Realm Walker's Rising: Realm Walker Book 1

  Realm Walker’s Rising

  REALM WALKER BOOK 1

  WILLOW MCQUERRY

  © 2021, 2022 by Willow McQuerry & Rachel Taylor

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Song titles, businesses, products, apps, and social medias mentioned in this book are under the fair use law. Under no circumstance does the author claim any copyright of the those listed under fair use.

  Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Previously published as © Isa’s Secret, 2021 Rachel Taylor

  eBook ISBN 978-1-7371444-5-8

  Paperback ISBN 978-1-7371444-7-2

  Cover designed by Cauldron Press

  Edited by Jeanine Harrell @indie.edits.with.jeanine on Instagram.

  To the ones who worry over everything.

  Breathe.

  Take a moment to center yourself and live in the moment. Stop worrying over everything, especially over people you just met. You may find they like you and find you being weird or awkward is actually cute.

  Keep dancing to the rhythm of your drum and live for the now. Not the past and not the future.

  And if anyone doesn’t like you, that’s on them. Not you. If they’re nasty to you, be nasty back. Fuck anyone who says not to lower yourself to their level. Babies, the world is cruel and people will continue to be assholes until you start clapping back. Give those dickheads a taste of their own medicine. Gods know they need it.

  It’ll be okay. Be yourself and live.

  Contents

  Author’s Warning

  Playlist

  Pronounciations

  Character Quotes

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  9. Rune

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Stalk me

  Also by Willow McQuerry

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  AUTHOR’S WARNING

  Realm Walker’s Rising contains elements that can be upsetting to some. This series is not for the faint hearted, pearl clutchers, and anyone who doesn’t have either a significant other or a B.OB on standby. The author does not hold any guilt whatsoever about snatching your soul straight from your booty-hole at the last page. Keep tissues next to you.

  THIS BOOK CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING

  * Mental health such as anxiety, grief, depression, PTSD, suicidal thoughts, and self deprecating thoughts

  *Graphic sexual assault and attempted rape. Not done by the hero but it's in detail, there is a lot of fear and crying in the scene

  *Alcohol

  *Mentions of animal harm (no animal is killed)

  *Blood

  *Graphic deaths and decapitations

  *Demons

  *Fire

  *Gore

  *Gun violence

  *Hallucinations with hearing voices and seeing a person that no one else sees

  *Profanity

  *Graphic sexually explicit scenes

  *Stalking

  *Violence and war

  *Graphic bombing with the sound described

  Playlist

  “Helvegen” by Wardruna

  “Fehu” by Wardruna

  “Creep” covered by carolesdaughter

  “Where I’m going” by Sir Sly

  “Lion” by Saint Mesa

  “Ocean Eyes” covered by American Avenue

  “E-GIRLS ARE RUINING MY LIFE” by Corpse

  “A Dying God Coming into Human Flesh” by Celtic Frost

  “If I Had A Heart” by Fever Ray

  “Norupo” by Heilung

  “Isa” by Wardruna

  “Doubt” by Twenty One Pilots

  “Follow You” by Bring Me The Horizon

  “When I’m Gone” by 3 Doors Down

  “Infinity” by Jaymes Young

  “Heat Waves” by Glass Animals

  “Zombie” by Bad Wolves

  “Still Don’t Know My Name” by Labrinth

  “Arcade” by Duncan Laurence

  “With You” by Linking Park

  “I Will Follow You Into The Dark” Death Cab for Cutie

  “Drift” by Eva Under Fire

  “My Immortal” by Evanescence

  “Wings of a Butterfly” by HIM

  “Through Glass” by Stone Sour

  “Hospital For Souls” by Bring Me The Horizon

  “Here Without You” by 3 Doors Down

  Pronounciations

  Names

  Isa: e-sah

  Rune: Roone

  Hluti: HL-uti

  Slátra: Slouw-tra

  Hegnan: Heg-nan

  Hlíf: HL-eef

  Rekja: Rey-kah

  Realms

  Plapidell: Plap-e-dell

  Azola: Ah-zo-la

  Faelaxus: Fay-lax-us

  Enoqar: E-no-car

  Yiokexar: Yo-keh-zar

  “What was it about this man that set me on fire? I’d never reacted this way to someone where if he were to walk out of my life, I would wither away and die. My soul cried out to him to keep me and make me his. I was his. Always and forever.”

  —Isa Finley

  “No harm shall come to her without them reaping for what they did. It would be my face they saw before I cut their fucking head off. No one touched her. She was precious and should be treated that way by everyone.”

  —Rune Loke

  Prologue

  Pain shot through my body in currents, tearing the breath from my lungs and had me gasping for air. He twisted the dagger lodged in my spine with an upward thrust, lifting my feet from the ground ripping a violent scream out of me.

  The sound silenced those still in battle all around me, all eyes focused solely on me. Only one pair of eyes mattered to me at this moment. Only those eyes had me looking at them with pleading in my own.

  Somehow they came into my homeland and attacked the innocent.

  How they were able to slip in without my knowing, had me gritting my teeth with regret.

  I ran into battle without hesitation as I heard my people’s screams.

  Not all of them had skills for war. Many were simple farmers and trades families who found peace with me, and I with them.

  Their safety was mine to ensure.

  The large arm around my throat that held me to his body dropped as he yanke
d the dagger out of my spine.

  I collapsed face first to the ground of my home realm.

  Struggling for every breath, I laid there on the dirt unable to move.

  Each inhale brought dirt and grass into my mouth.

  My chest was on fire and my lungs tight. My every breath rattled.

  I didn’t have enough time.

  Forcing myself to breathe was all I could do to buy some time for what needed to be done.

  I wouldn’t allow him to be alone for the rest of his life. It was my responsibility, not only to him but to every being.

  I wouldn’t fail this.

  He already had enough responsibilities, I refused to allow him to take on mine as well. Such burdens wouldn't be forced upon his shoulders.

  My love for him burned through the numbing pain in my broken body.

  I’d wanted more time with him. I’d wanted to bear his children. To watch them grow and become the fierce and loving protectors he was and would continue to be. We’d only been together for such a short time, and now we were cheated by death.

  It was unfair to us.

  I’d never feared death simply because it hadn’t crossed my mind. Never had I thought my life would’ve been snuffed out.

  The rumbling of his voice grew closer and closer. Just as suddenly as I’d heard him, he turned me over in his powerful arms. I opened my eyes slowly and gazed up at him as he held me in his lap while tears streamed down his cheeks.

  I’d never seen him cry before.

  The ache in my heart intensified from those tears.

  I needed this to be done. I had to have his help to force my soul into the veil to be reborn again. But I couldn’t do it by myself because of how fast my soul was slipping away.

  My lungs grew tighter as breathing became harder.

  The edges of my vision grew blurry and no matter how many times I blinked it never cleared.

  “Help… me,” I begged through forceful gasps.

  His beautiful eyes widened at my pleas. I never begged in my life. Never pleaded for anything. I knew I was breaking his heart and scaring him with my words, but it had to be done.

  I inhaled another forceful breath, releasing it in a plea. “Push… soul… out… into… veil.”

  Without even questioning my words and intentions, he placed his large palm over my chest where my heart lay. Together, we used our powers working my soul into the veil to be reborn again.

  For him to find me in another life.

  Till then, my soul would seek him.

  “Find… me,” I begged, tears forming in my eyes.

  Black spots dotted my vision, closing into tunnel vision.

  “Where?” he pleaded roughly.

  I searched through his mind with my last few seconds and found the reassurance he would do as I asked.

  I didn’t dig deep to see everything, his thoughts were a flurry, and his pain was piercing.

  An excruciating sob bubbled in my chest from his immense pain.

  If I could, I would take it with me to my grave.

  Tears fell from the corners of my eyes as I went through his mind and gave my last few seconds the comfort I needed.

  He loved me. He would find me. He would protect me. He needed to know where to find me. Where my soul would go.

  With trembling lips, I opened them to tell him I loved him.

  The last of my breath left my lungs.

  Everything closed in until it went dark as the rest of my spirit slipped away, leaving behind my dead and broken vessel.

  Not even I knew where my soul would go, I only knew we would see each other again.

  Chapter

  One

  “What can I get you?”

  “Um, venti strawberry crème Frappuccino?”

  The barista stared at me, perplexed.

  Why did I make my order into a question? Oh, because I didn’t know what else there was other than hot coffee, but I wanted to try something different. I loved strawberries, so I decided, hey, let’s just try a strawberry Frappuccino.

  But now I sounded like an idiot.

  I cleared my throat nervously as I tapped my fingers on the back of my phone sitting on the counter in front of me.

  “Is that what you want?”

  Her eyes squinted. Or was it narrowed?

  Fuck, I was horrible at reading body language. Was she pissed? Annoyed? Why did it matter?

  “Yes.” I anxiously cleared my throat again.

  Finally, she looked away, tapped on her screen, and told me the total.

  I fumbled with my wallet, pulling out my debit card, I paid for my drink. After all was said and done, I moved away with my things and waited for my Frappuccino.

  Why did I have to be such an awkward person? I had a lot of anxiety when dealing with the public and always stressed over everything. I partly blame my upbringing. My parents were loving and coddled me because I was an only child. So anytime someone lashed out, it was still a shocker for me.

  I pushed some stray faded blue hair behind my ear and looked anywhere but at people.

  I looked down at my phone and swiped through social media to pass the time until my drink was ready. There were a few people here and only two baristas. It was going to take a minute.

  When I saw nothing new on my feed, I put my phone into my jacket pocket and looked around. There were a lot more people in here than I’d thought. All the seats were taken by businessmen and women and the stray hippie. They were on their phone or laptop, engulfed in their devices, not even paying attention to their drinks.

  Usually I savored my coffee, hot or cold. I hated wasting things, especially when I paid five bucks for it.

  When I looked at the time on my phone, I saw it was after eight in the evening. With it being a Friday, of course it was packed in here. Why didn’t I realize that beforehand? Because I was hankerin’ for something sweet on my way home from work, saw Starbucks, and thought, why not?

  I began to wish I hadn’t come here. I hated crowds, and I hated rude people. Like this guy who just paid and stepped in front of me as though I wasn’t standing here waiting. He probably thought he was all high and mighty.

  I glared at his back and crossed my arms over my chest while I angrily tapped my finger against my arm.

  Why did people think it was okay to step in front of you while waiting for your drink? I get it… we weren’t in a line, and it didn’t matter. However, logic would suggest my drink would be ready before his because I ordered first.

  Which begged the question, why did he need to be in front of me?

  “Careful, you’ll burn a hole in his back,” a deep voice said close by my ear as I glared at the man’s back.

  Was that an accent?

  Be still my heart.

  I swallowed nervously and looked to my right where a sculpted, remarkably tall man stood with his arms crossed over his broad chest. Why was it my eyes landed there first? Tilting my head back so I could look up at his face, I saw the most amazing eyes trained on me. A beautiful ocean blue I longed to get lost in.

  Where did that come from?

  He had a five o’clock shadow and brown hair with various shades in the same hue, along with a few golden locks mixed in. The top half was pulled back, and the rest fell down around his shoulders. He was incredibly tall. I was five foot six, so he had to be taller than six feet with the way he was towering over me. With his sculpted features and his youthful eyes, he couldn’t be older than me.

  When he arched a brow, and a corner of his lip curled, I quickly said, “He cut.”

  God, I sounded stupid. Way to go, just spout grade school nonsense to the breathtaking man staring at me.

  His smirk turned into a full-blown grin at my nervousness.

  I was never good with the opposite sex. Who was I kidding? Even with my friends I was a nervous mess.

  I swallowed nervously as I peeled my eyes off him and looked again at the back of the man who hadn’t moved from in front of me.

 
Standing there trembling, looking at the insanely beautiful man next to me, I somehow forgot how to breathe and I certainly didn’t want to pass out from a lack of oxygen.

  “He cut?”

  His deep accented voice wrapped me up and did things to me—bad, bad things.

  “Yup.”

  Why couldn’t I say more? If I did, I’d probably be a drooling, stammering idiot.

  He moved closer to me, and automatically my flesh pebbled in goosebumps, and my heart hammered in my chest.

  I’d known lust and attraction, but this was exhilarating. Never had I reacted this way to anyone. I mean, I’d gotten nervous around attractive men, but this was worse.

  “Do you want me to tell him to move?”

  “Venti strawberry crème Frappuccino,” the barista called from behind the counter.

  I glanced at him with a nervous smile. “That’s me, but thanks.”

  Stepping around the people, I grabbed my drink and straw, then quickly left the counter. Heading to the door, I peeked at the attractive man, only to find him watching me with a look of curiosity and maybe recognition flashing across his face.

  There was a moment where something in me recognized him as well, but I shook it off and looked away as I quickly made my way to the door.

  As soon as I was outside, I took a deep, shaky breath and fished in my pockets for my car keys, only to find them missing. I tapped my body quickly, checking all my pockets, then looked around as if maybe my keys had fallen out at some point.