BooksBarbecue
Back Forsworn Save as PDF
Chapters (53)
  1. Map of Kingdom of Finfalla and Surrounding Area- Western Half
  2. Map of Kingdom of Finfalla and Surrounding Area - Eastern Half
  3. Map of Kingdom of Finfalla and Surrounding Area - Full Map
  4. Important Trigger Warning
  5. Prologue
  6. PART I
  7. One
  8. Two
  9. Three
  10. Four
  11. Five
  12. Six
  13. Seven
  14. Eight
  15. Nine
  16. Ten
  17. Eleven
  18. Twelve
  19. Interlude: The River of Life
  20. PART II
  21. Thirteen
  22. Fourteen
  23. Fifteen
  24. Sixteen
  25. Seventeen
  26. Eighteen
  27. Nineteen
  28. Interlude: Fallow Fields
  29. PART III
  30. Twenty
  31. Twenty-One
  32. Twenty-Two
  33. Twenty-Three
  34. Twenty-Four
  35. Twenty-Five
  36. Interlude: Of Man and Monster
  37. PART IV
  38. Twenty-Six
  39. Twenty-Seven
  40. Twenty-Eight
  41. Twenty-Nine
  42. Thirty
  43. Thirty-One
  44. Thirty-Two
  45. Thirty-Three
  46. Thirty-Four
  47. POSTLUDES
  48. Postlude 1: Lana Vica
  49. Postlude 2: Ludo Vica
  50. Postlude 3: Cainan
  51. Acknowledgments
  52. An excerpt from Heartsworn, Volume II in The Forsworn Oath, available for preorder now!
  53. PART I

The whitewater was a perfect opportunity to replenish his water supply, as the river was cool, clean and refreshing. There was also a hint of something sweet, as if it had been mixed with a bit of honey. In any case, it was as revitalizing a drink as he’d ever consumed, so he spent the better part of an hour drinking, eating and gathering his strength. He wasn’t worried about the time of day. Even if darkness settled over the forest, following the river at night would be easy enough under the moonslight, though time-consuming considering the size of some of the boulders he would need to clamber over or find a way around.

But he was in no hurry; after all, he’d waited twenty years for this.

With that in mind, he began the final stage of his journey.

Twenty-Nine

Soraya

Seer, Finfalla

“Hurry!” Sunny shouted, able to find her feet much faster than Soraya, who was still in shock at the rapid turn of events. The strong woman hauled her upright with more ease than she could’ve managed herself anyway, and then they were flying through the destroyed door, stampeding down the hallway—the surface of which was marred by dozens of deep claw marks—and then descending the staircase so recklessly that they nearly collapsed as they hit the landing at the bottom, clinging to each other for support as they surveyed the tavern’s main room.

Shim! was Soraya’s first thought, but then both their eyes landed on the devastated front door at the same exact time, which was both a relief—Shim was okay!—and a source of horror—the townsfolk!—all at once.

Out into the night they went, searching the town square for any evidence as to which direction Seela had gone. There was nothing, any furrows the nightdemon’s claws might’ve cut into the stonework hidden by the darkness of a moonsless night, but then—

A scream lit up the silence.

“That way!” Sunny shouted, and then she was off in the direction of the scream, no longer towing Soraya, who struggled to keep up with the woman’s speed. Just ahead, Sunny turned a corner, but by the time Soraya was able to do the same, the woman had disappeared from the street.

“Which way, which way…,” Soraya breathed, slowing to a jog as she tried to determine whether to turn down one of the numerous alleyways that branched off the main thoroughfare.

Something told her that none of them were quite right, and then another scream confirmed as much, the sound coming from somewhere dead ahead, at least as far as she could tell, the sound echoing slightly off the buildings.