The voice.

Shadows of Destiny

Ya fantasy

65,000 words

When Taylor's best friend, Megan, nearly drowns in a flooded stream she knows she shouldn't have been able to save her. Only the man who comes out of nowhere to pull them both out doesn't seem very surprised by Taylor’s strength. Megan remembers nothing. Taylor can’t get it out of her head.

Convinced that this guy knows something she doesn't Taylor becomes determined to find him and the group he belongs to.  The one her father warned her about before his death. The Maaylina.

When Taylor’s powers manifest the Maaylina find her and explain it is her Destiny to join them, as a legacy. Her father was once one of them. Now Taylor will be second in line to lead this powerful and secretive race.

But even the Maaylina are hiding things from her, and Taylor is sick and tired of secrets. Determined to find the truth she looks into the Maaylina’s odd religion and finds that their belief in Destiny is deeper than she thought. They believe themselves to be the keepers of Fate, and cause accidents and disasters to the human world. They kill people.

Taylor considers them murderers and refuses to join them. The Maaylina consider her a traitor, and they have killed for much less.

Shadows of Destiny

First 250 words

Taylor took one long, deep breath before opening the door to her own personal hell.

            Two dozen heads turned as she walked in. Then the whispers began.

            "Why doesn't she just stay home?" one girl asked another.

            “I swear, I shiver every time I look into her eyes," a boy on the other side of the room said in a whisper.

            “Then don’t! I bet she’d curse you,” his friend said next to him, not bothering to keep his voice down.

            A few students laughed.

Ignoring the snickering Taylor sat at her desk and slowly pulled out an old looking envelope. Almost as old as her, she treated it as if it were made of glass. She didn't dare open it here, instead she just stared at the handwriting on the outside which simply read "Taylor."

Taylor jumped when she heard a someone grunt behind her. She turned her head to see a pretty blonde girl smiling at her.

            "Yes?" Taylor asked, realizing the girl was trying to get her attention.

            "Can I ask you a question?" she whispered.

            "Go right ahead." Taylor responded in an annoyed voice. She hardly expected a sleepover invitation.

            "What's it like having a murderer for a father?" the girl said more loudly, her smile never leaving her face.

            Taylor let out a sarcastic laugh. Knowing full well that this girl couldn't care less about the answer to that question, she was just expecting to get a few social ladder points for being so brave.