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The Sceptre of Zanafiar - Chapter 3

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS HAS BEEN POSTED WITH THE WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE MODERATOR, KATE, AND THE GOODREADS SUPPORT TEAM.

I am a Goodreads author and this is my third children's book. My writing was heavily influenced by my late nan and following her passing I have decided to provide free access to my book in weekly installments with the kind permission of Goodreads. The third chapter is below - I hope you enjoy it!

The Sceptre of Zanafiar

CHAPTER THREE: THE SCATTERING OF THE GEMS

As soon Dravas left the room to go and bring Darius back, Caveros sat back down, resting the precious sceptre on the silk of his purple tunic, his black cloak pushed aside.
“Mine! The sceptre is mine,” he chuckled to himself. “And quite rightly so.”
Dravas had been right about one thing. He, Caveros, did not have the brilliant abilities of his cousin. And why? Because Dravas had been given all the help and advice he had needed when they were growing up – he’d even had the power of the elemental sceptre to assist him. He had become the ruler of Zanafiar, Master Elementalist and Keeper of the Sceptre, not to mention the most powerful person in the land. What did he, Caveros, have? Nothing. The ne’er do well of the family, he’d studied conjuration in the Village of Enchantment for a while, but he’d been totally useless – everything he’d conjured had come out wrong. Then he’d spent a few years working as an apprentice to an old hag of a sorceress in Parthras, and even she’d eventually grown tired of his lack of ability and thrown him out. Even to this day, anything more complex than a very basic spell – and sometimes even those – would go wrong for him. But now he had this new power, he could control the whole of Zanafiar. He lifted the sceptre again and gazed at it in wonder.
“Finally, I have power,” he said, stroking the sceptre. “I’m sorry, Dravas, dear cousin, but from this day forward the sceptre stays with me. You’ve had your time as ruler and now it’s my turn. Find your son, bring him back…but he will never be Keeper of Th –”
“Caveros! How could you?” Dravas’ voice suddenly boomed out and he swept back into the room, his eyes darkened with anger.
Caveros’ heart hammered in his chest, and he looked at his cousin in horror. “D-Dravas. I thought you had gone. I was –”
“I came back to speak with you before I departed, only to hear you planning your treachery against me, your own cousin…” Dravas shook his head, a look of despair etched on his face.
Caveros stared in bewildered silence for a moment. Then he narrowed his eyes, and a twisted smirk formed around his mouth. Why was he nervous? He held the sceptre! There was nothing that Dravas could do to him now.

Continue reading chapter 3 at http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...