Crossroad Read online

  Crossroad

  Heroes By Necessity Book Four

  Riley S. Keene

  Contents

  Other Books by Riley S. Keene

  Map of Neuges

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Meanwhile…

  Looking for more?

  Enjoy the book?

  About the Author

  Available soon!

  Copyright © 2019 by Riley S. Keene

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission.

  Riley S. Keene: 1271 NE Hwy 99W #271

  McMinnville, Oregon 97128

  www.rileyskeene.com

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Cover by James at GoOnWrite.com

  Map Design by Jessica Khoury of Lizard Ink Maps

  Symbol Design Elements by Sita “GeckosArt” Duncan

  Crossroad/ Riley S. Keene. -- 1st ed.

  To Garrett for being a fantastic mentor and for cheering us across that finish line.

  To Jess and Elba for their relentless assistance in making our work better. We are eternally grateful.

  To supportive friends and family too numerous to name here, but especially to our mothers and grandmothers for giving us the strength and will to try.

  And to you, reader, for taking a chance.

  From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

  Other Books by Riley S. Keene

  Heroes by Necessity Series

  Ancients - books2read.com/RSKancients

  Bargain - books2read.com/RSKBargain

  Destiny - books2read.com/RSKDestiny

  Crossroad - books2read.com/RSKCrossroad

  Underrealm

  Chasing Moonslight - books2read.com/RSKMoonslight

  The Unbound God

  Part One - patreon.com/rileyskeene

  Map of Neuges

  Chapter One

  The city of Lublis emerged from the rocky ground like a corpse unbidden from the grave. It was a city unlike any other, and was constant proof that humanity would do whatever they could to tame Neuges to match their vision. No matter how blasphemous.

  Elise’s skin crawled at the sight.

  Where they had once been rocky highlands—and a budding mountain, no less—there now stood a city that had been carved from the rock itself. The people of antiquity had shaped the stone to suit their needs, going as far to even redirect the east-flowing branch of Ydia’s Tears, as if the destruction of the stone wasn’t abhorrent enough.

  The thought gave Elise pause. It had been less than a week since she had shed her tabard and declared herself no longer a Conscript of Ydia. And yet, she still thought like one. Lublis, in her mind, was a city of monstrosities, of acts against the Gods even as the Rises were left untouched in reverence. She did not see it as a testament to the strength and ingenuity of humanity, even though so many others did.

  Perhaps it was a thing that would come with time.

  Her teachings were still too fresh.

  As was her pain.

  Athala was dead. Had been for just under a week now as well. And while she and Ermolt were determined to do whatever they could to bring her back, it seemed like an impossible task. A font of power, located in the ruined city of a forgotten God. And one rumored strong enough to match the power of the divine.

  The Favor of Isadon.

  With it, they could bring Athala back from the dead.

  Lublis’ sacrilegious construction was forgotten as Elise toiled with the idea of bringing her best friend back to life. The very thought seemed impossible. And had Sieghard not given her the very book Athala had notated on the subject, Elise would have dismissed the idea outright. As it was, the wizard’s notes were written in a cipher that neither Elise nor Ermolt could read, hence why they traveled to Lublis.

  If there was anyone who could read that cramped script, they resided within Lublis’ profane walls.

  Both Elise and Ermolt had been to Lublis before, and so it was not the first time either of them had seen the shadow of the stone spires growing long into the evening, painting the town in bars of light and shadow. It was a breathtaking view just the same, and while they didn’t have time to stop and admire it now, Elise found herself slowing her pace as they approached the southern-most gate. Another long shadow loomed ahead, bisecting the road. Elise once more shivered.

  “We don’t have time to waste,” Ermolt said, his deep voice rumbling low in his chest. His words were a reminder that barbarian had spent much of the last week taking care of Elise while she dealt with her rage and sorrow. While she was thankful for his concern and duty, a part of her resented his ability to stay focused as well.

  “What does it matter?” Elise hated the whine to her voice and bid it away with little success. “Meodryt likely knows where we are, or at least where we’ll go. And if Her dragon knows, so too does Ydia.”

  “Which is why we must hurry. We’ll be safer inside the city. Even Ydia wouldn’t risk assaulting Lublis just to get to us.”

  “Of course,” Elise said, picking up her pace once more to match the barbarian’s long strides. “Attacking Lublis would show her hand, and no matter what story she spins, it would turn the people against her. Very few enjoy seeing even the most belligerent blasphemer melted with dragonfire.” A grin came to her lips, and it felt mean. “We could use that to our advantage, of course.”

  “Let us not get ahead of ourselves,” Ermolt said with a faint chuckle. “Athala first, revenge second.” He fell silent a moment, and Elise knew what dark thoughts tickled his mind as they lurked in the murky mire of her own.

  “And revenge against Ydia, third,” Elise finally said, her grin fading to a grimace.

  “Of course.”

  They walked in silence for a moment more, plodding ever closer to Lublis. Elise ground her teeth together in an attempt to silence her raging mind, but there was no stopping the inferno between her ears.

  Ibeyar Frey.

  The thought of that very name forced her jaws together in a way that caused her to wince. They had avoided saying his name aloud since Jirda, and for good reason. If the past few weeks had taught them anything, it was that Ibeyar and his ilk were vermin who could be hiding in every shadow. It mattered not that they fled Jirda under cover of darkness and traveled nearly non-stop since. Elise knew the man would appear ahead of
them, against all logic, if they let their guard down.

  “We should discuss our plans,” Ermolt said, breaking the silence between them.

  Elise, roused from thoughts dark enough to scare the night, almost didn’t follow what he meant. “For Lublis?”

  “And for the book.” Ermolt patted his side where Athala’s journal was safely stored against his person. Elise had tried not to notice the time he spent crying over it, but she did. And she’d been jealous.

  “We’ll need to work covertly. Every face within the city is another who could be working for him.”

  “Are we so afraid of the man to avoid saying his name aloud?”

  Elise frowned. “While we’re alone on the road, of course not. Ibeyar Frey, may the Nether take his soul and rip it to a thousand pieces.” She spread her arms wide as if she could bid the Nether to do just that. “But once we are within the walls, we’ll want to avoid it. I would rather not have someone connect us with Jirda and whatever Ibeyar has become.”

  Ermolt clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “I don’t like it, but you’re right. Let us avoid that nastiness for as long as possible.” He stared down the road ahead as the sun finally slipped fully behind Grunith, bringing twilight. They continued in darkness, not bothering to light a torch. Lublis was less than a kren away, and the light of their torch would only bring unwanted attention. “But how do we go about getting this translated?”

  “There are two possibilities, and I’m not very fond of one. I think our best bet is to make contact with the Overseers.”

  Ermolt’s sharp intake of breath told Elise of the wince she couldn’t see. “I don’t think that’s a good use of our time.”

  “And you might be right, but it’s the best alternative. We have connections with the Jalovan Overseers, and I think we can use that to our advantage. They might have someone on retainer who could break the cipher without needing to involve the Dohn family at all.”

  “The Jalovan Overseers are a separate organization, though. While our connections might get us an audience, we’d still likely need to earn whatever favor we require.”

  “We have coin.”

  “But for how long? What coin we have came from Meodryt, and it is unlikely the dragon or their God will be willing to refill our purse if the Overseers decide their price to decode the book is every coin we have.” Ermolt grew silent for a moment, and when he spoke again his voice sounded lost in the darkness. “And regardless, we might still need our coin to match any bounty Ibeyar can put upon our heads, if we wish to leave the city unharmed.”

  “We don’t have many alternatives,” Elise said, her own tone muted. “Our only other option is her brother. I don’t know exactly what happened between them, but Athala was convinced that he would be happier to see her dead anyway.”

  “It might be that he’s our safest option, though.”

  “I know, and that worries me.” Elise clenched her jaw together tightly. “It seems we’re running out of possibilities quicker and quicker these days.”

  Ermolt only grunted in return.

  “Alright. We can try it.” Elise sighed and squared her shoulders against the night. “I don’t think he’ll be of much help, but we can at least try talking to him. Thought I worry about how he will respond to finding out that she…” Elise trailed off, blinking away the unbidden tears that rose to her eyes. She cleared her throat. “About what happened to her. I only hope he doesn’t react badly to us planning on bringing her back.”

  “We do more than plan,” Ermolt said gruffly. “We will succeed. No matter what it takes.”

  “Right.” Elise nodded, even though she knew he would have trouble seeing her.

  But it wasn’t enough.

  Ermolt stopped, grabbing Elise by the shoulder and spinning her to face him. Elise cried out in surprised and windmilled her arms to keep from toppling to the dirt. He held her tightly around both shoulders, mutually stabilizing her and holding her in place. The barbarian’s face swam out of the twilight as he drew her close. “Promise me. We will do whatever it takes, right?”

  “Ydia’s Grace!” Elise cursed, wincing at how quickly the words tumbled from her lips. She’d need to find another. “Of course, Ermolt.” She pried his hands from her arms, wincing at what might be bruises forming against her olive flesh. “I will do anything to bring her back, and there is no price too great.” Elise looked to the road. “We failed her. I failed her. And if it comes down to it, if the Favor’s price is a sacrifice, I would gladly give my life to put this right.”

  “Let us hope it doesn’t come to that,” Ermolt said with a ghost of a smile. “But thank you. I just… I just needed to hear that. We don’t know what’s in this book, and we don’t know what the Favor’s price will be.” He took a step back from her, and together they returned to their previous pace.

  The gates of Lublis loomed ahead, close enough for Elise to see the City Guard who forced away the darkness with lantern and torch. They dotted the walls and stood attention at the gates, protecting the citizens of the capital of Neuges from all dangers.

  Elise didn’t fault Ermolt for questioning her motives, for as confident as Elise’s words had been, her mind was less sure. While she was willing to sacrifice everything to return her friend to the realm of the living, logic whispered that there was no way to undo death.

  It would not matter if she would move Grunith itself to bring Athala to life—if she couldn’t find a spot to grip and a place to stand, there was no hope.

  Chapter Two

  After the luck he and his companion had shared recently, Ermolt expected questions. Here they were, two travelers coming from the south, beaten and worn. Elise still had a bloody bandage wrapped around her head—although the wound was mostly healed—and Ermolt’s clothes were still in tatters. They had barely slept or ate, even though they had rested a smattering of times between Jirda and Lublis.

  But the City Guard took one look at them and dismissed them as Jirdan refugees. They were welcomed into the city with little more than a warning to keep things civil, and a cursory glance at their belongings.

  He wasn’t quite sure if this were better or worse than the scenario he had built up in his head. In that one, he and Elise fought bravely at the gates before joining Athala in the Nether.

  They were silent for a long time after the gates, following sparsely lit streets deeper into the heart of Lublis. He wanted to ask Elise if she had any plans for where they were going, but the words were eaten by the void in his heart. It was easier to just keep walking for now.

  Beneath the shadow of the Rise of Dasis she turned, circling around towards the northern half of the city. Ermolt squinted at her in the darkness.

  “Where are we going?” Ermolt asked, hating the emotionlessness he heard in his voice, but unable to do much for it. “The noble houses are on the south end.”

  “Yes, but it’s late. I suspect M—he wouldn’t even choose to open the door to us now, especially not fresh from the road with all of our possessions on our backs.” In the dim light of the city’s evening glow, Ermolt could see Elise frown. “I know a cheap inn near the Rise of Numara. It’ll help us keep our story, and perhaps we can get some real rest before dealing with a nobleman.”

  “Do you think we’ll be safe? I worry we won’t be welcome anywhere associated with Numara or… him.” It would be bad enough if they were connected with the now dead God of the Night, but to also be associated with her killer, even as an enemy, might be too much.

  Elise took a sharp turn at the next crossroad, forcing Ermolt to scramble to change directions with her. “We’re ahead of the news, other than being seen as refugees. It isn’t like claiming the dragon will have given him the ability to mystically track us.” A deeper frown bisected her face. “Or Nether take us, I at least hope.”

  “Is he a God?”

  The question stopped the ex-Conscript, and Ermolt nearly plowed into her. She turned to him, her face pallid and drained of everything
but fear. “Ydia’s Grace, I hope not.” Elise shook her head sharply, and Ermolt couldn’t tell if it was to chase away the uncomfortable thought, or in disappointment over her exclamation invoking Ydia’s name.

  “But he has a dragon now. Isn’t that what makes a God?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine,” Elise said before she started walking once more. “And there’s only two beings I could think to ask—the one who we seek to return, and the one responsible for putting her there.”

  A sickly fire spread through Ermolt’s belly at the thought of Meodryt. The dragon deserved to die, and Ermolt would be the one who ended its life. He could feel his lips pulling away from his teeth at the thought. It reminded him of the blind hatred he had for Ragan Zymer, the exile who had murdered his mother and sister.

  Ermolt expected snowfall to follow the memory. Just the smallest bit. A light dusting to both cool and fan the hatred.

  But none came.

  There was not so much as a slight chill.

  Ermolt grimaced. Just another problem to add to the fire. He wondered if he would have time to complete a short pilgrimage to the Rise of Dasis, and the Temple that resided there. While he was unsure of his connection to the God anymore, he knew he needed access to his rage. And if that meant reassuring Her of his intentions through prayer and sacrifice, so be it.