Scions
Books by James Wolanyk
The Scribe Cycle
Scribes
Schisms
Scions
Scions
The Scribe Cycle
James Wolanyk
REBEL BASE BOOKS
Kensington Publishing Corp.
Copyright
Rebel Base Books are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp. 119 West 40th Street New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2018 by James Wolanyk
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
All Kensington titles, imprints, and distributed lines are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchases for sales promotion, premiums, fundraising, and educational or institutional use.
To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.
Special book excerpts or customized printings can also be created to fit specific needs. For details, write or phone the office of the Kensington Special Sales Manager:
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Attn. Special Sales Department. Phone: 1-800-221-2647.
Kensington Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.
REBEL BASE Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.
The RB logo is a trademark of Kensington Publishing Corp.
First Electronic Edition: April 2019
eISBN-13: 978-1-63573-022-7
eISBN-10: 1-63573-022-8
First Print Edition: April 2019
ISBN-13: 978-1-63573-025-8
ISBN-10: 1-63573-025-2
Printed in the United States of America
Contents
Schisms
Dedication
For Mara.
Acknowledgments
Had this section not been properly tamed and trimmed, a thousand names could’ve ended up here. So many wonderful people have put their time, energy, and faith (which is perhaps the most essential element of all) into creating this series. I’ll now attempt, and likely fail, to name the most crucial parties in the aforementioned process: my family and friends, my incredible mentor Andre Dubus III, my writing buddy David Moloney, my amazing agent Lindsay Mealing, my rock-solid editor James Abbate, and the universe itself for imbuing every moment with a sense of hope and progress. This series is my message to humanity, but it is also the culmination of childhood dreams, battles with Star Wars action figures, long nights serving as a D&D game master, and weekend trips to comic book stores and conventions, all of which would not have been possible without an incredible mother and father. It is living proof that anything (and any wish upon a star) is possible through determination and the kindness of others.
Chapter 1
Anna heard the old steward long before his lantern’s chalky orange bloom appeared. She’d first sensed his presence from the whine of an oak door farther down the slope, its staccato creaks cutting through the hush of the predawn drizzle, the twisting wail of mountain winds. She waited in stillness by the open shutters, watching the fog