantic to the east and Georgia to the north.

When I pulled into the drive of the historical home that belonged to the local Coven Mother, I could feel the anxiety and trepidation leaking out from within. They were scared, and they deserved to be. I took a deep breath and looked at my reflection in the mirror. I worked on my expression until none of my own fear showed. The Mother would still know, but I would make sure the members of her coven didn’t. I was their last hope after all. I should be some badass who was used to killing beings like this every day, not someone who was barely a woman and used to spending her days as a hermit in the Louisiana bayou. My aunt’s words resonated through my brain. You only get one chance to make a first impression, Riya love.

As I stood on the porch, I stopped to feel the wards on the house. They were strong, which was to be expected at a Coven Mother’s home. I raised my hand to knock but didn’t get the opportunity before a girl answered and ushered me into the house. She smiled softly at me,