By the Sword

Published by Violet Sword Publishing

Copyright © Sara Flower, 2012

Cover by Najla Qamber

Author photograph by Tabitha Listman

Editing and eBook formatting by
Shelley Holloway of Holloway House

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used for the purpose of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the Copyright Act of Canada, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Dedicated to:

Mom, Dad, and Jessica

Acknowledgements

My sister and best friend, Jessica, for sharing my love of creating stories.
Your creativity has always been an inspiration to me.

My Mom and Dad, for creating a peaceful environment throughout my childhood in which I could be artistic, and for being so happy to read my first draft of By the Sword. Mom, you never stopped reminding me that I had a gift for writing.

Shelley Holloway, my kind and talented editor and eBook formatter.

Connie Chastain Ward, my helpful print formatter.

Najla Qamber, for designing my book cover and bookmarks.

(
http://najlaqamberdesigns.blogspot.com/
)

Tabitha Listman, for taking amazing photographs – one of which I got to use as my author picture.

Lauren Waters, for all your help with answering my questions about book publishing and for your support.

Mrs. Kirk. You told me in Grade Four that I would become a writer one day. Even when I thought for a time that I should be something else, I never forgot what you said.

All of my friends and family members that have been excited for me to get my
first
book published. It means very much to me.

The Kindle Boards Forum Members

Jesus, my Saviour, for giving
Your
life as a sacrifice for the whole world. I would not be who I am today if it were not for
You
. I hope to be a better writer and a better Christian with each passing year.

Chapter One

Talya squinted, scanning the vast coastline of Cardamon. As usual, nothing appeared to be amiss. But she could feel that something wasn’t right. It was in the air like an oncoming storm.

She faced Tanel and Hanten, her best friends. The boys hadn’t seemed to notice anything. It had to be her imagination playing tricks on her again.

“I always thought that being a knight would be more interesting than guarding the coast,” muttered Hanten.

“It’s only been two weeks. Besides, this is better than city watch,”
Talya
answered.

“I guess so.”

Hanten jumped off of his horse. He picked up a rock and chucked it into the sea below.

“Listen. Did you hear that?” asked Tanel.

He frowned, looking behind them at the tall trees.

“What?” asked
Talya.

Her pulse quickened.

“I heard something, too. It sounded like thunder,” said Hanten.

“On a sunny day?” asked Talya.

She heard it now.

Hanten stared up the hill at the thick forest.

“Do you think something is up on Jade’s Peak?” asked Tanel.

“It could be a wild cat,” said Hanten.

“No, the sound hasn’t stopped. Listen. It has a beat like… drums.”

“Why don’t we
go
see for ourselves?” Talya pulled on her horse’s reins and steered him up the hill.

She rested her hand on the hilt of her shiny new sword. Her feelings wouldn’t be hurt if she had to use it. A little bit of action would be a welcome break from staring at the sea all day.

Once Talya reached the top of the hill, she glanced over her shoulder. Tanel and Hanten had just started up the rise. They seemed to take their time with everything, while Talya could never wait for anything. She was always eager to see or do the next interesting thing, stopping at nothing to get there.

Even when others try to get in my way,
she thought.

She returned her attention to the woods, unsheathing her sword. Nothing jumped out at her.

“Run, Talya!” shouted Tanel.

A shiver ran down her back when she looked up the hill and saw the unmistakable glint of armor in the distance. Soldiers wearing black armor were marching down Jade’s Peak toward Cardamon.
Toward them.

*****

General Edandir kicked his horse, trying to get more speed out of him. Even at such a rapid pace, his army would not make it in time. The smoke that rose to the sky in the distance meant only one thing. Malinor had attacked Cardamon – the neighboring country and only remaining ally of Sanctus.

Edandir had had more than just a hunch that Ittonifer, Malinor’s leader, had been getting restless for more bloodshed. But he hadn’t expected Sanctus’ sister nation to be attacked, let alone so soon.

He immediately thought of Cardamon’s leader – King Seraphim. From the last raven-delivered letter Edandir had received from the king, it had been clear that his faith in God had been waning. This sudden attack couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Edandir was grateful that he’d had the foresight to bring along five thousand of his men.

His intention had been to speak with King Seraphim about forming a stronger alliance and expanding Cardamon’s military, but he believed in coming prepared. If only they had arrived a day earlier.

After the king of Chira had caved in to Ittonifer’s scare tactics and threats, Sanctus and Cardamon were the only nations that remained independent of the empire.

As Edandir and his army approached the outskirts of Cardamon, he could see that the destruction to King Seraphim’s country was devastating. The once-beautiful forest nation was already half destroyed.

So much worse than the last time.

It would never be the same again.

The smell of smoke and death enveloped them. It was time to fight.

*****

Covered in blood, dirt, and sweat, Talya took on Malinorian after Malinorian. She scrambled over a heap of dead bodies and clanged her sword with yet another enemy’s. Their eyes locked for a moment. His pale blue ones were void of humanity. Before he could drive his broad sword into her, she swept to the left and then slit his throat. He was her hundredth kill of the day.

There were so many enemy knights.
Too many.
She wished that she still had her horse, but a Malinorian had hacked it to death hours ago.

 
General Landine of Cardamon w
as just ahead of her, making a path through the sea of Malinorians. Talya followed him.

“Look out, Talya!” called Hanten from somewhere
out of
the ocean of fighters.

Talya turned rapidly and barely blocked a diagonal
swing
to her head. Hanten came up from behind the large brute
then
and drove his sword through him.

“Thank you!” called
Talya
, relieved that he was all right.

Hanten and Talya embraced briefly before taking another round of enemies. All that mattered to her was that her friends survived that day. Everything would be all right if she had Tanel and Hanten. They were the only family she really had.

The army of Cardamon had been trying for hours to push the Malinorians back, but they kept coming like a plague of
hungry flies
. Talya could barely breathe in between attacks.

Talya kicked an oncoming foe in the groin and then impaled him. Over one hundred kills now. But it would never pay for the innocent bloodshed that
the
Malinorians h
ad spread all over the continent.

Talya tried not to look at the ground. The Malinorians’ custom was to behead each and every knight that they killed and toss the head aside. Just the idea drove her mad with rage. Human life and honor meant nothing to them. They even tortured their own kind.

Talya dodged two large Malinorians and then blocked a swing from another. She was grateful for the chain mail that covered her limbs and the lightweight armor that protected her chest and shoulders.

Win
d r
aced through the woods. The fire that had been started in the village by the Malinorians would only spread faster with the strong gale. Talya could already smell smoke. It was close.

Talya brushed sweaty bangs away from her eyes.

I should have cut my hair shorter.

Wearing a helmet would have helped, but she’d had barely any time to prepare. Talya, Tanel, and Hanten had warned
their
General Landine of the imperial invasion mere moments before the enemy had attacked. The Malinorians had slain many of Talya’s countrymen before they’d even had a chance to grab their swords.

A lanky form leaped out of the trees and fired several arrows at the oncoming warriors. To Talya’s joy, it was Tanel.

Thank God he’s all right.

Relief swept over Talya as she blocked a swing from another enemy. His swift kick to her abdomen took her by surprise. Losing her balance, she stumbled backward and fell onto a dead body. She rolled off of it and came face to face with a lifeless head of one of her
people
. He was only seventeen.
Like her.

Talya’s stomach knotted.

I can’t let this get to me. It’s what they want.

A Malinorian hovered over her.

With an angry yell, Talya jumped to her feet and crossed swords with her enemy. He blocked her swing, but she quickly sent her sword through his stomach
with a quick stab
.

Talya ignored her quivering arms. She couldn’t afford to tire. Not now.

The ground rumbled, the noise rising above the clangs and grunts.

Horses!

Talya faced the direction of the sound. Men in red capes rode in on their strong
war horses
. The army of Sanctus had arrived. The Malinorians’ focus went momentarily to their newest threat.

Talya took a run at two distracted foes and slashed their throats. Her fellow knights fought with renewed vigor as the soldiers from their sister nation joined them. For the first time in hours, they drove the
army
back.

A bay stallion galloped past Talya. A tall knight leaped from his saddle and landed beside her. General Edandir pulled his sword from his sheath and nodded at Talya.

“Hello, Father,” she said icily.

“Talya. It has been a while.”

It hasn’t been long enough.

“I’ve always preferred fighting on foot.” Sanctus’ general wore a slight grin.