Title: The Green Dagger (BlackMyst Trilogy #2)
Author: Kelly Hess
Publisher: Booktrope
Published: December 2, 2014
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Character Bios
Beynn Firehand In The Green Dagger, Beynn is eighteen and is settling in and accepting his new life as a Sorak, but is still conflicted by having to live a double life. He is still afraid to reveal his true self to the people from his village, and so must disguise himself. He is intelligent and compassionate and a loyal friend. It is his loyalty to his friend Fritz that leads him on this next adventure. Fritz Daggard Fritz is an ambitious young man dealing struggling to deal with the dark influence of the green dagger he possesses. His good nature conflicts with the evil power of the blade and this turmoil causes him to be angry, frustrated, and sometimes just plain mean. He loves Rani, but his hateful behavior has driven a wedge between them and this irritates him even more. The pull of the dagger is a tremendous weight on Fritz and he is desperate to find a way to counteract and control its power. Krigger Krigger is a Rodentian; sort of a humanoid rat with great skills of stealth and thievery. He is tall and wiry with silky black fur and protruding front teeth. He is much stronger than his appearance would suggest . Although brilliant as a thief, he can often be immature, even childlike. He is good-hearted and enjoys having fun, even if that fun might sometimes irritate those around him. Krigger’s loyalty to Fritz comes both from what he perceives as a friendship with the boy and from the profits he gains by doing Fritz’s bidding. Also, Krigger’s curiosity about the mysterious dagger and its potential value keeps him close by.
Title: Eyes of the Enemy (BlackMyst Trilogy #1)
Author: Kelly Hess
Genre: MG, Fantasy
Publisher: Booktrope
Published: June 30, 2014
When a rogue band of the dreaded Sorak attacks his village, twelve-year-old Beynn Firehand escapes into the darkness of BlackMyst Forest to find help. During his quest, Beynn discovers his own powerful magic abilities.
The price of his newfound powers, however, may be higher than he ever imagined.
The people of Veiled Gorge slept peacefully. The
small, shrouded village remained a quiet and tranquil community despite the
chaotic events of five years ago. No longer did every conversation among
villagers dwell on the attack of General Akkrid or the liberation of the
village, with the help of the Sorak no less. The new Council Chamber, built
taller and stronger, stood as a symbol of pride and resilience to those who had
lived through the attack years ago. Life in Veiled Gorge had returned to
normal.
Ave Wilkory, the village
mayor for going on eleven years, was regarded by most as the guiding force that
had helped the village to heal and rebuild. Only the new hot-tempered
councilman opposed the mayor on most issues. Regardless, the village had
recovered, and it had healed, and its people slept easy, feeling safe
and secure in their homes again.
But, on this night, a
dark presence lingered in the shadows. A mysterious intruder slipped through
the quiet village, fracturing the fragile sense of security that was so
difficult to embrace by many. While no physical harm was done, villagers were
left with the painful feeling of being violated. Precious heirlooms were taken
and family treasures stolen.
On this night, that
which was forgotten was again remembered, and loose ends from long ago began to
unravel, revealing a new and darker chapter to the story.
Krigger moved in silence, slipping through the
village like a shadow passing across the moonlight. From corner to darkened
corner, he blended into the night with ease. This was what he loved; this was
where he felt most comfortable, among the shadows. He kept his black cloak
close to his body, its sleek fabric mimicking the darkness, reflecting no
light.
Ahead of him, two
drunken men sat together on a large tree stump. They loudly whispered slurred
nonsense to each other, with each whisper concluding in raucous laughter.
Krigger smiled. Drunks were fun. Their vision was so clouded by drink that he
imagined he could walk right past them singing a bawdy tune and they would
never see him.
Krigger slipped quickly
across the road, just twenty feet in front of the men. He moved like wind,
stealthily blurring across the open clearing. Silently, he appeared behind
them, waving his arms in the air in a playful dance, mere inches from their
backs. The two men never noticed a thing but continued their intoxicated
babble. Then, just for fun, Krigger gave each man a stern rap with his fist to
the tops of their heads before streaking away deeper into the village.
He pulled out the dagger
and held it in front of him. "You don't control me!" he said.
"I'm not a monster." He held the dagger above his head, ready to
throw it and be rid of it, but he couldn't stand the thought of losing it. He
collapsed to his knees, bringing his arm down and resting the blade on his lap.
He pictured Rani crying on the floor after he had attacked her. He could hear
the sickening snap of her arm breaking as she fell. He remembered Beynn lying
unconscious and bleeding. "I am a monster," he said into the
dark.
As the raft reached the
dock, Fritz saw the boatman more clearly. He sent a bolt of terror up Fritz’s
back. The man was pale and wrinkled and hunched over. He had the faintest wisps
of long white hair that clung to his head, damp from the mist. He wore a white
robe, and the bottom of it hung over the edge of the raft into the water. But
the most frightening part of him was that he had no eyes; there were only
sockets.
The raft stopped at the
dock’s edge and the man turned and faced Fritz. “We wish to cross,” Fritz said.
The man held out his hand, palm up, expecting payment. Fritz pulled his satchel
from his shoulder and stepped towards the boatman. “I have gold. How much do–”
“No!” The old man
bellowed. The sound was horrible, unlike anything Fritz had ever heard. He
stopped, startled. The old boatman pointed at Fritz. More specifically, he
pointed at Fritz’s stomach, directly where the dagger was strapped beneath his
cloak.
“I don’t understand,”
Fritz said, opening his satchel. “I have a great deal of gold.”
“Leave it,” the boatman
moaned, his hideous voice like needles in Fritz's ears.
About the Author
Kelly Hess grew up with a love of reading science fiction and fantasy that inspired him to write his own fantasy trilogy. He lives in Vacaville, California with his wife and son, and is putting the final details on the last book of his BlackMyst Trilogy: The Third Power.
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