The Desolate Empire Series: Books 1-3 Read online

  The Desolate Empire Series

  Books 1-3

  Christina Ochs

  Contents

  RISE of the STORM

  Kendryk

  Janna

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Gwynneth

  Janna

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Janna

  Gwynneth

  Janna

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Janna

  Gwynneth

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Janna

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Janna

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Janna

  Kendryk

  Janna

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Janna

  Kendryk

  Gwynneth

  Janna

  Kendryk

  Janna

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Janna

  Gwynneth

  Janna

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Kendryk

  Janna

  Kendryk

  Gwynneth

  Janna

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Janna

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Kendryk

  Janna

  Kendryk

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Kendryk

  Janna

  Kendryk

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Janna

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Janna

  Kendryk

  Janna

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Janna

  Gwynneth

  Janna

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Janna

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Janna

  Gwynneth

  Janna

  Kendryk

  Janna

  Gwynneth

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Janna

  Gwynneth

  Kendryk

  Janna

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Janna

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Janna

  Gwynneth

  Epilogue- Anton

  Cast of Characters

  Valley of the Shadow

  Kendryk

  Arryk

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Teodora

  Janna

  Anton

  Arryk

  Kendryk

  Gwynneth

  Anton

  Arryk

  Janna

  Kendryk

  Teodora

  Arryk

  Teodora

  Janna

  Kendryk

  Arryk

  Gwynneth

  Arryk

  Teodora

  Arryk

  Gwynneth

  Arryk

  Kendryk

  Arryk

  Braeden

  Arryk

  Anton

  Arryk

  Gwynneth

  Anton

  Kendryk

  Anton

  Arryk

  Anton

  Teodora

  Janna

  Teodora

  Anton

  Braeden

  Teodora

  Kendryk

  Anton

  Teodora

  Janna

  Arryk

  Teodora

  Anton

  Janna

  Teodora

  Braeden

  Anton

  Braeden

  Arryk

  Kendryk

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Anton

  Teodora

  Gwynneth

  Janna

  Arryk

  Anton

  Teodora

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Teodora

  Anton

  Braeden

  Teodora

  Kendryk

  Anton

  Gwynneth

  Arryk

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Anton

  Janna

  Arryk

  Anton

  Teodora

  Arryk

  Braeden

  Anton

  Arryk

  Gwynneth

  Arryk

  Anton

  Kendryk

  Gwynneth

  Janna

  Gwynneth

  Anton

  Gwynneth

  Anton

  Arryk

  Gwynneth

  Anton

  Janna

  Gwynneth

  Teodora

  Braeden

  Teodora

  Kendryk

  Teodora

  Gwynneth

  Teodora

  Gwynneth

  Teodora

  Janna

  Arryk

  Janna

  Anton

  Janna

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Anton

  Janna

  Kendryk

  Teodora

  Janna

  Teodora

  Janna

  Teodora

  Janna

  Teodora

  Janna

  Arryk

  Teodora

  Braeden

  Anton

  Braeden

  Arryk

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Arryk

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Anton

  Braeden

  Teodora

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Anton

  Teodora

  Arryk

  Teodora

  Anton

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Anton

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Teodora

  Gwyneth

  Arryk

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Anton

  Teodora

  Kendryk

  Arryk

  Anton

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Epilogue

  Cast of Characters

  Hammer of the Gods

  Elektra

  Anton

  Lennart

  Elektra

  Teodora

  Gwynneth

  Bra
eden

  Teodora

  Kendryk

  Lennart

  Elektra

  Anton

  Teodora

  Braeden

  Anton

  Lennart

  Teodora

  Anton

  Elektra

  Braeden

  Anton

  Braeden

  Kendryk

  Teodora

  Braeden

  Anton

  Braeden

  Anton

  Braeden

  Elektra

  Gwynneth

  Teodora

  Lennart

  Braeden

  Elektra

  Teodora

  Anton

  Braeden

  Lennart

  Anton

  Lennart

  Kendryk

  Anton

  Elektra

  Gwynneth

  Anton

  Lennart

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Lennart

  Anton

  Kendryk

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Lennart

  Anton

  Kendryk

  Anton

  Braeden

  Elektra

  Kendryk

  Elektra

  Braeden

  Anton

  Elektra

  Lennart

  Gwynneth

  Elektra

  Braeden

  Teodora

  Kendryk

  Anton

  Teodora

  Lennart

  Gwynneth

  Anton

  Braeden

  Teodora

  Elektra

  Anton

  Lennart

  Teodora

  Gwynneth

  Anton

  Teodora

  Braeden

  Elektra

  Lennart

  Braeden

  Teodora

  Gwynneth

  Lennart

  Kendryk

  Teodora

  Anton

  Teodora

  Kendryk

  Teodora

  Lennart

  Braeden

  Teodora

  Gwynneth

  Elektra

  Braeden

  Anton

  Kendryk

  Elektra

  Lennart

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Teodora

  Elektra

  Lennart

  Teodora

  Gwynneth

  Anton

  Elektra

  Kendryk

  Lennart

  Braeden

  Teodora

  Anton

  Gwynneth

  Elektra

  Kendryk

  Anton

  Lennart

  Teodora

  Braeden

  Elektra

  Gwynneth

  Anton

  Elektra

  Gwynneth

  Lennart

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Anton

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Lennart

  Elektra

  Gwynneth

  Teodora

  Anton

  Elektra

  Gwynneth

  Anton

  Kendryk

  Braeden

  Anton

  Teodora

  Braeden

  Gwynneth

  Lennart

  Anton

  Gwynneth

  Braeden

  Anton

  Kendryk

  Elektra

  Lennart

  Teodora

  Anton

  Lennart

  Epilogue

  Story Continues…

  Cast of Characters

  RISE of the STORM

  The Desolate Empire

  Book One

  A Novel by

  * * *

  Christina Ochs

  Kendryk

  Runewald, Terragand

  Kendryk had come this far without being recognized; he hoped his luck would hold. Since he didn’t know how long he might be in town, he’d taken his horse to the stable of an inn he’d heard of but never visited. By the time he returned to the street, it was deserted; dark cobbles shining between the tall half-timbered houses. It appeared everyone had gone to the temple square.

  Kendryk was too late to find a good spot, so he stood where the street ended at the square’s edge. From the top of a small rise, he could see the temple’s front. He smiled at three boys jostling for position on an upturned barrel in front of a tavern, then joined a small knot of men standing on the street; local merchants from the looks of them. In his black hat and coat with its modest white collar, Kendryk thought he fit in well enough.

  The men met his courteous nod with smiles and nods of their own. The priest had yet to appear, so one of them asked him, “Have you ever heard Father Landrus speak?”

  Kendryk shook his head. “Have you?”

  “Oh yes,” the man replied. “I’ve been in this congregation my whole life. But of late, as you see,” he nodded toward the crowded square, “Father Landrus speaks in the open so more can learn the truth. The people hunger for it.”

  “Rumor has it that Father Landrus has interesting things to say.” Kendryk felt it was best not to mention he had only been made aware of the priest through his uncle’s enraged letters.

  “Interesting and true. He is making powerful enemies, but the quality of those enemies assures me that what he is saying must be made known to all.”

  “Rumor is that the Duke of Emberg doesn’t approve.” Kendryk hoped he sounded casual.

  The man chuckled. “Yes, the old man has been noisy about his displeasure. Do you suppose he can silence him?”

  “I think not,” Kendryk said. “In the end, it’s a matter for The High Temple, but the prince will have to decide if it goes that far.”

  “Ah yes, the prince.” The man looked at Kendryk sideways. “I wonder what he’ll do if it comes to it.”

  “Hard to say.” Kendryk scratched his nose and pretended to ponder. “But I reckon he’ll want to give Landrus a fair hearing before packing him off to the Imperata.”

  “We can only hope,” the man said.

  A buzz swept through the crowd as one of the temple’s enormous front doors opened. A man in the plainest priest’s robes came out holding a crate, which he placed on the ground. He climbed onto it and bowed his head until the crowd fell silent.

  Kendryk smiled. He’d never seen a Temple official carrying his own pulpit, or indeed leaving the high altar for any reason.

  Landrus raised his head. At first glance he looked rather ordinary, but even at a distance, Kendryk could see that his eyes were uncommonly intense and piercing. Unlike most priests, he wore his light hair cropped close.

  “Greetings, children.” His deep voice carried across the square. “It’s raining, so I will be brief today.”

  “We’re happy to hear you in the rain, Father!” someone shouted, and the crowd cheered in agreement.

  “Thank you, brother.” The priest smiled, then said, “Still, I will keep my words plain and to the point. Over the past weeks, I’ve explained the differences in worship between what is written in the Holy Scrolls and what the High Temple teaches. The Scrolls make clear that each member of the Holy Family is of equal importance and must be honored in equal measure. For centuries now the High Temple has told us that Vica, the Holy Daughter, should be lifted above the others. Perhaps you are wondering why this matters. It is in truth of the highest importance and I will tell you why.

  “The Scrolls speak of a great battle that the Holy Family will fight with the forces of evil. When that time comes, our gods will lose this battle because they are weakened through our neglect. And if they lose, darkness will cover the world until the end of days. The Scrolls, however, tell us how the Holy Family
may be strengthened. It is something each of us can do although we are not doing it now. Worst of all, we are not doing it because of the orders of the High Temple and the Imperata herself.”

  The crowd buzzed, and the men next to Kendryk muttered with it. Kendryk schooled his face into blank neutrality. This was heresy.

  “These orders are evil!” The priest’s voice rang out across the square. “And the truth found within the Scrolls requires us to disobey them. If Ercos the Brother and the Holy Parents continue to be weakened because of our neglect, the gods will fall in that last battle. And that battle, my children, is closer than we think.”

  The crowd roared its approval.

  As the crowd quieted again, another clamor arose. From a street on Kendryk’s right were shouts of “Make way!” along with the clatter of hooves and the clang of armor. When the mounted party appeared in the square, the close-packed crowd parted.

  Kendryk’s throat tightened when he saw the lead horseman. As he had guessed, it was his uncle, the Duke of Emberg, accompanied by his eldest son Balduin. The duke’s progress slowed as the crowd closer to Landrus drew into a protective huddle around him.

  “Stop speaking this instant!” The duke shouted, even though Landrus was silent, standing calmly on his crate. Kendryk wondered if he’d expected something like this.

  The duke waved a paper. “I represent Prince Kendryk of Terragand and have come to arrest you as a rebel and a heretic. You will accompany me to Emberg Castle and await the Imperata’s justice.”

  Kendryk couldn’t believe his uncle’s nerve, misrepresenting him in such a blatant fashion. He opened his mouth to protest, then realized he was without an escort of any kind. No one would recognize him from this distance and he had no way to reach his uncle or the priest.

  A few angry shouts rose from the crowd and the knot around Father Landrus tightened. Kendryk’s heart hammered in his chest. If he didn’t intervene right now, Landrus could be on his way to the Imperata within hours. He knew his uncle wouldn’t bother to consult him first though he was happy enough to use his name. And with the priest turned over to Temple authority, Kendryk’s hands would be tied. He at least wanted a chance to speak with him before letting him go.

  Kendryk understood his people well enough to know that if he allowed Landrus to continue teaching heresy, the situation could slip from his control in a heartbeat. And yet, something niggled at him, egging him on. He told himself he was content with his life as it was, but failed to quash a vague unease, a strong sense he had yet so much to learn and do. Perhaps the gods had sent this priest to show him what he still needed to know and light the way to some great undertaking. The part of him that always held back, that always took care to consider the consequences was defeated, at least for a moment.

  He offered a silent prayer to Vica, asking for wisdom, and to give it without delay. Then he turned to the men standing near him. “Gentlemen,” he said, “I need your help.”

  Janna

  Kaleva, Moralta

  “Have you finished that lesson, Anton?” Janna asked, doing her best to pretend this was just a normal morning in the schoolroom.

  Nodding, Anton handed her his slate. His equations were a mess, although he was normally good at sums. She smiled at him and put the slate aside. “Why don’t we try again tomorrow?”