Raptor's Call: The Hawks, #0.5

By Paula Baker

In a land gripped by tyranny, a masked rebel stirs the embers of revolution. Assassins are not always the bad guys.

 

Cadmon has always been a loyal member of the King's Guard, shouldering the blame for serving the corrupt king of Abbarkon. But when he is ordered to perform yet another abomination, he can no longer stand idly by while innocent lives are destroyed.

 

Bent on fighting back, he vanishes into the wilderness to build a rebel army powerful enough to topple the reigning forces. However, in the peace of the remote village, the urgency to revolt fades. It takes the arrival of a young, masked warrior to prod him toward a perilous mission to assassinate the worst of the unscrupulous dukes.

 

Prepare to delve into the untold story of Cadmon's rebellion, where bravery is forged in the face of darkness and the line between right and wrong blurs. In this thrilling prequel, discover the origins of the Rebels of Halklyen and witness the birth of a legend.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paula Baker and Aidan Davies
• Release date: Dec 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9781778152849

Book preview

By Paula Baker and Aidan Davies:

The Hawks Trilogy:

Prequel: Raptor’s Call

Book One: Rebels of Halklyen

Book Two: The God Sword

Book Three: The White Wolf

Prequel

PAULA BAKER

&

AIDAN DAVIES

MacFayBooks

Raptor’s Call

Copyright © 2023 by Paula Baker and Aidan Davies

All rights reserved. The use of any part of this publication reproduced, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, or stored on a retrieval system, without the prior written consent of the publisher—or, in the case of photocopying or other reprographic copying, a license from the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews, is an infringement on the copyright law.

For information contact:

MacFay Books

103 Heron Dr.

Penticton, BC

V2A 8K6

bakerdavies.ca

Map Art by Anna-Jo Grandbois

Cover illustration by Daria ‘Frealyr’ Kovalenko

Cover design by Kusanagistudios

ISBN 978-1-7781528-4-9

For Doug

CHAPTER ONE

End of the Line

BURSTING INTO THE ROOM, Cadmon swung the door shut behind him. His face was tight with strain and he looked ready to punch someone. Broad-shouldered and corded with the muscle of a sword wielder, he sank onto Gode’s bed and leaned his elbows on his knees. I can’t do this anymore, he muttered. His head dropped into his hands, and he spoke to the floor. This is not what I signed up for.

Gode leapt up from the desk where he had been studying a map and hissed, Hush! He hurried to the door, pulled it open, and peered in both directions before closing it and coming to tower over Cadmon. What’s happened?

We’re to head south tomorrow. Cadmon scrubbed his face with both hands and levered himself up to pace the length of the room. His next words were almost inaudible. I won’t do it, he murmured. Not again.

Gode hooked Cadmon’s arm as he marched passed and pulled him close. If you refuse, there will be reprisals, he hissed into his ear.

Cadmon’s laugh was bitter. What can they do to me? he asked. I have no family left and the village where I grew up was burned three years ago. Shaking his arm free, he resumed his pacing.

There was plenty of room for it. Aside from the neatly made bed and a writing table, the only other piece of furniture was a wardrobe filled with Gode’s spare uniforms. A peg by the door held his weapons belt with its standard issue King’s Guard blade. The single sign of his rank was the window that looked out over the high, city wall to the hills beyond.

Lieutenant Commander of the King’s Guard, Gode still preferred the simple life of a soldier. As Supreme Commander, Cadmon was the same. He wore the showy, polished plate mail that indicated his rank, but it was not by choice.

Gode set his hands on his hips and watched him. The reprisals do not have to be directly against your family to hurt you, he muttered.

Cadmon’s face twisted. You think I don’t know that? he demanded. The words came out in a whispered scream, and he squeezed his head between his palms. But what choice do I have? I cannot do it anymore.

Abruptly, he stopped and sank onto Gode’s bed again. When he leaned forward, his eyes were bright. I have a plan, he murmured. Are you in?

Gode stopped breathing. More than anything, he wanted to be free of the king’s cruel commands. As young soldiers, he and Cadmon had reckoned the harsh orders came from the highest-ranking soldiers. Their solution was to work their way up, gaining promotions as often as possible.

But it had made no difference. As the top two officers in the army, they were still powerless to change anything.

Gode swallowed and nodded once. I’m in.

CHAPTER TWO

Respectable Bandits

CADMON HOISTED A PAIR of heavy saddle bags and strapped them into place. The eyes of the squadron were on him as he swung a leg over his horse and settled into his saddle. As usual, he had waited, out of sight, until everyone else had mounted before he strode around the corner.

Only three soldiers looked eager to get going. On previous missions, they had carried out the king’s brutal orders with an ugly enthusiasm. Most of the others refused to meet Cadmon's eyes.

Cadmon pressed his lips