Free The Artifacts Of Elios (Book 1) by R N Skye

family felt that it was only a matter of time before they might be uncovered.  A number of artifact brokers had turned up missing or dead and it was beginning to become more and more difficult to get unlicensed artifacts to the non-crown artifact producers.  The big part was that somehow Ava’s father had arranged through the Soaris to have smuggled piece by piece a copy of one of the four known artifact activators.  This would make Ava’s family a competitor of the crown. 
    The plan was that they would move the activator out of Infin to Luion where the king had no control. The problem is they had no way of activating the activator.  This was one of the reasons that Ava was studying advanced Magetech. To see if there was a way to copy it in miniature so that it could be smuggled back in to Jehhet activated and smuggle it back out.
    Her Aunt Leslie was the families inside agent working for the crown that allowed them to know when it was safe and when it wasn’t to move the smuggled artifacts.  The reason for Leslies visit was to get a measure of Shane and to see if he was suitable and interested in joining the family business.  Ava had already recommended Shane as one of the sharpest magetechs at the university but the family still wanted him vetted.
    Surprisingly Shane didn’t feel violated, in fact he was excited.  The thought of what he could do with an existing distribution channel if he was able to crack the mage glyph conundrum was like a gift.  Then the thought of perhaps Ava being a bit like her Aunt Leslie was purported to be and maybe he was being played for his expertise and participation dimmed his enthusiasm a bit.  What if Ava really didn’t have feelings for him?
    As he paused, taking in the secret that Ava had just unloaded on to him, she must have seen the brief look of doubt that entered his eyes. And her eyes began to glisten with barely held back tears.
    “Shane , please don’t hate me,” she said with a quavering voice.
    “I am such a chump,” thought Shane. He reached his arm around her and pulled her close.  “I could never hate you my chère,” he spoke with a warm smile giving her a comforting kiss and a hug.
    Ava snuggled into Shane’s embrace. “I was so worried,” she sighed.
    “It is a lot to take in,” he replied.  “But it sounds fun.”
    “I just wanted you to know in case I disappeared one day or if soldiers came to take me away,” Ava said as she pulled away and looked him in the eyes.  “After all I am from Luion not Infin and my family is walking a fine line between commerce and espionage.
    “But why,” asked Shane.  “Your family is already prominent and well established.  You have everything to lose.”
    “Let me ask you this,” said Ava.  “You are from Colline Verte, are you not? “
    “ Yes,” answered Shane.
    “How much magetech is there available to everyone as compared to those here in the Capitol,” asked Ava.
    “I couldn’t really say,” he said.  “The same as everywhere else I suppose.”
    “That’s where you would be wrong,” Ava replied.  “During the last ten years over half the population has been denied access to the most recent and most advanced artifacts that have been discovered.  If Colline Verte is current it must be due to the influence of the academy there or someone who is politically affluent with the Crown.”
    “Anyway,” she continued, “Ever since Allion the Second ’s death it has gotten worse.  The licensing laws came into place and either the Crown or Allion the Third himself seems to be trying to repress artifact possession in the kingdom rather than enhance it like his father and grandfather before him.  Long story short – There are some older families from Infin that were close to the old king that are trying to bring artifacts and magetech to the entire kingdom not just an elite few.  Even though my family is from Luion my father is part of that group as is my Aunt Leslie; who is from