What do you think?
Rate this book
Gleaming Chains Through Bleak Valleys
Elowen’s breath hung like wisps of smoke in the chill dawn air as her battered cart creaked along the rutted lane leading into Eldermoor. The village lay silent, its timbered homes blackened by smoke and the stench of rot. Crows perched on broken rooftops, croaking mournfully into the empty sky. Though half the world’s realms lay out of reach, rumors of their fates traveled fast on the wind—a truth Elowen learned the moment she glimpsed the ruined settlement ahead.
She guided her weary mare, Sable, toward the ruined square, every nerve taut. Her knuckles white against the reins, Elowen scanned the shattered well at the center, its stones overturned and water long since drained. Her journey had led her here, drawn by travelers’ tales of a silver chain that bound realms together; one fragment had fallen near this forsaken place. Now, with dawn breaking beyond the ashen hills, she intended to find it.
The cart’s wooden wheels hit a loose cobblestone, jolting Elowen from her reverie. Dust rose around her as she dismounted, every inch of her gear—bow slung across her back, leather satchel at her hip, dagger sheathed at her thigh—clinking softly in the hush. She moved with purpose, footsteps muffled against the cracked stones. Even the caw of the crows stilled as she approached, as though the world itself watched her.
A faint glimmer caught her eye near the well’s fractured a small sliver of silver, etched with intricate runes that seemed to pulse with inner light. Elowen knelt, heart hammering, and brushed away debris. The polished metal curved like a delicate hook, yet carried weight unexpected for its size. A fragment of chain, she realized, her pulse racing. It was colder than ice where she touched it, sending a tremor up her arm.
Before she could cradle it safely, a low groan sounded from the shadows of a collapsed cottage. Elowen rose, dagger drawn. The faint echo of labored breathing wove through the ruined beams and splintered planks. She moved swiftly, stepping through the threshold of broken walls, shards of glass crunching beneath her boots.
She guided her weary mare, Sable, toward the ruined square, every nerve taut. Her knuckles white against the reins, Elowen scanned the shattered well at the center, its stones overturned and water long since drained. Her journey had led her here, drawn by travelers’ tales of a silver chain that bound realms together; one fragment had fallen near this forsaken place. Now, with dawn breaking beyond the ashen hills, she intended to find it.
The cart’s wooden wheels hit a loose cobblestone, jolting Elowen from her reverie. Dust rose around her as she dismounted, every inch of her gear—bow slung across her back, leather satchel at her hip, dagger sheathed at her thigh—clinking softly in the hush. She moved with purpose, footsteps muffled against the cracked stones. Even the caw of the crows stilled as she approached, as though the world itself watched her.
A faint glimmer caught her eye near the well’s fractured a small sliver of silver, etched with intricate runes that seemed to pulse with inner light. Elowen knelt, heart hammering, and brushed away debris. The polished metal curved like a delicate hook, yet carried weight unexpected for its size. A fragment of chain, she realized, her pulse racing. It was colder than ice where she touched it, sending a tremor up her arm.
Before she could cradle it safely, a low groan sounded from the shadows of a collapsed cottage. Elowen rose, dagger drawn. The faint echo of labored breathing wove through the ruined beams and splintered planks. She moved swiftly, stepping through the threshold of broken walls, shards of glass crunching beneath her boots.
61 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 3, 2025
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
No one has reviewed this book yet.