[Preface] Spire and the Dragonwood Affair
[Novelette] Tales of Stonehaven [467 words]
Spire and the Dragonwood Affair is the first of five novelettes in The 5th Compass series. Captain Silverblade, the most feared and hated pirate in all of Stonehaven, has put her life in the hands of four of her most trusted pirates. Their mission is to each take possession of an enchanted compass and hide them where no one can ever find them. This is the story of Spire and how he got on with hiding the compass given to him.
Captain Silverblade is in trouble. Her desire to help those less fortunate by stealing from the rich to give to the poor may have to end. King Rowan of Gaspar has had enough. Every time he sends his men to trade with the kingdom of Pradore it leads to the destruction of his ships and the slaughter of his men. His anger has driven him to do something that has never been done before. He has raised the Paragon. Known only to nobility as a demon whose purpose is to fulfill the desire of the one who awakens it. And King Rowan’s desire is simple; kill the female pirate.
When Silverblade discovered what King Rowan did, it was the first time her men saw fear in her eyes. As a pirate, she always stood strong against her enemies and would easily defeat them. But as an expectant mother, she knew her usual strategy to attack to the death wouldn’t work. At least not while a child was inside her.
There was only one solution she could see and one person who could help her. Nelle was more than just a longtime friend to Silverblade. Since they were both children, Nelle shared all her secrets. And it was the one about her gifted abilities that Silverblade needed the most.
Nelle had a feeling her services would be needed when she heard about the Paragon. It was only a matter of time before Silverblade would call for her, and Nelle was ready. She visited her brother, Riven, and retrieved five identical compasses. She would use them to complete the task her best friend would ask of her.
Taking Silverblade’s soul and placing a piece into each compass was simple, what had to happen after was what made things difficult for both of them.
Before the baby was born, Silverblade sent her most trusted pirate captains, each with a compass, and instructed them to go as far as they could travel and hide them where no one could ever find them. As long as the compass remained intact she could never be killed, not even by the Paragon.
Nine months passed and Silverblade then had to do the unthinkable, give her child to Nelle so he could be safe. No one must ever find out that she had a child, or all of her enemies would stop at nothing to go after him in order to hurt her.
When Nelle took the child, Silverblade sent him with a compass, something to remember his mother by, though their paths would never cross.
Each novella will give you a unique perspective on the journey of all five compasses. Where exactly were they taken? And how does the boy, abandoned by his mother, fit into all of this? Read on to find out.