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Category: Science Fiction/Mainstream
Description: The Red Knight Chronicles continue with the tale of Akulina, a Dark-elf former princess, who was cursed and cast out by her people, for dabbling in black magic. Now, she fights for honor in the troubled kingdoms. Will she adapt when she is assigned to take orders from a group of Nexus in the king's service? How will she deal with her new captain, who is an Elf of the Light?
eBook Publisher: ebooksonthe.net, 2008 ebook
eBookwise Release Date: April 2009

5 Reader Ratings:

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Available eBook Formats: OEBFF Format (IMP) [320 KB]
Words: 68911
Reading time: 196-275 min.

Prologue

"I believe I found someone who will serve our purposes," Sergeant Mwamba told his elven commander, and closest friend, Captain Evfimi, "Not only is she a soldier with covert skills, but she is an illusionist as well."

Mwamba entered the room and saw the elf sitting behind his large blackwood desk, a desk that always seemed to follow Evfimi. The desk had been at every post Evfimi had served during his various commands in the service of the human King of Niadhardal, Sebastian the Just. It was even seen during sieges, regardless of the location. Mwamba was pretty sure there had to be some kind of spell on it.

Evfimi looked up at his South Isles friend and could not help but notice the differences between them besides their ages, Evfimi having already lived over seventy winters to his human friend's mere thirty winters. He met Mwamba during sea duty in the South Isles. The South Isles were known for their well-crafted and fast ships, pirates, and exotic foods. Mwamba's dark skin and muscular build contrasted sharply with Evfimi's pale skin and ageless fey appearance.

"The General will not go for it Mwamba, regardless of what you may think of her. She is a dark-elf. She betrayed the Path of Light and sells her skills to the Black Guard and the Royal Assassins," Evfimi said, referring to the King's secret enforcers of his will and the other his personal assassins. While assassination was an accepted practice and guild regulated, Evfimi had said the words with great disdain.

"I served with her during the Mage Wars in Valeri; she knows her stuff. Will you at least consider this? We need a woman with her skills and she knows the Northern Territories as if she was a Northman. She has numerous contacts in Ludnikan and Salvodor."

Evfimi's face remained emotionless as he let Mwamba talk. Mwamba truly believed the words he spoke regarding the skill of the dark-elf, but he was apparently blinded by his feelings for her. However, Evfimi had already checked her background when Mwamba first mentioned her several winter's ago. She had a good reputation for a dark-elf, but she was, after all, still a dark-elf.

Many elven tribes should have completely purged all records that she had ever been alive, treating her as if she had never existed, but the commander was able to find vague references to her, mostly in the King's archives. Nothing however indicated a homeland, and he could find nothing about her past. Evfimi did not trust dark elves, and he defiantly did not trust one without much of a past.

General Randolf had already mentioned her name to him as well. If the fates wanted this she-elf to cross paths with him, who was he to fight it.