Stone Guardian

By Iris Versluis

For the first time Sila will attend the yearly ritual in honour of the Cireara, protectors of the standing stones. During this ritual her big sister Ava is about to make an extraordinary sacrifice. When the yellow haired men attack, the ritual and the future of Sila’s people is seriously jeopardized. Will they manage to protect the standing stones and the Cireara?
This story is inspired by the Avebury stone circle and the West Kennet Long Barrow burial mound.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Iris Versluis
• Release date: Feb 15, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311798503

Iris Versluis

Sinds 2009 houdt Iris Versluis zich serieus bezig met het schrijven van verhalen. Het liefst schrijft ze historische verhalen met een fantasy element, maar ze kan ook genieten van uitstapjes naar science fiction of urban fantasy. Om inspiratie op te doen, struint ze graag rond op vlooienmarkten of in antiekzaken, op zoek naar bijzondere boeken en voorwerpen.Ze deed mee aan diverse schrijfwedstrijden en behaalde o.a. de derde plek bij de Fantasy Strijd Brugge 2012 en werd tweede bij Fantastels 2012. Haar verhaal Teken van leven werd geselecteerd voor de EdgeZero bundel 2016 met daarin de beste genreverhalen van dat jaar. Om haar schrijfkunsten verder te ontwikkelen, volgde ze diverse workshops, o.a. bij Tais Teng en Thomas Olde Heuvelt. Ze was tevens jurylid bij de 2017 editie van de verhalenwedstrijd Trek Sagae.Haar verhalen zijn gepubliceerd in diverse bundels waaronder Grenzeloze fantasie, Fantastisch Strijdtoneel III en IV en Historische Verhalen 2017, 2018 en 2019. In 2020 verscheen haar eerste jeugdverhaal de Tempel van Amon als Vlaams Filmpje bij Uitgeverij Averbode.In 2020 heeft Iris Versluis de website Verhalen uit het Verleden opgericht met als doel jong en oud te laten genieten van de vele bijzondere gebeurtenissen en personen die de geschiedenis rijk is.Iris Versluis is a Dutch author who caught the writing bug in 2009 and hasn’t stopped writing since. She loves to write historical stories with a fantasy twist, but also enjoys writing stories in other genres such as science fiction and urban fantasy. For inspiration, she often visits flea markets or antique shops, looking for special books or objects. She competed in various Dutch short story contests and took second place in Fantastels 2012 and third place in the Fantasy Strijd Brugge 2012. Her stories are published in various Dutch anthologies.

Book preview

Stone Guardian

Iris Versluis

Copyright 2015 Iris Versluis

Translated from the original Steenbeschermster

Edited by: Maria DeBruin DeSanto

Smashwords Edition License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

Table of contents

Stone Guardian

Background

About the author

Discover other titles by Iris Versluis

Contact

Stone Guardian

Sila gasped when the standing stones came into sight. She had seen them many times before, but the upright giants that marked the ritual route to the circle impressed her every time. Silently they stood there, black figures against a sky that was painted red by the setting sun. A gust of wind stroked her arm and played with the fabric of her gown. She shivered. She wasn’t sure if the shiver was caused by the coolness in the air or by the cries of pain and fear in the distance.

How are you feeling? Brea had picked up her pace and was now walking next to Sila. The wise old woman smiled at her. Her braids were interwoven with the silver of the moon.

Sila sighed, I don’t know. I feel proud, afraid, nervous and happy all at the same time. She looked up to the old woman. I’m very excited for Ava and so proud of her. But I’m also afraid of losing her; she is my big sister after all.

Brea stroked Sila’s hair. I completely understand. I felt exactly the same way forty years ago. She chuckled. By the Goddess, forty years already, I am getting old.

Have you been in contact with your sister today? Sila asked.

We are connected every day, Sila. That is the privilege you have when you are the sister of a Cireara. replied Brea.

Sila asked Can you talk with each other?

Not really, it’s not like talking, it is… Brea paused. "You’ll have to experience that yourself. I’d better