Diomere's Mercenary

By Sabrina A. Fish

Five Gates. Five Sisters. Five Very Different Men.

Once there were two worlds connected by five magical gates. Then the Gate Keepers closed the gates and disappeared. The Gate Keepers have returned.

Ripped from her home and sold to the mercenary guild as a child, Kardia Quinones overcame her father's betrayal and made a place for herself as a respected mercenary. Then war threatens her beloved guild and her homeland.

Sahir Mekala wakes after twenty-three years to find his people on the brink of war and his intended mate unwilling to accept him. But dragons are as stubborn as harpies and he'll let nothing stop him from claiming her.

When Kardia and Sahir find themselves working together, sparks fly. Despite Kardia's reluctance to ever trust another male, Sahir sets out to prove exactly how perfect the match between a dragon and harpy can be.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Sep 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781509232321

Sabrina A. Fish

Diomere's Exile is the WINNER of the 2017 National Readers' Choice Award in Paranormal Sabrina A. Fish lives in Oklahoma with her husband, son, and two cats. She & her huspand own a trophy company, where she collects names for her novels from lists of award’s recipients. She loves all things chocolate and her husband is sweet enough to never let the candy dish near her computer become empty. She loves and advocates being involved in the local writing community, and was President for the 2018 Oklahoma Writers' Federation, Inc (OWFI). She is an annual featured speaker at The Rose State Writing Conference, the Red Sneaker Writers' Conference, and a panelist at Wizard World Comic Con. Born and raised in Oklahoma, she considers the three years she spent in a Texas high school to be a short trip down the rabbit hole that ended at graduation. She returned to Oklahoma where she received her Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma. BOOMER SOONER. When she isn't writing & promoting her novels or running her company, she can be found reading, scrapbooking, or spending quality time with her family. To find out more about Sabrina and her books, visit her website www.SabrinaAFish.com

Book preview

Inc.

Adjusting the power cloaking his presence, Sahir projected his voice into Kardia’s mind. Good evening, sireli.

She glanced over at him. I thought I felt the creep of extreme annoyance headed my way.

A passing guard, having just come from the backstage area, gave her a confused look. Mercenary?

Kardia stared at the human until he hurriedly moved past her. Idiota, she muttered.

Sahir bit back a smile. I don’t think it’s annoyance you feel for me. He used his power to caress the curve of her neck. When gooseflesh rose on her skin, he smiled. Is it, dimeti?

Get. Out. Of. My. Head, she bit out between clenched teeth, then cut their mental link.

A musician, his stringed instrument held between him and the glowering harpy, darted his gaze around the hall, looking for the one to whom she spoke. When he found no one else there, his face blanched and he tossed an alarmed look at her as he hurried past.

Kardia halted mid-step and slowly turned to glare at Sahir. No one else can see you.

Sahir’s lips twitched as he shook his head, amusement something he usually only felt around his siblings. He decided he liked playing with his mate.

The harpy growled and continued stalking down the hall toward The Siren’s dressing rooms. Go away, dragon.

Pitching his voice low, he murmured. Where would be the fun in that, little harpy?

Praise for DIOMERE’S MERCENARY

Dragons and harpies and prophecies, it’s a whirlwind ride! Hurls you into a world where everything matters, but not how you think. And the love story’s amazing too.

~Candice Gilmer, USAT & NYT Bestselling Author

~*~

Spellbinding. Fans of G.A. Aiken will love this series.

~Tamara Grantham, Award-Winning Author

of the Fairy World MD series

Diomere’s Mercenary

by

Sabrina A. Fish

The Gate Keeper Chronicles, Book 3

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

Diomere’s Mercenary

COPYRIGHT © 2020 by Sabrina A. Fish

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Cover Art by Debbie Taylor

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

PO Box 708

Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

Publishing History

First Fantasy Rose Edition, 2020

Trade Paperback ISBN 978-1-5092-3231-4

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-3232-1

The Gate Keeper Chronicles, Book 3

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

For my dad, who isn't perfect, but who loves me

and is so damn proud of what I've accomplished.

I love you, Daddy-o!

Glossary of Names

Sahir Kanishk Mekala de Iskil: Dragon shifter, Twin brother/eggmate of Neeru, Commander of the Iskil Raja’s private guard, heartbonded to Kardia Quinones

Kardia Quinones: Half-Harpy/Half-Mer, Mercenary, illegitimate 3rd born of the Quinones sisters, heartbonded to Sahir Mekala

Neeru Kanishk Mekala de Iskil: Dragon shifter, Queen/Raja of Iskil & the Horde, Twin sister/eggmate of Sahir, Jibril’s mate

Jibril Al-Adhikari Sirsa: Human, King/Raj of Berezan, Viticulturist/Scientist, Neeru’s consort

Luis de Quinones: Mer, member of Diomere’s Royal Council, father to the five Quinones sisters(Nadia, Arriana, Kardia, Zephyra, & Lareina)

Nadia de Quinones: Mer, 1st born of the Quinones sisters, heartbonded to Gregor Cyrene

Arriana Quinones: Half Light Fairy/Half Mer, illegitimate 2nd born of the Quinones sisters, heartbonded to Treves Tourbillon

Zephyra de Quinones: Siren(rare type of Mer), singer known as The Siren, spy for Diomere, 4th born of the Quinones sisters

Lareina de Quinones: Mer, Queen Regent of Diomere, 5th born of the Quinones sisters, mother to Madelena and Areisteo(Reis)

Miguel Quinones: Half Mer/Half Dragon, Berezan Royal Advisor, bastard brother of Luis de Quinones, Uncle to Quinones sisters

Kaveh Kanishk Mekala de Iskil: Dragon shifter, Neeru & Sahir’s younger brother, Commander of the Horde

Vansh de Salvatore: human, from Diomere, Zephyra’s usual head bodyguard when she travels for performances

Taan Balaraj Aliya de Iskil: Dragon shifter, mated to Xita, Sahir’s 2nd in command of the Iskil Raja’s private guard

Xita Renata Sarai de Iskil: Dragon shifter, mated to Taan, member of the Iskil Raja’s private guard.

Mateo Oraliz: human, Diomere-born cellist & violinist, one of Zephyra’s song birds

Samuel Calimeridas: human, Thuno-born pianist, one of Zephyra’s song birds

Nicolas Ygosse: human, Arenatou-born lutist, Expert level musician denoted by yellow robes, one of Zephyra’s song birds

Valentina Huerfana: from Diomere, deaf, Zephyra’s lady’s companion, helped Zephyra and Lareina develop a silent language using hand signals to represent letters and words

Taka Ni-Tawfeek: human, Inn Keeper of the Dragon’s Flame Inn in Iskil

Taka El-Nojine: human, from Berezan, Head Porter on the Noble Deck of the Fire Maiden

Rayan Guerrier: human, born in Gazon, Mercenary, Kardia’s past lover

Jameson Ni-Tafta Kaja: human, from Berezan, Sahir’s steward

Treves Tourbillon: Manticore, from Lasablo-Mondami, heartbonded to Arriana Quinones

Gregor Cyrene: Mer(born human), from Thuno, became Mer after completing heartbond to Nadia de Quinones, Seraphina’s father

Seraphina Isabella de Quinones-Cyrene: Mer, from Thuno, Nadia & Gregor’s daughter

~

To see maps of the worlds mentioned in The Gate Keeper Chronicles,

visit Sabrina’s Website: https://www.sabrinaafish.com/

~

Other Wild Rose Press Titles by Sabrina A. Fish

Diomere's Healer

Diomere’s Exile

Chapter One

Kardia slid her sword into the scabbard at her waist and glanced one last time around her childhood room. With its walls of robin egg blue, it remained exactly as she’d left it at ten. Her gaze snagged on a glass figurine roughly in the shape of a mermaid. She grinned and lifted the mermaid from its place on the shelf that held all her first attempts to use her power to shape glass.

Representing the a’mi, or nonhuman, forms of her and her sisters, they were lumpy and hard to recognize, but she’d thought them perfect, and still did. This first mermaid had been for her eldest sister, Nadia, next a dancing fairy for Arri, a knife-wielding harpy for herself, a siren mermaid with her mouth open and arms raised for Zephyra, and finally a mermaid reading a book for her youngest sister, Lareina.

When her harpy form first manifested at age five, giving her black feathered wings, eagle-like vision, and razor sharp taloned-feet and claws, she’d been terrified and disappointed. She’d wanted so badly to be a mer shifter like her father and eldest sister. But that disappointment had only lasted until her sister Arriana, illegitmate born like herself and a light-fairy shifter rather than a mer shifter, had helped her learn to use her wings. Being able to take flight had quickly beat out her desire to cut through the water with a powerful fish tail like their other three sisters.

Smoothing her finger over a glass fish tail too large for the tiny body and head, she remembered how proud she’d been. She’d immediately shown Nadia the dagger in the mermaid’s hand, then asked her eldest sister to fetch their father.

Eight years old, and she’d already known not to go hunting her father herself, her eldest sister the only one allowed to enter his private suite and his study without invitation. Nadia alone had seen the worst of what her father was capable of until Kardia’s tenth birthday.

Her mind shied from her worst memory.

Fist too tight on the delicate glass, she returned the figurine to its place.

She’d been shocked when, at the age of nineteen, she’d been allowed to return home for a visit and found her room unchanged. Why her father would keep her room intact when he’d so easily tossed her aside, she couldn’t fathom.

She rubbed her chest, slamming the lid on the sound of her ten-year-old self’s gasping sobs as her father dragged her away from her sisters, before it could crawl out and torment her. At thirty-three years old, she’d now spent more years away from this room than living in it. At least this time you were able to spend one night in your own bed before heading out again.

Laughter floated across the hall from Zephyra’s room, bringing a smile to Kardia’s face, reminding her of a happier time when she and all her sisters had inhabited this wing of their father’s home.

Dropping her bag in the small sitting room attached to her sleeping chamber, Kardia crossed the hall to Zephyra’s room to find several trunks open around the sitting room’s perimeter with bits of clothing hanging out of them and the two youngest of her sisters tossing shoes at each other.

Kardia suppressed a smile. Ten minutes, Z.

Both women looked up, their faces flushed and eyes sparkling, reminding her of the little terrors they’d been as toddlers. They glanced at each other, matching mischievous smiles giving an even stronger impression of those long-ago toddlers, then both launched the shoes in their hands at Kardia.

Catching each shoe in one of her hands, she lifted a brow and tossed the shoes into one of the trunks. And here I thought you two were women grown, with a world-renowned reputation and responsibilities— She shifted her attention to Lareina. —like a kingdom to run and nearly grown children.

Lareina, the Queen Regent of Diomere, grinned and nudged at Zephyra with her hip. Don’t let old sour puss over there make you as grouchy as she is, sister. I simply can’t stand the thought.

Zephyra slung her own arm around their youngest sister’s neck. Never fear, darling baby sister. I’ll make it my mission to torment the old crone until she has no choice but to participate in my derelict ways or suffer the consequences.

The four years between her and Zephyra, five between her and Lareina, hardly made her a crone. She snorted, then pushed away from the door frame to cross and pull Lareina into a hug.

Stay safe, little scholar fish. Don’t let Father bully you into war while we’re gone.

Lareina, shorter by half a head and deceptively delicate with willowy limbs, tucked her head under Kardia’s chin and hugged her back. Father wouldn’t council war unless he saw no other option, K. He may not love us like he used to, but I don’t think he’d do anything to harm Diomere.

Kardia scowled. Believe what you will but stay wary for me. Father was raised with his brothers. Everything bad in our lives has been due to them and their mission to control the gates. We know we can’t trust them.

Our sister promises to be the smart little scholar fish you’re always calling her. Right, Reina? When Lareina lifted her head and nodded, Zephyra smirked. You should be more worried about how you’re possibly going to resist having fun while hanging out with me and my troupe.

Lareina giggled. I wish I could be there to see this.

Lips twitching, her love for the two youngest of them a radiating warmth in her chest, she gave Lareina one last squeeze, then released her to cross back to the door. Pausing, she looked back over her shoulder at Zephyra. Now you have eight minutes to finish packing.

She crossed back to her own room, allowing a smile to spread across her face as the thump of a shoe hit the floor behind her.

Spoil-sport, Z called out behind her, the laughter in The Siren’s powerful voice creating bubbles of happiness inside Kardia, amplifying her own amusement.

She returned to where she’d dropped her bag and slung it over her shoulder, then bent to lift the small trunk of weapons she’d packed earlier.

The swish of rustling clothing made her swing around, body sinking into a fighting stance, dagger in her hand. Her father, Don Luis de Quinones, Lord of the Realm and member of Diomere’s Royal Council, stood in the doorway, a corner of his mouth lifted in a knowing smile.

He moved silently into the room, and she knew he’d alerted her to his presence on purpose. She resisted the urge to smirk. No doubt he’d done it so as not to end up skewered on one of her daggers.

He closed the door behind him, ensuring their privacy. Hello, Daughter.

What do you want? Kardia turned, keeping him in her peripheral vision as she straightened, and returned the dagger to the sheath strapped to her thigh.

To wish you luck on your journey, of course. You are my daughter. He ran a hand over black hair cropped close to his head to control its tendency to curl, pulled off the gloves he only went without around his daughters, then moved to the desk against the wall. Picking up the merman figure she’d made to represent her father when she’d thought him the most important person in her life, he slid his thumb over the perfectly proportioned fish tale.

She swallowed past the sudden ache in the back of her throat. Her father had commissioned the entire family set as a challenge on her eighth birthday. His she’d saved for last, when she’d finally become good enough to make it perfect. She’d sculpted the merman the morning of her tenth birthday. Before. When she and her sisters still loved their father and believed he loved them in return.

She clenched her jaw against the internal pleading voice of the young girl she’d been, which begged her to believe his actions showed he cared. If that’s all…

Luis turned to face her, his piercing, pale green eyes the exact replica of her own, his expression impossible to decipher. He crossed to stand in front of her, deliberately too close, forcing her to look up. She tightened her hand on the dagger strapped to her thigh, reminded that she’d inherited more than just the color of her eyes from him.

Luis lifted a hand and smoothed his palm down her hair as he had when she was a child, his thumb caressing the side of her face. You will protect Zephyra as you did Arriana.

She thought she saw pride in his expression but hardened her heart against the foolish hope. Never forget he sold you like a piece of unwanted furniture, she silently reminded herself.

His eyes darkened as if he’d heard the thought.

She rolled her shoulders. Of course. Kardia ducked away from his touch and crossed the room to jerk the door open. Goodbye, Father.

Luis turned, face set in a familiar, expressionless mask she often saw on herself when she looked in the mirror. Miguel is in Berezan. His mother was a dragon-shifter. Do not underestimate him.

Fighting to control the shock, she tightened her fingers around the door’s latch. Her father, having followed, paused in front of her, and touched a single finger to the back of her hand.

I’m going as Zephyra’s personal bodyguard. What need have I to be warned about your brother? she said, her voice even.

She studied his intense expression. Their father always gave his complete attention to his daughters when speaking with them, the focus accompanied by the gentle touch of his hand, as if the daughter speaking was the center of his whole world. And just like then, it’s all an illusion to garner trust. There’s no way he knows you’re actually going to stop the Guild from joining either side of the war. He doesn’t know you and your sisters have figured out he and his brothers are the enemy.

A look of fierce pride warmed his eyes from icy to iridescent. You and your sisters always did make an unstoppable team. Remember what I told you. Unless you’ve the ability to shield your presence beyond that provided by the Mer glamour, Miguel will know when you’re nearby. Safe travels, Daughter.

Frozen in place, Kardia watched him disappear down the hall, the keening child she’d been wanting so badly to believe his touch held affection and he hadn’t betrayed her as she believed, but the grown woman she’d become knowing it for false hope. She shifted her pack higher onto her shoulder, swept one last glance around her room, then stepped into the hallway and shoved his odd warning aside. She had a ship to board, a sister to protect, and a war to stop.

Chapter Two

The dragon jolted awake. His senses, magnified by the power in his blood, expanded to encompass his palace and the surrounding grounds. He discovered an intruder attempting to break the wards he’d placed before settling into the long Sleep of his kind. Frowning, Sahir prodded the male’s shields, sensing a familiarity that made him pause.

A half-breed. Interesting. Though the male’s power felt formidable, the intruder wasn’t strong enough to get through the shields of a twin-born dragon of royal blood, or those of the powerful Gate inhabiting his home’s lowest level. He blinked, dismissing the male. Opening his mouth, he yawned.

A loud explosion erupted from the palace’s lowest level, outside the gate cave’s doors.

Snapping his jaw closed, Sahir checked his shields to find they held. Smoke poured from his nostrils, twisting in tendrils around his scale-covered body until it covered him from head to tail. The power in his blood flared, sending a wave of near-unbearable heat washing over him until the smoke cleared and he stood fully clothed in his human form. Settling into the feel of leather pants and boots encasing his lower body, he stepped out onto the highest balcony of the palace, built directly into the tip of Mount Assus, the tallest mountain overlooking the valley holding the city of Assus. Water beaded on his bare chest, the cool embrace of the cloud layer washing the last lingering cobwebs of sleep from his mind even as it hid the palace from view of those in the city.

He reached for his power, called a’mi by those who could wield it and magic by humans. Made up of the five elements air, earth, fire, water, and spirit, he could bend them all to his will with a thought. Other A’mi races needed to envision physical constructs to manipulate the one or two elements they could access, these elements sitting in still pools within them. While the dragon-born, created by the god, Naar, possessed lifeblood made of the a’mi of all five elements flowing in their veins. This lifeblood the reason they were hunted. And if this uninvited guest thought to find easy prey, Sahir was more than willing to teach him a fatal lesson.

His strongest element, fire, answered his call first, followed by the other four elements. A wall of flame flared up between the half breed dragon and the gate cave door, then Sahir projected his voice through the a’mi feeding the fire.

Who dares attempt entry into my home?

The other male straightened to his full height, his a’mi probing at Sahir’s power, seeking to follow it back to the source. I’m one of the ten and meant to be the next Keeper of the Mountain Gate.

Sahir’s frown deepened. For the millionth time since the palace appeared to him thirty-three years before, he wondered why it had chosen him as its caretaker. It’s ultimately the gate’s choice, he reminded himself.

Sahir crossed his arms and projected his voice once again through the wall of flame. The gate will decide.

The power in his blood flared. In his mind’s eye, the shield covering the entire exterior of the palace, made when he’d tightly woven the five elements of his a’mi, pulled to either side like a curtain, revealing the gate cave doors. Locked by an ancient palm seal, the gate cave was now protected only by the gate’s power.

His wall of flames swirled and coalesced into a floating orb through which Sahir watched the other male step around the hole in the stone landing and stop in front of the door. Lifting his hands, the male pressed them to the indention on the palm seal. Sahir held his breath. The gate’s a’mi pulsed, and then went quiet.

It did not open.

Sahir