Riagan

Riagan

Dwarf, works in the military records office at Aruam Castle, first appeared in chapter 11 in Shadows in the Stone.

Steeling her nerves, Riagan looked at the human standing before her. His orders were clear, yet she questioned how she—a records keeper—would reach the upper floors of the Aruam Castle without being discovered.

“It’s for the good of the castle,” said Dugald. “And the people of Maskil.” His sly smile did nothing to reassure her. “I’m certain you’ll find a way.”

Riagan watched him leave the guardhouse. His casual delivery of the difficult task left her questioning his knowledge about the castle and the laws binding everyone within it. No matter, an order was given, and she had to obey.

She glanced around the empty room; the guards had left for the day, leaving her alone to her thoughts. Her hand instinctively went to her neck, and she caressed it. The small lump on the right side had healed well, but her fingertips found it easily; a cruel reminder of her predicament.

The evening light pouring in the window shined on a leather bag lying on the floor beneath a bench. She picked it up. It was Sanderson’s. The captain of the guard never left things behind. Inside she found a notebook, a pencil, a pocket knife and a set of keys.

Riagan clasped the bag to her chest. Sanderson travelled in all areas of the castle, including the upper floors. He might be there now, looking for his pouch. The contents might prove important to his duty; she should get them to him.

A pang of relief mixed with fear erupted in her gut. Her instincts told her to run, to escape the castle, but instead she’d carry out her orders. For Misty. To ensure her sister’s safety, she needed to find Sanderson. The lost bag gave her the perfect excuse to be in a restricted area.

Castle Keepers Vignette: Almost five years has passed since Isla was kidnapped and Bronwyn left Maskil in search of her. In many ways, not much has happened; the inhabitants of the Land of Ath-o’Lea have continued their daily routine. But if you look deeper into the individual lives you’ll see much has changed in little ways.

The Castle Keeper vignettes provide a glimpse into the time between Shadows in the Stone and Scattered Stones. You’ll have already met many of the characters, but some you will meet in Scattered Stones.

These vignettes won’t be complete stories, only 300 words of a moment. I consider them exercises in writing and editing. I hope to write two a week and post them on Mondays and Thursdays as we lead up to the release of Scattered Stones, the second fantasy novel of the Castle Keepers series, on May 6, 2016.

The collection of vignettes will be organised on the Castle Keepers Vignettes page. On the first of each month, I will post the schedule of the characters I will write about that month.