Via Anda

For a younger me; who craved fantasy adventure that didn’t make her head hurt. I created Creomoxxie for her.

And for #MoonSeeker who, when presented with song lyrics claiming that ‘everybody wanted to rule the world’… she said, ‘I don't! It sounds like too much work.’

Creomoxxie Tales

Via Anda

Persephone Jayne

Via Anda is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or not, is entirely coincidental.

Hale Patton Publishing support copyrights. Copyright sustains creativity, encourages diverse voices, and promotes free speech, all of which produce a vibrant landscape of books. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without written permission from the publisher. For information regarding permissions please write to halepattonpublishing@gmail.com

Chapter heading art is reproduced from and used with the permission of:

© Asmodee Group. All rights reserved.

Rory’s Story Cubes is a trademark of Asmodee Group

Copyright © 2022 Persephone Jayne

Hale Patton Publishing

halepattonpublishing@gmail.com

Cover design by Persephone Jayne at MooseHaven Press

ISBN: 978-1-950460-39-7 (paperback)

978-1-950460-40-3 (eBook)

Contents

Trigger Warnings: I don’t believe there are any triggers in this book. If you read it and find I am wrong, please reach out, persephonejayne@gmail.com

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

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

Authors note

Acknowledgements



1

Ifelt my mother’s presence everywhere here. It made sense. I'd lived here with her for the better part of the last 13 years. I stared at my mother’s hearth. The stone work was more intricate than I remembered and it was small and meager, compared to the hearths in Satumaa, the Fairy palace. After three weeks with hearths big enough to walk into, this one felt more like home than ever. I wanted to take the hearth with me. Shrink it maybe? So I could have it no matter where this journey took me. I even asked Cel if it was possible. Stone mentioned something about supporting beams and the wall potentially collapsing and Cel agreed it wasn’t a good idea to try. So the hearth stays here, in Embri, in my mother's house that is now mine. She’s been dead just over three weeks and last night was the first time I’d slept in this house without her since I was ten and we arrived here from the Fictional Realm.

You might wonder how we could come from a fictional place. I wondered that too. Creomoxxie is the name of all the Realms. Long ago, a portal was discovered to a place with no magic. This is what Realmians dubbed the Fictional Realm. It’s where my father is from.

My father, Malcom, who had been dead when I was ten and sleeping in this house with just Mom and me. One day, when I was seven and living in the fictional realm, although I didn’t know that’s what it was, he just didn’t come home. Police said it was a car accident. Mom held out hope that he had lived and always suspected foul play. Why? I had no idea then. But now, as I sit on the cusp of her destiny as heir to the two oldest and rival Realms… it was easier to see her suspicion. And now it was also easier to view all things through that lens.

Flix, for example. My maternal Great Grandfather has conveniently joined my crew and is helping us on our journey. I’m the rightful heir to the Fairy throne… and the rightful heir to the Elven throne in a world divided by Elf and Fairy magic. My mother should have taken the thrones and united all the Realms. Not that she would have. Before she died, she made it quite clear that she didn’t want the life of a royal. Now I'm expected to do it.

But this is where I’m not my mother’s daughter. I have family now. Friends. A journey. A destiny. Me! A half-breed freak with pointed ears and ribbon wings has a destiny. Last season, I didn’t even have a family, beyond my mother. And now? Destiny without her. Had I traded one family for another? Had I cosmically paid the price of my mother’s life for this destiny? I shook the thoughts from my brain… and from my heart.

Flix came into the kitchen, and Zonta placed a bowl in front of him. She had joined us on our way here to lay my mother’s ashes to rest. She was, perhaps, my mother’s only friend, and I felt closer to her having Zonta around. She filled the house with smells and full bellies, just like my mom. But she’ll go back to Tylsaa when we leave for the Elven Realm.

My tavern can only run without me for so long. Amethyst was an instant friend of the most fierce kind. I had to come, she said for the third time, hugging me.

I know. I just wish you’d continue with us. We love your company.

You love my cooking, dear, she teased.

And for good reason, Riggs. Flix scooped up the last of his oats. I’ll have to make a note to visit your tavern next time I’m through Tylsaa.

You come through often? Zonta asked, making kind conversation with the elderly fairy.

Goodness no, he huffed. Hardly ever leave Lemony’s cottage. She looked to me, eyebrows raised in question. I shrugged.

We stayed there after Floras pencarian, Pinky said, joining the table. It was a well-kept tavern. Rooms are cozy and clean. Food is near the best I’ve ever had.

You working for her? Flix asked, shoving his thumb in the air toward Zonta.

Working for who? Cel asked, joining the table.

Flix thinks Pinky is working for Riggs cause she speaks so highly of the tavern, Stone said.

Oh! The tavern, Cel said.

It was amazing, Lock added. 

Zonta jumped, Lock dear, she said, We need to get you a bell or something. You’re gonna scare the color from my hair if we’re not careful. I saw Lock sneaking behind Zonta and braced. Ah! Zonta shrieked as Lock grabbed her shoulder. Laughter filled the kitchen, and I noticed everyone was there. The Beasts were even part of breakfast because mom had insisted on a fully movable wall at the back of the room, looking out to her garden. With that open, Beasts and folks alike could mingle. It’s like mom designed the cottage for enormous groups but never had any over. I guess I’ll have to change that. Can an Elven Queen keep her primary residence in the Human Realm? Is that weird?

Not weird when you realize you won’t be the Elven Queen. Have you been listening to Flix? You’re to be Queen of ALL the Realms. Alta, Queen of Creomoxxie. Wynn’s gruff voice said in my brain. All Beasts communicated via dyri, the name of their telepathic communication. At least they’re capable. Most don’t. Wynn is rare in that.

Queen of Creomoxxie? Is that even possible? I thought back to her through our dyri link.

They meant for your mom, half fairy, half elf, to unite Creomoxxie. Now you, fairy, elf, human, will unite us instead.

Us? You think the Realm of Beasts will go along with that? I asked. 

She snorted, "Ok. You’ll unite most of Creomoxxie. The bi-peds… is that better? Alta, Queen of The Bi-peds," she teased. 

Are we on our way today? Stone asked carefully. He had demanded little of me. But I know from weeks of dealings, he’s getting impatient. He was impatient to get my mother to the Elven Realm to fulfill a quest he thought he’d been relieved of. My mother had declared then that she was the boss. The delay had cost her life. Stone was impatient for good reason. I knew this.

Yes, Every head turned in my direction and all sound stopped. I’m rested. The house is in order. We should be on our way.

You’re sure? Lock asked, placing a hand on my arm.

If you’re all ready to meet the Elf King… I am, too.





2

Tell me again why we’re not taking a BayCart?" Malcom asked after lunch. The road to the Elven Realm was long, traversing the Realm of Dwarves and the Realm of Trolls before finding the Elven border. The lands so far had been beautiful. I was enjoying every part. I’d never been east. Flora took us west and even then, we didn’t travel far… as we entered the Fairy Realm via the Magical Shrink instead of traversing the distance. No such option for the other Realms. So we hoofed it.

Because, Wynn took the liberty of answering, in everyone’s head, I noticed by their sudden stiff bodies as her sand paper voice grated on their skulls. Unicorns of the land aren’t meant for the water. We’re not mermaids, Malcom.

Are there mermaids in the bay? Malcom asked excitedly. Wynn rolled her eyes. Mentally and physically. Malcom took his answer from the giggles of the rest of the group.

My rear end gets smooshed riding this far, he continued.

Feel free to walk, said a voice I was unfamiliar with. When Grable stopped walking, I figured it was him. His voice was so different from Wynns. I assumed all Beasts had gruff voices, but his was sweet and almost elderly sounding.

How old is Grable? I asked Wynn. How old are you? I know nothing about your crew.

Your crew, she answered.

Then answer the question. I forced the smile to stay off my lips. I wanted her answer, but I wasn’t quite ready to officially lead our ‘crew’.

I felt her mirth in my head and knew she wasn’t going to answer.

Malcom, you’re welcome to walk with me. I have a ball to kick along, Stone offered. He never rode. Being a Troll, he was too big. Plus, he walked at a Unicorns trot pace without