Echoes in the Dark (66 page)

They
lined up, holding hands. Raine’s was gripped tightly by Bri’s and Faucon’s. The
connection among them was roiling with emotions, spikes and dips of personal
Songs. She and Bri stared at their families. Raine’s gaze locked on her father.
He raised a hand to her, smiled, said, “I love you.” Then the air between them
rippled and wavered and the sight of the stage and the people upon it faded.

There
came a last flurry of sensation from Earth, each unique to the person, but
shared—wind chimes; the scent of the water at her home dock; the sight of a
skyline she’d never seen but flashed in multi-images and views and reverberated
in the minds around her as “Denver.”

Then,
of course, the Songs of Mother Earth: castanets, rock and roll, Beethoven’s
Fifth, Irish jigs, gamelan chimes, bagpipes, chants in multiple languages, a
swirl of sound that seemed to sweep around them, blessing them. Matched by the
Songs of Amee: the rush of volaran feathers, the bells of the Singer’s Abbey,
the ring of a stonemason’s hammer.

And
with the last echo of the lost gong, the Dimensional Corridor shifted and the link
between Earth and Lladrana was gone.

T
hey had the
final blessing a month later outside Castleton, after all the lingering horrors
who’d invaded Lladrana were defeated. The invasion was already celebrated in
Song and story, the three quarters of the force who’d lost their lives to be
forever remembered.

Jikata
and Luthan had carried the dry husk of the Singer’s body from the Caverns of
Prophecy. Sevair and Koz had fashioned a glass coffin for her and laid her
inside. Marian and Jaquar had filled the coffin with Power to preserve the
lady. All of them had transported the old woman’s body to Glass Island, where
the Circlets had melded her coffin to the land, showing forever that she’d
helped save Lladrana and should be honored and remembered and revered.

They’d
spent a little time on the island, once again saying goodbye to lost friends,
easing their grief, then had returned to plan a great ritual.

People
came from northern villages—some being resettled—and southern Krache city.

All
gathered in a huge spiral, with Alexa and Bastien on one end, circling round
with all the Exotiques. Marshalls and Chevaliers and Circlets and
City-and-Townmasters and Seamasters and Singer’s Friends of the whole country
were interspersed throughout the spiral.

The
population of Castleton was there, as were those who lived and worked on
Exotiques’, Marshalls’ and Chevaliers’ estates. Old folks and toddlers,
children and teens. As long as they could link hands with each other, they were
accepted in the spiral.

And
they did link hands, with Luthan and Jikata in the very center. Then, finally,
Alexa slipped her arm around Raine and Faucon’s clasped hands and the circuit
was closed.

They
lifted their voices and Sang in a free Lladrana.

AUTHOR NOTE

The
Summoning series came from stories I told myself before I went to sleep when I
was a teen. I’m extremely proud that I had a chance to refine the ideas and
write them. I enjoyed climbing the mountain and the wild ride down it. It’s
been an adventure.

When
I first started the project, I thought of doing different female
archetypes…Alexa the warrior, Marian the academic, Calli the nurturer, Bri and
Elizabeth the healers, Raine the girl next door, Jikata the sophisticate. Some
of these archetypes I used, some I bent.

As
for settings, authors are using their hometowns these days, so I used Denver.
Cheesman Park exists (and has a fascinating history of being a cemetery), so
does LoDo (lower downtown), but the Ghost Hill Theater and its attached hotel
was actually fashioned on a rehabbed Canadian theater that had plans available
on the Internet. I chose Best Haven, Connecticut, because I knew Mystic is a
shipyard, as well as the fact that my college roommate—who first encouraged me
to write—came from Westport.

There’s
a lot in my head that couldn’t make it into the books: some background of
Lladrana when the Guardian Marshalls first set the fence posts; the extended
lives of secondary characters Thealia and Partis, Koz; ideas about the
feycoocus. I also have research materials for the books, everything from a
small model of Windsor Castle upon which the Marshalls’ Castle was loosely
based, to a multitude of yacht designs, books on knots and wooden ships, and
maps…so Lladrana will stay with me for a long time.

I
do
include some extras on my Web site, robindowens.com under the Worlds page, and
all excerpts from my work are on my site under Reads.

I
hope you enjoyed Lladrana and visit there more than once.

May
the Song take you where you need to be.

Robin

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Echoes in the
Dark

Raine Lindley,
of Best Haven, Connecticut, is part of a shipbuilding family and was Summoned
on the cheap by the Seamasters, unknown to everyone else. She spent the first
six months of her time on Lladrana sick and working at taverns, particularly
the Open Mouthed Fish.

Faucon Creusse,
a wealthy nobleman, leads one team of Chevaliers in battle, and fields another,
innately drawn to Exotiques. He is a merchant prince with seaside estates.

Enerin, a baby
magical being (feycoocu), shape-shifter.

Jikata, once of
Denver, Colorado, now of Los Angeles, California, is a half-Japanese popular
singer on the cusp of becoming a superstar.

Luthan Vauxveau,
older brother to Bastien. Luthan is the representative to the Singer, the
oracle of Lladrana and a nobleman and Chevalier. He has a touch of prophecy and
wears white.

Chasonette, a
Lladranan cockatoo.

The Exotiques,
their men, their companions (in order of Summoning)

Alexa
Fitzwalter,
Guardian of Honor,
an attorney from Denver, Colorado. Alexa
became a Swordmarshall in the elite noble warrior class, fighting the Dark.

Bastien Vauxveau
is a black-and-white, a person with striped hair and wild magic, a
Shieldmarshall, a rogue.

Sinafinal, a
magical shape-shifting being (feycoocu), native to Lladrana.

Marian Harasta
Dumont,
Sorceress of Faith.
A doctoral student from Boulder, Colorado,
has become a Sorceress of the highest order, a Circlet, practicing weather
magic and has founded a school with her mentor, Bossgond.

Jaquar Dumont, a
Circlet of weather magic.

Koz/Andrew,
Marian’s brother from Earth, formerly suffering from multiple sclerosis, he
brought wealth with him.

Tuckerinal,
Marian’s former hamster, now a magical shape-shifting feycoocu.

Calli Torcher
Gardpont,
Protector of the Flight,
a horse whisperer who now teaches people
to partner better with the volarans, winged steeds.

Marrec Torcher,
a common man who became noble through his marriage with Calli.

Thunder, Calli’s
primary volaran.

Elizabeth
Drystan Jones,
Keepers of the Flame:
Newly certified medical doctor, she
was Summoned on the rebound of a broken engagement and had an affair with
Faucon.

Brigid Drystan
Masif,
Keepers of the Flame:
Massage therapist, Bri has “itchy feet” and
has kicked around the world using her gift of healing hands.

Sevair Masif, a
steady and reliable Citymaster, stonemason and architect.

Nuare, a roc who
has attached herself to Bri.

Other important
characters

Corbeau Creusse
and his family, cousin to Faucon, a new Seamaster and the person who runs the
northern estate, Creusse Landing.

Lucienne
Deauville, matriarch of a Lladranan shipbuilding family.

Marwey and
Pascal Raston,
Song of Marwey Online Read.
Marwey is former assistant to
Alexa Fitzwalter and now a Shieldmarshall. Pascal is formerly an impoverished
nobleman and Chevalier, and is now a Swordmarshall.

Luthan/Jetyer Cut Scene

Robin D. Owens                                                                                             Echoes
In The Dark

CUT SCENE.  This
scene is not in the book. All rights reserved; copyright © Robin D. Owens.The
text contained within may not be reproduced in whole or in part or distributed
in any form whatsoever OR SOLD without first obtaining permission from the
author.

Luthan had felt the desperation of Calli's son, Jetyer, at being
left behind when his parents would sail away to invade the Dark's Nest. The boy
had been adopted only a year before and still felt unsure of his place in the
world. He was old enough and clever enough to try something foolish—like
following the rest of the chosen forces and camping out near the manor house, then
stowing away on the Ship. Luthan didn't doubt that the boy would be found, but
it would cause more emotional ructions and could possibly delay the invasion.

One morning he watched as the boy and his small volaran casually
left the Landing Field. It wasn't difficult to find them in a nearby copse,
Jetyer practicing with his sword and shield on foot. The young volaran gamely
practicing battle lift-offs and landings. Luthan's heart squeezed. Marrec and
Calli had a fine son, one Luthan would be proud of, too. And deep in his heart
he envied the boy, to love his parents so much. His first eight years might
have been rough, but his latest had been the life Luthan had yearned for, warm,
loving parents.

"Jetyer," Luthan said, deliberately deepening his voice
with authority.

The boy flinched and fear came to his eyes first, then they
narrowed and his mouth took on a stubborn jut.

"Put down your
sword and shield, boy. I'd like to speak to you." He noticed that Jetyer
wore the hat Luthan had given him. Testing the boy's and the volaran's Songs,
he found that the youngster
was
tough, could blur the beat of his thoughts,
keeping them secret. The volaran was all too easy to read. He gestured to the
young volaran, turned to his own steed, bowed. "Would you be so kind as to
take Jetyer's volaran to the sweet meadow reserved for the highest and let him
nibble."

Ayes, Luthan,
his winged companion said telepathically, swiping a tongue across
his own lips.
Come, youngling.
Lightning volaran rose with infinite
grace and Jetyer's tried hard to copy the lift, his brain fully occupied with
the maneuver and his emotions focused on good food. Luthan waited until they
were out of sight before he said, "Mute your connection with your
volaran."

Frowning from under heavy brows of a deep brown, the boy did.

"Thank you." Luthan bowed to him, too.

Jetyer had leaned his sword and shield on a tree, put his hands on
his skinny hips. "Whwhat d-do you w-w-want?" He flushed, more color
coming to his skin than if he'd been a purebred Lladranan.

It was rare for the boy to lapse into stuttering.

"I want to prevent you from doing something foolish."

The boy turned a
darker color, his skin wasn't quite as fair as the Exotiques, but the change was
noticeable.

Luthan said quietly, "As you know, I can sometimes see the
future."

Jetyer stilled, skin stretched taut over his face.

Seeking the mental thread he should have with this boy—Luthan was
connected to all the Exotiques through Bastien and Alexa, and had participated
in circles with both Marrec and Calli—he found it, held it gently, and sent,
You
must not speak of our conversation to *anyone.* To do so might change the
future and, believe me, you do not want that.
Warily, but with curiosity growing
in his gaze, Jetyer nodded. Luthan offered his hand. Jetyer hesitated and took
it. The link between them strengthened.
In all my visions of the future,
your parents have lived through the invasion. One-hundred-per-cent. That is
very rare, but when it happens it is True.

The boy's mouth dropped open his eyes widened.  "B-b-but
wh-what ab-bout—"

"That's all I will say on it to you and you are the only one
to know. When your father asks for your word to stay behind tonight, you give
it. And you keep this secret close." Jetyer scowled. "If Calli or
Marrec believed they will survive they might take risks they shouldn't."
Biting his lower lip, Jetyer seemed to mull this over. "Ayes, think of
that. Now get your sword and shield and we will have some one-on-one practice
until the volarans return." That definitely diverted the boy's thoughts.

"With
you
?"

Luthan grinned. Nice to know he still impressed someone. "Ayes,
with me."

Exotique Meeting Cut Scene

CUT SCENE.  This
scene is not in the book. All rights reserved; copyright © Robin D. Owens.The
text contained within may not be reproduced in whole or in part or distributed
in any form whatsoever OR SOLD without first obtaining permission from the
author.

This scene was
actually written when I was putting the proposals together for the last three
Summoning books (which became two) in August of 2006. I didn't include it
because as the story developed it became evident that Jikata should meet the
others at the ship raising. HOWEVER, I did REFER to the scene as one that both
Luthan and Jikata saw in their prophecies...but didn't come true. Enjoy!