The Black Crow Flies

The Black Crow Flies BOOK 1 OF THE WHITTAM CHRONICLES L. B. PERDAN Cover art designed by semnitz™ Maps designed by Caleb P. Green Interior images licensed from ShutterStock This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, events and incidents are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Copyright © 2022 by L. B. Perdan All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Created with Vellum To my older brother, Joshua, who told me he’d read my book when it was “all done.” Well, I did it. It’s all done. You have no excuse. (also, thanks for the motivation <3) Contents History of Whittam Prologue Ten Years Later 1. Catrice 2. Blaze 3. Catrice 4. Blaze 5. Catrice 6. Blaze 7. Catrice 8. Blaze 9. Catrice 10. Blaze 11. Catrice 12. Blaze 13. Catrice 14. Blaze 15. Catrice 16. Blaze 17. Catrice 18. Blaze 19. Catrice 20. Blaze 21. Catrice 22. Blaze 23. Catrice 24. Blaze Epilogue Acknowledgments About the Author Also by L. B. Perdan History of Whittam In the Anocican year 487, the people rebelled against the emperor, shattering the empire into five nations, in what would come to be known as the Great Split. Legend says that seven brave men killed the tyrant emperor and stole his jeweled crown, breaking it into seven pieces and giving one to each man. This way, no one could claim the right to rule over the others. They were all equally victorious. Those men founded a new nation, Whittam, and its seven districts based on the colors of the shattered crown: White, Silver, Amber, Onyx, Crimson, Sapphire, and Emerald. By the year 802, much of the original sentiment of equality among the Seven Noble Families had faded away, and infighting broke out across Whittam. At the height of war, when it looked as if the country would collapse, Geris Aetos, a Prophet of the Creator, called fire down from the heavens and stopped the fighting. He demanded peace, warning of a great destruction on the horizon if the Noble families continued in their ways. Fearful for their lives, the lords heeded his warning, and the war ended. In an attempt to maintain the peace, the Council of Seven was formed; for the first time since the Great Split, the districts were united. Geris Aetos fell in love and married the lady of the White District and, in doing so, eventually took his place as lord and head of the Council. The Aetos family remained on the Council until the year 1124, when war loomed once again. The country was flooded with refugees from the Oram Islands as the nation of Orik invaded the sovereign archipelago. Warren Tenaris, Commander of the Black Crows, asked the Council to let him lead a force to drive the Oriks out of the Oram Islands. Lord Marcus Aetos, Prophet and descendent of Geris Aetos, refused. Shortly after, the Oriks invaded Whittam, massacring its people along the coastal districts and pushing inland. One by one, the lords came to Commander Tenaris, pleading with him to lead their armies to defeat the Oriks. He agreed if, in return, they pledged their allegiance Prologue “IN THE ANOCICAN YEAR 1126, ON THE 12TH DAY OF THE 7TH MONTH, THE WHITE DISTRICT WAS SUBDUED UNDER KING WARREN TENARIS.” - THE ROYAL ARCHIVES OF WHITTAM For the fifth time that day, Blaze Laskaris was hiding. He watched from his lowered position in the tall grass as a tiny pair of bare feet stumbled through the meadow. The blooming summer flowers mingled throughout the field snapped and crumpled under the weight, leaving a winding path of matted destruction in the pasture. Blaze rolled his eyes. Catrice would never find him if she kept wandering aimlessly like this. “Blaze, come on!” Catrice’s high-pitched voice filled the quiet valley. “Let me win this time, at least...” She pouted and crossed her arms. He glanced behind her at the city of Ontiach. Lady Vivian Aetos watched their antics from her guarded position just outside the city gates. Her elegant blue robes flowed around her as she raised a hand, blocking her eyes from the setting sun. It was getting late, and they would have to go inside soon. Aunt Diana would be making dinner, and she would make him wash up before they could eat. He sighed and straightened from his crouched position, rustling the violet belldrops surrounding him from their resting place. Catrice’s face lit up in excitement as she pointed and ran toward him. “I found you!” she squealed, latching onto his sleeve. “Not fair!” Izaak’s voice rang out from behind him. Blaze turned, dragging Catrice with him as she remained attached to his shirt. His little brother stood a few feet away, fists bunched at his side and face scrunched in a disappointed frown that nearly obscured the bright blue eyes that matched Blaze’s own. “It was my turn to find you.” Blaze groaned. It was always Izaak’s turn. “I found him first!” Catrice stuck her tongue out at Izaak, and Blaze’s sleeve tightened on his arm as she reinforced her grip. Blaze pivoted toward her, blocking his brother from her gaze, and returned her taunting expression. “Only ‘cause it’s your birthday, Catrice. If it was any other day, I wouldn’t be so nice.” He