Ghost Claws Read online

  “I was charmed by a beautiful woman, a woman fearless and clever,” I said, “and in her name I joined the Ghosts.”

  Corvalis snorted. “Now you are repeating my story back to me. Keep your secrets, if you like.”

  I smiled and walked into the darkness.

  My hand dipped into my pocket, and I felt the worn impression of the stone seal of House Naerius I had received thirty-eight years ago. But not from Alexius, of course.

  From his older sister Rhoanna.

  Caina was right that Alexius had become Emperor thirty-three years ago. But old Emperor Staurion Basilicus had been sick for years, and the intrigue to become his successor had been brutal and often bloody. Rhoanna and Alexius had fled to my father’s vineyard, hoping to elude their pursuers. Stunned by her beauty, I spilled a glass of wine on her gown. My father was furious, but Rhoanna laughed it off.

  And when the Kindred came, my father opened his doors to them…but I hid Rhoanna and Alexius in wine casks, and lied to the assassins.

  Rhoanna thanked me for protecting her brother, and gave me her family’s seal.

  And so, all these years later, I still protected her brother.

  All because a kindly woman took pity on a nervous boy so long ago.

  Just as millions now lived because I had given a grief-stricken girl a channel for her rage.

  So odd that the fate of so many depended upon such small things, that a moment’s kindness could rule the lives of uncounted thousands.

  I considered the seal for a moment longer, then went in search of dinner.

  THE END

  Thank you for reading GHOST CLAWS. 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.

  Other books by the author

  The Third Soul Series

  The Testing

  The Assassins

  The Blood Shaman

  The High Demon

  The Burning Child

  The Outlaw Adept

  The Black Paladin

  The Tomb of Baligant

  Computer Beginner's Guides

  The Ubuntu Beginner's Guide

  The Windows Command Line Beginner's Guide

  The Linux Command Line Beginner's Guide

  The Ubuntu Desktop Beginner's Guide

  The Windows 8 Beginner's Guide

  The Linux Mint Beginner's Guide

  The Ghosts Series

  Child of the Ghosts

  Ghost in the Flames

  Ghost in the Blood

  Ghost in the Storm

  Ghost in the Stone

  Ghost in the Forge

  Ghost in the Ashes

  Ghost Dagger (World of the Ghosts novella)

  Ghost Aria (World of the Ghosts short story)

  Ghost Claws (World of the Ghosts short story)

  The Demonsouled Series

  Demonsouled

  Soul of Tyrants

  Soul of Serpents

  Soul of Dragons

  Soul of Sorcery

  Soul of Skulls

  Soul of Swords

  The Dragon's Shadow (World of the Demonsouled novella)

  The Wandering Knight (World of the Demonsouled short story)

  The Tournament Knight (World of the Demonsouled short story)

  The Tower of Endless Worlds Series

  The Tower of Endless Worlds

  A Knight of the Sacred Blade

  A Wizard of the White Council

  The Destroyer of Worlds

  $1.99 Dark Fantasy

  Driven and Other Stories

  The Devil's Agent

  Angel Sword and Other Stories

  About the Author

  Standing over six feet tall, Jonathan Moeller has the piercing blue eyes of a Conan of Cimmeria, the bronze-colored hair a Visigothic warrior-king, and the stern visage of a captain of men, none of which are useful in his career as a computer repairman, alas.

  He has written the DEMONSOULED series of sword-and-sorcery novels, and continues to write THE GHOSTS sequence about assassin and spy Caina Amalas, the COMPUTER BEGINNER'S GUIDE series of computer books, and numerous other works.

  Visit his website at:

  http://www.jonathanmoeller.com

  Visit his technology blog at:

  http://www.jonathanmoeller.com/screed

  Contact him at:

  [email protected]

  You can sign up for his email newsletter here, or watch for news on his Facebook page.

  Table of Contents

  Description

  Ghost Claws

  Other books by the author

  About the Author

  Table of Contents

  Description

  Ghost Claws

  Other books by the author

  About the Author