Thronegarden by Andrew Dickerson (top rated books of all time .txt) ๐
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- Author: Andrew Dickerson
Read book online ยซThronegarden by Andrew Dickerson (top rated books of all time .txt) ๐ยป. Author - Andrew Dickerson
โThey can have my skeleton key crafted by Bakka, or my wings given flight by the Matriarch,โ Damselfly bartered.
โNo,โ Phoebus replied. โYou will need these items to continue your quest, while I have played my part, or almost. I will trade my wisdom for the answer to your question and let the fates decide.โ
โNo, I have seen you without your wits and it is terribly sad,โ the princess warned.
โBetter to be a senile hero than a smart coward,โ the owl hooted.
โHow can you give up your knowledge when I have already met you without them?โ Damselfly posed.
โThis is a dream. Whoโs to say any of this is real,โ Phoebus answered cryptically.
A northerly wind had picked up rapidly, threatening to tear the trees up from their roots, and Phoebus had to flap his wings to remain in his perch.
โThe bell was stolen one night from your crib by a shade,โ the owl revealed before being blown away.
Damselfly, who was also being buffeted by a howling gale, pondered on this information while Buttons burrowed into the ground to try and escape the storm.
โWhat good does that do us?โ the rabbit queried.
โI know where we have to go,โ Damselfly revealed. โWe have to go to Shadowgarden.โ
โHow are we going to get out of here?โ Buttons cried.
The princess, fresh from her revelation, realised her companion was correct. The copse had turned into the wood from Wintergarden, and bloodcurdling howls were carrying on the angry wind. Pairs of red eyes began glowing as a horde of Baywolves ridden by merciless Sprites emerged from the woods.
โOh no, not again,โ Buttons cursed.
Damselfly ran as the Sprite army broke ranks and gave chase. Buttons bounded into the princessโs arms for safety.
โI want to wake up now,โ he stated.
As the wolves drew closer, Damselfly fluttered her fairy wings and took to the skies where the Sprites could not reach them.
โNow we just need to find a way out of this place,โ Damselfly narrated.
โI donโt see a gate anywhere,โ Buttons sought.
โThere it is,โ Damselfly cried as one appeared immediately before them as sometimes happens in dreams.
They landed gently amidst a rising fog which threatened to obscure the gate and their only chance of escaping the Dreamgarden. As they both ran towards the gate, a figure materialized from nowhere and stood between them and freedom.
It was Death.
Damselfly stood frozen in place, unable to venture forward while Death barred the way. From beside the old king came Gregorian, his faithful companion and gatekeeper.
โTo pass you must overcome your greatest fear,โ he proclaimed.
Death stepped forward, pointing his scythe at Buttons who suddenly found himself alone in the clearing with no Damselfly and no gate. Even Death and his loyal companion had disappeared, leaving the frightened rabbit in isolation. While Buttons suffered his own test, Damselfly was next, with Death showing her greatest fear in the form of her mother lying in state. The sight momentarily stole Damselflyโs breath away; for so long she had been fighting to stop this outcome, and seeing it materialize before her eyes was torturous. The princess had not come this far without showing significant courage and again she rose to the challenge. Her deal with Death had stated that Queen Etherelle would only pass over if Damselfly took a second to retrieve the valued timepiece. As no time had actually passed since they last spoke, how could this be real?
Damselflyโs stubbornness contradicted her senses as she pushed aside the chilling revelation and dismissed it.
โMy mother is not dead,โ she cried. โI am going to save her.โ
The terrifying apparition disappeared, allowing Damselfly to view the gate along with Buttons writhing on the ground. Running towards her companion, she shook him.
โButtons, it is me.โ
โIโm all alone,โ the rabbit whimpered.
โMy mother said that I was never alone as long as someone loved me, and I love you, Buttons,โ Damselfly proclaimed.
โCan we go home?โ the tired rabbit asked.
โWe have to go to Shadowgarden,โ the princess explained.
Buttons turned away from Damselfly and the fear of continuing their dangerous journey.
โPhoebus risked everything to show us the way,โ Damselfly remembered.
โI promise if we do not find what we need in Shadowgarden we will go home, whatever the outcome.โ
โYou promise?โ Buttons checked.
โI swear,โ Damselfly vowed.
Buttons reluctantly returned to his feet, leaning against the princess for support. Together they staggered towards the gate, leaving Dreamgarden behind.
โWhat is so important about Shadowgarden?โ Buttontail questioned.
โPhoebus said the bell was stolen from my crib by a shade. He can only be referring to the Shades of Shadowgarden.โ
โAre they demons?โ Buttons imagination ran wild.
โThey are just like us,โ Damselfly placated as they reached the gate. โIt is the oldest story of them all: The Shade and the Scorpion.โ
Damselfly produced the skeleton key crafted by Bakka before opening the gate to the Shadowgarden and, with Buttons by her side, stepped through.
The Shade and the Scorpion
Before giants stomped,
Before Death called himself King,
The Dragons had only just slept,
Three tribes in the east were battling.
One would rise to power,
One must fall to ignominy,
The third would swear loyalty on their honour,
While waiting patiently for an opportunity.
The ruling family were named Shade,
At their head was gallant warrior Byron,
Claiming power by blood and blade,
To become the chosen one.
After The Battle in the Long Grass, the regent,
Byron set his heart on marrying fairest maiden, Elays.
A daughter of rival tribe Scorj descent,
The union was meant to bring peace for many days.
The Shades ruled from Nowan Tor,
A kingdom born upon the waters of a great lake,
Crowned by an imposing
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