Sample Chapter #1

Selene

Book 3 of the Sophia Katsaros Series

Prologue

The blissful misty moments of dawn were violently ripped away and replaced with the sounds of battle. Steel swords clashed as the weary peasants fought to defend the small village against the invaders. A chant began to rise from a meager hut. Soft at first, uttered by a terrified but determined heart. As resolve grew so did the skin prickling feeling of power.

For a long-agonized moment, it seemed as though the chaos would never end. And then, with a white-hot lance of pain, it did. It was a sudden change. Followed by a vast stillness, dark and blessedly silent. Life drifted away for mere moments or centuries, impossible to decipher. Until that too, changed.

The sea salt scent of the ocean permeated the air as the water crashed against rocks that had grown smooth from centuries of this dance. The moon hid her face, denying the world her light and casting the land in eerie darkness.

The deep blanket of night was relieved by a small glimmer that drifted through the woods. An impoverished light that went all but unnoticed except for those beings who are not counted amongst humankind.

A dryad blinked a weary eye as the light found her. “Do not bother me. You do not belong here.”

“Where do I belong?” the glimmer asked. “What am I?”

“I know not what you are,” the dryad replied. “As for where you belong, you will know when you find it.” And with that the spirit of the wood closed her eyes. Her thoughts borne away on the sap coursing through the tree she inhabited.

The glimmer paused, confused. There was something important that lay in the other direction. But it was frightening and so the glimmer hurried on. Not knowing what it was running from, but knowing it needed to get away.

An owl drifted past, barely sparing a glance as it hunted that which scurried on the forest floor. “What am I?” The glimmer asked of the owl, but no response was given. Just a beat of silent wings and the cry of a rodent, quickly ended.

The ocean crashed against the shore sending droplets of mist that caught the simple light of the glimmer and made it more. Drawn toward the depths the glimmer sank beneath the waves to the world that knows no sound.

An oceanid saw the glimmer and swam over, her sea grass hair trailed behind her. Gently she ran her fingers around the orb, entranced. What are you?” she asked, bubbles leaking from her mouth.

“I do not know,” the glimmer replied.

“But you are something,” said Ocean’s daughter. “And that is a grand thing to be.”

“I used to be…” The glimmer began and then the thought drifted away. There had been the taste of iron, but now there was only salt and water. There had been pain and love. At least the glimmer thought that there had been. But then, like all else, that too was forgotten.

“You must choose a form,” the oceanid said.

“But how?” the glimmer asked.

“I do not know how, you simply do.” 

“Like you?”

“No. I am me.” She smiled. “You must be you.”

“But I do not know what I am.” the glimmer replied, frustrated.

“Your soul knows. Just listen. It will tell you.”

“I have a soul?” The glimmer blinked, it’s light fluttering.

“Of course.” The oceanid laughed as her sisters joined her. “All things do. From the trees to the worms that crawl. All live and all are important.”

“How pretty.” Another swam up. “Sister, where did you find it?”

“It found me,” the first said. “It thinks it is lost. It is not. It just doesn’t know where it is going yet.”

“Oh yes, most wise,” a third sister said. “You can be only lost when you know where you are going. If you do not know, how can you be lost?”

The glimmer floated amongst the sisters of the deep. They were frightfully beautiful. Long hair floated about them. Gills on the side of their necks opened and closed as the tides swirled over them. Silver scales danced down their backs reflecting the cool fire of the moon that struggled to penetrate the deep waters.

“How do I choose a shape?”

“Choose.” They sang in chorus. “Choose. Listen to your soul.”

Had the glimmer been able it would have sighed in frustration. But then something caught the glimmer’s attention. It was song. Instantly known, though its refrain had never been heard before.

“Oh. He sings.” The sisters cheered. “Come. We must go listen.” With a swirl of water and glistening scales the sisters swam away leaving the glimmer to tumble amongst the waves in their wake.

The sisters hid among the rocks, partially submerged, to watch the boy who sang sweetly to the moon. “Why do you deny me?” He implored. “Please show me your beauty, cast your light upon me.” Picking up a reed he began to play. The sisters wept briny tears as they listened.

The glimmer paused. The soul that had been spoken of took notice of the boy. Slowly the glimmer hovered about him. His eyes were closed as he played. The glimmer’s light illuminated the features of a boy, showing the promise of the man he would become.

He wore clothes that had been dyed a deep color though the night hid their hue. About his neck were chains of gold. All these things the glimmer saw. And all were fascinating.

“Come back to us, little spark.” The oceanid whispered.

“Yes.” Her sisters sang.

Slowly the glimmer left the boy and his haunting melody. 

“He is beautiful,” the glimmer whispered.

“He is a prince.” The oceanid cast a knowing look at the boy.

“Oh, a prince.” That word sounded familiar, but pain followed hard on the heels of the memory. And so, it was pushed aside. Fleeing from the echo of blood the glimmer floated once more about the boy as he continued his song.

The sisters giggled amongst themselves as the glimmer danced about the boy.

“I know what you are, little spark,” the oceanid said.

That was enough to draw the glimmer’s attention from the boy. “What?” the glimmer asked.

“A woman,” the oceanid said.

“Yes, indeed. A woman.” Her sisters echoed.

“What is that?” the glimmer asked.

“A most frightful thing,” Ocean’s daughter said.

“Indeed.” Her sisters sang. 

http://chrisgiz12.deviantart.com/art/Oceanid-328485373