Prologue
Tanselm, a pocket dimension out of the Fae Realm
The day Queen Ravyn gave birth, the land of Tanselm rejoiced.The Light of the Storm Lords would continue, a swell of power to protect Tanselm from a growing evil that continued to rot much of the land beyond their borders.
King Faustus had the power of the wind, and his brothers each controlled a different element.His new sons would be the same, claiming the power of either wind, fire, water, or earth.
Faustus and his brothers, the other three Storm Lords, loved one another and all their people.A family in harmony with nature and each other.The people knew this simple truth and were glad.
On this fine day, while the suns rose high over fertile fields and lush, forested mountains, they celebrated, content the magic of their peace and prosperity would continue under the eyes of new princes of power.The borders would grow strong again, and their protection from the rest of the fae and dark worlds would flourish.
Though pleased beyond measure, the king had no intention of letting down his guard.
Sentries continued to protect those inside the city walls, while soldiers patrolled the grounds around the kingdom, tapering off at each border with the other Storm Lord strongholds.
“My love, you have made me so very happy.”Faustus kissed his wife, their love a bright beacon that held him steady during the darkest of times.
She smiled at him, her hair plastered to her sweat-covered face, her expression wan yet joyous.Like Faustus, his queen had a wealth of power inside her.Strong of mind and body, she had worked diligently alongside him to protect their people.
But this day, she’d gone beyond any hope he might have had, giving birth not to the twins they’d expected, but theRoyal Four—quadruplet identical princes brimming with power.
“I’m so happy.And tired, Faustus.”
The ladies tending to her side chuckled.
“Tired, indeed.”The royal midwife clucked.“I don’t need second sight to know these princes will be a handful.”She shot Faustus a look.“A lot like their father, I’ll wager.”
As one, the babes started squalling, and the room turned hot then cold, windy then rumbling as the rock around them shook.
Faustus blinked at the babies lying all together in their massive bassinet.“That wasn’t me.”
“It wasn’t me either,” Ravyn said, a twinkle in her eyes before she gave a large yawn.“We’re going to have a lot of work ahead of us, Faustus.”
“Aye, and I can’t wait.”He felt tears slip down his cheeks as he stared at his amazing wife.He leaned down to kiss her, then turned to his sons.All healthy, now quiet, and so incredibly beautiful.He wanted to hold them tight, to kiss and hug each child and imprint upon them a gift of love that would never fade.
“Sire, we have trouble.”The deep voice arrived before the sorcerer did, Arim’s tall, graceful figure draped in robes of flowing black, a look of menace on his face.“Netharat have attacked a farm to the south.Our guards have disappeared.”Arim glanced from king to the queen.His eyes narrowed as the children cried once more.
As he stared down at them, Faustus wondered what he thought.He didn’t have to wait long.
Arim bowed his head and planted his fist upon his heart.“With my life, I’ll protect them.”
“I know you will, my friend.Now come, we have evil to dispatch.”
Arim raised his head and smirked.“‘To dispatch?’You’ve been reading the old texts again, haven’t you?Trying to sound smarter than you are, hmm?”
One of the ladies attending the queen gasped, while the other rolled her eyes.
The midwife huffed.“Off with ye, ye great reprobate.And try bowing before yer lord, our great king.Dunderhead.”
Arim scowled, but before he could potentially set fire to Old Tilly’s dress, Faustus whipped them both through space and time to the farm under attack, saddened to find such death and destruction on this day that should have been filled with joy.
Arim didn’t waste time and set to taking out the dark, bent creatures more shadow than man, corrupted by an evil that had been around since before Faustus’s grandfather.The Netharat—a tribe of misshapen creatures who feasted on flesh and souls, leeching onto despair even as they blighted everything they touched.
The king and sorcerer would have to burn the farm once they took care of the creatures.Wraiths, kobolds, and phantoms mixed with tainted shifters.Only the pure light of the elements could contain them.
Alongside Arim, Faustus called upon the powers given to him at birth.Strengthened by the love for his queen and his newly born sons, he destroyed the evil bent on warping his world.He and Arim laid the dead to rest then set fire to the farm and everything in it, frustrated by the senseless loss.
“I’ll finish,” Arim said.“Go back to your queen, my king.And protect the hope that is all that stands between us and the evil that comes.”
