The Shattered Crown

By Terry Larch

Twisted with conflict gremlin Tix must confront her fate in this tale of empowerment and mystical journey. The universe hangs in the balance, as she finds herself unsure of what to do next. Her loyal companion Gamgriff aids her, as they face off against one of the great dark forces of these bewildering lands to behold. The crown is up for grabs but will she take it?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Terry Larch
• Release date: Mar 14, 2021
• ISBN: 9780463132142

Terry Larch

Thanks for stopping by. I enjoy writing about paranormal and strange news stories. I've published a series of eBooks recently that are out of this world. If you enjoy these kind of stories, check out: https://freaklore.comWhatever is out of the ordinary, I'm researching about to learn more. There are many different things in this world that simply cannot be explained. We all search for answers and desperately seek to find them. I enjoy just about anything science fiction, action and some horror stories.In history there are many unsolved mysteries to behold. I hope along with others, that we one day find the truth of things including what is real and what isn't.

Book preview

Lorai was the one connected with the ship’s mind when it spotted the object.

Normally gold-class oak ships like this didn’t need constant mental connection, but Andael had suffered injuries in the panicked evacuation from Illaren during Queen Naxa’s annexation of the planet. The ship was slowly healing itself as it drifted through space, tendrils of wood growing over its wounds and the sap flowing once more, but Andael required one of its crew members to be in constant telepathic communication, to facilitate the healing process, to soothe it, and to keep it on course. Not that the Illarenese refugees had any clear idea of where they were going, other than away.

So Lorai lay in the branch-cradle, talking to the ship. And it was her the ship alerted first when it sensed the object.

She focused Andael’s attention onto the object. She worked slowly and deliberately, but with urgency: any unidentified object in space was potentially disastrous news in these days of Queen Naxa’s murderous rampage.

What she saw caused her to send an alert pulse through the ship—maximum urgency.

What? What is it? Mar, her relief, ran to her side, cat ears laid back with urgency. Lorai slowly freed herself from the cradle, careful not to tear the ship’s fibers.

I don’t know, she said. "But I have to be at the deck. Take my place, Mar, and don’t let Andael panic!"

Looking fairly panicky himself, Mar climbed into the cradle. Its branches closed over him. Lorai, meanwhile, dashed through the dimly-lit passageways, swinging herself lightly on branches and across vine-bridges, to the central command-deck.

There crew members had gathered, to stand before Andael’s view-leaf. Murmurs of wonder and fear arose, and everyone turned at Lorai’s approach.

Lorai! Ariella’s wings trembled with her emotion. It’s something—we can’t figure out what. What did the ship say it was?

Lorai didn’t respond. She pushed her way to the view-leaf. The image filled the leaf’s surface.

It was a round globe, like all live-tree ships and space stations. But this one was huge, much bigger than normal. And, if the Andael was to be believed, it was made of…

Rowan, whispered Lorai. It’s made from a rowan tree.

Another murmur arose at this: incredulity and wonder. But there aren’t any rowans left, Ullich said, mumbling around his tusks. Naxa ordered them all destroyed.

"That’s what the Andael said, said Lorai. This ship…it’s a rowan-tree ship."

So it’s…? Ariella whispered.

Lorai could not answer, for