Free Best Left in the Shadows by Mark Gelineau, Joe King Page A

with a clear, bright
ring. His other hand tightened around the haft of a short spear, the blade held
before him, catching the light of the torches carried by the members of the
Order who looked on.
    “What do you see?” the old man asked once more.
    Ferran’s lips drew back into a savage smile. “My future,”
he said and advanced on the monster.

Echoes of the Ascended
    by Gelineau and King
    Elinor 1: A Reaper of Stone
    A Lady is dead. Her noble line ended. And the King’s
Reaper has come to reclaim her land and her home. In the marches of Aedaron,
only one thing is for certain. All keeps of the old world must fall.
    Elinor struggles to find her place in the new world. She
once dreamed of great things. Of becoming a hero in the ways of the old world.
But now she is a Reaper. And her duty is clear. Destroy the old. Herald the
new.
    Ferran 1: Rend the Dark
    The great Ruins are gone. The titans. The behemoths. All
banished to the Dark and nearly forgotten. But the cunning ones, the patient
ones remain. They hide not in the cracks of the earth or in the shadows of the
world. But inside us. Wearing our skin. Waiting. Watching.
    Once haunted by visions of the world beyond, Ferran now
wields that power to hunt the very monsters that he once feared. He is not
alone. Others bear the same terrible burden. But Hunter or hunted, it makes no
difference. Eventually, everything returns to the Dark.
    Alys 1: Best Left in the Shadows
    A Highside girl. Beaten. Murdered. Her body found on a
Lowside dock. A magistrate comes looking for answers. For justice.
    Alys trades and sells secrets among the gangs and
factions of Lowside. She is a daughter of the underworld. Bold. Cunning. Free.
When an old lover asks for help, she agrees. For a price.
    Together, they travel into the dark heart of the underworld
in search of a killer.
    Roan & Kay 1: Faith and Moonlight
    Roan and Kay are orphans.
    A fire destroys their old life, but they have one chance to enter the School of Faith.
    They are given one month to pass the entry trials, but as Roan excels and Kay fails, their devotion to each other is put to the test.
    They swore they would face everything together, but when the stakes are losing the life they’ve always dreamed of, what will they do to stay together?
    What won’t they do?

Praise for Best Left in the Shadows
    “I was blown away by the detail and world building that was
accomplished in so few pages. I didn’t feel like I was seeing a section of a
puzzle, more like I was reading a story that would contribute to a larger
whole, but is compelling and rich all on its own.”
    – Mama Reads, Hazel Sleeps
    “Like with the previous Ascended books, I really
love the characters and their dynamic. The female lead Alys is different from
the heroines in Reaper and Rend the Dark , but she’s just as
complex and strong.”
    – White Sky Project

Praise for A Reaper of Stone
    “Gelineau and King have done a great job in this novella.
They at times remind me of Ken Follett and a family friendly George R.R.
Martin. I would recommend this instant classic to young adults and seasoned
fantasy lovers alike.”
    – Patrick McQueen, President, CWC South Bay Writers
    “A classic fantasy tale with a strong, admirable heroine
and a nice emotional punch. Great start to an enjoyable new series!”
    – RL King, author of The Alastair Stone Chronicles
    “I don’t know if you can call a book lovely, but A
Reaper of Stone as a fantasy has a lovely quality to it. It has a strong,
kickass female protagonist – always a good thing to have, in my opinion – and a
setting/environment that gives it that true classic or epic fantasy feel.”
    – White Sky Project
    “I really enjoyed the world building here, the myths and
legends are tangible and the world’s history lingers just beneath the surface
of the storyline. I loved the resolution.”
    – Galleywampus

Praise for Rend the Dark
    “Atmospheric, fast paced, engaging quick read, with a
satisfying story