Kindle Edition
Amazon
Patricia Donaruma Williford
Category:
Fantasy
Publisher: Booklocker
ISBN-10: 1621417719
Type: Fiction
Pages: 522
Copyright: 2012
ISBN-13: 9781621417712
Price: $8.99 (eBook)
The Paladins DuBois is a fast moving, fantasy,filled with humor, action and romance. Join Kai and Mahri DuBois on an adventure that will take them from the protection of an enchanted forest, to the bright lights of a casino, to a chateau in the French Alps.
"They look promising. But are they prepared?"
"How could they be? Better to ask, are they willing to be dedicated. Do they have courage and imagination?"
Eighteen years after the infants, Kai and Mahri DuBois, were separated and taken from La Foret de Chenes for their own protection, they are called to return. Appointed as Paladins, they receive their first charges from the Elders. The twins must overcome the devastating act of treachery that tore their family apart, restore the integrity of the treasure they guard, and beat back the encrouching evil of La Famille DuBois.
The Paladins DuBois features an ensemble of distinctly different protagonists, who must, each in their own way, learn this lesson; "Love is strong enough to withstand anger, accept the truth, and embrace forgiveness." But this kind of love is not for the faint-hearted. It demands courage, sacrifice, and the willingness to bear one's soul.
Excerpt
Part One - Awakenings
Kai
Kai Woods turned in his graduation gown and made his way through the crowd of proud parents, cries of congratulations, teenagers holding diplomas, bouquets of flowers, balloons, and flashing cameras to a bench in front of the school to wait for the eastbound bus. A jeep filled with laughing, chattering girls from the Lacrosse team slowed, and Bree Donovan lowered the window, “Hey Kai, we’re all going to the beach tonight. Come on and join us. Everyone will be there.”
Turning bright red and breaking out in a sweat, all he could manage was, “Th...Thanks. I’ll try.” Kai was so painfully shy that he had never been able to actually get himself to any of the parties he had been invited to by his various teammates. He waved at the back of the disappearing car.
Reaching into his pocket, he took out the envelope his Uncle Frank had tossed on the table that morning. “When you arrived at our door, this letter was in the basket with a note telling us to give it to you when you finished your schooling.”
Kai ran fingers of frustration through his unruly blond hair as he examined the square white envelope in his hand. It simply said, Kai Woods, no return address. The envelope had been sealed with a wax imprint of a Celtic knot crossed by a shillelagh. He slid his thumb under the broken seal, lifted the flap, and slipped out the hand printed card inviting him to be considered for the position of caretaker of La Forêt de Chênes, The Forest of Oaks. Although he had it memorized, he read it again as he replayed the morning in his mind. “Can’t you tell me anything about the man who brought me here Uncle Frank?” He repeated the question he had asked so many times before, even though he had no reason to be particularly hopeful he’d get a different answer.
“I’ve told you, boy,” Frank waved his hand impatiently. “Baby in a basket. Dropped off by a distant cousin. Not even sure where he found you. Nothing to tell.”
“A name even, Uncle Frank,” Kai pressed, clenching his fists.
“If he wanted you to know, he would have said so. If he cared enough about you, we would have heard something over the last eighteen years. Now let it go." Frank McNair brusquely shook off the question, just as he had always done.
Kai examined the card searching for some clue about its origin, its purpose. La Forêt de Chênes was an eye in the center of L’Ile de Saule, The Island of the Willows, with its pupil being a craggy peak known as High Tor. For some reason, no one entered the forest, no one attempted to climb High Tor, and in fact people rarely spoke of it at all. This invitation was so peculiar he had no idea what to make of it, except he felt a flicker of the hope of satisfying his ever-present itch of restless emptiness and a prescient nudge of anticipation. The card dangled a tantalizing clue to his past and perhaps a link to his future.
He had been an average student, a better athlete, but he had no clear idea of what to do when he finished high school. An enigma to himself, Kai was neither happy nor unhappy. He got along with everyone, but was close to no one. A sense of not belonging, a feeling that he was waiting for something or someone, had been with him for as long as he could remember.
The McNairs had raised him since he was he was six months old. Brigid and Frank were not truly his aunt and uncle, but the familial terms were a convenience. He was adequately fed, decently dressed, and largely ignored. They had made it clear this morning that they felt they had done their duty. The age of majority on L’Ile de Saule was eighteen. It was time for him to be moving on.
Frank and Brigid were obviously relieved when Kai arrived home and told them he had an opportunity for a position. “Well, good for you, Kai,” Frank said, giving him a rare smile of approval. “Pack up what you need. Nelson and I will drop you off this afternoon.” Their children, Nelson and Anita, were equally relieved. A few years older than Kai, they had always resented his intrusion into their lives, and preferred to believe he was no relation to them. They had spent his childhood tormenting him with petty cruelties or wounding him with cold indifference. Glad to see him go, they had neither fondness nor well wishes for him.
Kai went to his room and stuffed a few belongings into his backpack. Looking around, he realized that the only thing he felt sad about leaving behind was his baseball glove. When he came back downstairs, Frank and Nelson were already waiting for him in the pickup. Brigid put an apple, cheese, a sandwich in a paper bag and handed it to him with a brisk, “Good luck. I’m sure you’ll do well. I’ll box the rest of your things, and you can pick them up later.”
“It’s been a thrill,” Anita said sarcastically, by way of goodbye.
Kai hopped into the back of the cab, so Frank and Nelson could drive him to Oakenwood Road which circled the forest. Eventually, they found a little used path, overgrown with foliage. Frank gave Kai a hearty slap on the back, and sent him on his way. Kai shouldered his pack and started down the trail. Nelson sat in the truck, his buggy black eyes following his ‘cousin’ as he entered the forest. He was suspicious of this mysterious invitation and spitefully hoped this was a limited opportunity.
As soon as Kai stepped into the trees, he caught a flicker of multi-colored fireflies ahead of him on the path. Odd to see them during the day, he thought. He shrugged and began to appreciate the delightful, early summer afternoon. The trail was narrow and obscure, but the farther he went, the wider and clearer it became, and the fireflies became brighter and more proliferate. Bird calls and the sound of late spring peepers filled the air. Kai, who was enjoying the easy walk, suddenly realized he had no idea where he was walking to, or how long it would take to get there. A rustling sound behind him created an uneasy prickling at the back of his head. His normally tousled hair bristled with electricity. He turned quickly, and the rustling stopped, but it seemed as though the trail was closing behind him. Although he chided himself for being ridiculous, he continued to turn his head. Each time, the sound stopped. Each time, he could see less of the trail.
The flickering lights and low hum of the fireflies led him down the path, circling as though keeping him company. He could swear he could almost hear them saying. “You’re back! You’re back! Welcome! Welcome!” Their excited animation coaxed a smile, lighting his blue eyes, uncovering his rarely seen dimples. Kai stopped by the side of a sparkling brook to eat his sandwich and enjoy his surroundings. He took a drink from the stream savoring the cold refreshing water. Then, he sat and stretched out his long legs feeling strangely comfortable in the woods. Still, he couldn’t shake that itchy prickle at the back of his head, and the unsettling feeling that he was being called.
~~~
“Spittin’ image of his da,” the man on the roof of the cottage remarked to a large tabby cat.
“Even as babe,” the cat answered. “What are you going to tell him?”
“A wee bit o’ stuff and nonsense for now.”
“Are you waiting for the other?”
“Aye.”
“And then what?”
“Then cat, we put our oars in the water and pray we set about the right course.”
~~~
Just as the setting sun lit the horizon with a burst of orange flame, Kai entered a clearing where he found the most remarkable vine and leaf covered cottage. Fireflies swarmed everywhere, and now he thought they were whispering or singing, “Come on. Come on.” A welcoming torch was lit, and warm light glowed through the windows. Kai sensed that this was his destination, and in a funny way, felt he recognized it, even though he had never been here before. He stepped up to knock on the door, when he heard a voice from above.
“Well, laddie, I did wonder when ye’d get here. I’ve been watching yer progress through the woods. “Céad míle fáilte. One hundred thousand welcomes.”
Taken aback until he almost fell over, Kai peered upward in the descending twilight to see a long, lean man dressed in a denim shirt and jeans. His shaggy brown hair hung a curl over one of his twinkling brown eyes, and his tanned skin was peppered with freckles. He slid effortlessly down from the rooftop, planted himself in front of Kai, and held out his hand. “O’Shaunessey’s me name. Shaun O’Shaunessey.”
Tentatively, Kai took his hand and stammered, “K...Kai. Kai Woods. I...I’m here to inquire about the position as caretaker of the forest.”
“Aye. Ye must be hungry and tired after yer hike. Let’s go in and have a bite, and ye can tell me about how ye came to be here.”
Trying not to trip over the purring cat wrapping itself around his ankles and feeling a bit stunned by these sudden appearances, Kai followed the man through the door of the little cottage. Inside, he found a cozy, well lit room. Delicious smells wafted from sizzling pots on a wood stove. Comfortable couches and oversized chairs were tucked under the windows, and arranged around a low round table made of a highly polished cross-section of a cherry tree. One wall accommodated a well-stocked bookshelf, fireplace, and doors to two other rooms. Intricately carved cane-bottomed chairs, gathered around a table, which was already set for two.
Kai’s stomach, which had never seemed to be quite full, began rumbling. Suddenly, all he could think of was digging into whatever smelled so good. The cat settled himself into one of the chairs, while O’Shaunessey served up a hearty stew, filled with potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and flavors Kai didn’t recognize. There were popovers with fresh creamy butter, apple cider, and blueberry pie for dessert. The Irishman sang, hummed, and talked endlessly as he served, ate, and cleaned up the meal. Kai was so mesmerized by the forest, the cottage, the food, little he heard registered. He had never eaten so well or felt so satisfied. As he ate, he told O’Shaunessey about the letter. Finally, he pushed himself back from the table and, to his embarrassment, belched. Tired, full, and content, Kai was having trouble keeping his eyes open.
“’Tis exhausted ye must be,” said O’Shaunessey. “The bedroom door is next to the fireplace. Sleep well, boyo, we’ll talk soon.” Then, followed by the cat, he slipped out the door.
Had Kai been more alert, he would have been astounded at the room’s luxuriousness. He slipped off his boots, jeans, and shirt and climbed into the soft nest of quilts and pillows that covered the bed. Just as he closed his eyes, he realized that O’Shaunessey wore a plain gold band on one hand, and a signet ring on the other that looked strangely familiar. Then he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
~~~
Even in the dark, O’Shaunessey knew his way home as well as he knew the back of his freckled hand. He slid behind a waterfall, the spray lightly misting him before he climbed down the ladder, pushed aside the leafy curtain, and entered the main room of a large cave. Cavern dwelling was always on the chilly side, so he fed a few logs into the stove brightening the room with the golden light that seeped through the slotted door. Though the chamber was sparsely furnished, it was cozy. The stone floors were covered with faded braided rugs. Well-used leather bound books lined the shelves. The vines that crept up the walls made it almost seem as though he was living in a tree instead of a hole in the ground. If only, he thought sadly.
Weary, he sank into his chair and poured himself two, no, three fingers of his home-brewed whiskey. Jasper leapt into his lap, and O’Shaunessey absently scratched the fur under his chin and stroked his back. “Quite a day,” observed the cat.
“Aye,” he replied.
“Do you think they’ll be here soon?”
“I’m hopin’.”
“Do you think they’ll come together?”
Shaun thought about that for a moment. “No,’tis time to let the chick fly. She’ll come when she’s called.”
“And you?”
“Do what I’ve been doin’. Wait.”
He sat back to rerun the events of yesterday and today in his mind.
~~~
Each morning for eighteen years, he had climbed the ladder out of the cave and continued his planting, replanting, rescuing and nurturing of the forest creatures. He had cleared brush, tended the paths, repaired the footbridges, and girded himself for his fruitless search for the cottage and the treehouse.
But yesterday morning, he had emerged from the cavern to discover the twinkling of les lucioles, just one or two at first, then a few more, and finally a little bevy of animated fireflies. Shaken, his mind struggled to accept what his eyes could see. He knew it was time, but he had been alone for so many years that he had learned to survive by never allowing himself to long for the future. Les lucioles were the first sign that the forest was coming back to life, and the twins were about to return. Hope pried at the door of his heart. The sparkling lights led him to the opening of a hidden path. Little by little, the overhanging branches of the trees and tangle of vines untwined and pulled back. Rocks and fallen logs rolled to the side creating a wider trail. His heart pounded. He knew this trail well, but had not seen it for too many years. The dancing swarm gained in number and speed. Heart pounding, O’Shaunessey ran after them, coming to an abrupt stop in front of a cottage.
Silent and neglected, the small house was overrun with thorny vines. Clearly, no one had lived there for quite some time. The windows were so crusted with grime that they were indistinguishable from the bark covered walls. Three broken stairs led up to a lopsided landing. Debris filled the gutters, and an old nest perched on top of the chimney. Heart swelling with memories of joy and pain, Shaun stood still until the song of whispering wings and flash of incandescent lights demanded his attention. Tears in his eyes, he shook himself out of his reverie. Pushing aside the overgrown bushes, he found a filthy, greenish looking stone. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and patiently, carefully, rubbed. Little by little, a glow from deep within the green gem began to shine. As it grew brighter, the cottage began to heal itself.
Thorny vines were replaced by fresh growing ivy. A strong breeze blew through carrying with it the nest from the chimney and the debris from the gutters. The windows distinguished themselves from the walls clearing to let in the light. The roof over the landing righted itself, as the stairs snapped back into place.
Now that it was clean, the emerald glowed with a deep intensity. The door to the cottage swung open. O’Shaunessey walked into the little house as it continued to come to life. A fire kindled in the stove, the larder doors opened and began to fill with food. The furniture placed itself invitingly around the braided rug, while the vine covered walls glowed with reflected light from the glowing lamps. Looking around the cottage, his sad, brown eyes harbored a glint of anticipation.
By the end of that day, the little cottage stood ready and waiting . . . for someone. And Shaun O’Shaunessey allowed himself to hope that the waiting would soon be over.
Pouring another finger, O’Shaunessey smiled, eyes crinkling with pleasure, as he thought about young Kai. One of the twins had returned. The forest was coming back to life. The glimmer of hope sparked earlier today by the emergence of the fireflies was beginning to take hold. He sat up late into the night staring into the fire. Remembering.
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