The Lore of the Evermen (Evermen Saga, #4)

by James Maxwell

The town square was framed by a tower and a cluster of buildings. Ella rode directly for the center and pulled up, her horse whinnying as she pulled on the reins to draw it to a halt. “Oh no,” Shani muttered under her breath. “Here we go again.” Ella pointed her hand in the air, and a beam of bright golden light shot out of her wand. The townsfolk screamed and gasped; she had their attention. “People of Loua Louna and lands far from here, I have news,” Ella called. Soon there were hundreds of people around them as the crowd gathered to see what this strange young woman had to say. “You may have heard about the enemy from across the sea. If you have not, then be warned, for this enemy is unlike anything our Empire has faced before. I come directly from Altura, my homeland, which has only survived a great onslaught by the barest margin, thanks to the combined efforts of the houses. The free cities are gone. Sarostar is partly destroyed. I am Ella Torresante, and Miro, high lord of Altura, is my brother.” The people gasped as they heard the news, exchanging glances as women pulled children close, and all wondered how this affected them. “We fight a force of ultimate evil, bent on destroying every house, not just Altura, but Loua Louna as well. This enemy will not rest until the Empire is gone.” Ella paused to take a breath and frowned as she caught Shani rolling her eyes. “We now know that the battle for Altura was just part of the struggle. We believe we only faced a part of...