Toothbreaker: Daughters of Tamnarae

By M.H. Elrich

A man who betrayed his people. A woman who once loved him. An Eritam that hunts them both.

Sage has lost everything: Tamar, the Eritam woman he once loved… Fang, the wolf he considered his friend… his status as a Toothbreaker. Even his old friend Vartok tries to hunt him down! Sage knows he must make a choice. Will he continue to serve Malstorm, or surrender to Melchizedek? The wrong choice could cost his life. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: M.H. Elrich
• Release date: Mar 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393202127

M.H. Elrich

M.H. Elrich is a Christian Fantasy author, reader, otaku, and teacher who wears too many hats. In her spare time (if she has any), she watches T.V. with her husband, rides horses, and travels to places with lots of trees. You can find her and her books at mhelrich.com.

Book preview

Although this book does not contain any sexual content or cussing, it does contain themes that may not be suitable for all readers, including a suicide attempt. I have portrayed these things to show how far that people can fall from God—and how far He will go to get them. If you struggle with depression or suicidal thoughts, please reach out for help. Your life matters, and this book is meant to show just that.

Prologue

The forest darkened and the trees closed in around them, making the path so narrow that only one horse could walk at a time. Etania’s father took the lead, putting Etania in the middle and Keyel at the end. Etania noticed that birds fluttered from one branch to another, calling out, but their voices seemed hushed. The horses’ hooves crunched over the leaf-strewn path.

They stopped only once, eating quietly and quickly before mounting their horses again. Jakin thought that they would wait until the Eritam found them, winding their way through the forest for days before the wolf-tamers arrived. Etania hoped that the Eritam would come sooner rather than later because she didn’t want to sleep on the forest floor.

Suddenly, she heard a loud and long howl, piercing the night with its mournful sound. She shivered, hoping that howl belonged to an ally. Another howl echoed through the night, sounding like a threatening growl, deep and equally long. Starlight moved uneasily beneath her, and Etania felt her pulse quicken.

Master— Keyel began.

I know. Etania, load your crossbow!

Etania dropped her horse's reins and pulled out her crossbow from the pack, grateful her father insisted she carry it in her saddlebags. She nervously put the bolt along the stock and lined it up as best she could. Despite a week's worth of practice, her hands were shaking.

Master, what's... Keyel said.

Before he could finish, Etania saw yellow and green eyes staring at her in the distance. Their horses trotted without command, and she heard the yips and barks of wolves coming from their rear. The wolves were closing in, loping and howling as they drew closer to their prey. The horses whinnied and reared, and all three of the travelers bailed lest they be stomped underfoot. Their mounts fled to the west, galloping away with their supplies before anyone could stand. Etania had no time to grieve the loss of her favorite horse, but instead focused on standing and arming herself.

Luckily, their weapons had come down with them. Keyel was on his feet first, sword drawn and shield ready. Jakin was next, lighting the dark forest with purple fire in one hand and a hammer in the other.  Etania tried to keep her legs from wobbling as she peered into the darkness over the stock of her crossbow. They stood in a triangle, twirling around to see their opponents. All was silent.

Out of the darkness, a wolf leapt from the side.  Etania instinctively shot it straight in the chest. It yelped and died, but Etania had no time to react as more jumped from the darkness. Keyel killed them with swift and efficient strokes. Her father burned them or whacked them with his hammer as he defended Etania, who struggled to load another bolt into her crossbow. These wolves took multiple hits to kill. Etania had been blessed with her first shot. She needed to hit the wolves coming from a distance so they wouldn’t be overwhelmed. Her heart was pounding and her palms were sweaty, but she took a deep breath. Concentrate. You have to help them!

She felt the coolness of the wood stock, the taut lever beneath her fingers, and fired.

She missed. Etania cursed, fumbling for another bolt. Keyel cried out, and Etania saw that his sword arm now bore bloody scratches. Making matters worse, her father's flames seemed like they were fading. She had to do something, anything, to help them.

Her Neuma—of course! But how could she project her Neuma in such a way that it wouldn't hurt her companions?

She looked at the bolt on her crossbow and smiled. Etania concentrated, trying to ignore the noise around her. She created a small flame of Neuma with her hands, lighting the bolt on the crossbow. She took a deep breath, trying to recall what Keyel had taught her. Feet apart, breath even, she aimed the crossbow and fired.

The bolt soared through the air, landing in a werewolf’s shoulder. Etania watched in shock as her Neuma transformed the werewolf, a cry of agony rising from the Skazic as its fur flew from its body. Suddenly, it was no longer a werewolf, but a man covered in fur! The other wolves shrank back from his abrupt transformation, and Keyel and Jakin took advantage of the situation, killing the rest of the pack.

When the battle ended, Etania looked for the man, and she couldn’t find him.

Where is he? Etania questioned.

I don’t know, a deep voice answered, but I will find him and kill him.

Chapter One

Pack healer Tamar Prevost tossed and turned in bed. It was close to the Eritam dawn, which was sunset for most people living in Tamnarae. Rain pounded on the roof of her home, and she could hear the constant dripping from the lip of the den mouth to the floor. She flipped again, swearing she would reinforce the wood covering, and tried to sleep again.

Pounding on the den door jolted her awake. Rubbing her eyes, she rose and walked toward the cave entrance, her wolf, Eponee, trotting behind her. Removing the wood covering, she stepped back as a silver-haired man stumbled forward. An iron bolt shaft protruded from his shoulder. He was soaking wet and bare-chested, only wearing a silver fur blanket that was tied around his waist. Tamar’s eyes widened. Even though she had seen many patients as a healer, this one was unique.

Help, he whispered.

Of course!

Apprehension gone, Tamar’s professionalism settled over her. She ushered the man into her exam room.

Take a seat here, she commanded him. She looked over at her wolf. Fetch Falor.

Eponee left as the man took a seat on the long bench Tamar used to diagnose patients. 

What happened? Tamar put logs in a fireplace against the wall and started up a fire. I thought they banned honor fights.

Who is Falor? the man asked, evading her question.

Falor is my apprentice, Tamar said. She poured water from a bucket into a kettle and hung it over the fire. She faced him, her hands on her hips. You didn’t answer me. What happened?

A lot has happened since I left this place, the man said. 

Tamar huffed. He still hadn’t answered her question. Deciding to drop the subject for now, she walked over to the man and examined his wound, wondering what he meant and whether he was delirious with pain. The barbed bolt had lodged itself in his shoulder, and didn’t protrude from the other side. She would need Falor to hold the man down while she cut out the bolt and pulled it from him. If the bolt had attached to his clavicle bone, he would leave with a broken bone and she could nick an artery. Her clinical examination finished, she wondered about his background. Her eyes searched his face.

Do I know you? she asked. 

A long time ago, he replied.

I brought the alcohol, Falor called. 

Tamar turned around. Falor, a young Eritam ten years her junior, stood in the doorway, mouth agape.

Sage? he said. 

Tamar’s eyes darted to her patient. Redness crept into her cheeks as she examined his features: the sharp, angular chin, the bright, yet gentle, yellow eyes. Why didn’t I recognize him? She thought. After all, he and I used to be so close! It must be his hair. His long silver hair stuck to his wet back. When we were together, he had it short. And his eyes...were they always so hollow? So dark? Her heart began pounding in her chest. Hands shaking,