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