Child of Destiny (Prophecy Series Book 3) Read online

  Child of Destiny

  Prophecy Series: Book 3

  T. N. Hayden

  Copyright © 2015 T. N. Hayden

  ISBN-13: 978-1500124298

  ISBN-10: 150012429X

  ASIN: B00WOYWJ7C

  Child of Destiny

  Copyright © 2015 by T. N. Hayden

  Cover Design © 2020 by T. N. Hayden

  All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used factiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (May 26, 2015)

  Jesus Christ

  “Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” 1 Peter 3:4

  Chelsea V.

  Thank you for all of your support!

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  ~ Prologue ~

  ~ 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 ~

  ~ Chapter 44 ~

  ~ Chapter 45 ~

  ~ Chapter 46 ~

  ~ Chapter 47 ~

  ~ Chapter 48 ~

  ~ Chapter 49 ~

  ~ Chapter 50 ~

  ~ Chapter 51 ~

  ~ Chapter 52 ~

  ~ Chapter 53 ~

  ~ Chapter 54 ~

  ~ Chapter 55 ~

  ~ Chapter 56 ~

  ~ Epilogue ~

  Acknowledgements

  About The Author

  Books By This Author

  “The Liberator shall destroy the evil upon the throne with her true love, the Bloodline Prince, by her side. The Chain shall stop the bringing of peace if the Liberator allows it.”

  Ruccis:

  Richelle “Rickie” Paken: Leader of Ruccis

  Drew: Wizard of Ruccis

  Angela “Angie” Paken

  Jeffrey “Jeff” Appleton

  Johnson “Jon” Brown

  Archer

  Rebels:

  Derek Andrews

  Abby Brunster

  Fredrick Brunster

  Tobin Matthews

  Megan Broxley

  Xavien Broxen: Deceased Wizard

  Palace/Nobles:

  Girdo Hedrith: King of Najos

  Montiel Killer: Heir and Princess of Najos

  Celeste Wallace: Younger Princess of Najos

  Brad Killer: Wizard

  Laura Matthews: Chain

  Scott Karter: Lord of Beryl

  Orman Wagner: Soldat

  Paige Hamilton: Soldata

  Chelsea Grafen: Palace Maid

  Other:

  Nikolas Broxley: Professor

  Patricia Broxley: Professor

  Kerwin Leifton: Former Prince of Najos

  ~ Prologue ~

  Dintz 38, 543

  Beryl, Najos

  Who did he think he was? Megan Broxley had never been so insulted in her life. Rather than face him again, she had quickly walked away from the dark brown-haired man with dazzling blue eyes. Megan took a deep breath, turning her attention to her sister and her brother-in-law as they danced a waltz. The three had vacationed together from their hometown for the past several months. Megan gently touched the necklace she always wore, thinking of her grandfather as she did.

  “Hello lovely lady.” A man cleared his throat as he spoke to her.

  Megan was tired of all the attention. She wanted peace and someone who could see past her outward appearance. “Hello.”

  “My name is Derek.” He grinned, revealing white teeth and a dimple in his right cheek. “What’s yours?”

  “Megan.” She put on a smile. She had to be courteous. Her manners were her greatest weapon, and it was the thing which could broker peace. Or so her mother always told her. She preferred reading in a library to speaking with strangers.

  “May I have the pleasure of a dance?”

  She eyed him closely. He was average height with dark brown hair and deep brown eyes. His friendly smile brought a real one to her lips, and Megan couldn’t dwell on the comments Scott had made to her.

  “It would be my honor.” Megan took his hand. It was rough, as if he had worked every day in his life.

  “What brings you to Beryl?” Derek asked as they joined the waltz.

  “My sister, her husband, and I are traveling to see the country.” Megan explained as she stepped in a box. “What about you? Do you live in Beryl?”

  “No.” He chuckled. “I grew up in Pyrite.”

  “Are you a fisherman?” Megan was familiar with the cities of Najos. Her mother, a governess, had educated her daughters far past the normal expectations of women.

  “I used to be.” Derek gently spun Megan. “I’m now on different missions for the kingdom, which is what brought me here.”

  “You’re a soldier?”

  “Something like that.” He pulled her close, her heart fluttered, and he whispered. “Would you like to go outside for a breath of fresh air?”

  She nodded, unable to answer him. Megan couldn’t express the strange feeling she had coursing through her body, and she took a deep breath as Derek led her onto an outer balcony. Megan went to the railing and looked up. “Aren’t they beautiful?”

  Derek moved beside her and looked at the stars. He turned his gaze to her face and whispered. “Very.”

  “My grandfather always said stars have magic.” Megan felt like she was in a dream, something she couldn’t understand. Was this really happening? “He told me stars grant wishes.”

  “What is your wish?” Derek was suddenly very close.

  Megan looked at her soft hands as they danced against the railing. “It doesn’t matter what I wish.” Her voice was so low, she wasn’t sure he could hear her.

  “It does to me.” Derek put a finger under her chin and lifted her head to look into her eyes. His were deep brown pools of something purer than desire, stronger than iron, and softer than silk.

  “I wish destiny wasn’t written.” The words slipped from her mouth before she could think.

&nbsp
; “I know what you mean.”

  “So that’s your wish as well?” Megan couldn’t tear her gaze from him.

  Derek grinned. “I want to rule my fate. That’s my wish.”

  “Then we should rule our own fates.” Megan gently slipped her arm around his back. Her cheeks flamed as she wondered where this boldness came from.

  Derek grinned and cupped her neck, tilting her face up to kiss her. Megan gripped the lapels of his jacket to pull him closer in their kiss. She sighed happily as their mouths danced like their feet had before.

  “We won’t hurt you.” Derek took a step closer. “I could never hurt you.” He gently reached up to touch one of her braids.

  She bit her lip as something besides butterflies flew in her stomach. “What do you mean?”

  He brought his finger under her chin and gently kissed her again. Derek suddenly pulled back and gently removed the white-gold ring on his right finger. “Take this Megan, and may it always remind you of me.”

  “It’s beautiful.” She touched the white-gold. She frowned as she noticed the etchings in the ring. “What does this mean?”

  “I don’t know.” Derek grinned. “My uncle gave me that ring, and I’ve had it since I was eight. Keep this and think of me.”

  “I have a feeling I’ll be thinking of you for a long time.” She gently touched his cheek and shook her head. “I don’t understand. I shouldn’t feel like this. I just met you, and you just met me.”

  “But it’s like we’ve known each other for a long time.”

  “Megan.” Scott gasped. “Let her go.”

  Megan whirled around and noticed a dark-brown haired woman and black-haired man with Scott.

  Suddenly Derek grabbed her wrists and pulled her close. “Scott, take my sister and her husband to the weapons stash.” He yanked Megan aside him, and she gasped as he held her tight. She wasn’t sure what was happening.

  “Weapons.” The dark brown-haired woman stated. She grinned at Derek and the man with them. “She’ll be safe once we get what we came for.”

  “Fred, go with Abby.” Derek sounded like he was in charge. “I’ll stay here.”

  Abby nodded, and she left with Scott and Fred.

  “I’m sorry about this.” Derek released Megan. “I should explain that I don’t work with the king. He’s an evil tyrant, and we want to see him gone. We work with a group of rebels, and we’re here to get more weapons.”

  “I understood that last part.” Megan’s heart pounded as she played with the maroon material tied around her waist as a sash. She’d read about the rebellion since she was fourteen. Now a handsome rebel stood in front of her.

  “We won’t hurt you.” Derek continued. He took a step closer. “I could never hurt you.” He gently reached up to touch one of the auburn braids pinned back with the rest of her hair. “I can’t explain it, but I think there may be something between us Megan.”

  She bit her lip, unsure if she should tell him the truth.

  ~ Chapter 1 ~

  Sake 544

  Malak, Najos

  Megan Broxley touched her lips as she woke. She sighed and fingered the ring she now wore on her sword charm necklace. She’d been dreaming of the rebel again. Several months had passed, but Megan would always be haunted by Derek. He’d released her as promised after Abby and Fred had gotten away with the weapons.

  “I’m cooking eggs for breakfast.” Tobin looked between the sisters where they lay on their bedrolls in their little campsite. “It’s a good thing I can cook.”

  Laura nodded. “If you didn’t, Megan and I would starve.”

  Tobin chuckled as he kissed his wife. “How far south do you want to go?”

  “As far as we can.” Megan answered. “I know we can find the rebels someday.” It had always been Laura’s idea to join the rebels, and Megan would follow her sister.

  Tobin stirred the eggs around in the pan he’d brought with them. “I was surprised to see how eager you two are to join the rebels.”

  “Really?” Laura frowned. “I thought you knew me better than that.”

  He glanced at her. “Perhaps. It’s just that none of us even know how to fight. I mean, you’re the daughters of teachers, and I’m the son of a chef. It’s not like we have any family lineage of warriors.” He handed the twins their breakfast. “We’re all more comfortable in the university.”

  Laura and Megan exchanged a glance, and Megan knew her sister wanted to tell Tobin the truth. They’d had that conversation many times in their life, but Megan would continue to insist that no one know the truth about their grandfather.

  “Still, the king is evil, and if we can do something to help people, we should do whatever it takes.” Megan touched the necklace her grandfather had given her. You will be a bearer of light. After finding out the truth, she’d been upset. Angry and frightened, Megan had run away from home for several nights.

  “We should pack and get going.” Laura turned to get her belongings.

  Megan nodded, and the three of them were soon on their horses, riding south along the Malak river. It was a large river that went from Lake Respa to Lake Zabala. The forest was alive with many animals scurrying about, but as their horses raced, none of the other animals bothered them.

  “What’s that?” Megan frowned at a group of men heading their way from a small wooden dwelling.

  Tobin pulled his stallion to a halt. “It looks like a soldier’s post.”

  “What are they doing here?” Laura’s horse stopped alongside her husband.

  “What are you doing here?” The captain of the guard, marked with his green sash, walked closer to the group.

  “We’re travelers.” Tobin answered. “We’re from Lapis, and we’ve been traveling through Najos for almost a year.”

  “Right.” The captain looked past him. “Who are the women?”

  “My wife and her sister.”

  “Looks like twins.” The captain’s smile made Megan queasy. “They’re very beautiful women. Do you get to sample both? Is that why you all travel together? Sister-wives?”

  “How dare you?” Megan hadn’t been so insulted since the night she met Scott. “My sister and I may be twins, but I assure you, we are two different people.”

  The captain grabbed Megan and pulled her from her saddle. “Don’t you raise your voice to me, woman.”

  Megan dropped to the ground, fear clutching her as she raised her arms to ward off his attack. Tobin threw himself from his saddle, and Laura grabbed the reigns of all three horses.

  “Please, we didn’t do anything.” Megan whispered.

  Laura nodded. “We’re just travelers.”

  The large captain of the king’s guards looked between the sisters and Tobin. “So, you’re sticking with that story? You’re from Lapis, and you’re just traveling to see all of Najos?”

  Megan touched the maroon material tied around her long auburn hair as she stood. “It’s the truth.”

  “What is going on here?” A man seemed to materialize from the thin air. His light brown hair was producing small patches of grey, and his amber eyes seemed to be caught by Laura.

  “We’re travelers.” Tobin stepped in front of Megan. “This man won’t let us pass.”

  The sorcerer looked to the captain of the guards. “Thank you for stopping them.”

  “What do you want from us?” Megan felt her veins freeze. She knew why he had stopped them, but how could he possibly know?

  “Take her.” The sorcerer nodded to the captain.

  The captain grabbed Megan’s arm and threw her roughly to the ground. She struggled to get up. Another guard pulled her to her feet and shoved her against the side of a tree. Megan tried to wiggle free, but the man tied her hands behind her back. He yanked her long auburn hair, and Megan cried out in pain. Small tears formed in her eyes as the man threw her to the ground in front of the sorcerer. Megan looked around.

  Tobin punched one of the guards, but the man just laughed and shoved Tobin. He tripped o
ver a root and fell back first into the large river. It seemed to swallow him, and Tobin coughed as his head resurfaced. However, the current was too strong, and Tobin was taken down the river.

  “No!” Megan heard Laura scream.

  Megan’s heart dropped, and she felt like she was falling. This wasn’t supposed to happen. They were supposed to find rebels and be safe with them.

  Turning her head, Megan saw one of the soldiers stab Laura’s mare. The horse fell, and Laura tumbled to the ground. The soldier grabbed her arm and pulled her toward her sister. Megan struggled against the rope around her wrists, but she only managed to hurt herself. She groaned as her wrists burned. You must bring light into this world by destroying the dark.

  One of the soldiers shoved Laura next to her sister, banging their heads together.

  Megan and Laura hissed in pain, and Megan blinked several times to clear her vision.

  “Which one?” The captain looked at the sorcerer.

  The sorcerer walked to Megan and Laura. Laura cried; her eyes were fixed on the river. Megan knew as well as Laura did. None of them knew how to swim.

  The sorcerer touched each of their chins and pulled their heads up to look into their eyes. His were amber rocks, lifeless and dead.

  “This one.” The sorcerer pulled Laura up and shoved her. Laura disappeared as if she had never been there.

  “No!” Megan screamed. What had he done to her sister? What was this monster capable of? Why had he taken Laura, and what more could this man possibly do to her? Megan’s blood boiled, and she suddenly wanted to break her promise to her grandfather.

  “Take her to Beryl.” The sorcerer looked at the captain. “There’s someone there who wants to see this one.”

  The captain pulled Megan up, and she struggled against him. The captain slapped her again, and Megan’s headache stabbed harder.