An Excerpt from Elhannan

In honor of going from 35 likes to 100 on my author page on facebook, H.M. Roach, here is an excerpt from "Elhannan":

The priest’s cryptic speech does little to comfort Elhannan.  Settling back upon the cold stone floor, he shakes his head.  Racuran is watching him, measuring his responses. 

“Do not be confused or doubt what I say.  You know already what is at work here, though I doubt you realize it.  Your grandfather was a wise man who knew many tales from the beginning of the world and on; though much history is lost to us.  He held more stories within his heart and that book you carry than most of your people will ever hear.  This is what made him the Great Seolta, the head historian and storyteller of all of Froa.”

            The package in the old man’s withering hands is held out, offered to this youth at his feet.  He bears it out as if it is a great burden, a heavy weight of some precious treasure he is loath to part with.  Elhannan’s hands tremble as he receives the thing.  Wrapped in layers of cheesecloth and sealed with Racuran’s personal wax imprint, the rectangular parcel is laid in the gypsy’s lap and slowly opened.  The K’taran’s mouth falls agape and his eyes go wide.  Missing pages to the journal he carries stare back at him. A small note in his mother’s flowing script flutters to the floor.

“I have thought these torn out pages were gone forever.  I have always wondered about them and why…..”

“Elhannan, your mother gave me these the last time you came to visit.  She grew afraid that you might find them among her things one day.  Luraiche worried for you and wanted you to stay safe, but she knew of the prophecy… she knew a day would come that would send you headlong into all the things she feared.  It is a blessing that she is gone from us now, for now is when you are needed.  Read those pages and replace them in your journal.  Your destiny lies inside the words of your grandfather’s hand.”