The Amulet Of Nicmir (The Scripts Of Neptune, Book 1)

Chapter 1

The storm raged with a mind of its own, turning the fields on either side of the road into grey oceans of rippling grain. Forked lightning streaked the sky, and thunder cracked the clouds. Rain poured down in sheets, thousands of sparkling drops that quenched the thirsty ground.

Chad's worn boots interrupted the rivulets of water flowing along in the middle of the road with every step. As he walked, he pulled his cloak closer, even though it did next to nothing to keep out the harsh weather. He smiled, taking a deep breath through his nose, enjoying the unique, earthy smell of rain and mud.

He loved storms. They were wild and unpredictable. This particular one brought a cold front with it, and he shivered as a sharp wind assaulted him, chilling his soaked body to the bone. His smile disappeared, and he hugged his chest, walking on through the rain. Water ran into his eyes, guided by strands of wet hair plastered against his forehead.

Another clap of thunder sounded, tapering off to a dull roar. But this time, it was different. It didn't stop.

Chad whirled. A horse, black as midnight in the poor light, was galloping at him at full speed. He stood rooted to the spot before his reflexes kicked in. He jumped from the path and into the muddy ditch on the side, narrowly avoiding being trampled. It snorted as it shot past, and Chad could barely make out a figure in the saddle, crouched low over the sleek animal. They streaked away, a dark blur in the rain.

Chad put a hand over his heart, sinking against the bank of the ditch, his breath coming in pants. The rider had terrified him, and with good reason. Agnir's men were the only citizens allowed to use horses for anything but farm work.

He'd almost been trampled by a minion of the king that controlled more than half the realm.

When the shock and excitement wore off, Chad climbed from the ditch. The slick mud made it difficult, but he managed.

The rain still poured down in buckets, pattering loudly and limiting vision, and as Chad looked down the road after the rider, he could neither see nor hear the horse any longer. Breathing out through his teeth, he continued the miserable walk home.

The pleasant smell of the rain was overwhelmed by the mud caking his clothes. The downpour rinsed a good deal of it off, but what remained made him stink like a pigsty. He could easily imagine what his mother would say. "Chadly! What did you do to yourself, young man?"

A wry smile crept onto his lips at the thought. Even though he was seventeen, she still lectured him like a child. In some ways, he supposed, he still was, but that didn't necessarily warrant her scoldings.

The high-pitched whinny of a panicking horse cut through the pouring rain, a human cry piercing the air in its chilling wake. Chad froze. Then, after listening again, he immediately picked up his pace until he broke into a slow run, trying desperately not to slip. Something had happened to the rider, and though Chad hated them, he still felt obligated to save another human being.

They're not human, an inner voice reminded him. Maybe it's destiny, he thought dryly. Maybe he'd get some sort of reward for saving the man.

"You!"

Chad jumped at the unexpected shout. The voice was urgent, desperate, and it held an undertone that Chad couldn't quite identify.

Stopping in his tracks, he turned to squint at the side of the road. A dark shape moved, and Chad stepped back. When it didn't move again, he carefully approached it, throwing caution aside when he made out the form of the horse. It had slipped, falling headfirst into the ditch. It was still alive, but Chad suspected it had snapped its neck.