SHIFTING LIGHT
The Protectors Prequels, #1
By Emily Ann Ward
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
The Protectors Series:
Book One: Promising Light
Book Two: Promising Hope
Book Three: Promising Power (Upcoming)
The Protectors Prequels
Shifting Light
Fire and Light
The End of Light
Burning Light (Omnibus Edition)
Also by Emily Ann Ward:
Passages (Seven Short Stories)
Beyond Home (Three Short Stories)
Finding Fiona
CHAPTER ONE: THE BOY FROM JOLEN
The new shape changer in town was cute. No, Sashe thought, cute isn’t the right word. Dashing.
He stood a few inches above six feet and wielded the hoe easily as he dug into the dirt. His skin shimmered with sweat, and he wiped jet black hair off of his forehead. A streak of dirt came off his sleeve, smearing his olive-colored skin. The sunny weather in the seaside country of Jolen would explain his dark skin. Maybe his family had been fishermen or sailors. The rumor was his parents had been killed by the Protectors, but Sashe hoped it was just the overactive imagination of her cousin Evan.
Sashe and her sister Sierra were on their way home after a morning in downtown Rahuda and lunch at a friend’s house, but Sashe decided they had time to meet the boy who had moved in with Evan.
“Let’s go meet him.” She tugged on Sierra’s arm, pulling her off the path toward their aunt and uncle’s cherry orchard where the newcomer was working. Rows of cherry trees lined the expansive orchard in front of them, and the newcomer stood between the nearest row and the path as he dug a line of shallow holes. Voices echoed in the air from other workers in the orchard, and Sashe breathed in the rich scent of earth.
Sierra grinned at her. “Do you think he’s wearing that shirt because he knows it shows his muscles?”
Sashe tilted her head, admiring the curve of his biceps. “It’s definitely possible.”
He glanced up then, perhaps hearing their voices as they drew closer. His gaze lingered on Sashe.
Sierra squeezed her elbow, then said under her breath, “I dare say he’s staring at you.”
Sashe half-smiled, even as her face grew warm. The staring was something she wasn’t sure she’d ever grow used to. Her body had developed without her consent a few years ago, and everyone had noticed. Especially men.
Sashe and Sierra left the path and walked up to the newcomer. Sashe couldn’t quite remember his name, something that started with an S. She raised her hand in a wave and opened her mouth to say something witty, something that would make him smile. All that came out was, “Hi.”
A corner of his mouth raised in a half-smile. “Hi.”
Luckily, her sister stepped in before she could say anything else. “I’m Sierra. This is my sister, Sashe. We’re Evan’s cousins. Sort of.”
He leaned on his hoe. “Sort of?”
“We’re not really related to Evan,” Sierra said. “We’ve lived with the governor for. . .ten years now.”
He paused, his face screwing up in thought. “And the governor, he’s Evan’s uncle?”
Sierra nodded. “What’s your name?”
“Seth.”
“Seth,” Sashe repeated. She liked the way it rolled off her tongue. He met her eyes, and she felt her face flush. Oh, goodness, what was wrong with her? A cute boy looked at her, and she fell apart. That was not like her.
He smiled. “How old are you?” His gaze moved from her face down to her shoulders, down to the ground, probably taking in her body on the way. His eyes didn’t linger anywhere, unlike the old men in town who would stare at her chest.
Sierra cleared her throat. “I’m fourteen.”
He nodded towards Sashe, silently asking her.
“Seventeen.”
He chuckled. “You don’t look seventeen.”
She raised her eyebrows. “How old do I look?”
He shifted his weight, tossing the hoe from one hand to another. “Older. How old do I look?”
Sashe glanced at Sierra, who was grinning again. Her younger sister shrugged as she twirled dark hair around her finger. Her eyes twinkled like they did when she felt particularly mischievous. “What do you think, Sashe?”
Sashe took him in: his strong face, dark eyebrows, broad shoulders, his eyes studying her. “Seventeen or eighteen.”
He laughed, and Sashe swore her heart skipped a beat. His entire face seemed to change, and he looked happy and younger. “Nice. I’m sixteen.”
Sashe’s mouth dropped open. “No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am!” He glanced over his shoulder towards the cherry orchard Evan’s parents owned. A few workers went in and out of the rows of cherry trees. “You can ask Evan when you see him.”
She crossed her arms. Interesting, she’d never really noticed a younger boy before. “I will. So, are you from Jolen?”
Seth nodded, staring down at the ground. “Have you ever been there?”
Sashe shook her head. “No, but I’d love to see the ocean.”
“I miss it already,” Seth said as he ran a hand through his hair.
There was a moment of silence. Sashe raised her eyebrows at Sierra, who nudged her in the side, the mischievous look still in her eyes.
“Why do you live with the governor?” Seth asked. “Where are your parents?”
“They died,” Sashe said.
Seth’s brow furrowed, and he straightened. “Were they Avialies?”
Sierra shook her head. “No, they weren’t magical folk at all. But they knew the governor because they grew up here. We didn’t have any other family, so he took us in.” She shrugged. “I don’t even remember them.”
Seth glanced away. “You’re lucky.”
Another moment of silence.
“What happened to your parents?” Sashe asked softly. She remembered what it felt like when she first moved to Shyra ten years ago, how people tip-toed around the subject, how they avoided ever talking about her parents like she might break if they did. She’d only been seven, but she’d hated it.
Seth gazed at her for a moment. “They were killed in a battle by the Protectors.”
Despite the warm weather, goosebumps spread across her flesh. They weren’t just rumors, then. She had heard about the Protectors for a couple years now: noblemen from the royal city of Renaul who wanted to impose certain laws on the Avialies. The governor, Alastor, blamed it on bigotry and fear of their shape changing magic. Was that why they killed Seth’s parents? She swallowed, looking up at Seth. “I’m sorry.”
“Me, too,” he said so quietly Sashe nearly didn’t hear him.
“You’ll like Rahuda,” Sierra said. “It’s probably fun living with Evan, right?”
A small smile came onto his face. “Yeah, he is fun.”
“Dar is excited to meet you,” Sierra continued. “He was going to go into town with us, but he had dueling lessons. He wants another shape changer to get into trouble with.”
“Uh, Dar, he’s. . .?”
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“Evan’s cousin. The governor’s son.”
“Right.” Seth glanced over his shoulder, his smile widening. “Well, Evan and I already snuck into Kale Saven’s apple orchard.”
“Good! No one likes Kale Saven.” Sierra made a face of disgust.
Sashe laughed. Kale Saven was a stingy man and a ruthless boss. The kids their age had made a habit of doing anything to annoy him, and most adults didn’t do anything to stop them because they didn’t like Kale much, either. “You’ll fit right in,” she told Seth.
Seth smiled at her. “Thanks.”
She wanted to stay around and talk with him more, but the sun was getting low in the sky. She hooked her arm around Sierra’s. “We should get going. We have classes this afternoon.”
“Natalia said you’re coming over for dinner,” Sierra said, “so we’ll see you in a couple hours.”
“So many names to remember,” Seth said, picking up his hoe. He pointed at them, repeating their names. “And who’s Natalia?”
Sierra smiled. “Evan’s aunt. Dar’s mother.”
“The governor’s wife.”
“You’re catching on already,” Sashe said with a friendly smile. “Once you meet everyone, it’ll be easier.”
Seth grinned back at her. “I’ll rely on you two to help me out.”
“You can count on us,” Sashe said, taking a step back reluctantly.
“Great.” He twirled the hoe in his hand. “Back to work, then. Thanks for the nice break.”
Sierra backed up first, tugging on Sashe’s arm. Sashe smiled at Seth one last time before getting back on the path with Sierra.