Blood of the Chosen: Children of the Prime, Book 3 Read online

  Blood of the Chosen

  Children of the Prime, Book 3

  T. C. EDGE

  Contents

  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

  Next Up…

  Also by T. C. EDGE

  This book is a work of fiction. Any names, places, events, and incidents that occur are entirely a result of the author's imagination and any resemblance to real people, events, and places is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright 2018 T. C. Edge

  All right reserved.

  First edition: October 2018

  Cover Design by Laercio Messias

  No part of this book may be scanned, reproduced, or distributed in any printed or electronic form.

  BY THE AUTHOR:

  CHILDREN OF THE PRIME:

  The Chosen (Book One)

  Trial of the Chosen (Book 2)

  Blood of the Chosen (Book 3)

  Book 4 Forthcoming

  THE ENHANCED SERIES (MAIN SERIES):

  The Enhanced (Book One)

  Hybrid (Book Two)

  Nameless (Book Three)

  Assassin (Book Four)

  Captive (Book Five)

  Renegade (Book Six)

  Invader (Book Seven)

  Avenger (Book Eight)

  Defender (Book Nine)

  Nemesis (Book Ten)

  Sequel (to main Enhanced series, and Warrior Race series):

  The Enhanced: Awakening

  THE WARRIOR RACE SERIES (ENHANCED UNIVERSE):

  The Warrior Race (Book One)

  The Red Warrior (Book Two)

  Angel of War (Book Three)

  OTHER BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR:

  THE WATCHERS SERIES:

  The Watchers Trilogy:

  The Watchers of Eden (Book One)

  City of Stone (Book Two)

  War at the Wall (Book Three)

  The Watchers Trilogy Box Set

  The Seekers Trilogy

  The Watcher Wars (Book One)

  The Seekers of Knight (Book Two)

  The Endless Knight

  The Seekers Trilogy Box Set

  THE PHANTOM CHRONICLES:

  The Last Phantom (Book 1)

  Phantom Hunter (Book 2)

  Phantom Legacy (Book 3)

  Phantom Unleashed (Book 4)

  1

  I stand, defeated, looking down upon the world.

  My heart beats dully, a great weight across my shoulders.

  Below, colours blur, a chorus of noise, of excitement, spreading from the great square. Thousands of people, murmuring as they await the reveal. Today is a great day in the city of Olympus, the city of gods. Today, the new Chosen Fire-Blood is set to be announced.

  I turn my eyes to him now. To Elian, son of Master Prost, his recently deceased predecessor. The boy will step up into the breach left by his departed father. He will join the Chosen and fulfil his destiny, continue upon the path he's been walking since his youth.

  I look at him, and see his eyes shine gold. See them glint as they catch the sunlight, see his hair glow more radiantly than ever. A bright smile warms his face, the result of so many years of training and practice, of a goal set and earned, a long journey completed. A small part of me looks at that smile and nods, happy for him, knowing he deserves it more than I do.

  But another part - a bigger part - looks on with a profound sense of envy. It could have been mine, that part thinks. It should have been mine.

  I...I have failed.

  A throb of desolation courses through my veins, my mind filling with thoughts of Lilly, of Jude, even of my grandmother. My grandmother who concealed the truth from me, whose own history is so marred in deceit and shame.

  What will happen to them all now, I wonder, staring down the great staircase towards the city, visible through the broken wisps of cloud. Have I broken the contract with the Overseer? Has my failure now destined Lilly to a more difficult life of service and suffering? Will Jude now be caught and imprisoned once more, punished for my failure to succeed?

  No, comes the answer. No, you did everything you could. You came so close. You cannot be punished for that...

  My eyes drift, left and right, building a picture of those around me. I see the Overseer now, standing to one side, dressed in his typically colourful robes. Nearby, upon the Sacred Stairs, the residents of this summit stand; the Chosen and the Heralds, the favoured Children of the Prime. And behind, across the plateau, the magnificent Temple of the Prime sits, housing the mother and father to us all.

  It is them we await. It is them we serve.

  It is them...I have failed.

  The thought echoes inside my mind. It feels odd, yet natural. My life has been in denial of these people, these false deities. And yet, seeing them, meeting them, I felt a profound yearning to serve them, bow to their commands, do anything and everything they would wish of me.

  I stand, so unexpectedly broken by my failure to join their side, to do their bidding. What will become of me now? Am I to live my days here, wallowing in my disappointment. Might I follow the path of my grandmother, and lose myself to this strange desolation?

  I stand, and begin to understand how she must have felt. How devastated she must have been to be demoted from this high perch after years as the Chosen Fire-Blood. I have only been given a hint, the tiniest taste of such a life. She lived it for a decade, and then lost it all.

  My head begins to hang, chin dropping low. What is this loneliness inside me? How has this defeat cast me down so low?

  My head rings with such dark thoughts, and from the edges of my vision I sense movement. I look up, and find the Chosen and the Heralds turning around. Below, the murmuring of the thousands gathered in the square begins to hush. I straighten my posture and turn. And from the great temple behind me, they come.

  The Prime, man and woman, flow as if on air, white robes fluttering gently behind them. The sun seems to shine brighter, a spotlight upon their step. The gentle blanket of clouds and mist that covers the steps starts to dissipate. A channel appears, providing the throng below with a view right up to the summit of the city.

  I find my attention turning to one of the Chosen, dressed in robes of white, blue, and yellow. His hands move subtly to his sides, his face cast in mild concentration. I notice the smooth movement of his digits occur in time with the changing of the weather. The clouds and mist part, and his hands begin to still.

  He must, I realise at that moment, be the one controlling the weather. The clouds part and gather on his command. The white, blue, and yellow of his robes represents the cloud, sky, and sun.

  Godlike gifts, I think. A rare - and wondrous - form of power.

  I shuffle on my feet, standing to attention like the rest. My posture reacts to the moment on instinct, respectful and reverent of the two white-robed figures coming our way. An expected silence imbues the audience below as they sense the approach of their eminent rulers. My body stills, and I see the smile drop off of Elian's face. His moment is approaching. He must come off as honourable and proud, smiling only with grace when the announcement is made.

  The Prime move as one, limbs flowing at precisely the same moment, expressions mirroring one another. They
glide towards the central position between their selected Children, and the crowd start to react as they come into view. It isn't so much a cheer, or roar of applause that greets them. Just a hum in the air, a buzz of excitement as they're spotted at the top of the stairs.

  They stop there, swaying their gaze upon their people, their sons and daughters, their family. I wait, anxious to hear them speak once more, to feel that odd sense of great joy, even euphoria, they swept through me when I met them only minutes ago. When I learned that Elian had been selected as Chosen.

  Ahead of me.

  I wait, but hear nothing. They look down only, but do not speak. Instead, it is the Overseer who steps forward, moving from his position and onto the step below them.

  With his multi-coloured robes flowing on the breeze, he smiles at the honour bestowed upon him, his words ringing out so clear and loud, the whistling wind seeming to quieten as he begins to speak.

  "People of Olympus," he calls down. "You have gathered here today to welcome a new Chosen. As you all know, some months ago our great Fire-Blood, Master Prost, made his journey to the Eternal Halls. His time among the Chosen was long, and storied, but now his song has been sung. After much deliberation, a new member has been selected to take his place. Our Mother and Father have made their choice."

  He draws a breath, dragging things out, relishing the occasion. I know the crowd, far below, must be turning their eyes upon me, and Elian, and Hestia, the three of us lined up beside the Overseer. Analysing our postures, if not our expressions, our faces too far away to see.

  They probably know already, I think. I won't surprise them as I had hoped...

  The Overseer turns his eyes to us now, one by one. He smiles, and lifts a hand, gesturing towards us as he calls out, speaking to the throng below.

  "The three before you have displayed exemplary Fire-Blood abilities. All have achieved the great honour of climbing the Sacred Steps, and only moments ago, were granted a private audience with our Mother and Father. That in itself is victory. All should be respected and shown the honour they deserve."

  He smiles again as he looks at us. I see something - some consolation - as his eyes drop upon me, as if he himself expected me to be selected.

  "Now," he goes on, voice ringing out louder, "I invite the new Chosen Fire-Blood to step forward. It gives me great privilege to announce that the honour goes to - and this should come as little surprise - Master Prost's son himself." He beams, and the crowd hum louder. "Step forward, Master Elian, Chosen Fire-Blood."

  Now it comes; the spreading of roars and cheers. It starts gentle, like distant thunder growing louder as it closes in. The smile that works upon Elian's face is gracefully suppressed, though I notice his body glowing, his cloak brightening as he steps away from Hestia and me, moving to the Overseer's side. The taller man bows as the younger Fire-Blood nears, displaying the respect his new position demands. And then, turning to face the Prime, Elian drops to his knee, and speaks the words of loyalty his place as Chosen requires.

  My mind blurs as I watch, the crowd hushing, though unable to hear Elian's quiet recital, intended only for those upon the steps. When done, the Prime nod in unison, and raise those beautiful, perfect smiles. They open out their arms - the Prime male his left, the Prime female her right - and invite Elian to greet his new brethren. He steps towards the other Chosen and Heralds, who gather around and greet him with bows of the head and firm hands to the shoulders. Their new kin. Their new brother.

  And there I stand, away from it all, the fire in my blood doused. I watch, numb, as the brief ceremony takes place, and Elian stands alone once more, the others giving him space, to soak up the adoration of the great crowd below.

  And among it all, I turn again upon the Prime, and find their eyes on me.

  They stare, unblinking, faces ageless, power endless, and I feel that odd swell of joy course through me once more. Smiles lift on their lips as one, smiles that tell me everything will be OK. That I have nothing to worry about, nothing to fear.

  That my journey, on whatever path it may take me, is far from over.

  2

  My journey down the steps isn't the one of victory I'd hoped for. Even, I have to admit, expected in part.

  With Elian's new position granted, and his key to the summit given, it is only Hestia, myself, and the Overseer who descend.

  Below, the crowd fall into celebration, using the occasion as an excuse to sing and dance, eat and drink the offerings and tributes gathered from across the Fringe. The square that, only a week or so ago, staged the death and purification of several heretics now transforms into a place of joy. Colours abound, powered individuals of all kinds honouring and toasting the ascension of one of their own.

  Would they have done the same for me?

  To hell they would...

  I spare a glance back up at the stairs as we move down, the mists and clouds beginning to gather once again to block the view of the summit. There, I see Elian amongst his new family, their private celebration set to go on through the day and night. Up there, on the top of the world, they will feast and share great tales of glory and victory, and Elian will be initiated into their number, sharing stories of victory himself.

  And here I am, cast aside. Unsure now, so suddenly, of what path I'm walking. How can it be that I'm so affected by this? Why do I even care?

  My eyes catch sight of a fluttering of colour, the Overseer's robes billowing in the wind as we make our way back towards the masses below. I wonder if it's him who has turned me so swiftly, or whether this is simply a manifestation of my own desire. Maybe he put in the early work, drawing me into this life, and my meeting with the Prime sealed the deal.

  I turn back again, hoping, praying for a final look at them, shining bright in their white robes. I glimpse them through the brewing mists, radiant, magnificent. I find myself stopping on the steps, staring, unwilling to turn away. An urge strikes me to climb back up, drop to my knees before them as my grandmother once did, beg to remain by their side.

  But...why? Why such the urge, the need?

  Because that is their power, a voice whispers inside me. They demand to be followed and served. Anyone who looks upon them is cast under their spell...

  "Amber..."

  The voice slips into my head, and I turn to the Overseer standing beside me. On his other flank, Hestia looks up the steps as I do, her eyes like my own. Wide, unblinking, like a child so enchanted by a new toy. There's a softness to her expression that I've never seen, her facade ever cast hard, determined, hateful. No longer. She just stares longingly, her mind beguiled as mine is; to do whatever they might wish. To become a slave to their will and nothing more.

  "I wanted to apologise, Amber..."

  The voice comes again. I look up to the Overseer, eyes paternal and caring.

  "Apologise?" I whisper absentmindedly.

  He nods. "I feel I misled you," he says softly, glancing over his shoulder at Hestia, who continues to gawp up the steps, lost in her own little world. "I truly felt you would be Chosen."

  "You...did?" I ask, finding it hard to concentrate. I glance again up the steps, the clouds forming more thickly and blocking the view above. And with it, the radiance of the Prime dims and fades away, setting a dull, sunken beat to my heart.

  "I did," says the Overseer quietly. "I believed that you would follow in your grandmother's footsteps. It was you whom I personally recommended to the Prime."

  His words break the spell, and I fix my full attention upon him. "You recommended me?" I ask, surprised.

  "I believe you have more potential than Master Elian, gifted as he is," says the Overseer. "However, my opinion, and those of the other assessors, is only a guide for our Mother and Father. As I told you before, it is down to them to make the final decision. It seems they favoured Master Elian, and their choice must be respected."

  "I..." I turn up the steps again, seeing only cloud ahead, the steps disappearing in the soup. "Thank you," I say, turning back. "I
guess they preferred someone committed to them. I'm more of a wildcard."

  "Perhaps," he whispers. "We cannot know the intention of the Prime. They see more than we do, child. If this is the path you're on, you must trust it."

  "I...I will," I say. "But, what will happen to me now?" Lilly and Jude flourish in my mind. My eyes gather into a worried frown, tentative as they look up at the man before me. "Will my failure..."

  "Fear not for them," the Overseers says softly, soothingly. "You did everything asked of you, child. Aside from a few...hiccups," he adds with a smile. "Lilly will continue to serve Lady Felina, as I promised, and young Jude will remain with his auntie Grace outside of Pine Lake. There is nothing for you to fear, Amber. In fact, I will happily arrange for you to visit with your sister now that you have completed the trials. You will see for yourself that she is happy and content. And you can meet Lady Felina as well, if that suits you?"

  "Um...yes, of course. I'd...love that."

  "Well perfect," he says. "I shall make the arrangements personally."

  "And me?" I ask, uncertain of what I want. "Will I be staying here for...for long?"

  "Well, that will be up to you," says the Overseer with a kindly smile. "You are a Daughter of the Prime, Amber, and a high ranking Fire-Blood. You have your place here among us. This is where you belong."