Wraith king 4, p.20
Wraith King 4, page 20
part #4 of Wraith King Series
“I don’t know how…” I began.
But then, it wasn’t like I had tried. Not yet, anyway.
I put my hand on Nya’s belly, definitely feeling the swell of the baby bump this time, and even feeling the beat of the baby’s heart. Nothing made me happier than that I had all my girls, and that my child would still be born. But what kind of world would she be born into?
Could I do something to change it? Beyond killing the rest of my enemies?
I didn’t know.
At this point, Ilana, Sarina, Syn, and Wren walked in, wondering what we were up to. Nya helpfully filled them in while I stood there thinking that the writing on that wall.
‘In order to defeat the Wraith King, you must become him.’
That’s what I had done, mostly. And yet, maybe there was still more that I hadn’t understood.
The Wraith King had wanted to become a god. The prophecy had said that he would.
What did that say about me?
While they were talking, I turned and walked back to the throne. I knew that Castle Blackhold was my home and I was the king there. Yet I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to restore this canyon to its former glory. And perhaps replace the dark tower here with one of light, to be a place of peace where all could come and learn magic together without fear.
Without even realizing what I was doing, I once again stepped up on the dais and sat on the throne. It was a nice thought, but sitting here wasn’t going to accomplish anything. When I looked up, the girls were all staring at me with their mouths open.
“What?”
Sarina stepped forward. “Your crown. It has reappeared.” I reached up on my head, half expecting a crown of fire like the Wraith King’s, and afraid that I would never be rid of that reminder of him. But it was the crown the elves had bestowed upon me. It was on my head as if someone had placed it there.
Nya stepped forward. “My King, I formally request that you grant us the same power we’ve had all these years. No more no less. Only what we have lost since the goddess died. If it please you. Will you allow us to be a magical race once more?”
“Of course it pleases me,” I said, beginning to laugh. “But again, I don’t know how…”
And then I felt it. A tiny bit of magic flowed from me to Nya, Syn, and even to Wren. It landed on them visibly and was then absorbed by their skin.
Once again, they looked radiant.
I looked at Sarina. She smiled. “You’ve already granted my magic back to me. Don’t look so shocked. Before you came upon me, those Hellhounds had chased me because I had turned back into human. I had lost my ability to shift. When you appeared, I could suddenly become a Hellhound once more. You have already granted my magic back to me. I am free from being bound to the Wraith King.” Then she laughed. “Well, at least to the former Wraith King. Because you are the Wraith King now, just as you are the Elven King and the human King. As the last Divine One in our land, you are King of us all.”
I didn’t know what to say that, other than that I felt extremely humbled. It seemed that everything had worked out right after all. I beckoned to the girls, and they all stepped up onto the dais to hug me, and I thought that if I had been the luckiest man in Hell before, I was now the luckiest one in the universe.
We returned to Castle Blackhold. As soon as we arrived, we began trying to set everything to rights. It was a long struggle, and our efforts didn’t immediately bear fruit. But as I learned the extent of my power, I realized I had enough to heal many things that had been cursed, and so much of my time went toward doing that.
Nya and I had a beautiful baby girl, a half-elf we named Kali. And after a while, we reopened the Great Hall, and I found a way to fill all the thrones within it.
Because no longer was Blackhold a place for just the dark elves, but for anyone who sought sanctuary within its walls.
We needed a governing body that represented more than one race.
I knew of no better examples than my women. So, while I took the high throne after the city insisted, I shared the others with Nya, Ilana, Sarina, Syn, and Wren. And they ruled with far better grace than I ever could.
We left the seventh throne empty, out of respect for the wood elf, Kali, and all those who had died as a result of the evil that had befallen the land. It reminded us always that darkness was only a half-step away, that if we became too comfortable with our power or positions and forgot to serve those who depended on us, that darkness could find its way in once more.
It also helped me keep my final promise to Kali, to help her people. Because I hadn’t given up on them, even if at the moment they had given up on me.
The portal had been closed for good, and I hoped that perhaps no more talk of Hell would reach the ears of those from my former world.
But just to be safe, we renamed our land.
We gave it an elven name that meant peace.
A name that meant hope.
The End
***
You're still here? Awesome! I hope you enjoyed reading the Wraith King series as much as I enjoyed putting it all together.
Now, here comes the important part. Reviews.
Yeah, I know. Another author on his knees with his cap in hand, begging for reviews. I get it, you just want to read the book and move on to the next.
But you’d be amazed at how important those reviews really are. They truly can mean the difference between an author being able to continue, and not. I've even heard of authors who won't start writing the next book until the first one gets one hundred reviews.
I'm not going to go that far, but seriously, if you enjoyed reading the book, help a guy out. Write a review, or just give it a rating, and let others know what you thought. It makes a big, big difference.
And please remember not to include any spoilers. :-)
Beyond that, if you need to get in touch with me (if you found a typo or just want to say hi), feel free to send me an email at author@jackporterwrites.com. And don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list at http://jackporterwrites.com to get updates on the latest releases, including audiobooks!
Until next time,
Jack
Also by Jack Porter
Wraith King
Wraith King 2
Wraith King 3
Wraith King 4
Incubus Hitman: Rise of an Incubus Overlord 1
Incubus Mini-Boss: Rise of an Incubus Overlord 2
Incubus Kingpin: Rise of an Incubus Overlord 3
Incubus Overlord: Rise of an Incubus Overlord 4
Rogan’s Monsters 1: Wastelands
Rogan’s Monsters 2: Below
Rogan’s Monsters 3: Temple
The Bastard
The Bastard 2
The Bastard 3 - Coming Soon!
For an updated list of titles, please visit
www.jackporterwrites.com.
Jack Porter, Wraith King 4
