The Path Of Peace (The Cremelino Prophecy Book 3) (24 page)

D
arius paced the floor of the Diamond
Palace. One wing had been completed the prior week, and Christine had chosen to
deliver her baby there. As he paced, he looked out of the twenty-foot-tall
glass windows at the Lake of Reflection. Dark storm clouds hung over the
Superstition Mountains to the west. A large storm had blown through the
previous day, bringing a barrage of spring rain. It had almost been a year
since he returned to Anikari and found out he would be the next King.

Christine had started
contractions two days before, about a month earlier than normal. For the last
month, the doctors had been concerned about her condition and put her on bed
rest. A doctor and two midwives were now in the room with her. They were
convinced the baby was coming soon. Darius smiled at the thought.

A father! It would certainly be a
new experience. Strange, exciting, and fearful all at the same time. He had
held in the secret since healing Christine. He had been tempted to tell it many
times over the last few months since returning back to Anikari. Now, soon, all
would know.

He stood in front of the window
and marveled in the beauty. His thoughts drifted to the first time they ran
into this field after a rainstorm. Christine named it the Field of Diamonds.
That was three years ago. He had been captivated by her the first time and now
loved her far more than he thought could have been possible. Almost losing her
to the greed of General Alrishitar the past winter made him appreciate her even
more.

He heard his wife cry out, and he
continued his pacing. He was not allowed in the room until the baby was born.
Too many men seemed to pass out when they saw their wife in labor and bleeding.
He worried about her, though. What if she was in danger? He couldn’t lose her.
He wouldn’t lose her.

Servants came and went into the
room. He could hear the noises of construction going on in a far wing of the
new palace. He’d excused himself from all duties that day. His father and other
councilors would be able to handle anything that came up.

Since returning from the battle
with Gildan, things had returned to normal. The prior problems with the farmers
and the city people started improving. Groups met together more often and
talked and planned the next year’s crops together.

A loud wail broke the King’s
concentration. He rushed to the door and opened it rashly. The doctor glared at
him and told him to leave.

“We are going to have to operate,
my Lord. The baby hasn’t turned.”  The doctor looked worried. “You must leave.”

“But I can help.” Darius wasn’t
going to leave her in this condition. “I can calm her down.” He sat down on the
bed next to her. Christine gave him a weak and tired smile. Her hair was
plastered to her head in sweat, and her eyes drooped due to the valerian root
they had given to sedate her. Darius took Christine’s hand in his and caressed
it. Her fingers moved slightly in response. He reached deep inside his heart
and brought out his feelings for her. Along with Lightning and Thunder, he sent
a ray of calmness into her soul. She breathed deeply and smiled.

The doctor didn’t look at all
happy with him there, but he was the King, and so he continued with his
procedure. They would have to cut into her and lift the baby out. It was not a
common procedure but had been done enough in the last few years to make the
doctor comfortable with the operation’s outcome.

The midwife brought some
additional numbing herbs to Christine’s lips, and she drank. Darius continued
to hold her hand softly, helping her stay calm.

The doctor began the incision,
cutting through her belly with careful precision. The two midwives stood to
either side, helping to guide his hands. There was a lot of blood, and Darius
noticed his wife’s face growing paler. He sent his healing power into her, and
she looked better.

Abruptly, the doctor lifted out a
new baby. “It’s a beautiful girl, Sire.”

“Let me see her,” Christine
cried, and the doctor handed her to one of the midwives to bring to Christine.

The doctor gasped and reached in
again and held up another baby. “And a boy, Sire.”

“Twins?” Christine cried out
again. “No wonder I felt so big and bloated. I had wondered but didn’t dare say
anything.”

Darius looked down at his wife
and their two babies. He couldn’t contain his smile and was glad the secret was
out. Christine looked up at him.

“You knew,” she accused him with
a smile.

Darius nodded. “I knew. When I
healed you, I felt the two babies stirring inside of you, but I did not know if
they were boys or girls.”

The nurses cleaned off the
babies, sewed Christine back up, and handed the twins to the happy and joyous
mother and father. Tears streamed down their faces as they beheld their two
babies. The boy was smaller, and one of his feet twisted at a slight angle, but
Darius felt power from both of them.

“Christine, both are wizards. I
can feel it.” It was a wonder. “The boy will be Liam, and he is a wizard of the
mind.”

Christine smiled then added, “And
the girl we will call Breanna.”

“She is a wizard of the earth,”
Darius said.

The two remaining Cremelinos in
the King’s stables were ready and anxious to touch the two new wizards. They
communicated their choice to Darius of which twin each of them would bond to.
Christine and Darius felt all the Cremelinos in the land rejoice. Two more
wizards added to their ranks.

The prophecy is now truly and
finally fulfilled,
Lightning said to both of them from outside in the
stables.

The time that had long been
foretold for wizards and Cremelinos to join together once again was now here.
In Darius DarSan Williams, King of the Realm and wizard of the heart, the
prophecy was fulfilled.

Forgotten lines of ancient magic

and the power of the throne.

One will make them both his own

if his heart sees the true power.

He will bring light to fight darkness

and love to fight hate

if he reaches into the power of his heart.

He will find new allies, turn
enemy to friend, and

find the binding of all power on
the path of peace.

His inheritance is the heart,
but his twin legacy

will be split between the earth
and the mind.

Thus ends The Cremelino Prophecy

# # #

Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoyed reading THE PATH OF PEACE along with the
entire trilogy of
The Cremelino Prophecy
. I had a great experience in
writing these books and getting to know these characters.

I really enjoy hearing feedback about my book, characters,
story-line, etc.  If you have any questions or just want to send me a note, you
can contact me at
[email protected]
,
or visit my website at
MichaelSheltonBooks.com
.
Let me know who your favorite character was and why.

The best thing you can do however would be to
write a
review on Amazon
(and goodreads if you have an account there).  Having
enough reviews make or break a book on Amazon and the more reviews I have, the
better the Amazon algorithms work to place my book in more searches. 

Thanks again for reading the three books of The Cremelino
Prophecy.  Look for more YA/Teen fantasy books from me in the future.

Sincerely,

Mike

Mike was born in California
and has lived in multiple states from the west coast to the east coast. He
cannot remember a time when he wasn’t reading a book. At school, home, on
vacation, at work at lunch time, and yes even a few pages in the car (at times
when he just couldn’t put that great book down). Though he has read all sorts
of genres he has always been drawn to fantasy. It is his way of escaping to a
simpler time filled with magic, wonders and heroics of young men and women.

Other than reading, Mike has
always enjoyed the outdoors. From the beaches in Southern California to the
warm waters of North Carolina. From the waterfalls in the Northwest to the
Rocky Mountains in Utah. Mike has appreciated the beauty that God provides for
us. He also enjoys hiking, discovering nature, playing a little basketball or
volleyball, and most recently disc golf. He has a lovely wife who has always
supported him, and three beautiful children who have been the center of his
life.

Mike began writing stories in
elementary school and moved on to larger novels in his early adult years. He
has worked in corporate finance for most of his career. That, along with
spending time with his wonderful family and obligations at church has made it
difficult to find the time to truly dedicate to writing. In the last few years
as his children have become older he has returned to doing what he truly enjoys
– writing! 

www.MichaelSheltonBooks.com

http://www.amazon.com/author/mikeshelton