Rogue: The Valiant Series, #5

By Joanna White

Lynia has always dreamed of being a Conclave Mage. To join them, she goes on dangerous jobs with constructs she summons using magical keys.

 

Lynessa is nothing like her sister. All she wants is a normal life, but she keeps getting dragged into Lynia's schemes. It doesn't help that she finds herself attracted to one of the constructs—a being of magic, not flesh.

 

Along the way, Lynia discovers a mysterious black key, one that summons a rogue mage who is powerful enough to disobey her commands. He also makes her laugh and experience feelings she's never had before.

 

But the rogue mage knows more than he's letting on, and the sisters discover dark secrets that threaten to destroy life as they know it.

 

Together, they must work to save their world... or watch it be destroyed by darkness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Joanna White
• Release date: Aug 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223123897

Joanna White

Joanna White is a Christian Author and fangirl. Hunter and Shifter are the first two books in her debut series, called the Valiant Series. She writes Fantasy, Science Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Historical Fiction, Nonfiction, and more. Her short stories have been featured in several anthologies.  She graduated from Full Sail University with a BFA in Creative Writing For Entertainment. Ever since she was ten years old, she's been writing stories and has a deep passion for writing and creating stories, worlds, characters, and plots that readers can immerse themselves in. In 2020, she reached her personal goal of writing a million words in a year. Most of all, Joanna loves God, her family, staying at home, and being a total nerd. To stay updated and find out more about her novels, where her inspiration comes from, games, giveaways, and more, visit her website at: authorjoannawhite.com

Book preview

Rogue

Valiant Book Five

Joanna White

Contents

Other Books In the Valiant Series:

Copyright Page

Dedication

Prologue

1.Chapter 1: Lynia

2.Chapter 2: Ithon

3.Chapter 3: Lynia

4.Chapter 4: Ithon

5.Chapter 5: Lynia

6.Chapter 6: Ithon

7.Chapter 7: Lynessa

8.Chapter 8: Lynia

9.Chapter 9: Ithon

10.Chapter 10: Lynessa

11.Chapter 11: Lynia

12.Chapter 12: Ithon

13.Chapter 13: Lynia

14.Chapter 14: Lynessa

15.Chapter 15: Lynia

16.Chapter 16: Ithon

17.Chapter 17: Lynia

18.Chapter 18: Ithon

19.Chapter 19: Mythix

20.Chapter 20: Lynia

21.Chapter 21: Mythix

22.Chapter 22: Lynia

23.Chapter 23: Ithon

24.Chapter 24: Mythix

25.Chapter 25: Lynia

26.Chapter 26: Mythix

27.Chapter 27: Lynia

28.Chapter 28: Lynessa

29.Chapter 29: Lynia

30.Chapter 30: Mythix

31.Chapter 31: Lynessa

32.Chapter 32: Ithon

33.Chapter 33: Mythix

34.Chapter 34: Lynia

35.Chapter 35: Lynessa

36.Chapter 36: Mythix

37.Chapter 37: Lynia

38.Chapter 38: Lynessa

39.Chapter 39: Ithon

40.Chapter 40: Lynia

41.Chapter 41: Mythix

42.Chapter 42: Lynessa

43.Chapter 43: Ithon

44.Chapter 44: Lynia

45.Chapter 45: Mythix

46.Chapter 46: Lynia

47.Chapter 47: Ithon

48.Chapter 48: Lynia

49.Chapter 49: Mythix

50.Chapter 50: Lynia

51.Chapter 51: Mythix

52.Chapter 52: Lynia

53.Chapter 53: Mythix

54.Chapter 54: Ithon

55.Chapter 55: Mythix

56.Chapter 56: Lynessa

57.Chapter 57: Lynia

58.Chapter 58: Ithon

59.Chapter 59: Lynia

60.Chapter 60: Mythix

61.Chapter 61: Lynia

62.Chapter 62: Jared

63.Chapter 63: Lynia

64.Chapter 64: Jared

65.Chapter 65: Ithon

66.Chapter 66: Lynia

67.Chapter 67: Mythix

68.Chapter 68: Jared

69.Chapter 69: Lynia

70.Chapter 70: Averella

71.Chapter 71: Ithon

72.Chapter 72: Mythix

73.Chapter 73: Lynia

74.Chapter 74: Ithon

75.Chapter 75: Lynia

Victorious

Survivor

Author's Note

image-placeholder

OTHER BOOKS IN THE VALIANT SERIES:

Forgotten – A short introduction to Hunter

Hunter – Valiant Book One

Rebels – A Valiant Companion Novel

Sightless – A short companion to Hunter

Shifter – Valiant Book Two

Reclaimed – A short companion to Shifter

Samurai – Valiant Book Three

Healed – A short companion to Samurai

Assassin – Valiant Book Four

Victorious – A short companion to Assassin

Rogue – Valiant Book Five

Bound – A short companion to Rogue

Survivor – Valiant Book Six – Coming Fall 2024

Mortal – A Valiant Prequel

Immortal – A Valiant Prequel – Coming 2024

The Republic Chronicles Series:

Dark Magi – A Republic Chronicles Prequel

Light Magi – Republic Chronicles Book One

Shadow Magi – Republic Chronicles Book Two – Coming Soon

The Calamity's Hope Series:

Volcano – Calamity's Hope Book One

Earthquake – Calamity's Hope Book Two

Wildfire – Calamity's Hope Book Three

image-placeholder

Copyright © 2023, 2024 by Joanna White

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review. For more information, address: [e-mail].

Editing by H.A. Pruitt.

Second Edition, 2024 by Joanna White.

image-placeholder

Thanks to God, my Heavenly Father, so much for this entire series and the gift and passion for writing. Thanks to my husband for helping me so much as we wrote this story and came up with all the silly ideas, especially for Mythix. A special thanks to my editor, H.A. Pruitt—your changes made this story what it is today and made me fall in love with a book that I’d given up on. This is dedicated to you and to all the beta readers who critiqued this.

Thanks also to my family for all their support, and a huge shout out to the fans and readers of The Valiant Series for reading the series.

image-placeholderimage-placeholder

SKULL’S BLACK EYES lazily gazed over the four cloaked humans in front of him. He had just portaled to the ocean world of Ashirra. It’s time to make yourselves useful, he hissed with a wicked grin.

Of course, Lord Skull. We will not fail to please the Master, one of the humans murmured. His bearded, aged face slightly lowered in respect.

I would hope not. After all, I taught you the very magic you use. Don’t fail me. Skull’s voice took a dark undertone that caused a shudder to ripple through the human mages. Skull smirked. Before waiting for a response, he walked out the back room of the cavern that housed the portal. The rough, damp walls dripped with water, and Skull had to duck to avoid hitting the low ceiling. Then he squeezed his shoulders through the narrow tunnel on his way back into the cavern.

The cavern lay hidden at the ocean floor, deep within an underwater cave. The portal shimmered in the back room that Skull had just come from, so he paused and leaned against the cavern wall casually. The robed magic-users strode out of the back chamber and through the narrow tunnel. None of them acknowledged him though he stood to the side to make room for them as they walked by.

Humans annoyed Skull, but they had their uses for his Master’s plans. The robed human men kept their backs straight and turned their faces away from him, chins in the air as they strode by. Despite Skull’s towering height, the twisted swirling runes etched on his face that spoke of evil, and the darkness swirling around his body like an aura, none of their gazes held fear. Still, he smirked at them as they passed him.

Ahead, the human magic-users stopped in front of the magical shield that held the ocean back and prevented it from getting inside the cavern. They disappeared in a flurry of magic energy, likely teleporting to the surface—or as close to it as their feeble magic could get them, anyway.

Skull almost hoped they weren’t up for the challenge. At least, if they failed in their Corruption, Skull could still have some fun with the magic-users.

Skull stayed where he was, in center of the tunnel while three of his underlings rushed from the back room. The portal still shimmered from their recent arrival. With his black hair and eyes and the dark aura that hid his pale skin, Skull blended in with the wall. He stretched out with the dark energy that swirled around him to give away his location just as his underlings walked past him. They inclined their heads to him and kept their eyes on the ground. Then they fell to their knees in front of him, each one trying to bow lower than the other. Skull considered them to be useful creatures, even if they constantly clawed for his attention. A ripple of satisfaction coursed through Skull’s large body as he observed their quaking forms. Unlike the foolish human magic-users, these three underlings knew Skull and knew to be terrified of him.

Skull … we were told to report to you, the first underling croaked. His yellow, glowing eyes widened as he pulled his bat-like wings tight against his grotesque goblin-like body.

Skull smiled and relished the fear that wafted from the underling in waves. Yes. Skull pointed to all three underlings. I’m sending each of you to different worlds that need to feel the joys of Corruption. Whichever of you thinks of the most intriguing way to Corrupt that world will become the general of my army, and the two who lose must serve him. Skull crossed his arms; the underlings all nodded. He pointed to the goblin-like one. You will portal to the world called Taekkim.

The creature nodded. Yes, sir. He scurried off.

Skull’s piercing gaze shifted to the second underling. This creature, once quite human, had been twisted by Corruption into an ugly hunchback.

Still casually leaning on the cavern wall behind him, Skull flicked his wrist at the hideous man. You will travel to the Gannorian Empire on the world Blakkern. Go.

The twisted man stumbled to his feet and staggered beneath the weight of the enormous hump. With a grimace, he pressed a hand against the wall to steady himself. Y–yes, s–sir.

Skull rested his eyes on the last underling—not small or twisted like the goblin, and not ugly like the man. This one appeared normal, just like any other human in the galaxy—except for his hands; the arms looked human but extended from the wrist into long claws the size of daggers, serrated along the edges by darkness.

And you. Skull debated about whether to send the last underling to the world of Qazynne to check on the queen’s progress in Corrupting it. Long ago, Skull had gone there and … introduced the queen to the joys of darkness. He chose, instead, to have faith in her and the teachings he had given her. By now, their queen no doubt wrested control over the planet, exactly as Skull had instructed her. Skull nodded his head back to the portal chamber behind them. Portal to Yacol’ai.

The man nodded and rushed off.

Briefly, Skull wondered what he had looked like before Corruption and how it had changed his appearance. Had he always been pale and tall with black eyes and hair? He traced one of the runes etched onto his face, just beneath his right eye. Perhaps the runes had been what had changed him. Blinking, he shoved the thoughts away and gazed over his shoulder just as the last underling vanished into the back chamber where the portal stood.

Corruption would spread to three new worlds: Taekkim, Blakkern, and Yacol’ai. Succeeding in Taekkim would be a hard task but a true prize. Once, it and an ancient race that lived there possessed powerful magic. Darkness failed to Corrupt the world and magical race. Now, however, the humans built their megacity and destroyed the wilderness, thus bringing the race to near extinction. Their magic and the land’s magic died with them.

Blakkern, more specifically the Gannorian Empire, had been blinded by its military focus. If Skull’s underling was smart, he would use their desire for war against them. War made Corruption stronger—and more difficult to destroy.

Lastly, it wouldn’t take much for the blood-soaked world of Yacol’ai to be Corrupted. Out of all the underlings, the one sent to Yacol’ai had the easiest task. Then again, Corrupting an already evil world wouldn’t win Skull’s little challenge if the underling wasn’t creative.

Just before meeting with the human magic-users, Skull had met with the Dark Master who had told him the plan to Corrupt this world, Ashirra. The Dark Master’s long white hair and golden eyes made him appear non-threatening and trustworthy, but Skull knew better. After receiving his instructions, Skull had bowed and portaled here to Ashirra to do as his master bade.

And to have some fun.

Skull stepped out of the cave entrance beyond the shield and used darkness to teleport from the ocean floor to the surface. He waved his hand to form a platform of darkness and stood upon it, gazing out at the world around him. Water stretched along the horizon as far as he could see and lapped at the edges of his platform. The deep ocean world brimmed with vibrant magic—thanks to Skull’s teachings ages ago. If his human servants did as requested, then …

Skull smiled at the thought of the fate that awaited the magical water world. Soon … very soon … it would be plunged into complete chaos.

image-placeholder

JARED REACHED OUT for his girlfriend Averella’s hand. I don’t want to fight with you, Av.

Averella pursed her lips.

Despite his blindness, Jared’s powers sensed where objects were and when they moved. After his accident, he had felt helpless until his powers returned—at least, partially. Living in pure darkness had been miserable, so he felt grateful to at least be able to sense objects around him, even if he couldn’t see. At least now, he no felt longer helpless and could easily maneuver and fight. But acrid bitterness oozed through his chest at the repeated realization that he could never see her again.

I’m not fighting with you, Jared, but you need to slow down, Averella said. Her voice had grown husky, as it always did whenever she felt upset. That time in prison disguised as a man in an effort to save her brother had instilled the habit in her. You haven’t stopped since Skull killed your—

We’re late for the meeting, Jared interrupted. But his attempt to deflect her concerns came too late to stop the unwanted memories that played out in his mind at the sound of Skull’s name. The vision of Skull murdering his father in cold blood consumed his black, sightless world. Skull pressed a foot in the middle of Municx’s back until Municx screamed in agony. He met Jared’s gaze as Jared desperately tried to escape the dark tendrils that Skull had wrapped around him and used to pin him to the tree. Just a little something to keep your darkness right where it belongs. I bet this looks familiar to you, Jared.

No …

Just several weeks before that horrific event, Jared and his father had finally been reunited. Most sons were able to watch their fathers grow old, but not Jared. All thanks to Skull.

He hadn’t even had the heart to go through the portal back home to tell his mother or brother about his father’s death—or even reassure them that he had lived. What a coward he was.

His father, Municx, had forgiven him for all the horrible things he had done in the prison, even though he still hadn’t forgiven himself. Guilt curled around his heart and squeezed until he couldn’t breathe. It had become a familiar companion to him these days, chasing away all other emotions, even anger. No, the lack of anger was a good thing; after being a murderer, he deserved the guilt and shame. All of it.

Now the image of Skull stabbing his father morphed into the poor boy Luke, who Jared had murdered in the same way. He had grinned as he had stabbed Luke in the back and murdered him in front of the boy’s father.

Jared gritted his teeth, and if the burn scars hadn’t damaged his eyes, tears would have fallen from them. Instead, the tears fell from his heart, weeping for the evil he had done, for his father’s death, for the fact that he had killed the poor boy Luke, had killed countless others, and had murdered Averella’s brother. He should have been angry at Skull, but instead, guilt oozed through him like acid, eating away at him from the inside out, clenching his stomach until bile formed in the back of his throat. It mixed with shame that made him want to hide—to disappear into the floor and never return. The urge to leave the room and get to the meeting returned to him full force. Hopefully, a meeting meant a mission, and a mission meant he could help more people before Corruption killed them and their loved ones. Missions provided him the only way to make up for the horrific things he had done.

Skull had stabbed Municx in the back with Jared’s Inquiri blade, just as Jared had stabbed Luke the same way. The entire time, Municx’s thoughts reached Jared. Municx’s fear and worry, the agony from the wound, the regret of never being able to see his wife again, all of it consumed Jared in that moment. Then he’d been forced to feel every moment of his father’s life fading.

Jared choked and struggled to breathe.

Jared? What’s wrong? Averella placed a hand on his shoulder.

He flinched, half-expecting Skull to be skulking next to him. Then again, Skull stayed with him, living inside his memories and thoughts.

Municx had died, and Jared carried the fault. If he had been stronger, he could have saved him. Or perhaps Municx died as a punishment from the Father for all the evil he had done.

Nothing, Jared said at last. I’m fine.

By the time he and Averella walked into the meeting room inside the barracks, the other Chosen that Radon had found had already arrived.

Radon had first saved Aidan from Corruption; Aidan sat next to the latest newcomer, Akari, a Japanese woman who inclined her head at everyone who came in. Normally, Jared tried not to use his ability that allowed him to see into other people’s thoughts—it felt like an invasion of their privacy—but Akari’s thoughts flashed to him. Darkness had nearly destroyed her world. Radon had found her and saved her, just like he had done for the rest of them. But Jared and Averella had gone with him and fought to save her world.

Tried, Jared thought with another bitter twinge to his chest. Her husband had died because he had failed, just like he had failed to save his father. If he had stayed with Akari instead of chasing after Skull, Akari’s husband might have survived.

Lellaey sat on Akari’s other side with her boyfriend, Jace, on her left. Lellaey’s thoughts were as distracted as Jace’s—the two had discovered that they had lived for thousands of years, so they had a lot of history to work through, and it strained them both. Neither of them spoke. Lellaey leaned an elbow on the table and placed her hand on her head with a wince. Jared frowned. She was going through too many memories, and the process gave her severe headaches. So severe, in fact, that it caused his head to throb even when he wasn’t using his powers.

Toron, whose thoughts always stayed too elusive for Jared to really pick up on, sat on Aidan’s right. Toron stayed afraid of the monster and the beast that warred for control of his mind—three personalities in one body. Prying into it pained Jared too much, so he always tried to stay out of Toron’s mind. Toron kept his hair pinned back at the nape of his neck, but he ran his finger through it, which loosened the tie, and glared at the table with a frown. Curiosity gripped Jared as to what bothered the man, but he shut himself off from Toron, unwilling to dig through three uniquely different personalities. Lellaey’s thoughts already gave him a headache; he didn’t need another.

Nsi sat quietly on Toron’s other side. She wrung her hands and fear raced through her, pounding against Jared like a tidal wave. She always felt afraid, always had so much anxiety. The moment her eyes landed on Radon, though, her entire body calmed and peace enveloped her.

It filled Jared too, which helped to alleviate all the chaotic emotions coursing through him from everyone else. Often times, sensing everyone else’s thoughts and emotions kept him from analyzing how he felt underneath theirs.

Averella plopped down in the vacant chair on Nsi’s other side. Jared took his seat beside her.

Radon gracefully sat at the head of the wooden table and cleared his throat. For the first time, you will be going on this next mission together as Chosen. Some of you may be inclined to do this mission alone, but it is imperative that you work together. This world, Ashirra, has been thrown into chaos by Corruption. All of you must stop it and find and save the next Chosen … without me.

Nsi’s head snapped up. What? Why? Why aren’t you coming with us?

How do we even know who the next Chosen is? Toron asked.

The Father will guide you. Radon folded his hands on the table. I believe in you. Jared, you will be leading this mission.

Me? Jared’s blind eyes widened as he turned his head in Radon’s direction. Wh–why? I mean, Aidan’s been here the longest. Why did Radon think he should lead the mission? He wasn’t a leader. When Radon had asked him to free everyone from the prison, Jared had nearly failed; the end result was his blindness and his father’s death. Guilt squeezed his chest. Why him instead of Aidan?

Radon’s eyes flicked to Aidan but rested on Jared’s, and Radon’s warmth and love emitted to him. I have called you to lead this mission, Jared.

Aidan’s bitterness shot straight into Jared’s mind, followed a moment later by his thoughts. You’ve disappointed him. How can he trust you to lead, when you have Corruption—

Jared winced; the icy coldness of Corruption flickered inside Aidan. It danced inside him, playing against his greatest regret, whispering inside his heart. More than anything, Jared wished he hadn’t seen it.

Anger and rage surged through Jared, then; blindingly hot, full of darkness and sheer hatred that burned him. The overwhelming urge to kill Skull slowly, to hurt him as much as he had hurt Municx, coursed through him. Jared desperately fought it off so much that it put all his nerves on edge and suddenly made him feel exhausted.

No, Jared thought firmly. He would stop Corruption and bring Skull to justice but not like that—not with Corruption. It had already touched him enough. The last thing Jared wanted was to give in to more of it. The anger and rage slowly receded, and the familiar feeling of guilt squeezed his heart. So, he focused on it instead. When he finally found his voice, he fought to keep it steady. I’ll do my best. But Toron is right; how will we know who to help or what to do?

The Father will guide you. Remember what I have said. At this, Radon’s eyes met Aidan’s.

Jared rushed out of the room, unwilling to pry deeper into whatever was going on between Radon and Aidan. Instead, he headed straight to the barracks to prepare. Corruption touched yet another world, Ashirra, with the same darkness that Skull served. As Chosen, they had a duty to stop it.

Jared would lead the others and help them all find the next Chosen. What if he failed? What if they couldn’t save the Chosen in time, the same way he had failed to save Akari’s husband, Shinji?

I’m not good enough to be their leader. It should be someone else, Jared thought. If Aidan believed that Radon wouldn’t let him lead because he still had Corruption in his heart then what about Jared? Corruption had just tempted him; he could easily use it if he truly wanted to. Even if he was no longer a killer, and even if he fought against Corruption now, he had still failed—failed to save his father, failed to save Shinji, failed to protect those he loved the most.

Jared fell to the ground beside the bed and placed his head on his arms on the warm bedsheets. He didn’t deserve this; he couldn’t be a leader. A sob tore from him before he could stop it, and he curled inward, as if he could hide himself from the guilt and shame that continued to ravage and beat him on the inside.

Radon placed a hand on his shoulder.

Jared flinched. He must have been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t sensed Radon enter.

You cannot fight Corruption in your own strength. Let the Father fight this battle with you. I know whom I have called, Jared. Trust the Father, Radon said.

Jared nodded. He would certainly try for all their sakes.

image-placeholderimage-placeholder

Chapter one

LYNIA

AT ANY MOMENT, I could drown. Darkness covered the entire area immediately around me in a thick layer. Only a tiny distant glow came from the mushrooms by the coral reef farther to my right. Between that and the pressure of the water that pressed down on my body, I should have been terrified.

It wasn’t like this was my first time doing this. Swimming came easily to me, like a second nature, sometimes easier than walking. I could hold my breath for a good while, but jobs like this one always came with the possibility of drowning. That didn’t bother me as much as it should have.

It bothered me more that I was alone. Separation from my sister did squeeze my lungs a bit more than I preferred. Perhaps I depended on my sister too much for everything, but the thought of being without her down here made me shiver.

So, I had summoned some constructs that looked completely real, and yet they weren’t. I held the first companion, a dolphin, under my left arm, and I clung to the mermaid’s bright blue scaly tail with my right hand.

I put myself through all this to deliver a silly package for a job—one that wouldn’t even pay well. But desperate times without ccs called for desperate jobs. The crazy stunts I did for money—and to try to impress the Conclave—never ceased to amaze me. They ruled our world, and only the best mages joined them. Not that I ranked as one of the best mages—just an average one, really—but a woman could dream, right?

The job requested by an unnamed client asked that the summoning mage bring the package to the Ocean Floor Mining Unit. Fortunately, I’d done jobs here before. The tech-guild Silla owned the Ocean Floor Mining Unit and used it to mine the valuable ore found at the ocean floor here. Typically, Silla required mages and anyone else working for them or doing a job for