Hive Knight
Trinity of the Hive (Book One)
by
Grayson Sinclair
License Notes
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Hive Knight (Trinity of the Hive: Book One)
Copyright © 2020 Grayson Sinclair. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2020 Luciano Fleitas Cover Artist
A Starlit Publishing Book
Published by Starlit Publishing
69 Teslin Rd
Whitehorse, YT
Y1A 3M5
Canada
www.starlitpublishing.com
Ebook ISBN: 9781989458969
Paperback ISBN: 9781989458976
Hardcover ISBN: 9781989458983
Contents
Chapter 1 - Draconian Measures
Chapter 2 - All That Glitters
Chapter 3 - Memento Mori
Chapter 4 - The Gloam
Chapter 5 - Under Siege
Chapter 6 - Dance of Death
Chapter 7 - War Is The Answer
Chapter 8 - Nova Wave
Chapter 9 - Unexpected Guest
Chapter 10 - Stranger Things
Chapter 11 - Until Eternity
Chapter 12 - Hive Knight
Chapter 13 - On The Road
Chapter 14 - Inn of Ill Repute
Chapter 15 - The Hand That Holds Time In Its Palm
Chapter 16 - Can’t Run From Your Problems
Chapter 17 - Outlier Farmstead
Chapter 18 - What Are You Willing To Lose?
Chapter 19 - The Serpent’s Tail
Chapter 20 - Mnemosyne
Chapter 21 - The Compass Kingdom
Chapter 22 - Central Kingdom
Chapter 23 - Chains of the Past
Chapter 24 - The Auction House
Chapter 25 – An Offer Made
Chapter 26 - Escape
Chapter 27 - The Obsidian Throne
Author’s Note
About the Author
About the Publisher
My Recommended Reading
Dedicated to Robert Leyendecker
For supporting a complete stranger with everything you had. I couldn’t have done it without you, bud.
"The only difference between the virtual and the real world is the amount of data. We can feel a lot more if we see, hear, or touch something in the real world than in a virtual world."
─Asuna Yuuki
Chapter 1 - Draconian Measures
A blast of lighting slammed into the ground an inch away, and I slipped on the wet, mossy rocks, sending me tumbling to the ground. Iron filled my mouth as my ears rang. By the nine kings of Hell, that was close!
My racing heart filled with fear as the dragon roared, shaking the earth and conjuring a mass of storm clouds overhead. Thunder cracked, and hailstones the size of my fists hounded us mercilessly.
Damn, of course, this wouldn’t be easy. I gripped my sword tight in my hands and charged the beast.
“Duran, wait!” Alistair screamed over the thunder.
Like hell! Each passing second inched us closer to death, and if we didn’t act, we were doomed.
Gil and Levi ran forward, circling the mighty dragon and holding its attention.
The elder storm dragon was deadly; every facet of it screamed at me to flee for my very life. The beast towered over all of us, moving with lithe precision, snapping its jaws at Levi’s greatshield.
As dangerous as the creature was, its beauty could not be denied. Its scales glistened like sapphires in the rain as it moved its hulking body to face us. Its massive limbs capped with ivory talons were the length of my longsword; one swipe would rend us in two.
While they bought time, I circled around it, searching for an opening.
Alistair cursed and held his hands towards me, reciting a short chant in Script. He finished and a bright red circle appeared in his palm, a swirling geometric pattern that danced over a pentagram. As it spun, a warmth spread over me.
A tiny notification in the corner of my vision flicked to life as Alistair’s spell took hold.
Damage Boost: 30 seconds
Such a quick and dirty incantation, but it was enough to give me a chance. I ran in between Gil and Levi while they kept it busy and slashed my longsword across the dragon’s chest. The metal bit deep, hewing a chunk of flesh out before I backed away. Blood sprouted from the gash to splash across my face, mixing with the sweat that dripped down to sting my eyes.
Damn, not as deep as I needed! It was barely more than a scratch on the massive beast, but it was deep enough to cause the Bleeding status effect, which would only help us as the fight wore on.
The dragon unfurled its wings and rose on its hind legs to claw at Gil. The vicious talons missed him by a fraction of an inch.
The ebony giant bellowed with laughter, taunting it. Gil was a human mountain, easily seven feet tall and stacked with muscle. His chainmail shone from beneath his leather armor in the rain. Gil hefted his enormous battleaxe and brought it down across the right leg of the dragon before backpedaling with far more speed than I’d have credited him for.
The dragon lowered to the ground and stared at us with a hatred that hinted at far more intelligence than any mere beast. It swiped out with its tail, which was half the length of its body and riddled with jade spikes each the size of a dagger. Death whistled past us as we rolled out of the way.
I landed in a puddle formed
