Beyond the Horizon

Contents Cover Title Page Copyright Dedication Contents I. The Outsiders Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 II. The Forbiddens Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 III. The Varens Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 IV. The Elemists Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Acknowledgments About the Author Cover Title Page Copyright Contents Beginning About the Author 
 
 
 
 
 Beyond The Horizon
 Book 1
 
 
 
 K. J. Cloutier
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Copyright © 2023 by K. J. Cloutier
 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
 
 
 
 The characters, events, and settings in this book are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.
 
 
 
 First edition February 2023
 
 
 
 Front cover image/design by Natalia Junqueria
 Map design by Natalia Junqueria
 Character art by Alana Meyers-Echegaray
 
 
 
 ISBN: 978-1-7778562-1-2 (paperback)
 ISBN: 978-1-7778562-0-5 (hardcover)
 ISBN: 978-1-7778562-2-9 (ebook)
 
 
 
 Published by Meraki Books
 
 
 
 www.kjcloutierauthor.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
 For my mom,
 who has always been my biggest fan.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Contents
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 I. The Outsiders
 
 
 
 Chapter 1
 
 
 Chapter 2
 
 
 Chapter 3
 
 
 Chapter 4
 
 
 Chapter 5
 
 
 Chapter 6
 
 
 Chapter 7
 
 
 Chapter 8
 
 
 Chapter 9
 
 
 Chapter 10
 
 
 Chapter 11
 
 
 Chapter 12
 
 
 Chapter 13
 
 
 
 
 
 II. The Forbiddens
 
 
 
 Chapter 14
 
 
 Chapter 15
 
 
 Chapter 16
 
 
 Chapter 17
 
 
 Chapter 18
 
 
 Chapter 19
 
 
 Chapter 20
 
 
 Chapter 21
 
 
 
 
 
 III. The Varens
 
 
 
 Chapter 22
 
 
 Chapter 23
 
 
 Chapter 24
 
 
 Chapter 25
 
 
 Chapter 26
 
 
 Chapter 27
 
 
 Chapter 28
 
 
 Chapter 29
 
 
 
 
 
 IV. The Elemists
 
 
 
 Chapter 30
 
 
 Chapter 31
 
 
 Chapter 32
 
 
 Chapter 33
 
 
 Chapter 34
 
 
 Chapter 35
 
 
 Chapter 36
 
 
 Chapter 37
 
 
 Chapter 38
 
 
 Chapter 39
 
 
 Chapter 40
 
 
 Chapter 41
 
 
 Chapter 42
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Acknowledgments
 
 
 About the Author
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Part One
 
 
 The Outsiders
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter One
 
 
 
 
 
 “You’re overreacting,” Liam scoffed. “It’s just a sea monster.”
 “No, Liam.” Emery stared at the white pinprick on the horizon, barely breathing. “It’s definitely a ship.”
 Her twin snorted. “That’s ridiculous.”
 Emery leaned forward, squinting at the never-ending void of blue that was the sea and sky, ignoring the way the branch groaned under her bare feet and the rush of waves against the rocky cliff far below. An eternity of silence seemed to pass as the dawn sun crawled higher and the white pinprick grew. She squinted harder and details began to emerge. Three tall masts, half rolled-up sails, a giant wooden hull, multiple decks. She could even make out the wheel. Cold dread prickled along her skin.
 Liam sucked in a breath. He could see it now, too.
 “Who’s ridiculous now?” Emery whispered. Her brother had no retort this time, and the frigid fear seeped into her chest. “We have to warn everyone.”
 “It’ll turn around.” Liam leaned casually against the redwood’s trunk, but she saw the way his hands shook behind his crossed arms. “They always do.”
 This was true enough. In all of Emery’s seventeen years, they’d spotted a total of three ships on the horizon. Each time, the ship turned around before ever coming close to their island.
 “But what if it doesn’t this time?” she asked.
 “They haven’t found us!” he snapped, betraying his anxiety. Liam never snapped. “This ship’s just lost, they’ll probably turn around any moment. And even if not, they’ll never find the Break.”
 Emery pressed her palms against the rough bark of the tree, hoping the familiar texture would center her emotions. Inside her, the cold fear waged war with the warming ember of something else entirely.
 Exhilaration.
 Because there were only so many possibilities as to who could be aboard that ship. They could be the Ungifted humans who have hunted Emery’s kind her entire life. But they could also be refugees, elemists like Emery and everyone else on the island, seeking asylum from the cruel outside world.
 If it was the latter, it would finally mean new people to talk to. Maybe even her parents were on board, finally returning for them after so many years.
 But if not, if it was the humans…then her home would be doomed.
 Emery and Liam watched with thundering hearts, waiting for the ship to turn around like all the others. But the ship sailed closer and closer, heading for the northern edge of the island, straight for –
 “They’re heading for the Break!” Emery cried.
 “But…that’s impossible,” Liam said, his arms slack at his sides.