Excerpt from "Tokens"

8/3/2019 Excerpt from "Tokens"

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TokensKingdoms Through the Doorways:

Book 1

L i s b e t h A d a m s o n


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Text 2011

Lisbeth Adamson

All rights reserved.

Front cover image used by permission from Microsoft.

Cover design and interior images by Lisbeth Adamson.

ISBN-13: 978-1463739621

ISBN-10: 146379621

This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters

or places to actual people or locales is purely coincidental.


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For Alex Mayne


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PrologueThe door to Ellinsforth was red with a simple

handle cast in silver. But to see it, one first had to go

through it. The inhabitants of Ellinsforth castle had

never been through the door to their world, much

less those villagers who lived a distance off in white-

roofed buildings of stone and copper, for the door-

ways were summoned only through a token of puregold and sanctioned by the touch and incantation of a

Magic. Without such a token, the doorway to

Ellinsforth, or to any of the other thousands of worlds

that existed on a dozen planes throughout time and

space, could never be opened.

The Five Tokens of Ellinsforth were fashionedspecifically for the heirs of King Lucian I. On their

twenty-first birthdays each would receive a token en-

graved with the first letter of their first name for

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travel through the doorways and the establishment of

their own kingdoms in an uninhabited world of their

choosing. Each child anticipated the day he and shewould reach twenty-one and would journey through

the doors into exciting and unknown places, but Lu-

cian needed an heir to rule in Ellinsforth after his

death. According to the Ancient Ellinsforth Law of

Rights, that right, or obligation as it were, fell upon

the reluctant shoulders of Lucian's eldest. That

prince would eventually become the greatest kingthat Ellinsforth had ever seen. But for his initial ob-

stinacy and a chance encounter with an eleven year-

old boy, that king almost wasn't.

The gangly prince paced back and forth in front

of the grand fireplace of the stone dining hall ofEllinsforth Castle. It was his twenty-first birthday, but

the celebrations ended early. The prince's face was

blazing with anger and his father, seated at the far

end of an ancient wooden table, curled over as if his

son's words of burning arrows had struck him with

exactness in the heart. Lucian finally raised his blue,

creased eyes and spoke.It is the firstborn that must rule in Ellinsforth.

Do you not respect the Law?

The prince felt for the token within the pocket of

his green, woolen jacket and gripped it. This token

was a choice, the prince said, narrowing his own

blue eyes at his father. You gave me the choice, Fath-er, and I made my decision. I will find a new home

through the doors.

That is true. I did give you the choice, Lucian

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replied remorsefully, but when I gave you that token,

I was sure you would decide to stay here in

Ellinsforth.Stay in Ellinsforth?! the prince scoffed. In this

crumbling castle?! With furnishings that've been here

almost as long as the Magics?!

This table is a priceless antique, hewn from the

Archelder Tree by the great Magic Peldor

It was a demonstration of Peldor's power, to

keep you and your ancestors subjugated!Do not speak of the Magics in such a way, Lucian

replied, raising his voice. They want nothing more

than the survival of Ellinsforth.

The prince stopped pacing and placed both hands

upon the table. Or so they would have you believe!

How can you trust a people who can destroy this en-tire kingdom with one swipe of their hand?!

King Lucian's eyes trailed from his son to a figure

standing in the entrance to the dining hall. Ariss, I

am sure he did not mean the king said to the

young woman wearing a black cloak and hood.

The prince spun around, his mouth agape. Ariss,

I didn't meanSpeak no more, Sire. I have known of your dis-

trust of my kind for several years now.

It's not you or your father I distrust, Ariss, it's...

Yes?

The prince removed the golden token from his

pocket and hefted it in his hand. His mouth failed toproduce words that would appease the young Magic.

I am sure my father would gladly relieve you of

that token, Ariss said bitingly. She removed her black

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hood and long, amber hair flowed down over her

shoulders.

No, the prince responded hastily, looking awayfrom her. I'm going to use it. I'm going to leave this

place. Leave it far behind me.

And where will you go? asked Ariss sharply, but

unable to hide her concern.

I don't know, but I can't remain here. I am grow-

ing tired of Ellinsforth and my vapid duties as Lu-

cian's son.But you could be king someday! Does that not

interest you? To rule all of Ellinsforth?

I have no interest in Ellinsforth, nor in becoming

its king.

Ariss nodded sullenly and slipped back down the

hallway that led from the dining hall. The princeclosed his eyes and rubbed his left knuckles with his

right hand.

You are a fool, said Lucian after Ariss' footsteps

could no longer be heard. That girl likes you, and

you will throw everything away if you leave.

That girl is a Magic! the prince whispered

loudly. I could never be seen courting her.And why not?

Because she isn't royalty. You of all people

should understand that. What about your 'Law?'

If you have feelings for her, I cannot stop you

from pursuing her. A union between royalty and Ma-

gic could prove most beneficialI never said I had feelings for her, Edward retor-

ted. Anyway, it doesn't matter because I'm leaving.

Tonight.

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It is late, sighed Lucian, closing his eyes in fear

of defeat. If you must leave, wait until morning, after

breakfast.I cannot wait, Father.

I beg you, wait, said Lucian, standing swiftly. His

thick golden crown slid to the edge of his forehead.

Perhaps by morning you will have changed your

mind. Never make a hasty decision this late in the

day.

The doors summon me tonight, said the princedefiantly.

You act as though they have a soul! They are only

doorways, nothing more.

The doorways are my freedom from this place,

from your tyranny and

I have never treated you as a tyrant! the kingsaid with bulging eyes. He stepped from behind the

antique table and slowly approached his son with his

index finger outstretched. His purple dress robe

swished at his feet. Everything I have done I have

done for your welfare! I have treated you with as

much kindness as I could muster given the circum-

stances. I gave you that tokenWhich you now prohibit me to use.

Your mother, think of your mother, said the

king, quivering.

She's dead.

Of course she is dead. Did I place that blame

upon you? Never once!The prince's square shoulders fell to a bruised

arch.

You have changed so much since that timid six-

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teen year-old who never dared to leave the shores of

the Caralay. Lucian now spoke softly, interring his

biting words within him. Sometimes I wish I couldhave him back.

The prince's throat swelled. He gently placed the

token within his jacket and tread, head down, past his

father, as a creature injured in combat.

He made his way to the stone stairway leading

from the reception hall and up to the double-doors of

his bedchamber. Once enclosed in failing sunlight andsilence, he ventured to the balcony overlooking the

lush valley of Ellinsforth and the main village in the

distance. Behind the village, the Sophen Mountains

rose as shards of fogged glass against a delicate pink

sky.

The prince gripped the crumbling stone railingencircling the balcony, and fragments of stone broke

free, clanking once they hit the walkway below. The

prince removed his hand from the rail and spoke

downward to the falling pieces.

A sign perhaps? the prince joked solemnly. Am

I meant to flee this place too? To depart from

Ellinsforth as you have left your place here on my bal-cony?

Outside, the villagers speak degrading remarks

of their future king. They do not wish me to rule over

them. 'Prince Edward the coward,' they say. 'The boy

who dared not save his own mother.' But they need

not worry. I will not be here to preside over them. Iwill not allow my reputation as a boy to destroy my

future as a man.

The prince raised his head, took one final glance

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at the white-roofed villages of Ellinsforth, and re-

entered his chamber. He closed the tall, glass doors to

the balcony and felt for the token in his jacket pocket.His heart thrashed within his chest as the undeter-

mined destinations of the doorways played through

his mind. His father was wrong in some wayshe

was still very much like the sixteen year-old who

would not leave the shores of the Caralay Ocean to re-

trieve his mother's cure; the prince still held onto his

fears like he clung to guilt from his mother's death,but felt the only way to relieve himself of these bur-

dens was to leave behind all of their spectral remind-

ers.

He found an unobstructed section of stone wall

and planted himself stoically before it. He breathed in

and out steadily, convincing his heavily beating heartthat his future would now appear so much brighter.

He gripped the token, rubbing his thumb across its

surface and ducking past an elegant sapphire door

that had gracefully risen from the stone floor. As the

blue door slipped closed with the prince inside, a

brisk knock came from the double doors of the bed-

chamber; through the blue door, dim light turned toblackness.

King Lucian entered his son's room just as a hued

door slid down from the stone walls of the castle. His

eyes desperately flew from the now empty wall to all

corners of the bedchamber, then through the glass

doors that led to the balcony. He reached for his chestand steadied himself against the doorjamb. He did

it, Lucian sighed, almost inaudibly.

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Chapter OneHenry Cleary scraped his feet along the cobble-stone streets that led from Mr. Jameson's shop on

Bridge Way to Henry's home at 1217 Westchester

Street. He scratched the back of his head, loosening

some dirt that clung to his almond brown hair. He re-

moved his blue and gray checkered flat cap, given tohim by his father and still too large for his eleven

year-old head, and stuffed it under his arm. He hoped

his father hadn't seen.

As the sun began to fall over Mollin Town, three

stories of soft, yellow lights flickered on in random

patterns, and gas streetlamps eased their way to life,reflecting off cobblestones smoothed from years of

traffic. Horse hooves and carriage wheels clacked

past Henry. A white glove reached out from behind

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Tokens

the carriage and waved to a tall, thin man crossingKettle Street. The man looked up and eagerly waved

back.

How are the little ones? he shouted.

Just fine, the woman replied cheerfully.

See you on Sunday?

We'll be there!

Henry observed the man's neatly pressed trenchcoat flutter at his feet as the man walked east down

Kettle. Henry looked down at his own ragged, blue

trousers with two giant holes in the leg, revealing

skin tinted with dirt from a day of hard work.

Returning his gaze to the man, Henry watched

him swing his pocket watch like a pendulum, tossingit into the air, then catching it. The man, perhaps

sensing someone had been following him, turned to

find Henry standing at the southeast corner of Kettle

and Eagan studying him.

I'm all out of change, the man sneered, squint-

ing his eyes at Henry.

Henry pursed his lips indignantly and rushednorth across Kettle and along the three-story build-

ings of Eagan Street. The man shrugged and contin-

ued strolling east, whistling and waving his pocket

watch in front of him.

Henry stopped when he reached the corner of

Astle and Eagan. Coffer's Candy Shop was just closingfor the day. The offerings behind the large, crystal

glass of the shop taunted Henry, now more than ever.

It had been several months since he last tasted a

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morsel of taffy or piece of hard candy, and Henry flew

across Astle to the glass window that displayed everytype of confection imaginable.

Green, red, yellow, and orange hard candies filled

a giant bin on the other side of the glass. Peppermint

sticks, tiny chocolates, and paper-wrapped caramels

all caused Henry's stomach to growl. He licked his

lips and pressed his nose against the store front win-dow, leaving a circle of grime from his soiled face.

He jolted backward as a set of hairy knuckles

tapped on the opposite side of the glass and a pudgy

finger wagged back and forth.

Henry swallowed sorrowfully, dropped his

shoulders, and trudged back to the corner of Eagan

Street. He wiped his forehead and returned the flat

cap to his dust-laden head of hair.

Henry crossed the street to the west side of

Eagan, slipping between the pedestrians traveling in

the opposite direction. He continued north past Mag-

num and slowed down as he neared the corner of

Eagan and Slimwood. He froze just before steppingonto the cobblestones of Slimwood, taking short

breaths. For the last two years he'd been crossing

Eagan at Vine to bypass Slimwood, but for some reas-

on, today he forgot.

Outta the way, kid, bellowed a round, mus-

tached man bumping into him.

Get moving! yelled an older boy behind him,

pushing Henry onto the street and toward Slimwood.

Henry stood, looking down the unlit street, his

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Tokens

eyes darting from the burned buildings of Slimwoodto its dark cobblestones. Two years ago the entire

street was closed off. Flames danced from the win-

dows, from the chimneys he used to sweep. Seven

people died, including his best friend Patrick.

The memories rushed like a stormy wind through

Henry, a guilt not known to other boys his age. He re-

membered standing with his father on the other sideof Eagan watching the buildings burn and hearing the

shattering screams of Patrick's mother as she tried to

struggle past the line of constables keeping her away

from the flames and her dying family. It was dark and

noisy, and no one noticed Henry's deluge of tears, nor

did anyone fully understand the depth to which heblamed himself; he was the last one to sweep

Patrick's chimney.

For two years Henry attempted to bury the tor-

ment deep within the streets of Slimwood, avoiding it

like a nest of fire ants, but as he stared into the dark

alleyway, the pain he'd worked so hard to forget

began crawling up through the cracks in the cobble-stones and was quickly scrambling toward him.

As Henry whipped his head back toward Eagan

Street, his eye caught a glint of yellow light emanat-

ing from Slimwood. He moved his head slowly back

toward the flash, but everything was dark.

Swallowing hard, Henry once again turned hishead toward Eagan Street. A tall man in a dark suit

carried a lantern at shoulder's height as he crossed

Slimwood, and Henry's gaze bolted back to the

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darkened street. A golden yellow light pierced the

darkness, then quickly faded.Henry winced as he thought about entering the

dark street. He wanted to keep going, to remove him-

self from Slimwood and never see that alleyway

again, but something caused that flash of light, and

Henry couldn't quell is curiosity, even if it meant get-

ting stung.He closed his eyes, breathed deeply, and took sev-

eral steps into the darkness. On the count of three his

eyes flew open, and he found himself further onto the

cobblestones of Slimwood. Henry's eyes searched

frantically for the light that had drawn him in, but it

was gone.

He waited, afraid to move forward, but not want-

ing to turn around. It's gotta be here.

He heard footsteps behind him and he immedi-

ately twisted around.

Whatcha doin' here, Boy? It's gettin' dark. Best

not be pokin' around this street at night. A crooked

nose and wrinkled, piercing eyes stared down at him.I, uh... Henry noticed the old man's lantern. He

nonchalantly turned around and saw the mysterious

light out of the corner of his eye. It was about ten feet

away. I thought I saw something, that's all.

Off with ya! shouted the old man.

Henry nodded and scooted toward north Eagan

Street. He turned the corner and immediately peered

around the brick building next to him to observe the

old man. The man lifted his lantern in front of him

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Tokens

and squinted down the alleyway. With a snarl on hisface, he swung his lantern around and began hob-

bling toward south Eagan.

By now the sun was completely hidden from Mol-

lin Town. Henry slowly stepped onto the cobble-

stones of Slimwood again, attempting to convince his

rapidly beating heart that he was walking down his

own street on Westchester.He estimated his previous location and counted

ten medium steps in front of him. On the tenth step

Henry dropped to his knees and moved his hands

along the cool stones. He crawled forward, feeling in

a 360-degree radius, then crawled to the left, then to

the right. He heard a scraping sound as his handbumped into an object laying on top of the cobble-

stones. Henry felt for the object. It was small and per-

fectly round.

He grabbed the object, stuffed it into his pocket,

and scrambled to his feet. He raced toward Eagan,

turning the corner and heading north.

He removed his flat cap and rushed past Vine,Lister, and turned left onto Corbin. He slowed down

at Ashton and jogged the rest of the way to

Westchester.

Henry stopped at Westchester, observing the

third house on the west side and his mother passing

by the window several times. He caught his breathbefore walking up to the door and slowly turning the

doorknob. He stepped inside where he saw his moth-

er anxiously poring over the cupboards.

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Hi, Mom.

His mother immediately looked toward him andquickly shut the cupboard doors.

Oh, Henry, I didn't hear you come in. Where's

your father?

Still at Mr. Jameson's. He told me to come home

and that he'd be here in a bit.

Oh, his mother sighed. Was he going to stop bythe market on his way home?

Henry shrugged and placed his flat cap on the

rack next to the door.

Henry, there's nothing to eatagain, said Henry's

nine year-old sister trudging down the stairs.

Elizabeth, your father's going to stop by and pick

up something on his way home. Go back upstairs

please.

Fine, the little girl retorted, and clomped back

up the stairs as loud as she could.

There's no food? Henry asked, his eyes growing

larger.

His mother shushed him and brought him intothe kitchen. I don't want your brother and sister to

know. I'm just hoping that Mr. Jameson finally paid

your father for all the work he's done for him. Do you

know if Mr. Jameson gave him some money today?

Henry shrugged. I don't know, but why does dad

even work for Mr. Jameson if he never gets paid?

Your father has a good heart. Too good. Let's just

hope your father comes home with food. I can't send

you kids to bed two nights in a row with nothing

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Tokens

good in your stomachs.Don't worry, Mom. Maybe if I go play with the

others they'll forget that they're hungry.

Henry's mother wiped the budding tears from

her eyes and nodded.

Henry ascended the stairs, suddenly remember-

ing the object that he picked up from Slimwood

Street. He walked past the bedroom that he sharedwith his siblings and plunked himself beneath the gas

light that burned in the hallway. He reached into his

pocket and grabbed the flat object, setting it on his

crossed legs.

He slowly removed his hand to reveal a golden

coin two inches in diameter and beveled with a giantE in curved writing. He flipped it over and rubbed

his right index finger upon a grand castle with two

spires near the front entrance and five towers, three

in back, two in front.

Henry's heart beat quickly when he realized what

it might be. What exactly it was, he didn't know, but

he bit down on the token and felt that it was solid. Hiseyes lit up and he knew he had to tell his mother.

Henry stood up and bolted down the stairs.

Mom! Mom! he yelled, jumping over the last stair in

excitement.

What is it, Henry? Why all the ruckus?

We won't have to be hungry for a long time!Look what I've got!

His mother took the coin and held it up.

Where did you get this, Henry?

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I found it.

You found it? Where?Henry placed his hands in his pockets.

On Slimwood.

On Slimwood? Henry, what were you doing on

Slimwood?

I was just passing by, honest, and then I saw a re-

flection. I wanted to see what it was, and it was thiscoin.

I'm sure somebody dropped it accidentally. In

fact, they're probably looking for it right now.

Nobody was there, just an ornery old man, but I

don't think it was his.

How can you be sure?

'Cause he wasn't really looking for anything. He

just told me to leave and then he walked away.

Henry, I don't think we should keep this coin. It

looks valuable.

That's why we should keep it, Mom! We're all

starving and it will buy us food for a long time.

Please, Mom, can we keep it?His mother held the coin tightly in her hand. She

thought deeply and then shook her head.

This doesn't belong to us, and if we keep it, it'd

be like we were stealing.

But, I didn't steal it. I just found it, Henry said,

sulking.

That doesn't matter, Henry. Taking something

that doesn't belong to you is stealing, no matter how

much you try to sugar-coat it.

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Tokens

Well, we need money somehow. If Dad's not go-ing to get it from Mr. Jameson, then...

Then what?

Then I'm going to quit school and clean chim-

neys full-time.

Oh Henry, his mother whispered, I could never

ask you to do that again.

We need the money, sighed Henry.Mr. Jameson just needs to pay your father what

he's earned.

Dad won't ask for it. He's a coward.

Henry Stephen! his mother cried. I will not

listen to you talk about your father that way.

But it's true and you know it.Just then the door opened and Henry's father

walked in, removing his own flat cap.

Where have you been? I was worried about you,

Henry's mother said.

Mr. Jameson's. Still not done. Have to go back to-

morrow.

What? Why?He said he has another job for me to do. But at

least it'll be more money for us.

Maybe if he ever paid you. Still nothing?

No.

That Mr. Jameson. He's such a...a...

He's a nice man, replied Henry's father.He's a cheapskate too. Look, We have no food.

You need to demand payment tomorrow when you

see him. Tell him your family is starving!

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I know, Sarah, I know.

Henry looked at his mother intently. She shookher head at him until his father finally asked what

was going on.

Henry found this today, she said, handing the

coin to her husband, Peter.

What? Henry, where did you find this?

Slimwood Street. Look, I think we should keep it.We could really use the money right now.

Sarah shook her head and sighed.

Peter hefted the coin, then bit it. I think it's real,

he concluded.

We can't keep it, Sarah insisted. What if

someone's looking for it? What if it brings bad luck?

Peter chuckled. You know I don't believe in luck,

Sarah. Besides, finders keepers, right Henry?

Henry nodded enthusiastically.

I just...don't think it's a good idea. I wouldn't feel

good about spending it.

Why not?

Because it belonged to somebody else. Besides,look at it. Have you ever seen coins that looked like

that?

Well, it does look a little odd, Peter replied. I

don't know, maybe it was specially made.

What are people going to say about us, Peter?

They'll wonder how we suddenly came across so

much money.

Let 'em wonder, Peter said winking at Henry.

Sarah groaned. I want nothing to do with that

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Tokens

coin. I refuse to eat by it or sleep by it. Do what youwant, Peter, but keep that thing far away from me!

Sarah wiped some dirt off of Henry's nose and

glared at her husband before retreating upstairs.

Peter looked at the coin longingly, then watched his

wife angrily turn the corner to the kids' room. He

looked at Henry, then patted him on the head.

Your mom's right. This doesn't belong to us. Iwant you to take it back in the morning where you

found it, O.K.?

All right, Henry said sullenly. But I've got school

tomorrow.

Take it after school. You could always come to

Mr. Jameson's after you drop off the coin. I'm surethere's more work you can do.

No, thanks, said Henry shaking his head. I'm

going back to work for Mr. Sulley. At least he'll pay

me.

Mr. Sulley? To clean chimneys? Henry, why

would you

Can I hold onto the coin for tonight? Henryasked, avoiding his father's question.

No, no, I'd better hang onto it for now. Wouldn't

want you to lose it.

I wouldn't lose it.

It'll be safe with me. Tomorrow morning I'll give

it to your mom and you can pick it up from her afterschool, O.K.?

Fine, Henry sighed and walked up the stairs

with the others.

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Peter rubbed some dirt off the coin in his hand

and turned it over to inspect the castle. A lightwooden door quietly emerged from the dusty cement

floor behind him, replacing the bricks. Peter flipped

the coin into the air, caught it, and began climbing the

stairs to join his family. The wooden door slowly dis-

appeared back into the floor.

_______________________End of Sample______________________

TokensPaperback available from: Amazon

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Visit Lisbeth's website at: lisbethadamson.blogspot.com

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Excerpt from "Tokens"