Stolen Diadem

By Mercedes Shanelle

In the magical world of Teltana, where Humans are few and far between, and most kingdoms are ruled by Fae, a prophecy found is coming to fruition, much sooner than expected. Morality begins shifting in the Kingdom of Val'e'Tar and now, Princess Nyx has to learn how to navigate life without the help of those who have mentored her through her whol

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mercedes Shanelle
• Release date: Aug 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9781737740216

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STOLEN

DIADEM

By Mercedes

Shanelle

Copyright © 2021 Mercedes Shanelle

Editing by Blazing Butterfly Edits

Editing by A. J. Casey

Cover photo and Design by Mercedes Shanelle, M.A. Clark, and Phoenix Rising Photography

All Rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters, and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Mercedes Shanelle asserts the moral right to be identified as the author and publisher of this work.

Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book.

First edition.

To My Auntie Ashling for helping to keep me motivated and inspired.

To my uncle Michael for encouraging me to keep working on turning my brainstorms into a story.

To my love Elijah, for making me sit down and write even if I didn’t always wish to do so.

To my great grandmother Alice Mae Rundell-Lomen to whom I promised I would finish writing my story. Here’s to you grandma. Book one from the world of Teltana.

⸙ Prologue ⸙

Come on Nystelle, let’s go! I called behind me as I ran into the woods, carried by the summer breeze. Laughter boomed out of my chest as I looked behind me to see my twin running after me, her small form struggling to keep pace with me. The morning rays of sun setting her hair aglow, as though she wore beams of moonlight braided around her head and shoulders—very different from my amethyst waves that cascaded from my head.

Oh! I am so gonna get you for that! You better hope this stain comes out of my dress! She giggled as she ran, her moon-colored hair bouncing in its braid.

Last one to the stream is a rotten quail’s egg! I called back to her, my heart pounding in my chest as I picked up my pace, jumping over the various tree roots, shrubs, and rocks as we ran further into the forest. I was moving fast enough to lose Nystelle in the trees but kept slow enough I could hear the snapping of twigs under her feet as she continued to follow me.

When I reached a stream running through the woods stretching behind the palace, I hiked up the skirt of my dress and waded out into the cool, clear water. A glittering light reflected into my eye, nearly blinding me and I looked down into the bed of pebbles as I reached the opposite bank of the stream, trying to find the source of the gleam. Soaked up to my knees, I opted to drop the skirts of my dress, and reached down to pick up the object catching the light.

I turned the opaque white crystal over in my palm as I heard Nystelle’s footsteps now echoing through the trees, stopping as she reached the edge of the water. Turning to face her I tossed the crystal to her, unsure of what called me to do so. Nystelle! Catch! I grinned at her as the crystal left my palm.

She looked up to me in surprise, What? Oh! She jumped forward to catch the crystal with both hands, falling into the stream as she caught it, landing on her knees and soaking herself up to her hips. Nyx! Mother is going to be so cross with me! She groaned, then looked up to me and added And you! You’ve ruined both our dresses! Come on, Let’s go back home! She pleaded with me, nearly yelling at me, the panic filling her voice now.

I grinned at her words, knowing full well they were true. I had a bad habit of ruining our clothes. Mother’s voice rang into my mind. You had better find a way to make those stains come out without my help, because if I have to do it child, you will find yourself at the end of the sword of rage that is your father’s impatience!

Not yet! We need to keep going. I motioned for her to follow me, as I shook the thought of mother’s anger from my head.

"What? No! I am not going with you this time! I am tired of getting lost in here with you! I can’t believe you managed to get me here this far!" Irritation seeped into her voice, and she sounded well beyond our eighth summer as her energy filled the air and prickled at my skin.

Stells. Your energy. It’s seeping again. I groaned at her as I rubbed at the prickling at my arm and started moving through the trees again. Now would you quit being a baby? Come on. I don’t think we are far from where we are going to find…whatever it is that’s prodding at my gut. I kept my tone cheery and tried to hide my frustration at her lack of adventure.

Fine. She said begrudgingly. But slow down, we don’t need to rip our dresses as well as stain them. Nystelle scolded me as she followed me through the woods. We walked on far longer than I ever paid attention to as my pumping adrenaline pushed me forward despite the many pleas of Nystelle that it was getting too late for us to still be in the woods.

When the sun was nearly setting in the horizon, and Nystelle finally stopped calling for us to head home, we came to a clearing in the trees. Instead of the area growing dark—as it should have been with as far as the sun had sunk through the trees—a dark violet glow filled the area. Just at the opposite edge of the clearing, a glowing doorway hovered above the ground.

Nyx, A thousand whispers called out. Nystelle, The whispers sounded again. Nyx! Nystelle! The whispers began to fill the air, as though a thousand voices whispered and called out for us.

Nyx, I don’t like this. We shouldn’t be here! Nystelle’s voice wavered, and her anxiety washed over me. Still, my feet moved forward almost of their own accord.

If you want to go, then go. This is what we were supposed to find. I stepped cautiously toward the glowing door, and it began to glow brighter.

Its glow grew brighter until it blinded us, stopping me in my tracks and another voice called out to us as I approached. Inhabitants of Teltana! Beware! The Demon King calls for revenge. We will come for you, within the next millennium we shall take what is ours! None shall live to keep their power!

The glowing light pulsed and dimmed, throwing out a white ring of light. Without a word, Nystelle reached out and grabbed the collar of my dress and began to try and drag me from the clearing back in the direction of our palace.

Nystelle! I screamed as the light reached us. Suddenly, I was thrown back, and I felt Nystelle’s hand release from the collar of my dress. My head struck the ground as I landed, and I saw stars dancing around me. Throbbing began, first at the back of my head where I hit it, then it spread to encompass its entirety. More stars danced before my eyes as I tried to open them, then everything around me turned into a blur. Darkness shrouded my mind and I fell unconscious, despite the cold of the magic rushing through my still numbed my body.

⸙ Ch. 1 ⸙

Clank. Clank. Clank. The sound of shackles and chains clinking together echoed down the stairs and through the cells of the prison I found myself waking in. That was the first sound I could remember hearing as I was drawn back into consciousness while trying to stabilize myself as I attempted to rise from the stone floor. The world around me spun as I felt the burning in my chest as bile rose in my throat, and I stifled a belch instead of vomiting on the damp stone floor before me.

The door to my cell swung open and in my blurred vision I could see the tusks of the Orcish guard gleaming in the light of the torch he carried in one hand. Don’t give us any trouble shank, and we won’t hurt you. He paused for a moment, the torchlight giving his green skin a grey hue as the world stopped spinning around me. I looked up into the piercing, grotesque, yellow eyes as he gave me what I thought was supposed to be a wicked grin. The look made me sick to my stomach as I became aware of his gravelly voice as he added the word much after studying me for a moment.

It was at that moment I realized that I wasn’t wearing any shackles or chains inside my cell, and I was aware of the damp cold my body seemed to be pulling from the stone floor upon which I laid.  The hulking guard before me bent over and traced a green-grey finger along my collar bone and I took that opportunity to stick my leg out and swung my foot into his, hooking it and pulling it up as he tried to pull me up and clasp the shackles around my wrists.

He fell backwards and a gruff ugh escaped him as he hit the ground. I didn’t stick around to see what he would do next. Leaping over him, I darted out of the cell moving swiftly toward the stairs leading into the prison. I threw my cell door closed behind me hoping to slow him down a bit and stuck to the shadows as I moved quickly. Trying to be silent as I moved hurriedly along, I reminded myself if I was caught again I most likely wouldn’t be able to escape.

Pausing at the top of the stairs, I realized how the silence echoed through the prison. He must’ve hit his head when I tripped him. Good, I thought to myself as I jumped up to the beam above me, pulling myself on top of it. My arms ached a little – probably from laying on that cell floor for who knows how long— as I pulled myself up. Moving through the prison will be no problem for me, this isn’t the first time I have been caught on a mission. Once on top of the beam, I moved further into the shadows as the adrenaline pumping through my veins slowed down making me sorely aware of how weak I felt. I wonder how long it’s been since I’ve eaten anything.

As if to answer my own question, my stomach lurched at the thought of food. I shook my head pulling my thoughts away from food, knowing I couldn’t stop moving yet. It was then I racked my brain for anything that would allude to my location, or how I had ended up here. Nothing came to mind, but I knew I needed to escape before whoever captured me, caught me again. Glancing quickly at my arms, I checked to see if anything I wore would help recover my memory. My eyes were greeted with bare skin and gooseflesh as a draft made its way through the area. There should be something there. Alright Nyx. What are you doing? Where are we supposed to be? The voice in my head started asking the questions I searched desperately for answers to.

I shook my head again, the anger stirring heat in my chest at my lack of memory. The thoughts in my head stopped swirling around as I heard the cell door below creaking and knew I needed to get moving. I took a deep breath and began maneuvering the beam, my muscles remembering what to do before I was conscious of the fact that I was doing it. The balls of my feet didn’t ache to my surprise, as something inside of me urged me to crouch and move along on the balls of my feet. I’m glad at least this seems familiar, Alright Nyx. Time to get moving. Even the voice in my head sounded irritated with my lack of memory.

I made it to a cross beam that went just far enough into the next room for me to spot a way out, across yet another beam and through a spot in the roof where I could climb out and make my way out of this place. Looking around me, I realized I wasn’t far enough into the next room yet to see where I was. The beam bowed slightly beneath my weight and I cringed slightly, almost holding my breath to avoid making more noise than necessary.

To my surprise, the next room had quite a few breaks in the roof where there was a blinding amount of light making its way through the thatch-work, and into the room and I squinted as I first entered. I hung back in the shadows while my vision adjusted to the change in the light from the dark cell I had been in just moments before. As I made my way across the beam, I realized everyone below the beams was asleep. Many of the dark, hulking, figures hunched and sprawled over tables and chairs. Many others were stretched across the few beds scattered unevenly through the room. Alright, Nyx. What have you gotten yourself into now? Orcs? Really? I asked myself, still trying to recall where I was or what my goal had been before I had been captured.

Suddenly, a blood-curdling and near deafening roar sliced through the silence that had filled the sun-lit room and I stopped on the beam, frozen momentarily where I crouched. The door leading to the prison area was thrown open and I jumped back stealthily to the shadows, clutching at the wall to hold myself on top of the beam and still landing inaudibly— thanks to the screaming of the guard who had come down to take me out of my cell. My fingers bit into the wooden beam I clutched at as I steadied myself, pulling splinters under my nails. Shank on the run!  his voice growled out without losing any volume. I edged my way back into the first room, teetering between to two rooms as I watched the previously silent room roar to life. Good to know they think I’m just a piece of meat.

The room was suddenly flooded with massive beasts of greys and greens hurrying to throw on armor and grabbing at the nearest weapons. Meanwhile, the Orc who had woken them kept barking orders at them, ending with another anger-filled yell. Don’t lose this one! We won’t make the treaty if we do! he commanded, the fury in his voice stabbing through the rabble as the guards poured out of every door, sprinting to take their places in effort to find and catch me again.

I decided to hang back in the shadows and waited until the dust settled in the room, and silence filled the area once more. When I could no longer hear the clinking of armor and weapons from the other rooms nearby and the dust from the ruckus had settled, I scanned the room before moving.

As I made my way back to the break in the roof I was going to crawl out of, I spotted a stack of parchment papers on a table in the far corner of the room. My curiosity got the best of me and I found myself jumping from the beam, landing in a crouched position just inches before the table. I wonder if any of these hold the key to my objective.

Jumping forward to the table, I rifled through the parchments to see if I could find anything to tell me where I was, or why I might be here. The stack held letters to and from families, orders for supplies, and lists of things to do on shifts but nothing that told me where I was or what their objective was here. At the bottom of the stack, I found a note I had almost missed. The Parchment was stuck to the other pages, almost as if it had been stacked while the ink was still wet. I carefully pulled it from the stack, trying to avoid blurring anything written on it. The blurred lettering on the parchment confirmed my suspicion, but the letters were still legible, and I had no trouble discerning the words on the page as I scanned it.

To all guards on duty,

Keep the purple-haired shank away from the others. It took us a while to capture the damn elf. Don’t leave her anywhere near the others or she’ll set them free, and we won’t have anything at the market. Her inane ability to sense trouble caused us an issue or two on the road to her capture, but I believe we remedied that. King Trellex has plans for her. Don’t lose her, and do not disregard her skill in combat or in stealth. Keep her separated. Don’t let her out of your sight if she is not in her cell, and do not let her trick you. She has far more combat skill than most of us will ever know. Any of those who fail to comply with these commands, will be immediately beheaded and the entire security of your facility will be rearranged. On another note, the requested goods will be delivered within the next two spans of days. Elven time, not Orcish. Please adjust your schedules accordingly.

Commander X.

Why does that script style look familiar? I asked myself, scanning it twice over before folding the parchment and tucking it into my tunic, and re-cinching my leather armored corset. The aches in my arms were non-existent as I scaled back up the beam and moved along it. I didn’t bother with silence in the now empty room. Jumping from the beam and grabbing hold of the edge of the roof came with ease, and I was able to pull myself up with very little effort despite the splinters from the wooden frame biting into my fingers.

Once out onto the roof, I saw the prison had been built into the side of an Orcish stronghold. It was as though the prison itself had been added on as an afterthought. Crouching down, I made my way to the shadowed side of the building. Jumping from the roof, I landed with a small oof as my ankles groaned at me.

Staying crouched to the frost-covered ground, my eyes swept over the area ensuring I was still hidden. Pushing myself to my feet, I darted to the wall that seemed to run around the stronghold. The crumbling spots in the wall made for good hand and footholds as I climbed up, avoiding the pieces of the cobblestone that would scratch and tear at my skin and clothes while I climbed. Although I was able to climb the wall with ease, the frosty air worried me and as I climbed, I prayed it was not yet cold enough that spots in the wall had turned icy.

When I reached the top of the wall, I sat upon the edge for a moment looking down. It was a long drop. How did I not notice that wall was so high up? Taking a deep breath, I looked around again. Before I could talk myself out of it, I jumped from the ledge landing outside of the stronghold.

I hit the ground running, not wanting to waste any more time getting away from the Orcs. The nearest trees provided a welcoming entry into the woods that seemed to surround the stronghold. Running through the trees was no issue for me. It wasn’t long before I heard branches breaking and inaudible voices yelling behind me and I could hear heavy feet and hooves both pounding into the earth behind me as the Orcs followed me. Leaping across a small stream, I felt an exhilarating rush as I landed and rushed to climb the nearest tree.

I moved through the treetops easily—despite the burn that had begun to sting my lungs— leaping from branch to branch without fail until I came to a large stream, but this time I couldn’t jump across it. Stopping to listen to the world around me the only sounds I could hear were the leaves rustling in the brisk wind, and the water running downstream. Glancing back through the branches, I saw they were too thick for me to see anything through them.

Heaving a sigh, I decided to scale down the tree, scraping my hands in the process. I walked to the edge of the stream.  Standing with my feet just barely out of the water, I glanced at the other pines surrounding me. I spotted a fir that was growing right at the nearest edge of the stream with one thick and heavy looking branch that extended across the stream to the other side, and into another tree.

Once I climbed that tree and crossed the stream by tree branch, I moved to the far side of the tree and stopped to catch my breath. I peeked behind me, and I was surrounded by enough trees that I still couldn’t see anything more than the stream, and the leaves and branches of the trees beyond it. The sweat dripped down my face as I sat back against the tree to catch my breath, straining my ears to listen for the sound of approaching Orcs so I wouldn’t be seen.

The frost-smelling wind rustled through the trees and the needles around me as I listened for the Orcs. When I was sure that I wasn’t being followed anymore and the sounds of the snowbirds singing on the wind filled my ears, I turned and sat back against the tree. My legs stretched out along the branch. My back ached as I tried relaxing and breathing until my lungs finally stopped burning. I found myself feeling weary from the uproar I had caused at the stronghold. Looking around me, I was still unfamiliar with where I was and tried to find something I recognized, aside from my own name and uncanny instincts came to no avail.

Stretching my arms up above my head, they groaned with aches and pains. Stretching my legs yielded the same results, this time sending those aches shooting through my back. I probably slept on that cell floor for several days. But how in the will of Lunesse did I get there? The wind picked up around me as I took another deep breath trying to clear my mind. I looked up and the stars peeked through the treetops above me. That’s why I don’t hear the Orcs following. Shaking my head at the thought, I laughed to myself quietly. Time to get moving again Nyx. Better to lose them while they’re not looking. I spoke out loud this time, my throat tingling slightly as I spoke. I do not want to be caught still when that first freeze hits.

Jumping from the branch, I took a small gulp from the clear stream. The water was icy and crisp, and incredibly satisfying. Drinking deeply, it only took a few small gulps to slake my thirst. The wind howled again through the trees and gooseflesh rose again on my skin. Rubbing at my arms trying to bring some warmth back into them, I pictured myself sitting in a grassy field with the summer sun beating down on me. I flinched as a voice rang into my mind Nyx, It’s Nystelle. Where in the will of Lunesse are you? The entire guard is out looking for you"