The Shadow Soul
The Trailokya Trilogy #1
By- K. Williams
Genre- Epic Fantasy
The Shadow Soul is the first part of The Trailokya Trilogy, a fantasy series that follows the rise and fall of fabled races and souls at the junction of three worlds: Zion, Earth and Jahannam. K. Williams weaves a tale that will leave you questioning long held convictions about the human legends of Heaven and Hell. Are you ready to enter the gates of Zion and learn the truth?
Captain Maiel is a duta warrior of Zion, a race of giant, winged guardians and chroniclers of the lesser souls. Maiel’s assurances are shaken when she nearly loses a young human girl to the dark forces of Jahannam, the prison realm where the lowest beings reside. To avoid answering to the leaders of her world, Maiel seeks refuge on Earth, but she is pursued by a baron of Jahannam intent on destroying her. Can she be saved before time runs out? Or will she be sacrificed to secure the borders of Zion and to hide the lie her journey uncovers?
With each step further into darkness, long held secrets are revealed and shadows rise from the past to challenge absolutes.
Check out these other titles from K. Williams on sale for a limited time for just 99 cents!
Blue Honor -
OP-DEC: Operation Deceit -
Maiel stood close to him, staring angrily into his eyes. She
stepped back, sighing in frustration, as if she had no idea where the anger
came from. The pause let her gather her thoughts or will to express more. Her
shoulders slumped and she rubbed her hands along her arms, refusing to look at
him.
“I failed Adonai. That’s what they want me for. They’re
concerned I’ve turned. They should be concerned. I am,” Maiel said.
“You didn’t fail, Angel. Lena is safe. She’s in Otzar,”
Dominic said.
“You weren’t there. You don’t know what happened,” Maiel
said.
Silently gazing into his eyes, Maiel disappeared within
herself. The agony reflected in her mien stabbed at his heart. Suddenly, she
drew a deep breath, and at last continued.
“Mort distracted me so easily. I was so full of anger. I
allowed evil to take me over and I struck him down with no other desire than
hate and want. There’s no desire I’ve felt so strongly as I did today.”
Dominic smiled. “I can think of a few.”
“Does it always come around to that for you, Dominic? You
have no idea what this means, do you?” Maiel stared into his eyes. He lowered
them from her examination. “You understand nothing but your own desire. You’ve
no empathy. That’s why you fail,” she added.
Dominic couldn’t look away. He was stricken by her words.
Her gaze extended past his shoulder, seeing something that silenced her. When
her attention was his again, her eyes filled with accusation. The grass shifted
in the meadow behind him, though not by the stroke of wind. He looked over his
shoulder and saw two figures headed their way. Joel and Zach had decided to
join them. None of them had an ounce of faith in him.
“Khata, are you hurt? What’s been keeping you?” Joel called.
Joel and his brother quickly drew closer. Dominic clamped his
hands on Maiel’s arms. He could feel the strain in her muscles as she prepared
to run.
“Run with me. We’ll figure this out,” Dominic said.
“You brought them here?” she accused.Her flesh burned like
ice.
“No. I wouldn’t. You know I wouldn’t. I came to apologize—to
help you, Doll Face. Run with me and I will help you.”
“Zaajah brought Lena to the soul keepers,” Maiel quickly
blurted to the others. Zach looked down his nose at her and she hesitated.
“What more could they want of me?”
“The alders are interested in your exchange with Mort. They
think there’s a plot to invade Zion,” Zach finally revealed.
The alarm in Maiel’s features was clear and Dominic was sure
any moment she would run. Panic rose inside him. He held on just the same. It
was his fault, he heard his heart tell him. He would need to make this right,
starting then. She slipped like water underneath his hands, but he was still
able to hold onto her.
“And I’ll attest you need not fear our interview,” the
matriarch said, her voice heard before she was seen.
Alexandrael swept into view from nowhere. Her sister walked
at her side. The pair clasped their hands at their waists and waited. Dominic
looked back to his wife. Her eyes were on the dark, distant meadow.
“Are there no doors on my home, no sanctuaries left that you
won’t intrude upon?”
Maiel tore herself free of Dominic’s grip and took a step
back. Her brothers eyed her warily. In their haste to corner her and end this
chase, the women closed in.
“If you’ve any pity, leave me in peace. There’s no
forgiveness for me and there’ll be none for you when this has played out,”
Maiel growled.
Joel grimaced, clamping a hand on his chest. His color paled
and he stumbled back. Alex closed in on her daughter, while Zach tried to help
Joel to his feet. If Alex placed one hand on her, Maiel would find herself in
the halls of Zion before she could say another word. Dominic reached his hand
out to her, offering another way out.
“Angel—we can fix this,” he said, imploring with his soft,
jade eyes.
Maiel bared her teeth. Her broad ruby wings spread wide.
Alex halted in shock.
“It’s your fault,” she growled.
“Give me a chance to fix this,” Dominic begged.
“I’ve given you countless chances,” she snapped.
Maiel’s form shifted, an ability unique to members of the
legion who also held the attributes of future virtues. Her skin grew fur and
her wings disappeared inside her back. Her moon-colored eyes peered from the
face of a sandy-colored panther. The sentiment expressed in them was no kinder
than when they were blue and framed by duta features. She opened her mouth to
give a warning call. Her anger was at its apex.
“Mai,” Joel called from where he knelt in the grass. “Don’t
do this,” he begged.
Being twins, Joel and Maiel often felt the emotions of the
other, especially when they were so intense. Joel’s form wavered between the
golden duta and the mountain cat. Zach let him go, unable to help.
Dominic took a step forward to end the debacle before it
manifested a true tragedy. He offered his hand to his transformed wife, but she
stepped backward. Her legs tensed and Dominic knew he had only a few moments to
try and stop her. He wrestled with his thoughts and breathed.
“Stay with me,” he murmured. “I need you. Think of the
children.”
Maiel’s eyes narrowed, incensed that he used her words. She
lowered on her front legs. Her delicate long-fingered hands had become wide,
thick paws, capable of tearing skin like paper.
“I’m sorry,” Dominic begged, his eyes filling with tears.
The changes since her imprisonment made all of them wonder
if she had really left Acheron. Dominic trembled at the idea of her still
trapped there, even if only in her mind. It was no place for the erela he loved
and his actions had put her there. She was right, but she needed to let him try
to fix it.
Maiel bared her great fangs and a horrible sound
reverberated from deep inside her throat. Zacharius stepped back, not wishing
to be mauled by either sibling. The twins glared at each other with gold eyes
and hissed threateningly. Dominic bravely stepped between them. Springing off
her
haunches, Maiel threw the full weight of her altered sattva
against her husband. Dominic toppled to the ground, pinned there as she stood
on him. Her eyes stared into his and she gave another call, clearly threatening
the others if they came near. After exchanging a few swipes with Joel, she was
gone. Her shadowy form leapt across the meadow, disappearing inside the tree
line.
About the Author-
Born in Saratoga Springs, New York, where she continues to reside, K.Williams embarked on a now twenty year career in writing. After a childhood, which consisted of voracious reading and hours of film watching, it was a natural progression to study and work in the arts.
K attended the State University of New York at Morrisville, majoring in the Biological Sciences, and then continued with English and Historical studies at the University at Albany (home of the New York State Writer’s Institute) gaining her Bachelor’s Degree. While attending UA, K interned with the 13th Moon Feminist Literary Magazine, bridging her interests in social movements and art.
Currently, K has completed the MALS program for Film Studies and Screenwriting at Empire State College (SUNY), and is the 2013-2014 recipient of the Foner Fellowship in Arts and Social Justice. K continues to write and is working on the novels of the Trailokya Trilogy, a work that deals with topics in Domestic Violence and crosses the controversial waters of organized religion and secularism. A sequel to OP-DEC is in the research phase, while the adaptation is being shopped to interested film companies. Excerpts of these and more writings can be found at: www.bluehonor.com .
Links-
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