The Mark of Freedom: The Way to Freedom, #13

By H.M. Clarke

Death only needs one set of claws to do his bidding.

 

Dearen and Adhamh move south out of the mountains to inform Prince Garrick about the activities of The Brotherhood.

During this meeting, they are attacked by the enemy and Dearen is challenged to a duel by the commander of the Black Clad to trial by combat.

The fate of two nations are dependent on the outcome. Will Dearen survive the duel and win freedom for her people? Or will she succumb to her fears and let the Brotherhood take all?

Embark on a journey filled with magical combat, bold heroes, and non-stop action in The Mark of Freedom, the 13th book in The Way to Freedom series. H.M. Clarke weaves an unforgettable tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Get your copy now and join the adventure!

• Language: English
• Publisher: HMC Press
• Release date: Jan 9, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224858002

H.M. Clarke

In a former life, H M Clarke has been a Console Operator, an ICT Project Manager, Public Servant, Paper Shuffler and an Accountant (the last being the most exciting.) She attended Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia, where she studied for a Bachelor of Science (Chem), and also picked up a Diploma in Project Management while working for the South Australian Department of Justice. In her spare time, she likes to lay on the couch and watch TV, garden, draw, read, and tell ALL her family what wonderful human beings they are. She keeps threatening to go out and get a real job (Cheesecake Test Taster sounds good) and intends to retire somewhere warm and dry – like the middle of the Simpson Desert. For the time being however, she lives in Ohio and dreams about being warm…

Book preview

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Beware the quiet man, he can be the most dangerous.

- Dragon Saying

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Chapter one

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D earen, are you sure that this is a good idea? Kral Tayme asked as he walked the trail beside the tall, dark-haired woman, the hobnails on his boots clacking against the stones on the path.

Is what a good idea, Kral? Dearen pushed back the brim of her black hat with the knuckle of an index finger and looked up at him.

Is it a good idea to appear at the gates of Fort Foxtern in the company of Ice Tigers and Arranians? After all, we all thought we were about to go to war with them both a few months ago.

Things have changed since then.

"We know that, Kral replied, gesturing quickly between them. But the rest of the Empire hasn’t been privy to the events we’ve just been through. They may mistake us for an attacking force."

Dearen snorted in disbelief and automatically looked up as her thoughts turned toward what flew above them.

Kral, we have two Hatar’le’margarten flying above us, she said, pointing up at the sky. Even that moron Jerant could not mistake us for an attacking force.

He could just as easily take us for treasonous traitors, though. Especially you. He does not like you.

The man only has his own judgment to blame for what happened. He was the one in the wrong and was just bloody lucky that they only banished him to the edge of the Empire. He had friends in high places.

It wouldn’t surprise me if that jerk, Inman, had something to do with it.

‘Why don’t one of you just send one of the flying lizards to the fort to warn the Wing Commander that you are coming? That way I might get some peace to listen to my own thoughts for a change.’

Hauga’s mind voice slipped into Dearen’s head and she looked over her shoulder at the tall figure of her adoptive brother looming behind her. He was a walking, seven-foot-tall wall of pure muscle with fangs and claws to match his white and black striped fur. His long tail flicked to show his amusement.

‘You’ll be in for a pretty boring time then, Hauga. Considering you don’t think much at all,’ she replied with a grin.

‘No need to get nasty, Dearen,’ he said.

‘But that is a good idea, Hauga.’ Dearen turned back to Kral.

Hauga suggests that we send one of the Hatar to tell Harada and Samar that we are coming.

That’s not a bad idea, he replied.

I’ll ask Adhamh if he can go. He and I can communicate with each other over longer distances than you and Trar can.

Is that a side effect of your… blue hair and black eyes and the unwanted lodger in your head?

‘I would not say that I was unwanted,’ Haylith’s voice intruded into Dearen’s mind. ‘I would call myself an unexpected guest bearing gifts.’

‘Which reminds me, you promised to teach me how to use those gifts.’

‘That I did. If we get some free time tonight, I will start teaching you the meditations.’

‘Meditations?’

‘You need a calm mind if you want to produce calm magic.’

Haylith takes exception at being called an unwanted guest, Kral. Dearen turned the conversation away from the dragon when she saw the man watching her. He probably thought she was talking with Adhamh.

Well, it’s not like you and Adhamh invited her over for tea and biscuits, is it?

Dearen snorted again.

‘Food sounds good at the moment,’ Hauga twitched his whiskers as he bared his fangs in a smile.

Food can wait until we stop for the evening, Hauga.

Here, have some of this if you are hungry.

A large piece of hard jerky appeared in front of Hauga, held up by the man walking next to him. Dearen wondered where he even kept it, as his shiny black lamellar armor held no place to store it that she could see.

I think General Wei is trying to curry your favor, Hauga, she said.

I ‘curry’ no one’s favor, Cearc Dearen. It is just that if a big cat is hungry, I do not want him to look to me as his next meal.

Dearen raised an eyebrow in surprise. The Arranian Prince had started to display a sense of humor.

He’s not one for foreign food, so I think you’re safe, she replied with a smile.

‘You know we don’t eat anything that talks back to us.’

‘I know, Hauga. I know. Just take the meat. I think he’s trying to be friendly.’

Hauga twitched his black-tipped ears in a moment of indecision before reaching out to take the jerky.

Dearen nodded.

Hauga says thank you.

She watched as Hauga popped the piece of dried meat into his mouth and began to chew on it.

‘It’s not too bad,’ Hauga said, as his ears flicked forward in surprise. ‘The marinade brings out the flavor of the beef.’

General Wei, how are you enjoying your first trip to the border? I hope you don’t mind that we have to go in on foot.

I have not come this way before, though I have come through here with my parents for a state visit when I was five. Of course, that was by carriage with servants and horses.

I apologize for the lack of carriages, General. As you know, we are trying to be unobtrusive so as not to come under scrutiny by those at the fort.

I understand, though I would prefer to officially present myself before entering the Empire.

Wing Commander Harada will be able to tell us what is happening in the fort and within the Empire and will tell us how to proceed. I too, would prefer to just walk on up to the main gates, but if this rogue group has taken hold there, then I don’t think we will be treated as welcome guests.

For the life of me, I can’t figure out what this group expects to get out of all this.

I have no clue, but with the effort they put into making both our people fight each other, one of the things they want is quite obviously war.

Unless they need the chaos of war to hide whatever nefarious plan they are undertaking.

One of General Wei’s guards came up alongside him and spoke softly in his ear. After a short back and forth, Wei sent the man back to his outrider position before turning back to Dearen.

Your two Pydarki are returning.

"They are not my Pydarki," she muttered and turned her attention to the path before her and tried to find any indication from the foliage ahead that Dalvar and Findar were coming back. The Pydarki are superior woodmen and Dearen was impressed that Wei’s outriders even noted them coming back in.

Don’t forget to ask Adhamh, Dearen, Kral said, as he nudged her with his elbow.

I haven’t forgotten, Kral. What is affecting my head is not affecting my memory.

I’m not saying it is.

Dearen shook her head.

‘Adhamh, can you hear me?’

‘Always.’

Dearen tried not to smile at the reply.

‘Can you fly close enough to Fort Foxtern and see if you can get into contact with Samar and tell them that we are approaching… with extra company? Tell her that we have Dymarki, Pydarki, and Arranians. Also, tell her that we also bring proof that a group inside the empire is planning sedition from within as well as beyond.’

‘Is there anything else you want me to pass on? You’ve packed nearly everything in that paragraph except the fact you are a Cearc of the Dymarki and that we are carrying the soul of a dragon in our heads.’

‘A girl has to keep some things back, doesn’t she?’

‘That piece of information would be best-given face to face.’

‘Tell me when you contact her and what the reply is.’

‘I will. I’ll fly closer and have Trar keep a watch over you all.’

‘Thank you, Adhamh.’

Dearen nodded and then turned to Kral. There, I’ve asked him and he’s off to get into contact with Samar now.

Trar just told me, Kral replied. There’s no need to get all tetchy about it. I didn’t mean anything by it.

‘Why is it that people always say that when they are caught out being passive-aggressive?’ Haylith’s voice rose in Dearen’s head. ‘What you should be wondering is why?’

‘He’s like that because he doesn’t trust you.’

‘He’s like that because he doesn’t believe I exist. I’m under the impression that he thinks I’m a figment of your imagination.’

‘He doesn’t think that otherwise both Adhamh and I are sharing a delusion.’

‘You have a point,’ Haylith replied with a sulk to her voice.

‘You don’t like him, do you?’

‘It’s not that I don’t like him. He just annoys me.’

‘He annoys a lot of people, but he is my friend and I don’t need you bad-mouthing him in my head.’

I know you didn’t, Kral, Dearen said, smiling sweetly at him as she shut down the conversation with Haylith. I’m sorry if I’m a bit snappy at the moment.

Don’t apologize, I understand why you are, seeing how you are trying to stop two countries from going to war and rooting out a secretive organization that is working to that end.

Don’t forget the dragon spirit living in my and Adhamh’s head.

There’s that… Kral’s voice trailed off. And the fact that there is a large contingent of Justicars at Fort Foxtern, and we don’t know how many of them are part of this rogue group.

Which is why I asked Adhamh to talk to Samar to see what Harada has to say about it.

"If they have people there, they wouldn’t try anything. The soldiers there, plus the people