Island Shifters: Book 01 - An Oath of the Blood by Valerie Zambito Page B

“Someone is going to get hurt!”
    Vinni bowed to Beck as he started to retreat. “They will be fine, Savitar . You may pass, but you should do so quickly. The clouds were right and darkness descends!”
    Beck could only look on in bewilderment as Vinni, his fighters, and the rest of Halfies disappeared into the countryside.

    Kiernan watched the events taking place unfold with interest while attempting to stay out of the line of sight of Beck, Rogan and Airron. At least the problem of the superstitious Halfies seems to have resolved itself, she mused. She could not afford to be delayed by their half-mad mutterings. If she was discovered by Dismore now, before going through Galen’s Pass, he would surely send her back to Parsis on her own. Once through to The Bluffs and Troop 157 of the Legion had departed, Dismore would be forced to let her stay and train with her friends.
    She smiled at the thought of their faces when she made herself known.
    Especially, Beck.
    That young man is going to admit his feelings once and for all , she vowed silently.

Chapter 7
    A S NAKE IN THE G RASS
     

     
    A drian Ravener made the long trek to the docks and watched the frenzied activity impassively as the Cyman soldiers carried crates of supplies onto the one hundred war ships that would take him home to the Old World. The omnipresent rain began to fall more vigorously, so he adjusted his hood to keep it off his face. The storm was kicking up heavy winds and the soldiers were having a time of it on the rocking ships. Avalon stood by his side with her arm draped through his. He heard her mumble a few words and abruptly the rain around the two of them stopped and fell down outside of the protective shield she created.
    He glanced at her, nodded, and put his hood down.
    “How many soldiers will we have with us, Adrian?”
    “Fifty thousand. Each ship will hold close to five hundred men.”
    “Will that be enough?”
    He looked down at her and smiled. “Plenty.” Lucin’s prophecy quite expediently assured him of that fact. He wondered if Galen Starr was in Pyraan with the shifters. Was he aware that the Raveners were returning? In Pyraan or elsewhere in Massa, a confrontation with his old advisor was inevitable, and he was looking forward to the moment when Galen realized that he had lost and Adrian Ravener had won. Galen stole everything from him, and the wizened fool would pay dearly for that theft. He just hoped the Mage stayed alive long enough so that he could be the one to deliver the deathblow. He smiled with bloodlust at the thought. One way or another, he would find him. And, a Netherworld curse to any shifter who dares to stand in my way .
    Avalon noticed his smile and tightened her grip on his arm. “You seem in a good mood, brother. Does it have anything to do with your meeting with Saige last night?”
    “Hardly,” Adrian scoffed. “That boob would not know a vision if it reared up and ripped her nose off.”
    Avalon looked at him in confusion. “How can you say that, Adrian, when Saige was the one who gave us the very prophecy that set our return in motion?”
    “I say that because our army Captain has given me more information about the prophecies than our seer. Apparently, Lucin knew Saige’s grandmother and told me of another vision that succeeds the one we have already uncovered.”
    Avalon whirled around to stare at him. “Come now. What would Lucin know of such things, Adrian?”
    Adrian could understand his sister’s disbelief. “As I said, he gave me another vision, which I will share with you later. The more pressing nuisance is that Lucin is in possession of a third prophecy that he is holding over my head in order to gain freedom for the Cyman people.” What Lucin did not know was that Adrian had absolutely no intention of giving the mutants their freedom once he was back in power. For now, however, he would let Lucin presume he was in control. He needed Lucin to keep the army focused on the task