Venom and Song
Venom
and
Song
Other Books by
. . .
WAYNE THOMAS BATSON AND CHRISTOPHER HOPPER
The Berinfell Prophecies
Curse of the Spider King
WAYNE THOMAS BATSON
The Door Within Trilogy
The Door Within
The Rise of the Wyrm Lord
The Final Storm
Pirate Adventures
Isle of Swords
Isle of Fire
CHRISTOPHER HOPPER
The White Lion Chronicles (series)
Rise of the Dibor
The Lion Vrie
Venom
and
Song
By WAYNE THOMAS BATSON
and CHRISTOPHER HOPPER
© 2010 by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansâelectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherâexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Thomas Nelson, Inc., titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].
Characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Page design by Mandi Cofer.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Batson, Wayne Thomas, 1968â
   Venom and song / by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper.
      p. cm. - (The Berinfell prophecies ; bk. 2)
   Summary: Trapped in Allyra by the evil Spider King, seven young Elf lords raised on Earth must learn to control their new-found powers, follow mysterious clues left by the Old Ones, and learn to work together to find the Keystone that might save the Elves and their allies.
   ISBN 978-1-4003-1506-2 (hardcover)
   [1. Fantasy. 2. Christian lifeâFiction.] I. Hopper, Christopher,
   1979â II. Title.
   PZ7.B3238Ve 2010
   [Fic]âdc22
   2010004264
Mfr: Worldcolor / Fairfield, PA / May 2010âPPO# 106779
To the One who lifts the chin of the downcast, picks up the downtrodden, repairs the broken, and finds the lost, we bow our knee and offer this novel as a sword in your armory.
Contents
17. The Prophecies of Berinfell
Allyran Elves:
All Elves who live in Allyra.
Ethon Beleron:
First Raptor Ward of the Old Ones; of the Nightwing tribe, distant cousin to Jett.
Alwynn Belkirith:
High Cleric of the Tribes of Berinfell.
Berylinian Elves:
A rare race of Elves noted for their bluish skin.
Asp Bloodthorne:
A Drefid commander and messenger for the Spider King.
Tommy Bowman:
Curly-haired seventh grader from Seabrook, Maryland. Known in Allyra as Elven Lord Felheart (Fell-heart), son of Lord Velaril and Tarin Silvertree.
Autumn Briarman:
Petite, blond seventh grader who lives outside Depauville in upstate New York. Known in Allyra as Elven Lord Miarra (Me-air-uh), daughter of Lord Galadhost and Salura Swiftstorm.
Johnny Briarman:
Burly seventh-grade student who lives outside Depauville in upstate New York. Known in Allyra as Elven Lord Albriand (Al-bree-and), son of Elroth and Lord Tisa Ashheart.
Annelle “Nelly” Brookeheart:
Assigned as Johnny and Autumn's Sentinel.
Flet Marshall Brynn:
Second-highest-ranking Elf military officer.
Mr. Charlie:
Dreadnaught protector of Tommy Bowman, thought dead after the battle at Dalhousie Castle. Known in Allyra as Merrick Evershield, but prefers Charlie. Often uses a deep Southern accent.
Children of the Light:
The ancient name of Allyran Elves.
Cragons:
The monstrous black trees of Vesper Crag.
Dreadnaughts:
Elite warrior Elves who practice Vexbane, a profoundly effective form of combat. Elite Dreadnaughts are assigned to protect the Seven Lords.
Drefids:
The Spider King's ghoulish assassins. Drefids have four deadly claws that extend from the knuckles of each hand.
Elves:
One of the ancient races of Allyra. Elves are known for their books of prophecy and their woodcraft.
Anna Rosario Delarosa Espinosa:
The Simonson family's housekeeper, and assigned as Kat's Dreadnaught.
Miss Finney:
Lochgilphead school's reading teacher and part-time librarian, and assigned as Jimmy's Sentinel.
Sarron Froth:
The Drefid assassin who helped the Elves.
Eldera “Elle” Galdarro:
The mysterious librarian at Thurgood Marshall Middle School, and assigned as Tommy's Sentinel. Known in Allyra as Goldarrow.
Gnomes:
Experts in maps, they wander far and wide, and have a longtime feud with the Elves.
Jett Green:
Seventh grader in Greenville, North Carolina. Rides motocross bikes and plays football. Known in Allyra as Elven Lord Hamandar (Ham-and-ur), son of Lord Vex and Jasmira Nightwing.
James “Jimmy” Lewis Gresham:
Redheaded seventh grader who lives in Ardfern, Scotland. Lived in an orphanage until he was adopted at six years old. Known in Allyra as Elven Lord Thorwin (Thor-win), son of Lord Xanthis and Dreia Valorbrand.
Guardmaster Olin Grimwarden:
Commander of the military forces of the Elves and their allies.
Gwar:
One of the ancient races of Allyra. Gwar are known for their brutish strength and their affinity for spiders.
Lyrian Elves:
A very strong race of Elves. They are dark skinned and have violet-colored eyes.
Regis McAuliffe:
Gresham family friend who works at a local pub, is assigned as Jimmy's Dreadnaught.
Migmar:
Barrister King of the Gnomes.
Mobius:
The Spider King's most decorated Drefid assassin, killed in the battle of Dalhousie Castle.
Edward Rengfellow:
Sentinel posing as the curator of Dalhousie Castle outside of Edinburgh, Scotland.
Sentinels:
Very wise, very traditional Elves who are rumored to still follow the “Old Ways.” Elite Sentinels are assigned to protect the Seven Lords.