Hush of Storm & Sorrow: Earthsinger Chronicles Novellas, #2

By L. Penelope

While battling a vicious winter storm, Roshon ol-Sarifor, along with his father and twin brother are kidnapped and thrust on a journey that takes them far from home—leaving his sister Jasminda believing them dead. Their captors claim that the Queen Who Sleeps is behind their abduction—She wants them to reclaim a magical object hidden in a deadly part of the ocean. But a violent encounter with a gang of pirates forces the ol-Sarifors to seek refuge on a smuggler's ship, where Roshon meets a girl unlike any he's encountered before.

 

Ani Summerhawk never met a risk she didn't take. But with a price on her head, she and her older brother need to make a quick getaway from a deal gone bad. Every ship in the sea is seeking the reward for returning her to a ruthless captain who believes she's his property. But when her brother agrees to transport three passengers to a dangerous destination, Ani's heart is put on the line for the first time.

 

The two families battle a treacherous sea, greedy sailors, and a powerful mage as they struggle to retrieve and secure the ancient artifact. And the attraction between a high-spirited girl and a cautious boy comes to a head when they discover that their biggest fight just might be with each other. 

 

Set two years before the events of Song of Blood & Stone, this action-packed novella answers the question of what happened to Jasminda's family and sets the stage for the events in Cry of Metal & Bone (Earthsinger Chronicles, book 3).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Heartspell Media
• Release date: Mar 16, 2020
• ISBN: 9781944744151

Book preview

Chapter One

Mountain & water symbol

Fear is not a pillar of our art, but it is the substance out of which the wheel is formed. Master it or submit to it and you will travel two very different paths.

DAIPUNA: THE ART OF COMBAT

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Two Years Before the Fall of the Mantle

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Varten! Roshon’s voice rose with his growing panic, echoing throughout the dark cave as he called for his twin brother. Next to him, Papa held the lantern high. The glossy walls sparkled in the flickering light, and shadows leaped about in a war dance, closing in on them.

Varten! Papa shouted. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he quickened his pace. The air inside was close and warm, unlike the frigid temperature outside, but Roshon’s blood still held a chill. He raced to follow his father, stumbling over the uneven surface of the cave floor.

The strap of his bag bit into his arm as the various items they’d purchased in town weighed him down. Roshon readjusted the bag and kept moving, struggling to find his footing. They’d been returning to their valley home, crossing the mountain that separated them from the tiny Elsiran Borderlands town where they bought whatever they couldn’t make or grow, when Varten had disappeared from the trail. Though his brother had a penchant for mischief, he wouldn’t have run off without telling anyone, not here with a storm threatening. And not so near the mountain caves Papa had long ago forbidden them to enter.

Papa had visibly shuddered before entering this one, his Earthsong magic having tracked Varten this far. Even now, his breathing was labored and he appeared to be in pain. Something about these caves affected Earthsingers, his father and sister included, differently than it did everyone else. The lantern light barely pierced the gloom, and though Roshon had no magic, he didn’t like being down there, either.

They turned a corner in the tunnel they were searching to find that the space widened into a vast chamber. Papa sniffed and lowered the lantern to illuminate the cave floor. A hollow feeling opened in Roshon’s gut when the weak light showed dark droplets on the strangely glossy surface.

Was that blood?

Varten! they both screamed.

It was getting harder to hold the terror at bay. If something happened to his twin, would Roshon know? Would he sense it? He didn’t feel anything different inside and once again cursed the fact that he had been born without magic.

Mama’s face filled his vision for a moment, and he froze, shaking. He couldn’t lose his brother, too. And their sister was waiting for them at home. Jasminda never went to town unless absolutely necessary, not that he blamed her. But how could he face her if something happened to Varten?

Papa, can’t you try to track him again?

The older man pursed his lips and gave Roshon a heavy look. Using Earthsong in the caves was different for him somehow, more difficult maybe. Papa kneeled and touched the drops on the ground with the tip of his finger. The liquid shone dark red against his skin.

Roshon held his breath. Varten wasn’t just missing; he was bleeding. Injured and lost in the darkness in this snarl of unnavigable tunnels and caverns.

Take this. Papa handed him the lantern. Roshon gripped the handle hard enough to bruise his palm as Papa closed his eyes.

If Jasminda were here, she could at least help Papa find Varten. They could link their power together and enhance it, using that strange connection to Earthsong that joined their inner Songs with the energy of every living thing. But she had stayed behind, electing to watch the farm and avoid the three-day journey to town and back. And Roshon was useless, helplessly watching his father concentrate to perform the silent magic of an Earthsong spell.

Papa gasped, clutched his chest, and fell onto his hands and knees. Roshon was immediately by his side, grabbing his arm. What’s wrong? What’s happened?

After a few huffs, Papa’s breathing steadied. I think I found him. There’s another way out. Just through there. He pointed, though Roshon saw nothing but darkness in that direction. Still, relief washed over him as Papa stood and led the way through the cave to a narrow tunnel.

Is he all right? Roshon asked.

Yes, Papa replied but didn’t elaborate.

"Are you all right?"

These caves . . . He looked around warily and hastened his steps.

At fifteen, Roshon was far too old to be afraid of the dark, and he wasn’t . . . usually. But when his strong and fearless father was this on edge, well, he made sure not to fall behind the man’s quick pace. There were plenty of things Roshon was afraid of, and losing another family member was high on the list. Should he have kept a closer eye on his twin? He was the elder brother, if only by a quarter of an hour, and he’d always tried to keep Varten’s flighty ways in check. What should he have done differently to stop this from happening?

They moved quietly through the tunnels, Papa’s unease seeping more and more into Roshon. There was no trail of blood, though, so perhaps the injury was not severe. Finally, the temperature began to drop and the sound of wind whipped against the rocks. The light, cold and anemic, brightened as they approached the exit.

Outside, they emerged into a heavy flurry of snow. When they’d entered the mountain, soft, fat flakes had been falling, but the surprise storm was growing.

Roshon looked up to find that they’d exited farther down the mountain than they’d entered, having lost ground somewhere inside. Now, once they found Varten, they’d have to fight the snow to get home. And Papa had said he felt Varten, so that meant they would find him.

The foothills had been spared the threat of the storm, which only raged on the mountain, and they descended into the crisp autumn day.

Should we call for him? Roshon asked, voice low. Papa shook his head, on alert, and Roshon wished he could sense whatever his father was sensing.

Where is he? Roshon whispered, searching the surrounding area but seeing nothing but a barely there path that led to a small grove of elms and oaks.

Papa squinted up into the red-gold mass of leaves still decorating the trees before them. He held up his arm to stop Roshon from moving any farther.

Go back up the mountain, he said, emphasizing his words with a push to Roshon’s chest. Run!

Roshon stumbled backward, then gulped, but before he could turn around and follow Papa’s command, a whizzing sound flew by his ear and his neck exploded in pain. He reached for the wound. Something long and sharp protruded from his body. That was strange. So was the warm, red liquid coating his hand. He tried to look at Papa, to ask him what was happening, but his eyes weren’t working properly. Neither was his tongue.

Before everything went black, he thought of Varten and wondered if he’d ever see his brother again.

Chapter Two

Mountain & water symbol

As you progress in daipuna, the scales of human armor will fall away, no longer needed. Protection and aggression, first seemingly at odds, are revealed to be the same. Both useless under the shadows of the eight pillars.

DAIPUNA: THE ART OF COMBAT

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Ani Summerhawk bounced on her toes. The anticipation of negotiations always made her giddy. Her brother, Tai, shot her a dark look, and she struggled to wrangle her excitement. Still, she couldn’t stop the tapping of her foot as the shadowy figures of four men approached.

The warehouse serving as their meeting place was lit with overhead bulbs that cast pools of light every twenty paces or so. The rest of the space was in shadow with the bulk of the crates and boxes forming an obstacle course of sorts. If things went wrong, there were plenty of places to hide, and she’d already scoped out the quickest paths to the two exits. Her exhilaration ratcheted up a notch, and she felt as if she were vibrating out of her skin.

If you can’t behave . . . Tai began, speaking out the side of his mouth.

Don’t try to police me, Ani said through clenched teeth. I’m not a child.

Tai snorted, and Ani replied with an elbow to his arm. Now fifteen, she had been a part of their father’s smuggling operation since before she could walk. Father had taken her out with him on his runs and had never once expected her to stand quietly at his side during a negotiation. Then again, Tai did things a bit differently than Father had, and it was probably for the best. Maybe if Father had been more like Tai he’d still be alive.

She gritted her teeth and stilled the constant movement of her limbs, determined to try things her brother’s way. The interior of the warehouse smelled of mildew and mothballs. Mik, Tai’s first mate and best friend, had found it for them in a seedier section of the already-seedy docks of Portside. He’d stayed behind on the ship to ready it for a speedy departure. The men who stepped into the nearest cone of light were fellow Raunians, so Mik’s preparedness would likely come in handy.

Bor, Tai said, addressing the largest of the men. You’re looking well.

Ani held back a snicker. This Bor fellow resembled the creature his name sounded like. Squat and meaty, with a piggish nose and deep-set eyes, he was just about the ugliest Raunian she’d ever seen. His hair was dyed the same blue as Tai’s and Ani’s, but Bor had done his in vertical stripes, alternating with its natural black, which lent him a deranged appearance.

Unsurprisingly, he had no marriage markings tattooed on his face. Aside from his siokka, or family crest, along with his captain’s and taxpayer’s tattoos, he bore five horizontal lines on his left cheekbone. He’d served five years of hard labor. Not a man to be trifled with.

What’s this exclusive haul you’ve brought me here to see, Summerhawk? Bor crossed his heavy arms.

Tai leaned against a crate, which towered several handspans above his head. His pose was casual and carefree, but only to those who didn’t know him. Ani could see that beneath his cool exterior he was on alert. Bor’s reputation as a hard bargainer had been well-earned. The presence of the three large men behind him hinted at exactly how he liked to negotiate. If they were going to make any money on this deal, and leave with their lives and limbs intact, they had to be vigilant.

Her finger itched for the hidden knife sheathed down her back. Tai had several weapons concealed on him, as well, and both were proficient in their usage. Tai was probably hoping it wouldn’t come to that, but Ani loved a good dustup. She hadn’t seen much fighting action since she’d started traveling with her brother; working with Father had been much more exciting.

Narwhal ivory, Tai said, answering Bor’s question after a pause for dramatic effect. These tusks were sacrificed by the Relamendor clan after they lost the Fifty-First Great Ocean War.

And how did you come by them?

I have a good relationship with the chief of the victorious clan, the Diogenedes narwhals. We traded.

Bor sniffed. "Narwhals aren’t trustworthy. You expect me to believe they’d trade the spoils of war to you? Those could be stingray barbs