A Path Shifted: Book 1—Shifter Saga

By J.B. Streinf

Darin, a shape-shifter seeking redemption for past sins, works for the Sisters of Mercy. Offering his sword arm to help protect those they tell him to, he is sent to a far land to protect an heiress. Given how aristocracy generally view his kind—beastly, unkempt savages best kept as slaves than citizens—he balks at protecting one. As he attempts to complete his mission, he is met with various obstacles, not the least of which is the strong-headed woman he vows to protect.

Leonyn, heiress to the Free Tribes of Qamsaman, is threatened by a rebel faction of zealots bent on destroying what her father has built. Drawn to the mysterious stranger who enters her life, she hopes to learn more about him and herself. Should she trust this strange, gruff man? Faced with no other choice, she is compelled to put her life in Darin’s hands.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 25, 2019
• ISBN: 9781796012163

J.B. Streinf

J. B. Streinf learned her love of stories from her mother, who read to her each night at bedtime. As she grew, so did her love of the written word and her desire to make up her own stories. She and her sister would spend hours telling each other stories or talking about characters they created. Her father taught her all she knew about writing, had emphasized the importance and meaning of word choice. After writing her first serious short story, she gave it to her father, excited to share something she loved with someone she loved. She has travelled the world and gained inspiration from each culture, admiring the different characters she met. She is an avid animal lover and has spent time volunteering at animal shelters across the United States. Though often on the move, she currently resides with her husband, their two sons, and their two dogs, in Kansas. Much to the chagrin of her husband, she is also always on the lookout for another animal to welcome into their family.

Book preview

Copyright © 2019 by J.B. Streinf.

Library of Congress Control Number:    2019900868

ISBN:                   Hardcover              978-1-7960-1218-7

                             Softcover               978-1-7960-1217-0

                             eBook                      978-1-7960-1216-3

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 01/24/2019

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Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

For those who helped, even a little, thank you.

To my father, whose love of the written word first set fire to my own, pushing me to explore unfamiliar texts, to go on adventures through my own imagination, and to analyze it after to understand why it worked, why each story made me feel the way it did. He taught me that each word had meaning.

To my mother, whose unbridled enthusiasm, encouragement, and excitement meant the world to me and pushed me to pursue my dream. She introduced my first stories to me, reading to us each night from the little Pooh books.

To my sister, the unspoken editor, without whose feedback this book may never have been ready. When you are ready to share your story with the world, I hope I can help.

To my husband, a constant beside me, my rock who helped me when I wasn’t sure if I could continue.

To my boys, whose love of adventure and stories, and whose love and adorable little questions and hands have helped push me outside of my own comfort zone so many times. This one is for you, boys, though you can’t read it until you’re older.

To my family, you have been my inspiration, my cheerleaders, my early editors, my sounding boards, my constants, my adventures. Thank you.

Chapter 1

Mind frozen, Darin stared into his mother’s eyes, not believing what had just happened. Why? Why would she run in front of him? Why save something like him? But she had run in front of him, and now the arrow in her back, the arrow meant for him, was bleeding the life out of her. The sound of her wet, sucking breath broke through his frozen state; her shuddering breath rattled through his entire body. His eyes started filling and his mind ran through thoughts of disbelief—of how this couldn’t be, of how she would somehow miraculously heal, that she wasn’t dying before his eyes. As he held her, she clung to him, clawing as if trying to crawl away from the death to which each breath drew her closer. Despite his repetitive pleas for her to look at him, her gaze was fixed far in the distance, on something only she could see. Pink foam frothed up and out of her blue lips as her mouth moved, trying to form words for which she had no air. Even as he watched his mother struggle for breath, he felt as though he were the one drowning, drowning in blood. His throat closed tight when she stopped moving, as her breath came more slowly, and her eyes went dark, empty. As bubbles of blood seeped from her mouth and the hole in her chest, she went limp in Darin’s arms, her last rattling breath whispered over his cheek. Darin clasped her limp body to him as he fell to his knees. It felt as if a hand had reached down into the pit of his stomach and wrenched everything he had inside out through his chest. He couldn’t do anything but moan with the pain and hug her closer, his face buried in her hair.

No, no, no … mother, his voice a barely audible croak. He rocked back and forth and, grasping her hand, he placed it against his cheek, willing life back into dead eyes that stared through him. Inside, inside he was screaming. It had happened so fast, why would she do that? Why would she jump in front of him like that? Why? Why!

Look what you made me do you filthy animal.

The sound of Lugar’s voice sent a shiver through Darin’s body, reminding himself he was a man and not the sad little boy he felt like inside; with that shiver, his grief quickly turned to blind rage, the numbing chill that had settled over him became like ice. Setting his mother gently on the floor, Darin clenched his jaw and looked up to pin his father with a murderous glare, the crossbow still dangling from his father’s hand.

I didn’t make you do a damned thing, Darin growled, his vision going hazy around the edges, he could feel his teeth growing.

The panther wanted blood, and Darin was more than willing to provide. He stood and started toward his father slowly as a cat stalking its prey. As he neared, Lugar dropped the crossbow and unsheathed his sword. Darin grinned at the acrid scent of fear coming from his father. The sword flashed toward him—

Someone bumped into Darin, jolting him back to the present. He turned and snarled at the man who’d bumped into him; the man held his hands up and backed away quickly. Darin stared back at his latest drink and saw his mother’s face, which was then replaced by Searna’s. He closed his eyes; jaw clenched, as if gritting his teeth could stem the pain in his chest, he shook his head trying to shake the memories out. When that didn’t work he lifted the shot glass and tried to drown them instead. He motioned to the keep and turned to survey the room with a scowl. Friends laughed over a drink, conspirators in the corner booth traded secrets, whores searched for their next wage provider. Not one of the customers was an honest citizen; all were thieves or killers for hire The dim globes of the glow lights provided more shadows for nefarious deals than actual light. The poor health of the glow fish in the globes seemed to provide an apropos backdrop to the sick stench that seemed to permeate the area. Darin wondered if perhaps one of the thieves were to need any help on a job, not that he was much of a team player, he would be willing to consider it if only to keep from going back to the inn—to that new yet familiar room which he’d seen so many times during his travels over the past eight seasons. All inns were the same regardless of where they were. At the inn, the memories would engulf him in towering waves. Once he thought he could come up for breath, another one would come crashing down on him. One thing was certain, he couldn’t stay at the bar anymore, at least a quarter of the coin he’d shown up to town with that morning had been drunk here, and he’d barely a buzz to show for it. Overpriced, watered down swill. Perhaps if he walked the street he could find a wealthy window to crawl through. He threw back his last drink, tossed some gold coins on the counter, and flung up the hood of his cloak. As he headed for the door, he caught snips of people’s conversations.

. . . she has a price on …

. . . go through the door on …

. . . bet I’m the best thief …

Darin stopped and looked to where he heard the last voice and saw an obviously drunken man slap his companion on the back and grinned.

Whatever, Ethrol.

The man, who Darin guessed would be Ethrol, scowled, Nah, I’m serious. I bet you I’m the best thief in this whole bar.

Ethrol gestured wildly and would have hit Darin if Darin hadn’t dodged out of the way.

Whoa, sorry, buddy! Ethrol patted Darin’s chest.

Darin caught the man’s other wrist tightly and plucked his coin purse back from Ethrol. That is awfully pitiful for someone claiming to be the best thief in this bar.

Ethrol leaned close enough to Darin for his stinking breath to feather Darin’s face. Ah … but I am. Ethrol grinned, showing teeth gone a sickly brown color.

Darin shook his purse with a smirk. I think not.

Ethrol’s toothy grin widened. I’m not exactly at the uh … what d’ya call it … . the … Ethrol held his hand up as if indicating someone taller than himself.

Top of your game?

Ethrol pointed to Darin. Eyeah. Top of me game, thaszit.

Tell you what, I’ll bet you fifty gold pieces that I’m better than you.

Ha, okay. How’re you gonna prove that?

Name anything, anything at all, and I’ll steal it.

Anything?

Darin nodded. Anything.

Ethrol grabbed his chin considering. I know, Ethrol snapped his fingers, the Princess’s crown.

Okay. Darin turned toward the doorway.

Wait a second. Ethrol’s companion stopped Darin with a hand on his arm. You do know that the palace is on alert for some reason. If anyone sees you, they’re most likely to run you through as opposed to arresting you.

Thanks for the information, Darin said then whispered, I’ll be extra careful.

Ethrol’s companion’s eyebrows furrowed in a frown. Knowing what I just told you, you’re still going to go in there?

Darin shrugged. I got nothing better to do right now.

His eyebrows rose. Okay, but I’m coming with you. I have got to see this.

Darin shrugged again and headed for the door. Ethrol’s friend downed his drink and followed Darin.

Oi, wait for me, Ethrol called out and started to stumble after them.

Though Darin had picked the darkest wall, the two men from the bar could still see glimpses of him from the ground as he made his way up the castle wall. Unlike the men on the ground who could barely see anything though, Darin could see everything—every bug crawling on the wall stood out to him. The cool night air carried sounds some distance on such a clear night. He was careful not to scrape against the stone wall, reaching for each handhold slowly and ensuring he was set before reaching for another one. His heart pounded in his ears, sweat trickled down his temple, and the chill wind swept it away. When he got near the top of the wall, he waited and listened for noise. Hearing nothing other than the beating of his own heart, he popped his head above the edge and scanned either side, then hoisted himself over. Crouched low and hugging the inside wall, he poked his head over the inside wall to get the layout of the grounds. Her room was likely in one of the easternmost rooms in the east wing along the northeastern wall. In his experience in this country, women chose the easternmost room because their goddess lived far to the east, where the sun rose and the birth of each new day and night was.

He arrived at the easternmost turret and paused, listening closely for any noise from inside or atop the turret before moving on. He moved quickly; his soft-soled shoes making barely any noise on the stones, to where the east wing of the castle came close to the outside wall. Almost there, he heard noises and froze, looking both to the north and east turrets. There, between the north and west turret, two guards, apparently in heated discussion, headed in his direction in fits and starts. He looked down over the inside wall and blessed his luck, someone had left a balcony door open just on the corner room of the east wing. The curtains floated on the soft wind and fluttered out of the open balcony door. Those curtains would fetch a hefty price in the market, Darin noted absently as he judged the distance. The balcony was about forty pouses down and twenty pouses to the west of his position. It was now or never as far as Darin was concerned, so he climbed on top of the ledge and jumped toward the balcony. The wind screamed past his ears, ran through his hair, and whipped around his cloak. Landing with a dull thud, he rolled, then got up in a crouched position and headed for the door. He checked to make sure the guards on the wall hadn’t seen him before he crept inside.

Looking around the immaculate room, he couldn’t believe his luck as he spotted the crown on a bedside table. He was in the easternmost room of the building; he could almost chuckle. He looked around the room absently and saw a collection of crystal animals on a desk to his right. Considering how much they were worth, Darin stuffed a few in a small sack he always carried with him, thinking she could always afford more anyway, then headed to the crown. He grabbed the small silver circlet and glanced at the princess’s sleeping form. He was trapped; how could he ever hope to tear his gaze away from her?

Hair, like black silk, spread over her pillow in shining waves. Her skin was fair as the white sands just to the south of her city, and her lashes skimmed over her cheeks as she slept. Would her skin feel as soft as it looked? Darin reached out to skim a finger over her cheek when an arm wrapped around his neck. Shaking his head as if waking from a dream, Darin crushed the instep of his assailant’s foot and elbowed him in the gut. He heard a grunt of pain from his attacker. The arm let go and Darin turned, instinctively slanting himself to the darkest part of the room, to face the guard. The guard reached for Darin blindly, unable to see Darin now that he was no longer silhouetted against the open balcony door. Darin, smiling, easily dodged out of the way. Still grinning, Darin tapped the guard on the shoulder and watched as the guard swept his arm in that direction. What a fool, he couldn’t see a damned thing, and he tried to attack someone in the dark. He should have uncovered the glow lights, Darin thought. This was just too easy, Darin thought as he tapped the guard on the shoulder again. The guard swung, pitching himself off balance. Darin stuck his foot out, tripping the guard. The guard stumbled and fell on a glass table. The shattering glass sounded like an explosion in the quiet room.

Who’s there, a feminine voice called in the dark.

Darin looked behind him to see the princess sitting up, holding the sheet to her chest. Her golden eyes searching the darkness. Glass crunched underfoot as the guard stood up again. Time to go, Darin thought. He headed for the balcony door when suddenly a blinding bright light came on.

Holy—, Darin cursed and covered his eyes, turning away from the offending light. He opened them again and saw a fist headed toward him. It connected with the side of his jaw, and his head whipped back with the impact. He could just hear the alarm of other guards above the rushing of blood in his ears as they saw that the princess’s light was on. Of course the breaking glass table hadn’t helped much in the way of stealth either. The last thing he wanted to do was get caught in the palace—who knew what they’d do to him? Darin turned to the guard and swept the guard’s feet out from under him. He hit the guard in the temple, knocking him out, and ran out to the balcony. A loud boom rent the air. Darin turned his head to see guards pouring into the princess’s room through the solid door which hinges they’d just knocked off. The guards stood, looking at the mess before them, and searching for the intruder. He looked back and saw the princess staring at him, her golden eyes held his, piercing him. He felt like a fist had been rammed into his gut, he swallowed hard. Hearing footsteps approaching the balcony, he blinked, breaking the spell. While his gaze was still on the princess, he grinned, winked at her, and leapt off the balcony with the princess’s crown between his teeth. As he fell, he focused on the form of a night hawk; he felt his bones shifting quickly, muscle and sinew rearranging itself to accommodate his new form. The ground rushed up at him, and he spread his wings, gliding along the grounds for a few seconds before he pushed up into the sky. His heart beat quickly as he made his escape. If he wasn’t holding the crown in his beak, he’d let out a shriek from the excitement.

He was now fifty gold pieces richer, of course, fencing the crown would prove difficult, especially since there would likely be howlers out informing people that someone had stolen it in the morning. He supposed that he could always return the crown after he got his fifty gold pieces from Ethrol since he’d won their wager. Though in his estimation he’d cheated just a little by using his shifting abilities to escape, but that was neither here nor there. He found a dark alley near where Ethrol and his companion were still staring up at the wall he’d climbed earlier and shifted.

Darin grinned as he looked down at the crown in his hands. Getting away with a heist was always a rush; of course this one had been a little closer to being caught then he ever liked to get. He frowned as he thought of why he’d almost been caught: the sight of a woman, a princess no doubt, had made him blind to his surroundings. Dangerous anywhere, but in his profession a mistake that could prove fatal. Growling a little at his thoughts and the woman that had given him such trouble, he whistled at Ethrol to get his attention. Ethrol’s expression when Darin tossed the crown at him lightened Darin’s mood enough to have another grin spreading across his face.

I believe you owe me some money.

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Leonyn came awake to a loud crash, and she called out to see who was there. She could hear the tinkling of glass from her left but saw a figure headed to the balcony on her right; there were two people in her room. Shivering with fright, she clutched her sheet tighter and reached over to pull the lever to uncover the glow lights. From the figure on her right, she heard a deep roughened voice curse viciously at the light. Her gaze went immediately to the man who’d uttered the curses and winced as she saw his head snap back when a guard, the other person in her room, punched him. The man moved swiftly and fluidly as he knocked the guard off his feet and knocked him out before running to the edge of the balcony. She heard the guards break her door in but couldn’t tear her gaze from the man in the cloak. His gaze collided with hers and though she was aware of the rest of his appearance, the full beard and raggedy clothes, it paled as she seemed to be pulled into his gaze. His gray eyes looked so serious for a moment before he blinked, grinned, winked, and leapt off the balcony. Leonyn gave a small cry and jumped out of bed, the guards following close behind and asking over and over again if she was injured.

I’m fine, I’m fine, she said. She reached the balcony and looked down; there was nobody… but where? She leaned a bit farther over the railing and still didn’t see anything, so she scanned the immediate area and found there was no place possible for the man to have landed safely. She looked to the guards who were closest, asking if they could help her. There was a man; there was a man out here. He jumped off the balcony.

The guards looked at each other, then down at the ground, then at her. Are you sure, milady?

Leonyn narrowed her eyes. She knew how it sounded, but she had seen him. He had winked at her for Zulnias’s sake. She stormed back into her room to see two guards helping the one the gray-eyed man knocked out to his feet. Something caught the corner of her eye, the figurines! With her heart in her throat, she ran to her table and noted that four were missing. She only had fourteen—one for each birthday her mother had been able to give her. Even on her deathbed, her mother had given her one for her fourteenth birthday. Tears gathering in her eyes, she dropped to her knees. Please, please be on the floor. Her throat tightened when she didn’t find any on the floor. She looked all over the floor around the table again and then counted the figurines again as if magically, the other four would reappear. Still, she came up with only ten. She felt as if a hand had reached inside and squeezed her heart tight in a fist. She couldn’t get air past the tightness in her throat, and everything blurred as her tears gathered and spilled.

Highness, one of the guards inquired when she sat on the floor and began sobbing into her hands.

That man! The gray-eyed man had taken them, she was certain, and she cursed him under her breath.

Leave her, a familiar voice called before warm muscular arms came around her. I know princess, Kendol’s deep voice murmured softly. We’ll find them.

Having Kendol there, someone who knew and understood, soothed her weeping heart. Having those pieces taken was like losing her mother again. Leonyn took a deep trembling breath, trying to calm herself.

Thank you, Kendol, she whispered as she wiped at her eyes. He was her most trusted guard, part of her father’s inner circle and head of security at the castle. I’ll check the rest of the room to see if anything else is missing.

Kendol stood and gave a nod before directing the other guards out and sending the one who’d been knocked unconscious to the healer.

My circlet is gone as well.

Kendol let one of her maidens enter with a warm glass of milk while he discussed with one of the other guards some sort of weapon that had been found.

Highness, you saw a man leap off the balcony?

Leonyn nodded as she stared into the milk and let her maiden, Lara, brush her hair.

Kendol knelt in front of her. What did this man look like?

Leonyn’s gaze went from her milk to Kendol’s eyes. He has gray eyes. Her gaze went to the balcony as she thought of the gray-eyed man.

Kendol waited for a minute before asking, And? Was he as tall as I? Heavy in the gut or light?

As tall as you, yes. He had commoner clothes on, she stated, then whispered as if to herself, They seemed ill fitted. She frowned as she thought back. He has a beard, thick and black. She cursed her lack of attentiveness. I-I don’t know what else. I’m sorry, Kendol. But surely there aren’t that many thieves able to enter the palace?

Kendol rubbed her arms reassuringly. Of course not.

Leonyn wanted to roll her eyes, all too familiar with that placating tone. They did not discuss security concerns with women and only wished to reassure that all was well in the world. She had eyes, had she not? And a brain as well, which was perfectly capable of analyzing problems and deducing that all was not well in the world.

Best you rest now, Princess, he said with a nod to Lara in dismissal.

She smiled sweetly and fought not to grind her teeth. Yes, of course. Thank you, Kendol.

Oh yes, she thought, send the little woman to bed. Best not to burden her with matters concerning her safety. She decided she would go into town tomorrow. Perhaps if she were lucky, she’d meet the heathen herself and put things right.

Kendol didn’t know what to make of the glint in the princess’s eye, but he needed to discuss the intrusion with the king; the weapon found, and the implications it brought, needed to be discussed.

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Darin, seated cross legged on his bed at the inn, jingled his new coins in his hand while staring with a frown at the crown set before him on the bed. While it was the reason behind him recouping some of what he’d spent at the bar, it was also the cause of some vexation.

What the hell was he doing there in the dark?

Surely there was a reasonable explanation as to why a guard had been in a royal’s room with no light, no partner, and the door barred. Darin rolled his eyes at himself, sure because there’s always a reasonable explanation for everything. Not like someone could have bribed the guard because, ya’ know, those guys were infallible. Why was he even thinking about it? Agitated he got up to pace. What did he care if a guard was out to hurt a royal, what the hell had they ever done for him other than cause him and his kind pain and suffering? Darin scowled at the crown as if it were the source of his problems. Why should he care what happened to the woman? Even as he thought it, he saw her sleeping form in his mind again, the moonlight seeming to glow off her fair skin. What was wrong with him? He hadn’t had a woman disturb him so since … since Searna.

He shook his head with a growl, baring his teeth at the crown. Determined to get rid of the offending circle of metal and put the whole incident out of his mind, he snatched the crown off the bed and was about to throw it out the window. He stopped as moonlight glinted off the figurines he’d lifted from the princess’s small table, sitting by the window. Lowering his arm, he looked down at the circlet. He supposed he could return it and maybe even ease his nagging thoughts by checking things out for himself. His dark brows drew together in a frown, his thumb rubbing over the smooth metal. Why should he check things out? Just return the damned thing, not like he could fence it anyway. Grabbing his cloak, he flung it on and left his room. Outside, he headed to a darkened alley and focused. At least this time he could enjoy the change. His eyes changed first, he could feel them growing and his sight improved. He looked down and watched the feathered pattern etch itself on his skin before bursting through, first in white fluffs then in long flight feathers. He could feel his bones, muscle, sinew, and internal organs shifting around, and while uncomfortable, that didn’t hurt. Once he was in the form of a night hawk, he grasped the crown in his talons and took to the sky. This was his favorite part—pumping his wings he went higher and looked down at the city spread before him. The night sky twinkled with stars that, in his current form, looked bright and green, casting soft green light on the buildings below. He saw the castle cresting above the city to the east; he headed toward it and let the night hawk consciousness take hold. It soared and screeched in joy, the cool night breeze fluttering its feathers. Only like this, in other forms, could he find peace from the demons of his past, by letting the animal rule and calm his inner turmoil with its simple joy of being.

He took control again when the night hawk reached the castle; he circled over it determining where to put the crown. The princess’s room would now have doubled the guard, and likely stationed inside, so that was not an option. He