The Ninth Elixir

By Pelaam

Crevyn is a student of the College of Mystic Arts with an affinity to animals, especially those with magical properties of their own. He is one of a chosen few to undertake a quest for the Ninth Elixir. The finder’s reward is to be claimed by one of the arcane Masters.

But Crevyn’s opponent is a man used to winning, who will use any means at his disposal to ensure he brings back the Ninth Elixir.

At the risk of losing to Garvit, Crevyn still take time to help those in need. But even if he’s successful in finding the elixir, the trick will be surviving the challenge.

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Jul 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9781634865593

Pelaam

Living in clean, green New Zealand, Pelaam is a multi-published author of gay romance and erotic books. When not busy writing, she can be found indulging in her other passions of cookery and wine appreciation. Pelaam's books: Smoking Mirror, 2017 finalist in 2017 Rainbow Awards in Gay Futuristic/Sci-Fi; Stranded, Evernight Publishing Readers’ Choice winner 2016 for Sci-Fi; The Avian Emperor, runner up and Honourable Mention in 2016 Rainbow Awards Gay Futuristic/Sci-Fi.

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The Ninth Elixir

By Pelaam

Published by JMS Books LLC at Smashwords

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2019 Pelaam

ISBN 9781634865593

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Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

All rights reserved.

WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.

This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published in the United States of America.

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The Ninth Elixir

By Pelaam

Chapter 1

The ponderous bell at the College of Mystic Arts tolled for the ninth time. With a final burst of speed Crevyn took his place at the end of the line of other men and women in the center of the courtyard just as the sound of the last chime died away.

The courtyard was surrounded by thick, tall walls topped with ramparts from its days as a castle, although these days no one patrolled the old battlements.

What were you thinking? Clover hissed at him. If you’d been late, you’d have lost your chance to be either picked by a Master of Mystical Arts or get a place at the elite academy. I’ve never known Madam Audra to be so secretive. We usually know which it is.

I had to tend to the animals. Crevyn kept his voice as soft as possible. "And someone had slashed open every single bag of feed and spoiled it. I had to run into town to get more. I couldn’t leave them without food. It’s my job to care for them."

I could make a guess at who was responsible for that. Clover turned her head slightly, and the sun glinted off her red-gold hair. Crevyn didn’t need to look. He knew exactly who she’d be glaring at. Garvit.

A golden-haired man in the center of their line stood a head taller than anyone else. Broad of shoulder, handsome, and intelligent, Garvit was fawned over by many in their college. But as easy on the eye and talented as Garvit was, he was also arrogant, indolent, and more than happy to cheat his way to success.

Not that he considered it cheating. His attitude was basically to win by any means possible. Winning was all important, the means by which one did was, to him, immaterial. Rumor was that he’d even tricked his older brother out of going to the college and taken his place.

It was hardly surprising that he’d find a way to reduce the numbers of his possible competition for a place either to be taken by a Master or for a place at the prestigious Arcane Arts Academy.

It was well known that only the best of the best went there. Those whose special talent marked them out for attention. It was the reason Crevyn had worked so hard to get into the college.

The College of Mystical Arts had an excellent reputation, and often saw its students selected for the Academy. Not that Crevyn believed that his talent was special enough to get a place there, but because of the excellence of the college itself.

Unlike Garvit, or even Clover, whose parents paid for them to be at the college, Crevyn continued to work to pay his way. Caring for the animals