Race Riders (The Hidden Quest- Book One) by E.W. SALOKA

glasses and brought out a small glass that fit over his right eye. As he peered at Dredd, his eye looked enormous and oddly misshapen even without the magnification.
    Dredd grabbed his silver trinket and started to say something.
    The old man walked him towards the door. “Throw it away or keep it, but it’s not worth much to me!”
    Dredd shot back at him, “it’s special to me that’s all. What do you know anyway?”
    The shopkeeper threw his hands in the air and mumbled something about his dinner getting cold. He locked the door and pulled down the shutters. Making his way into the back where his living quarters were, he eased his sparse frame into a waiting chair and rested before his evening meal.
    Dredd was a little angry with the shopkeeper, but then realized he was always sour. It wouldn’t have mattered if he had come earlier, the old man would have had a fit just the same. It was his way. He took the silver trinket out of his pocket and inspected it. Yes, it was a little unusual, but Dredd liked it just the same. He put it on a chain and fastened it around his neck.
    He rode Samuel back to the farm, then at the stable he brushed the horse until it shone. Dredd gave him a carrot and covered him with his plaid blanket.
    “Here we go ol’ boy, lets get you back with Sallie and Molly, its getting late.” The other two horses shook their heads at him. Dredd didn’t like the farm much but he enjoyed the horses. He took good care of them. Samuel, being his favorite always got an extra carrot, apple or bag of oats. After feeding and watering the horses, Dredd took the lantern and made his way back to the house. He could smell Andi’s cooking from outside. He didn’t know what she was preparing but he was hungry. At the kitchen table there was a big bowl of vegetable soup. Then Andi brought over a plate with fried apples and thick slices of maple-cured ham.
    “I’m glad you’re here Dredd. After supper, you should check on Payne and see how he is. I was hoping I wasn’t mean to him when he gave me his new elixir.”
    “Yeah, that was harsh Andi , he was only trying to help you.”
    “I know, I suppose it’s interesting to have all this strength and abilities I didn’t possess before.”
    Soon he was full and very tired. Andi was busy with her needlepoint, humming happily. Everything was peaceful at the Domino Farm, at least for tonight.

Nine - Thomas’s Rude Awakening

    Faazen rose in the middle of the night, he wasn’t sure why, but something was bothering him in some way. It was not a dream because it seemed more real and tangible. He thought if he stayed awake for a while, he could piece the mystery together. He knew it had something to do with the leaf; it was as if the silver leaf was calling him, challenging him to find the answer, there seemed to be something missing of course. He remembered the night when he and the two others cast the spell. At times, and especially recently he would awake in a cold sweat with his heart pounding, and it was usually the same dream. He was walking down a very long corridor, one that seemed to go on and on, and then quite suddenly there was a long drop. Hanging in front of him close enough to touch, was the silver leaf. When he tried to grab it, he would fall into a deep cavern that seemed to swallow him whole. He would jump up startled and realize it was just a dream. The whole thing was very unsettling. What could it all mean? Faazen was still pondering these things when there was a large crash outside the gate. It sounded like a tree branch had crashed into one of the turrets. He walked outside and saw Rore. Rianor’s black beast was perched on the castle turret. In his claws, he was holding Thomas, who was struggling to get away.

    “What do you want with him? Let him go Rore! What does Rianor want with my guests? This is between him and I, Thomas has nothing to do with it. Let him go Now!” The dark sky turned an eerie shade of purple as the winds whipped