Praetorian Rising

J. McSpadden
Copyright © 2019 Jessica McSpadden
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in book reviews.
First Edition July 2019
ISBN: 978-0-578-53373-5
Published by J. McSpadden Writes
www.jmcspaddenwrites.com


DEDICATION
I’d like to dedicate this book in two parts. First, to those that helped me get through the self-publishing process reminding me to never give up hope on why I embarked on this adventure.
Bjorn, thank you for listening to me read every version of this book to you on our long road trips, working through story and character development. You are my idea board, my most honest critique, and the man I love most.
Laura, thank you for being my first editor and the one to push me to write when I was at a stationary moment in my life.
Ashley, thank you for always politely killing my darlings while shaping my book to perfection. You kept me laughing through the whole editing process. My forever Editor and self-publishing guru I wouldn’t be here without you.
Rebecca, thank you for being my most diligent comma hunter and the last eyes on this story before publishing glory.
Mom and Dad, thank you for supporting me and giving me a lifetime worth of experiences. Every vacation, every get away enabled me those moments to dream every dream.
Second, I dedicate this book to every author who was sent a rejection letter and made to believe their story wasn’t good enough to be published. This book, this first published piece, is for you my fellow writers. Don’t give up on your dreams, don’t let anyone say you can’t do it.  To be a writer is to write, and to be an author is to find your way to a published platform. Fly your own path to your dreams.


Contents
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Epilogue
ABOUT THE AUTHOR


My heart shall love,
My sword protect,
My courage remain,
My strength withstand,
I serve you Ma’Nada.
With every breath,
I praise the day, 
We embrace again as equals,
In the great halls of Cydonia.


Chapter One
Lost Memory
Wind whistled through the dense overgrowth of Dun L'er Forest, a high-pitched whir of warning dogging his every step. The rustling maple and stark pine trees hunched like ghostly sentinels, the foggy fingers of breaking dawn stretching toward him as he ran. They were watching him, the ancient eyes of the forest, their aged and weathered limbs creaking against the pressured air. They would hold his secrets in their entombed silence, but the gods knew what he'd done.
Panic slipped down Vesyon’s spine, a rivulet of ice pushing his legs to move ever faster. There was no going back now, the deed was done. He had her. They had escaped.
"We're almost there," he whispered as he readjusted the precious form cradled in his arms. Tucking away the young woman's brilliant tumble of red hair beneath the dense fur of his cloak, he pushed through a bramble bush as he continued south toward Sierra Village. Thankfully, the beasts tracking him had lost his scent miles behind his current location. He no longer heard the crash of paw on his heels. Despite the small reprieve, he kept moving. One could never hide from the High Court for long within the depths of Aspera. The eyes of the crown stretched far and wide.
As he pressed into the barrier lines of Sierra Village, Vesyon was vividly aware of the dangers that came with anyone seeing the young woman tucked into his arms. Thankfully his destination wasn't far—just beyond the forest's edge—but he could never be too careful.
Her breath was warm against the crook of his neck, a slow and steady reminder of the depth of her induced sleep. He was grateful for it, wishing she could remain in a peaceful swirl of dreams instead of waking into the harsh reality of her impending future.
A mysterious and silent creature followed him in quick pursuit, dodging between bush and boulder to keep pace with Vesyon's steady gait through the dense forest terrain. Short tufts of black and brown fur camouflaged the creature's every move, allowing him to accomplish his task of the silent companion with pristine perfection. After so many years together, Vesyon couldn't help but think of his small feline friend, Neeko, as one of his closest confidantes.
Up ahead, past the battered wooden fence skirting Sierra Village, he saw a dulled lamp light flickering wildly in the grey of early morning. The orange glow of electricity was like a beacon perched on top of a well-weathered cabin. He hurried toward the sagging walls and ancient, slatted roof with eager anticipation.
An elderly man with a grizzled grey beard stepped out of a low-slung doorway, intrigue and growing curiosity spilling across his creased face. His milky blue eyes and the weight of age contrasted the sharp edges of Vesyon’s youthful appearance.
"It's been a long time, my dear friend," the man, Peter Schroder, remarked with a mischievous grin. "I'm surprised the guards let you sneak by." His anxious gaze swept over the deserted village grounds, his caterpillar brows furrowing into a single line. The cracked skin of Vesyon's lips stretched wide with affection as Peter caressed the dagger hidden in his waistband like a cherished friend. Being the town butcher had its positives for Peter; no one questioned his love of sharp blades.
"Too long," Vesyon replied in earnest agreement, readjusting his hold on the sleeping woman as he ducked through the cabin's doorway.
A flicker of shocked bewilderment crossed Peter's face as he glared at Vesyon’s precious bundle. Would the girl