Ghost Keeper by Jonathan Moeller

said Aydin. “For everything. Would you wish to join me for dinner this evening?”
    “Dressed like this?” said Caina.
    He smiled. “You could dress however you wanted, and I would still wish to join you for dinner.”
    Caina said nothing.
    She was drawn to him, she could not deny that. He was bold and clever…and not hard on the eyes, for that matter. Likely the Venatorii would establish a presence in Istarinmul sooner or later, and he could remain in the city. One dinner could lead to another, and then to another, and then to something more.
    Something more…and that might lead Aydin and Tahram to their deaths. If Caina got involved in Aydin’s life, her enemies would not hesitate to attack her through Aydin. Callatas would kill Aydin to get at her. Cassander Nilas of the Umbarian Order would kill Aydin to find Caina.
    And she shuddered to think of what someone like the Red Huntress or one of the nagataaru would do to Tahram. She could not let a child fall into the hands of her foes.
    Too many children already had.
    “Ah,” said Aydin. “A hesitation is a no, I fear.”
    “I am sorry,” said Caina at last. “You were right about me, you know.”
    “Oh?”
    “I am more than a simple thief,” said Caina, “and I have far, far more enemies than a simple thief. You have a son, Aydin, and my enemies are the kind of men who…well, if they had to kill everyone in this tavern to get at me, they would. If they had to kill everyone in the Alqaarin Quarter, they would do so without hesitation. I have…enough on my conscience already. I don’t want your life or your son’s life on my conscience as well.”
    “I understand,” said Aydin, and he rose and bowed to her. “I owe you a great debt, Azarma. If you ever need aid, simply ask of it of me, and I shall do whatever I can.”
    “Thank you,” said Caina. She hesitated. “Though…there is something I do not understand.”
    “Oh?” said Aydin.
    “Why did you ask to dance with me?” said Caina. “You couldn’t possibly have known I could help you.”
    “No,” said Aydin. “I was going to rescue my son, and I thought I might die. If I was going to die…well, I wanted to dance with a beautiful woman before I did.”
    Caina smiled at him. “Farewell and good fortune to you, Aydin Kirshar.”
    “And to you,” said Aydin.
    She left the tavern without looking back.

    ###

    Later that day, she sat in the Sanctuary, examining Morgant’s sheathed crimson scimitar.
    She did not know how the weapon could lead her to Morgant the Razor, to the loremaster Annarah and the Staff and Seal of Iramis.
    Yet she would keep looking until she found the Staff and Seal and denied them to Callatas.
    To keep the Apotheosis from happening…and to save the lives of countless children like Tahram.
    Caina left the Sanctuary.
    She had work to do.
    THE END
    Thank you for reading GHOST KEEPER. If you liked the story, please consider leaving a review at your ebook site of choice. To receive immediate notification of new releases, sign up for my newsletter , or watch for news on my Facebook page . Turn the page to read the first chapter of GHOST IN THE COWL, Caina Amalas's first adventure in Istarinmul .

GHOST IN THE COWL Chapter 1 - Istarinmul
    Two weeks after she lost everything, Caina Amalas stood on the ship’s deck and threw knives at the mast.
    It was a way to pass the time and keep herself from thinking too much. To distract herself from the memories that flooded her mind if she was idle for too long. Sometimes she locked herself in her cabin for hours and performed the exercises of open-handed combat she had learned at the Vineyard long ago, working through the unarmed forms over and over again until every muscle in her body throbbed and spots danced before her eyes. 
    But if she stayed alone too long, her thoughts went to the dark places. To New Kyre and the blaze of golden fire above the Pyramid of Storm. To Sicarion laughing as he drove his dagger into the back of