The High Queen's Vow [The Mystic Women of The Realm Series Book IV] by Robbie Collins Page A

Her heart was beating with an intensity she seldom felt in battle—a beating of fear—of certain death.
    The High Queen held the sword in both hands straight out from her with its tip toward the sky. She bowed her head and began to chant what Ann'wn thought sounded like some long-prior ancient chant in some unknown tongue.
    Strn’ too non dey an noo doh ney...
    Frn’ den-sto-ney an doo ny doh...
    Dom stn’ non-ney an noo doh ney...
    Sac’ tra’ fos-sen an tey no non...
    Many moments passed, yet the chanting continued. All eyes moved back and forth between their rapidly approaching enemy and The High Queen. An'ther'on was one of the bravest women in The Realm, but even she stood shaking at the sight of the approaching enemy forces. A thousand or more were now riding quickly to them at full speed, and with full weaponry readied. The enemy forces were comprised fully of the long-prior dead, and were nothing more than skeletons. Even their horses were skeletons. And their sounds of death and war were fearful; their numbers stunning. Their war cries the chilling sound of terror unleashed.
    The High Queen's sword began to hum a low droning sound as she chanted. None had ever heard such prior, and stood awed in the moment. Ann'wn saw that a small field of energy now glowed and circled around each of the stones. Suddenly, shocking everyone fully, lightning hit The High Queen's sword. As surprising, The High Queen continued to chant as if nothing had occurred. All watched as lightning bolt after lightning bolt hit The High Queen's sword, moving through it into her. All listened as The High Queen chanted in a soft but quickly cadenced monotone:
    San’ rn’ Doc’ rn’ nl’ nin’ ae non...
    San’ rn’ Se’ le’ Drn’ trn rn le'...
    Dey niln San’ rn’ Doc’ rn nl’ nin...
    Frn’ dern’ non-ney an noo doh ney...
    The High Queen's five sorcerers listened to the chant, seldom knowing the powers their Queen summoned to herself. But on this turn, they gasped. Sle'nel’ tuned her ears to them, wondering what they had heard.
    Sele’ confirmed their unspoken question, “She summons The Realm's Watchers; the long-dead High Queens. She summons their powers."
    While Sle'nel’ believed that Sele’ had heard correctly, she looked at her lover in full disbelief, How is such a thing as this possible? Who *is* she?
    The rhythmic chanting of The High Queen along with the droning sound of The High Queen's sword and the increasing intensity of the pounding horse-hooves gave an eerie cast to the pre-dawn moment, making all wonder and fear what The High Queen was calling to her.
    Sele’ pointed off into the distance, “Look. It is the prior High Queens!"
    To everyone's complete disbelief, Sele’ was correct.
    An'ther'on could barely breathe, “By the mothers, this is not possible."
    Far off to The High Queen's side began to emerge visions of the prior High Queens. They stood slightly apart from each other, looking as if half-spirit and half-real. They stood un-moving, each holding onto their own High Queen's sword.
    The Healer gasped quietly as she saw that San'lr'in’ stood as they did—fearless. And that she looked as they did—powerful. To a one, The Healer saw that the long-prior, long-dead High Queens were stunning in their beauty, also appearing as uncompromisingly determined and intimidatingly intelligent. As San'lr'in’ began to complete her chanting, they began to come together slowly, as if there were no urgent moments about them.
    When San'lr'in’ completed her spell, the long-prior, long-dead High Queens all raised their swords and touched their tips together. San'lr'in’ raised her sword and bowed her head to them, acknowledging their presence. The Healer heard all The High Queens’ swords droning the now wordless chant. Suddenly, as all their sword tips touched, and as San'lr'in’ held hers out to them, a red lightning bolt emerged from their swords and flew straight into San'lr'in's. With that done, they