Broken Beginnings

By C.R. Rice

Thane Matthias: adoptive brother to lost heir of the Realm, best friend to a man of questionable taste in desserts, uplifting light to all who know him, and swordsman extraordinaire.
But before he took a free dive into the world of magic and war, he was an average kid of above average height. His days were filled with sports, friends,

• Language: English
• Publisher: 4 Horsemen Publications
• Release date: Jun 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9781644502662

C.R. Rice

C.R. Rice is a fantasy/sci-fi writer, currently immersing you in the Realm Series. As someone who grew up in a small town, she has always loved escaping into the world of fantasy, paranormal and legend. C.R. has dedicated herself to creating that same opportunity to anyone who wants to escape the boring reality of real life. Through the years, she has traveled to dozens of different states and countries, has lived in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and now Florida! While they all have their own unique treasures, she admits to favoring the sunny southern states over the chilly northern ones, though there is nothing like curling up with a wonderful book by the fire as the snow falls outside the window.Some of her favorite reads are Terry Pratchett's Disc World series, The Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld, and The Hallow Kingdom by Clare B. Dunkle. When she is not reading or writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband.

Book preview

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Table of Contents

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

More to Come

About the Author

Broken Beginnings (The Story of Thane)

Copyright © 2021 C.R. Rice. All rights reserved.

4 Horsemen Publications, Inc.

1497 Main St. Suite 169

Dunedin, FL 34698

4horsemenpublications.com

[e-mail]

Cover by Autumn Skye

Typesetting by Michelle Cline

Editor Vanessa Valiente

All rights to the work within are reserved to the author and publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 International Copyright Act, without prior written permission except in brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Please contact either the Publisher or Author to gain permission.

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

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021939708

Audio ISBN: 978-1-64450-265-5

EBook ISBN: 978-1-64450-266-2

Print ISBN: 978-1-64450-267-9

Dedication

To Correy, for believing in me and your loving, yet forceful shove into the abyss of the unknown.

Thank you.

Chapter One

Thane age 11

The thud of a ball bouncing against the sun-warmed asphalt echoed in the air, mingling with the laughter of children, cheers of teammates, and the smell of adolescent boys not wearing enough deodorant. Thane Mattias dribbled the ball, hunched in place, his eyes locked on his opponent while quintessentially watching his teammates struggle to escape their guards. Sweat trickled down the side of his face, leaving a track through the dirt and grime as his mind raced for a solution. He wasn’t just competitive; he thrived in the thrill of the game. He fought to get to the top of everything he did. Like a lion stalking its prey, he watched, calculated, and trained until he was the best. He had to be the best.

Faking a move to the left, Thane spun around his guard and raced down the court. He felt a small smile begin to crease his face as victory closed in, the feel of the ball and cheers from his friends was the high he lived for, the reason, he always strived for greatness. Another step and he was shooting the ball, nothing but the crisp sound of the net before the crowd exploded.

The piercing sound of a whistle tore through the cheers and it was all over. Game! Nice work Mattias, the coach called from the sidelines. Groans mingled with cheers as a smile nearly split Thane’s face. Turning, he looked to his teammates and was bombarded by slaps of the shoulders and high fives. Good job at practice today, guys! Go home and shower. God knows you need it. The coach chuckled.

That was awesome dude! a teammate shouted a tad too close.

Thanks, Thane flinched, his ear beginning to ring.

Great shot! another agreed, slapping his shoulder.

You rock! Thane smiled at the growing crowd, the faces blending until he wasn’t sure who was saying what.

Alright guys, let him through! Let him through, Mark demanded, his hands firmly on Thane’s shoulders as he guided them from the masses.

Thanks, Mark. Thane grinned, turning back to wave once more.

Anytime. Do you want to come over and hang out tonight? Mark asked, leading them to the nearby bleachers.

Can’t, it’s Wednesday, Thane said, reaching down to collect his bag. Throwing it over his shoulder, he waved goodbye to a few remaining teammates and followed Mark through the gate.

"Right, forgot. You and your mom have a standing date," Mark teased, bumping Thane’s shoulder.

Yep, sure do, Thane agreed, unphased by his friend’s teasing.

So, where are you guys going tonight? Mark inquired.

Thane rubbed the back of his sweat-drenched head and shrugged. I’m not sure. I picked last time, so mom picks tonight. Probably going to be some weird half-cooked place again. Thane grimaced at the thought. The last time mom chose where to eat out on their one night-a-week dinner, she had brought him to get sushi, the thought of the raw fish still turned Thane’s stomach.

You know sushi isn’t as bad as you make it out to be. My sister brought me someone time and I thought it was good.

Yeah, well I like my food cooked, Thane muttered, adjusting the straps on his bag.

Thane! Over here! an excited voice called. Immediately, Thane was pulled from his disgruntled mumbling as his head jerked up to find the source of the voice. A wide smile split his face at the sight of his mother jumping and waving her arms excitedly. Julia Matthias was energy personified. Her light brown hair, glowing honey eyes, and friendly aura made it easy to see why she made such a great nurse. Motherly nature seemed to ooze from her very pores and was a soothing salve to anyone sick or in pain.

Catch you later dude. Mark laughed.

See you, Thane said, giving a quick nod of his head before darting off in his mother’s direction. While other boys his age would be embarrassed and have their faces glow a vibrant red, Thane found his mother’s enthusiasm refreshing, like that first sip of cold lemonade on a summer day. Sure, his friends often made fun of him, calling him a ‘mommy’s boy’ and such, but was it truly such a bad thing to be? When he was a few feet away he spread his arms wide and captured his mother in a tight hug.

Oh, honey, you smell terrible. His mother laughed, squeezing him tighter.

Though Thane was only eleven, his five-foot-two frame was easily toppling his mother’s slim and short five foot. While they shared the same light brown hair, that was where their similarities ended. He had always been told his crystal blue eyes and above average-height came from his father’s side. The father he had never met, the hero that had died to protect their country. Or at least, that’s what his mother had always told him.

Did you have a good day? she asked, pulling away.

Thane smiled and nodded his head. Yeah, it was good.

Did you learn anything new? she asked, climbing into the old, yet reliable, blue car.

Thane tossed his bag into the backseat, and snapped his seat belt into place, with a nonchalant shrug. Not really.

Julia shook her head, an amused grin on her face. Nine hours of school and not a single new thing learned? Why do I even send you?

Law required, Thane smirked.

Julia shook her head as she started the car. The familiar rumble followed by the expected pop had her nodding her head. Many would assume by the slightly chipped paint and faded interior that she simply couldn’t afford another car, but those people would be wrong. Julia