The Sorcerer's Ring: Book 05 - A Vow of Glory by Morgan Rice Page A

in. Gwen shuddered at the sound. There was a finality to it. They were
in Silesia now. This was their new home. It felt good to be here. But also
ominous. In that clang, she could hear themselves steeling themselves for war.
    *
    Gwendolyn
sat in the beautiful castle chamber, high up, at the top of Silesia, and reveled
in the quiet. It was the first time she had been alone in she did not know how
long. Outside, behind the closed door, Srog’s men awaited her bidding. But she
wouldn’t summon them just yet. She wanted a few minutes to herself.
    It was
a beautiful chamber, this room that had belonged to his late lady, and Gwen
rose and paced slowly, taking it all in. Carved of a gorgeous red stone, the
floor and walls were all smooth, ancient, worn, the ceilings cresting in
dramatic arches. Perched at the top of the castle, facing west, the room
overlooked the Canyon, expansive views flooding the room through wide and tall,
arched windows.
    Gwen
looked out, and was in awe at the commanding view. She had never had such a
view of the Canyon before, being perched literally on its edge; from here it
seemed as if the whole world were the Canyon, one massive hole carved out of
the earth, inside of which swirled mists of all colors. It was haunting and
beautiful and peaceful and ominous all at the same time.
    Gwen
looked beyond, to the distant horizon, the Wilds, and in the farthest distance
beyond that, she caught the slightest hint of the ocean yellow of the Tartuvian.
Her thoughts turned to Thor, and her heart broke. She closed her eyes and prayed
with all she had for his safety. She wanted him by her side, now more than
ever. She wanted him alive. She wanted him to raise their child with her.
    Gwen
reached down and placed a palm on her stomach, sensing her baby. She knew it
was impossible, so early on, yet still she felt fuller, more of herself. She
felt the strength of two people within her.
    It had
been an overwhelming day, and Gwen was overcome by conflicting emotions as she
surveyed the beautiful landscape. She tried to prepare herself mentally to be a
leader, prepare herself to ride out what would surely be the most awful siege
in the history of the Ring. In some ways, she could not help but feel that this
city would be her final resting place.
    She
tried to shake the gloomy thoughts from her mind. She walked to a small stone
fountain, scooped the cold water, and splashed her face several times. The cold
gusts of winter whipped into the room and caressed her wet face, stinging her.
It felt good. She wanted to be stung. She needed to wake up, to realize where
she was, what was about to happen. She needed to stop thinking of herself, to know
that it was time to rule, that people were looking to her.
    The
thought overwhelmed her. She thought of her father, of what he would do, of how
he would think. He had taught her to always display an aura of confidence, whether
she felt it or not. To make bold decisions. To not show any weakness, any
wavering, any hesitation. To give people someone to believe in.
    Gwen
longed to see her father again, especially at a time like this. She would give
anything just to have him there for a few minutes, to advise her. Even just a
few sentences. A part of her felt him with her. She heard a screech and looked
out the window, and saw a bird disappear into the mist, and she wondered.
    Gwen
crossed the room, to the spiral stone staircase that twisted and turned its way
up to the parapets. In moments she reached the roof of the castle.
    Alone up
here, feeling the cold gusts of wind, looking out over the Canyon, it was even
more breathtaking. She looked every which way for Estopheles, but could not
find him.
    Gwen
walked to the edge of the parapets and looked out over Silesia. She looked down
over the edge of the Canyon, and saw the lower half of the city, which she had not
toured yet, built down low, hundreds of feet into the Canyon itself. It was
breathtaking. She wondered how many Silesians lived down