Chandrea ~ The Averill Series
The Return of the Avatar Queen
by Marlene Wynn
Chandrea Averill thinks she’s
just like any other normal young woman. But, on the day of her 23rd
birthday, her life changes forever.
Surrounded by magical creatures, dangerous sorcery, and insidious
political intrigue, Chandrea desperately wants to return to Earth and
the only life she’s ever known. But, the longer she stays, the more she
realizes that she may be the only one with the power – both magical and
political – to save the people of Lyrunia. Will she find the courage to
remain and fight for her home world?
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~ Prologue ~
The assassination changed everything.
On the day Crown Princess Chandrea Averill was born, the entire Kingdom
of Averill celebrated. The streets of Cellia, her capital city, were
overflowing with people honoring the birth of the new heir. Food and
drink were plentiful and the mood of those gathered was joyous. Songs
and laughter echoed gaily off the walls of the great stone buildings.
Those in the know speculated on what powers the crown princess would
eventually develop, as no female born of the queen’s lineage ever had
the same powers as those who came before her. The form and strength of
the magic varied from female to female, but – without fail – magic was
present in some form.
The merrymaking went on for hours into the night, and all at the Llireva
Palace celebrated. Wrinkled old men sat in the corners, smoking their
pipes and spinning grand and fanciful tales of the Averill family. Small
children gathered at their feet, listening raptly to tales of magic and
bravery. Gaily dressed dancers spun and swirled as the eager audience
clapped to the rhythm. Jewels glittered and gleamed in the warm
candlelight as they moved, dazzling the eye.
As the night eased into the early morning hours, those who should’ve
retired long ago still remained. Sleepy-eyed and =yawning, they
nevertheless continued with the celebration even as the moon set on the
horizon and dawn approached. Drinks were handed out generously, and
drunken, happy people roamed the palace. Staggering about, their
laughter filled the hallways of the grand palace. Guards became
lackadaisical about their duties, laughing and drinking with their
friends as they came wandering by.
This made the attack on the Llireva Palace and those inside exceedingly simple.
The assault was ruthlessly calculated and seamless. Having been there
for hours, posing as drunken guests, the invaders easily overtook and
dispatched the inebriated guards. Thousands of the enemy swarmed over
the palace, slaughtering all in sight, whether guest or staff. Swords
and knives flashed in the candlelight, and terror-filled screams filled
the warm night air.
Taken completely by surprise, the guests and staff were easily overcome.
Some tried to fight back, but were ruthlessly cut down where they
stood. Stepping carelessly over the bloodied bodies of the dead,
hard-faced officers ordered their men to look for the king, queen, and
the newly-born crown princess. The enemy soldiers scattered, each keen
to be the one to find the royal family and draw first blood.
One loyal servant – Adelaide – was tasked with caring for the new crown
princess while the queen recovered. Like the queen, Adelaide was a
powerful sorceress, and served in the capacity of royal advisor and
friend to the queen.
After giving birth, the queen had been exhausted and was resting
peacefully in her chambers, while the king attended to her. Princess
Chandrea was in the nursery, being cared for by Adelaide. So, when the
assassination of the king and queen occurred, the princess was nowhere
to be found. Enemy soldiers then spread out in search of the newborn.
Unknown to the intruders, in the days prior to her birth, protective
spell webs had been cast by Adelaide and the queen in the hallways of
the family wing. These spells prevented unauthorized access to the
nursery by causing an agonizing death. The magic also alerted the
creator of the spells of anyone entering the space. Unfortunately, the
queen had been too wearied and depleted from giving birth to act upon
the warnings that had been sent by her spells, and thus, she and the
king soon perished. But Adelaide was not at such a disadvantage. As the
assailants crossed her protective spells, she was alerted immediately by
their piercing screams as the magic seared the flesh from their bones.
Adelaide quickly picked up the baby, and with an urgently muttered
spell, opened a hidden passageway known only by the royal family and
their most trusted advisors. Slipping out of the nursery, she turned and
sealed the door with a wave of her hand, eliminating any chance that
any marauders lucky enough to have a sorceress strong enough to
penetrate the defensive spells could follow.
Rushing down the stairs, holding the princess close to her bosom, she
finally reached the bottom. There she entered the back of a large cave.
Moving quickly forward to the front, she found herself looking out at
the dark expanse of the Averill Bay, named after the royal family who
ruled the bordering land. She turned and gently laid the baby in a small
depression in the rock, sat beside her, and allowed herself to
momentarily succumb to her grief and fear. Adelaide knew that for the
invading soldiers to have gotten as far as her protective shields, they
would have had to defeat the queen first— and she would have been in no
condition to fight them off.
Sitting quietly for a few moments to collect herself and her thoughts,
she was able to form a plan of action, and to gather the resolve for
what she knew would be required from her.
Taking a deep breath, she stood and faced the now-orphaned crown
princess lying on the rocks. Adelaide knew without a doubt that if this
tiny child were killed, all hope for Averill, and the surrounding
kingdoms and cities that made up Lyrunia, would be lost. The freedom and
peace they’d known under the reign of the Averill family and the Triad
would make way for a dark and violent time. Above all else, Princess
Chandrea must survive not only this night, but also grow safely to
adulthood so that she could take her rightful place on the throne.
Raising her hands into the air, Adelaide urgently weaved them back and
forth as she cast her spells. Many hours passed as she chanted through
the night, knowing that in the palace above her, an intense search for
the princess was being conducted, and that she and the baby could be
discovered at any time. Her voice grew hoarse and her arms weary, but
still she labored on, until, finally, only one more spell needed to be
cast.
Sweat-soaked and exhausted, she reached down and picked up Princess
Chandrea. Expecting that this would be the last time she held this dear,
tiny child, Adelaide cuddled her close for a few moments. Then, looking
at the precious little wrinkled face, she gazed directly into the
princess’s eyes, and cast her last spell.
Bright, white light blazed forth from the infant, transforming the cave
into a dazzling, glittering chamber. Princess Chandrea slowly rose from
Adelaide’s hands until she hung suspended in the air. The soft blanket
covering her fell unnoticed to the floor. Adelaide’s hands moved in
harmony with her voice as she chanted the final spell that would
transport the crown princess from Itova—the world into which she’d been
born—to another one. The only place that she would truly be safe until
she reached adulthood and her powers had fully manifested.
Air swirled madly about the infant and the light grew brighter and
stronger. Then, with the sound of a massive thunderclap and a final
burst of brilliance, the crown princess vanished.
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