Free The Chosen Soul by Heather Killough-Walden

and didn’t return.” She stepped to her
    father’s side. Her expression was drawn, her pallor now somewhat more pale. “No one
    has seen him or heard from him. He left no trace, no sign. He just vanished.”
    The old man nodded sagely. “I trust Tolen to be safe. He is a strong man. He can
    take care of himself. He’ll be back.” They all fell into silence. A minute later, the man
    spoke again. “Summer, on the other hand, should not be alone within Trimontium’s
    walls.” He turned to eye his daughter, and she shot him a warning look. “It isn’t safe.” He turned back to Loki and Raven. “I’ll pay you to accompany her. Two silver when she
    returns this afternoon. What say you?”
    Raven and Loki looked from the old man to the young woman and then turned to
    face each other. They were twins. They’d cultivated a lifelong connection between
    themselves, a bond strong enough that they often did not need to speak aloud in order to
    communicate with one another. Now was one of those times.
    Raven knew what her brother was thinking. It was the same thing she was thinking.
    Their astonishment at arriving in Trimontium so quickly was lingering, however, it was
    easy to rationalize, and its shock was currently being overshadowed by the realization
    that they had no plan and no idea what they were going to do once they’d arrived in
    Kriver. They had simply assumed they would have time to work such matters out as
    they’d traveled.
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    The Chosen Soul
    Now they were in Trimontium, and time had run out.
    First thing was first. They had money, but not very much. They would need more
    very soon. And here was someone willing to part with a fairly good amount for agreeing
    to a relatively simple task.
    It was a start.
    Raven turned away from her brother and smiled at the old man. Despite his age, the
    elderly farmer was slightly taken aback by the beauty of that perfect, white smile, and his eyes quickly shot to the ground as his hands began to fidget.
    “We would be glad to accompany you, Summer,” Raven turned her attention to the
    young woman. Summer returned the smile and nodded.
    “Thank you. I’ll get my cloak and we can be off.” She spun on her heel and
    disappeared around the corner of the cottage.
    “Keep her away from the Lords and Ladies,” the old man had leaned in toward them,
    and spoke in a hushed tone.
    Raven’s brow furrowed. “Who?”
    “You heard me. The…” he appeared to become nervous for a moment, his gaze
    shooting toward the walled city and back again, “ Them ,” he whispered emphatically.
    “From the castle. They call it Eidolon. The Phantom Palace. You know – the Fey . The Lords and Ladies…” he swallowed. Raven noticed a drop of sweat trickle from his
    receding hairline toward his right eyebrow.
    He eyed her sternly and then, after glancing once over each of his shoulders, he
    leaned in even closer, his lips approaching her ear as if to share a secret. Raven could not help but meet him half way. She had always relished secrets.
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    Heather Killough-Walden

“The elves .”
    He pulled away immediately then and turned to leave. As he did so, his daughter
    stepped out from the corner of the cottage, this time draped in a warm traveling cloak.
    She smiled at Raven, turned an even brighter smile upon Loki, and met her father half
    way down the path. They exchanged a few quiet words and she kissed him on the cheek.
    Then she joined them at the end of the path and they all turned toward the main road
    leading to the city.
    Raven glanced once at her brother, the old man’s warning ringing in her ears.
    However, Loki’s eyes were on Summer, and he did not see the worried expression on his
    sister's face.
    Raven blinked, looked back toward Trimontium’s tall stone walls and spires and
    squared her shoulders. Summer smiled warmly, and they began the short trek to the
    city’s gate.
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    The Chosen Soul
    The Chosen Soul – Chapter Seven

    Raven was beginning