Shield Knight: Gavin's Tale

By Jonathan Moeller

Gavin is a Swordbearer of Andomhaim, far from the deadly War of the Seven Swords in Owyllain.

But the war is coming even to the walls of the High King's city of Tarlion.

And Gavin's family might be the first victims of the new battle...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jonathan Moeller
• Release date: Jul 3, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463844564

Jonathan Moeller

Standing over six feet tall, Jonathan Moeller has the piercing blue eyes of a Conan of Cimmeria, the bronze-colored hair of a Visigothic warrior-king, and the stern visage of a captain of men, none of which are useful in his career as a computer repairman, alas.He has written the "Demonsouled" trilogy of sword-and-sorcery novels, and continues to write the "Ghosts" sequence about assassin and spy Caina Amalas, the "$0.99 Beginner's Guide" series of computer books, and numerous other works.Visit his website at:http://www.jonathanmoeller.comVisit his technology blog at:http://www.jonathanmoeller.com/screed

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SHIELD KNIGHT: GAVIN'S TALE

Jonathan Moeller

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Description

Gavin is a Swordbearer of Andomhaim, far from the deadly War of the Seven Swords in Owyllain.

But the war is coming even to the walls of the High King's city of Tarlion.

And Gavin's family might be the first victims of the new battle...

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Shield Knight: Gavin's Tale

Copyright 2018 by Jonathan Moeller.

Smashwords Edition.

Cover image copyright peepo | istockphoto.com.

Ebook edition published July 2018.

All Rights Reserved.

This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination, or, if real, used fictitiously. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the express written permission of the author or publisher, except where permitted by law.

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Author's Note

The events of this novella take place between SEVENFOLD SWORD: UNITY and SEVENFOLD SWORD: SORCERESS.

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Chapter 1: Embassy of the Dwarves

Gavin’s wife was the oldest woman in the realm of Andomhaim.

Come to think of it, she was older than the realm of Andomhaim itself.

Though Gavin didn’t think about it all that often. Partly because Antenora didn’t look fifteen centuries old. She looked like a beautiful woman of Gavin’s own age, with big blue eyes and curly black hair that hung to her hips when it was unbound. Some of it was that she didn’t remember much of those fifteen centuries since no human mind could contain such a hideous span of time, not even a mind as sharp and as keen as Antenora’s. And some of it was that Gavin didn’t care all that much. She was his wife, and he loved her, and that was that.

And that meant he worried about her.

Ever since that mysterious elven sorcerer had come to the High King’s court three months ago and kidnapped Ridmark, Calliande, and their children, Antenora had been laboring on methods to find them and bring them back home. Her efforts had borne fruit – Third had carried one of Antenora’s magical devices to this new realm of Owyllain, and now Calliande and Antenora could converse across a distance of three and a half thousand miles. It was a staggering feat and one that Gavin could not understand.

But Antenora continued her work, digging up scraps of lore and history about the dark elven lord called the Sovereign. Apparently, this Sovereign had once ruled Owyllain and had forged the Seven Swords that had torn apart that realm in war. Gavin held a benefice of lands in the Northerland from Dux Constantine Licinius, and it was past time for him to return to Castra Marcaine and Dux Constantine’s court. But Antenora remained in Tarlion to continue her work, and Gavin did not want to leave his wife in the city when he went to the Northerland.

About three months and a week after that elven wizard kidnapped Ridmark and Calliande, Gavin awoke as sunlight leaked through the closed shutters. He was lying in bed in the room he and Antenora shared in the Tower of the Keeper. Antenora lay next to him, curled on her side, eyes closed. The air within the room was hot and close, and Gavin felt a sheen of sweat on his forehead. It was deep summer in southern Andomhaim, and an oppressive heat hung over Tarlion. Gavin could not remember the last time