Rogue Ranger: Robin of Larkspur, #3

By Melinda Kucsera

A mother's love knows no bounds, but the enchanted forest is unforgiving. There are three rules she can't break—start no fires, carry no weapons, and do no harm—or die.

Robin must save her daughter while keeping the rules of the forest, despite being harried by shapeshifters who want something from her. With the help of a powerful mage and his enigmatic companion, they face tests that push them to the brink. But one of them is not who they seem.

Will they triumph over the forest's rules and the evil that seeks to destroy them, or succumb to its power and turn against each other? Dive into this epic fantasy adventure and find out!

Rogue Ranger is the third book in the Robin of Larkspur series.  

• Language: English
• Publisher: Melinda Kucsera
• Release date: Mar 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215834374

Melinda Kucsera

I write fantasy and science fiction novels and short stories usually at sword point. Everyone should have such eager characters......Hello readers!Yes, this is a fictional character speaking to you. My fellow characters just locked our scribe (Melinda) in a tower. She needs to finish our latest adventure.Want to meet us? Hop on over to get our first adventure for FREE: http://www.mkucsera.com/enchantedWe’re eager to entertain you with our magical mayhem. So go download our book! We're waiting for you.

Book preview

Copyright

Rogue Ranger is © by Melinda Kucsera 2022

The cover is © by Melinda Kucsera 2022

All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. 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 publisher. This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Table of Contents

Rogue Ranger

Copyright

Table of Contents

Robin of Larkspur Series

Want Free Stuff?

Would You Leave A Review?

Acknowledgments

About Rogue Ranger

Author’s Note

Betrayed

Doubts Enter In

Shadows of the Past

Allies No More

An Uneasy Alliance

Claws Test Them

Shady Dealings

Friends By Starlight

The Great Escape

Mage Down

All Wrapped Up

Shades of Gray

Betrayed in the Dark

For My Angel

A Witch’s Word

Spying Times

Strings & Remnants of Things

Magical Gateways

Those Troublesome Threads

Arise, My Angel

An Unexpected Problem

Branching Out

Shades of Blame

Slide Away With Me

No Escape

Attack of the Strings

Not On My Watch

See How She Spins

What the Demon Wants

Taking Strings Literally

How Do We Help Her?

All Things Gray And Strange

The Blame Game

A Truce And A Journey

Mine, I Name You

Be My Hands

A Note About Shade

A Note About Curses

Why Did This Book Take Three Years?

Would You Leave A Review?

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Memoriam

About The Author

I’d Love To Hear From You!

Robin of Larkspur

The Curse Breaker Series

Curse Breaker Boxed Sets

His Angelic Keeper Series

Curse Breaker’s Companion

Divergent Heroes

Robin of Larkspur Series

A high-fantasy action/adventure series full of magic and mayhem, starring a single mother and her friends. Other books in the Robin of Larkspur Series:

(Suggested Reading Order)

HUNTER’S NIGHT

ROGUE NIGHT

ROGUE RANGER*

ROGUE RESCUE*

ROGUE GODS*

ROGUE GIFT*

*Forthcoming

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—The cast of the Curse Breaker Series

Would You Leave A Review?

As fictional characters, we appreciate the feedback we receive. Reviews also help readers choose our book. Since we exist only when someone’s reading our stories, reviews are very important to us. So, if you’re enjoying the magical mayhem in this book, please consider letting everyone know by leaving a review. And tell everyone you meet about us.

Thank you for reading Rogue Ranger.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to all our supporters on Patreon and Substack, especially:

Glenda Andre

Without your generous support, this book might not have happened. Thank you so much for being a part of this journey.

If you would like to support the characters who entertain you and get access to our books before anyone else, along with whatever else Ran dreams up, head over to Patreon or Substack to join us.

About Rogue Ranger

A mother's love knows no bounds, but the enchanted forest is unforgiving. There are three rules she can’t break—start no fires, carry no weapons, and do no harm—or die.

Robin must save her daughter while keeping the rules of the forest, despite being harried by shapeshifters who want something from her. With the help of a powerful mage and his enigmatic companion, they face tests that push them to the brink. But one of them is not who they seem.

Will they triumph over the forest's rules and the evil that seeks to destroy them, or succumb to its power and turn against each other? Dive into this epic fantasy adventure and find out!

Author’s Note

I know it’s annoying for characters to remain nameless or not give their names, but the characters in this book live in an enchanted forest. So they’re well-versed in magic and the power of names. They won’t tell people their names unless they trust them. If you were in the enchanted forest and you encountered a stranger, would you give them your name?

I don’t think you would because you don’t know if the person has any magic, or if they’d use that knowledge against you. So there will be characters in this book that won’t tell anyone their names for that reason. I just wanted to add this note because this drives my editor crazy. But I can’t imagine anyone who grew up in an enchanted forest would ever give out their name when they met a total stranger.

I hope this helps. It’s annoying not knowing everyone’s names, but the characters in this book will just have to gain their trust to get their names. I hope you enjoy this story. It was an uphill battle from page one with Robin, and that’s why it took so long for this book to come out after her second one.

Betrayed

Midnight Tomorrow

Snow crunched under her boots, but it was the only sound since the wind had calmed down to a breeze that stirred the bare branches overhead. Robin rounded yet another giant tree in the enchanted forest and stopped when undisturbed snow stretched on before her. Shade? Where are you? And where was Sarn?

I never should have let Shade carry him. I should have made a sled and dragged him behind me. But time was her enemy, and Shade had picked up the lean mage like he weighed nothing at all after Sarn blacked out from too much magicking. As much as it galled her to admit it, she couldn’t have done that.

I’m where I should be, beside my angel. Shade’s voice seemed to come from everywhere at once, and it gave the word ‘angel’ special emphasis.

Sarn was handsome and powerful, and his eyes glowed, but that wasn’t why Shade called him an angel. There was something about Sarn that made her want to wrap him in wool and stuff him into a vault where he’d be safe. I need to stop thinking about him like he’s a precious jewel that I need to guard.

Robin cursed. He doesn’t belong to you. Sarn promised to help me find my daughter. She pivoted but couldn’t spot Shade, even after baiting them. Where did Shade take Sarn? That enigma couldn’t hide him for long. Sarn had a lot of magic, and green light leaked out of his eyes even when he closed them, but there was no green glow above her. Sarn must be here somewhere.

I must find him. He could freeze to death since mages were just as susceptible to the cold as everyone else. Robin doubted Shade was doing anything to prevent that. I wish Sarn wasn’t so damned attractive. He was complicating what should be a straightforward rescue mission.

Worse still, that mage reminded Robin of her father. And that should have iced her attraction, but it just made her want to throw him over her shoulder, like a spoil of war, and carry him off. I could earn a good living with a mage on my arm. Robin tucked that thought away for later. After all, she still needed to earn a living after she saved her daughter. Magic might be illegal in the cities, but everywhere else in this country, people coveted it.

You don’t deserve his help. I tried to stop him from volunteering, but my Angel has a big heart. Shade’s voice definitely came from above. How could Shade climb a tree while carrying Sarn when the lowest branches were hundreds of feet above their heads? Who was Shade?

But you failed, and he promised me. Robin circled the tree where Shade’s voice came from. If there was a gray blob perched in its branches, she couldn’t tell in the dark. Shade’s clothing blended too well with the night. Just to be safe, she unslung her bow case and quietly unlatched it. Part of her mind was already calculating the speed and direction of the breeze stirring the cold, damp air.

Sarn’s warning about the forest echoed in her mind. Remember their three rules. Start no fires. Carry no weapons. Do no harm.

Robin closed the latches on her bow case. I won’t risk it. She couldn’t anger the forest, not when she didn’t know where Sarn was. The trees could harm him by accident since they covered the land so thickly here.

I know, but I’m correcting that mistake, Shade said, and their voice came from everywhere again, pulling her out of her scattered thoughts

Oh really? How’s that going for you? Robin gripped her bow case. She could still swing it if Shade came at her. How will I fight the Wild Hunt to get my daughter back when the forest doesn’t allow any violence under their boughs?

A wolf howled, but she couldn’t tell how far away it was. Where were those change wolves? She hadn’t seen them since Sarn had started magicking, but he stopped shielding them when he passed out. Nothing stopped those wolves from attacking now. Robin glanced around. Where are those wolves?

Something whizzed past her ear. What was that? Robin found an arrow buried point first in the snow, and the tree next to it shifted like a dreamer. Where did that arrow come from?

Shade didn’t bring anything with them when they left Mount Eredren. Where could that arrow come from? Did a Ranger try to shoot her? I never got a look at the arrows the Rangers of Mount Eredren favor, so I don’t know if this is one of theirs. Robin stayed low in case a second arrow followed the first.

Where are you, Shade? Robin didn’t see or hear them moving about anymore. A flash of movement made her turn. Did she just see a green glow over there? Robin waited, but it didn’t appear again.

A shadow rushed out of the darkness to her left and leaped at her. Robin threw her arm up to cover her head, and the wolf collided with it in a brilliant green flash that sent it flying into the darkness. A thread darkened and disintegrated as it fell from her wrist, but there was a dark thread lying on the ground near her foot. At last, a lead! Robin crouched to examine it.

The last time Shade had used their strange powers, they’d left behind black threads, just like the one squirming away from her in the snow. Are you returning to your master? Robin extended her gloved hand toward it, and it crawled away from her. What power do you hold? Was it enough to disappear like Shade did?

What are you doing? Shade appeared next to her, but their arms were empty.

Where’s Sarn? Robin let her hand hover over the dark thread, inching toward Shade.

Somewhere safe. Shade raised their hands.

Can I believe that? Probably not, but Robin retracted her hand. The dark thread had merged with Shade’s boot. He’d better be. I promised to watch out for him.

No need. I won’t let anyone harm him. Shade stuffed their hands into their pockets, and that should have made them less unnerving, not more so.

Does that include you? Just the thought of someone trying to hurt Sarn made her blood boil. I need to calm down. I don’t own him. But damn it, Robin wanted to. She’d never met anyone like him before and gold coins kept dancing at the edge of her vision every time she thought of him and what people would pay for one of his spells. When did I become this mercenary? Robin tried to put all thoughts of the mage out of her mind.

Are you sure about that? I see it in your eyes. You want him for his magic. You’re like everyone else. You don’t see his true worth. Shade pointed an accusatory finger at her.

And you do? I’ve seen the way you look at him. You covet his magic too. Would you protect him even from yourself? Robin blinked when a snowflake landed in her eyes. When she opened them, Shade had vanished again. Where did they go this time? Shade?

No answer. Why should they speak to her? Another arrow shot through the darkness. This time, it struck the ground inches from her boot, and the tree next to her shook, raining snow on her. Robin was on her own. Shade didn’t care if she survived this encounter. At least I know where I stand.

Robin touched the latches on her bow case, then stopped. The forest hadn’t reacted when she’d used the magic threads to shove the wolf away. But it had reacted to the arrows. Maybe she should leave her bow in its case for now. Besides, the arrow hadn’t hit her. Was it a warning shot?

Where are you? Robin scanned the darkness beneath the boughs.

He’s mine, Shade said from behind her.

Pain crashed into her head when she turned. Shade dropped something hard. It was probably a rock. Shayari had too many lying around. Robin collapsed on the snow as more snow fell on her.

Above her head, branches rustled and swayed like dreamers stretching after a long nap, but they didn’t stab the earth in search of Shade to punish them for breaking their rules. Why did you hit me? We had an agreement.

No, you had one with my angel, but your quest hurts him, and I can’t allow that. He’s precious to me. Ice-covered snow crunched nearby as Shade strode away.

His son is missing too. Robin shouldn’t have needed to point that out, not to Shade since they claimed they cared about Sarn. Darkness hovered in her peripheral vision. She blinked to clear her winnowing sight, but that didn’t help.

Is the boy his? She played so many games. I don’t believe the boy is his. I hope you find your daughter. It’s better if you find her without my angel. He won’t fight, and you’ll have to fight to get her back.

What about his son? Robin fought the darkness overtaking her. She must stay conscious. This might be the most important conversation in her life.

Yes, it’s better if you go after your daughter alone. My angel gave you a direction, Shade said, then silence blanketed the forest again as their footsteps faded.

The enchanted trees would get him. She just needed to wait.

Where was the archer? Robin listened but heard nothing, not even the wind stirred the bare branches above. As the pain swept her into that starless darkness, she thought she heard the crunch of boots on snow and the creak of branches as they stabbed downward. I hope they kill Shade for breaking their rules.

Someone was coming. Was Shade returning to finish her off?

Doubts Enter In

Now (Yesterday afternoon)

I’m coming, Rosalie. Hang on for a little longer. Robin tugged her scarf up as she hurried down the switchback trail. She couldn’t get away from Mount Eredren fast enough, not with the icy patches causing her to slide for several man lengths before she caught herself on a boulder. Thank God she had because it was a long way down to the snow-covered meadow. I need to be more careful. Rosalie’s counting on me to save her.

But was she really? Doubts gnawed at her. Rosalie was only a few months old. She knows I’m her mother. Was her daughter still alive? Robin pushed off the boulder and trudged onward. She must be. I’m a fighter, and she’s my daughter, so she must be too. Robin wouldn’t accept anything else, not when she’d finally found someone who could track her daughter’s kidnappers.

But what if she isn’t alive? That doubting voice in her head asked. Your daughter might not turn out like you.

That was true. Robin stabbed her bow case into the snow-covered gravel path and shoved that doubt aside. Rosalie was so young. It was too early to tell what kind of woman she’d become. And I’ll love her no matter what she wants to do with her life, just like my mother loves me. Robin paused as pain stabbed her chest at the thought of her mother.

They’d quarreled before she’d left home, and everything her mother had predicted had come true. You were right, Mom. I hope I can tell you that one day. Robin brushed the tears from her eyes onto her gloved hand and turned to check on her back trail.

A cloaked man with glowing green eyes trudged through the blowing snow behind her, but he wasn’t catching up. What was Sarn doing? He promised to help her, but he couldn’t do that if he didn’t leave the mountain.

Sarn glanced behind him as he slowed. Was he regretting his decision already? For a long moment, he stared at the giant yellow-glowing doors. An ancient race of stone mages had set them on a mountainside. Beyond them, a maze of tunnels led eventually to the city under the mountain. At least that was the rumor. Robin hadn’t seen it, so she didn’t know if that was true.

What was he waiting for? Before Robin could ask, the wind struck her hard enough to blow her off the trail. She grabbed for the nearest rock formation and held on until it subsided. Further up the trail, Sarn stood there, waiting for something. His cloak billowed in the wind like a dark green banner, but he remained as still as the mountain, no doubt thanks to his magic. What else could he do with it?

I should have asked. But getting him out of Mount Eredren before he or his Ranger masters changed their minds had been more important. Besides, he wasn’t the only one who had magic. I have it too, according to that golem, but mine doesn’t stop the wind from knocking me down.

Envy welled up inside her, but Robin tamped it down. Stress brought out the worst in her when she needed to be at her best. I still don’t know even a fraction of what I can do with that power. Right now it just wrapped around her wrist in glowing coils, like some kind of exotic jewelry, but it might have other benefits. Robin let go of the rock.

Sarn still hadn’t moved, and no one else had left the mountain stronghold. But someone would. The Rangers couldn’t let someone as powerful as Sarn out of their sight for long. I promised I’d return him, but they don’t trust me, even though I’m a Ranger too. And that hurt.

The metal medallion around her neck that identified her as a Ranger felt like a block of ice against her skin, but she wouldn’t take it off. Not for all the gold in Shayari. It was a gift from her father, but she’d earned it through archery contests and interminable drills.

Is it because I’m a woman that they don’t see me as one of them? That didn’t make sense since the Rangers of Mount Eredren had at least one female Ranger. Robin had met her. Or do they distrust me because I’m a stranger?

That was possible. Mount Eredren was on the River Nirthal, and it received a lot more visitors than her home village of Larkspur. Perhaps they’ve had troublemakers in the past who claimed to be Rangers.

That was possible. Why am I driving myself crazy over this? I’m just borrowing Sarn for a few days to rescue my daughter. I’ll return him and go my own way when Rosalie is strong enough to travel. There was still the question of what she’d do after that, but Robin put that aside too.

Sarn finally turned and trudged after her. Robin stamped her feet and prayed for patience. Oh, come on. You’re a lot taller than me. Put those long legs to good use. You should have passed me already. But Sarn didn’t. He stayed as far behind as he could get without walking backward. Why was he dawdling?

Couldn’t he walk faster? Robin opened her mouth to ask, then shut it as she remembered the golem under the mountain. It promised to let him go. Had it reneged on that deal?

Robin studied the tall, lean mage. Were his eyes glowing brighter than before? Maybe he shuffled because something was physically or magically holding him back. Would the mountain let Sarn leave?

It must. He promised to help me. Robin hurried to the end of the trail, so it couldn’t impede her too. She didn’t stop until she set both feet on the snowy meadow. A gray shape appeared behind Sarn. Before she could call out a warning, Sarn turned and stopped dead in his tracks.

Great. Another delay. Just what she didn’t need right now. Robin scrubbed a gloved hand over her face. When she lowered it, she wanted to scream in frustration. Sarn stood on the side of the mountain and talked to the person in gray robes. She couldn’t recall any religious orders that wore gray, but she didn’t know much about the orders that weren’t close to her home village.

Who’s that? Robin squinted at the person as they flanked Sarn and accompanied him down the mountain trail. Was that person Nolo’s insurance? Possibly. Why else would a stranger head out into a storm?

You’d better not slow us down, or we’ll leave you behind. Robin shoved a tendril of hair that had escaped her braid under her hood and stamped her feet, partly to warm them, and partly to release some of her pent-up frustration. Sarn was taking a long time to hike down to the meadow, and it was that gray-clad enigma’s fault.

Who was that gray person to Sarn? She squelched the suspicions caroming around inside her mind. I need to get a grip on my emotions, or I’ll never save my daughter. Some rest would repair her temper, but she couldn’t stop now, not when she finally had a mage who could help her find Rosalie. That was all that mattered now.

Robin rubbed the bridge of her nose. I need to stop jumping to conclusions. Robin stamped her feet harder than necessary and faced the mountain. The wind whipped past her, pelting her back with snow. It grabbed Sarn’s dark green cloak and billowed it again, but it didn’t touch the long gray robes or the gray veil covering the enigma hiking beside him. How strange. Was Sarn’s mysterious companion a mage too?

Mount Eredren was a large settlement. Could it boast two mages without drawing the eyes of the Seekers of Truth? I doubt it. Mount Eredren was too close to Jacora, where most of the magic haters lived. It was just a boat ride away from that city.

Who are you? Will you tell me if I ask? If not, she could make them. Robin ground the metal cap of her bow case into the snow as she considered that. It was a great idea. I need to know as much about my travel companions as I can. That knowledge could save her life or her daughter’s.

A wolf howled off in the distance, reminding her that wolf pack was still out there. Would Sarn fight if those change-wolves attacked them? Based on their interaction so far, she didn’t know what he’d do. I’ll fight like hell until my enemy lies at my feet. Robin turned her bow case, and its metal cap bored into the snow at her feet. What about that person in gray? Would they fight?

What did you say? Sarn stepped off the path and trudged over to her, but she didn’t say anything aloud. His green eyes glowed bright enough to light his face under his hood, but nothing happened as he walked away from the mountain. No golem appeared, and the mountain didn’t extrude stone arms to drag him back inside. It didn’t shake, collapse, explode, or do any of the things the golem had warned about. Perhaps it would let Sarn leave with her.

Who’s your friend? Robin tried not to look like she held her bow case like a staff, but she did.

They’re called Shade, and they’re coming with us. Sarn didn’t introduce her. That was strange, but maybe he’d already told Shade who she was and what she wanted.

What else did you tell them about me? Robin didn’t ask that aloud.