Free Trail of Bones: A Young Adult Fantasy Novel by Chris Salisbury Page A

continued walking. It didn’t respond to his touch at all. Not like Ohsmar, he pondered. There is no magic to this place at all. Wait till they see what I can do! I’ll have them falling at my feet. ’Korwin, please, use your magic again,’ they’ll say. ‘How did you do that? You’re the most powerful wizard,’ they’ll shout as I walk past their dirty, little huts. Humans. They know nothing of magic…
    He would have continued in his day dream, but his escort tugged at his sleeve. “We’re here, Sir. Let me make sure they know of your arrival,” said the teenage boy as he tapped the iron gate with a Copper coin.
    The messenger had taken Korwin to the gates of the Castle of Cordale, the home of the territory’s monarch, Gundir Cordale. As he waited for the gate guard to finish speaking with the boy, Korwin looked up at the tall battlements and spires of the castle. Yes, they look sturdy, and functional, but nothing more. Typical, he thought. These poor humans. A little light, a little smoke, conjure a few beasts, and they’ll be begging me to…lead their armies…rescue them from disaster… rule their kingdom! This is too easy!
    The messenger boy returned with a big smile on his face. “The king will see you now, Master Korwin. He has already sent word of your arrival. The royal court is assembling now. I will show you the way.”
    Master Korwin? I like the sound of that, thought the elf with a grin.
    The massive bronze gates swung open and the two proceeded to walk through the castle grounds.
    Korwin could feel the muscles in his throat and chest tighten. The surge of confidence he had felt only a few moments ago had vanished as he thought of performing magic in front of the entire royal court. The elf had planned on the king and perhaps a few attendants, or a handful of guests at most. He had never evoked magic in front of a large crowd like this before. He could feel his stomach twisting and turning with each step he took closer to the castle.
    Do this right, and you’ll have everything you need for the incantation. Then none of this will matter. They’ll respect and serve you, or they’ll fear you. Either way, Korwin, you’ll finally get what you deserve! he thought in an attempt to bolster his confidence.
    The boy escorted Korwin into the castle through a side entrance. After passing through a series of checkpoints, all guarded with men at arms, they arrived at an antechamber to the throne room.
    The Storm Elf’s throat felt scratchy and his palms were clammy. Standing before the King of Cordale sounded like a great idea when he was many jaunts away in the safety and anonymity of the Mythik Forest. The reality of his grand plan was starting to set in, and his internal battle against his doubts and insecurities was nearly crippling.
    “His grace, Gundir, King of Cordale, will see you now… Elf,” said one of the castle servants, dressed in a long and plain wool tunic.
    “I’m a Storm Elf from Eastern Ohsmar,” Korwin corrected, almost out of habit.
    “Pardon?” asked the servant, not bothering to turn around.
    Korwin got the message. He was a nobody on Ohsmar, and until he proved otherwise, he was a nobody on Illyia, too. It’s now or never, Korwin. Make it count, he thought.
    “Please, lead on,” he said as he cleared his throat and took a deep breath.
    The castle servant approached two ornate and thick wooden doors. A story of sorts had been carved into them, each panel retelling a significant event in the Cordale family history. An epic battle was depicted on one, the construction of the castle on another, followed by a speech of some significance, and finally a man wrestling a bear.
    When I’m king, this will be the first thing to go, he thought as he watched the guards open the doors.
    The throne room at Castle Cordale was far larger than Korwin had expected. Each step echoed like horses galloping through a mountainous pass. Large, silver and crimson banners hung from the ceiling and