[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-115959-en":3,"doc-seo-115959-105":30,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":92},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":20,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":11,"is_downloadable":11,"audit_status":11,"page_count":21,"language":22,"language_code":23,"site_id":24,"html_lang":23,"table_of_contents":25,"faqs":26,"seo_title":27,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":28,"read_time":29},115959,962085570644,"Evangeline","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_994ba38a5ba835b3df7d355c54d3ed8d",1,"Story & Novel","WRATH AND RUIN - Chapter One","WRATH AND RUIN opens with Bethany standing on a field of stars, using a star-shaped staff and a diviner’s training to navigate a living tapestry of constellations. While she searches for the path that will take her to Esk, shifting visions of mentors and friends test her focus. Her family’s concerns about an upcoming fielding assignment sharpen the stakes as she prepares to step through a gateway into a new, rain-soaked reality.","WRATH AND RUIN K i n d l e E d i t i o n  \n[OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com)  \nAl s o by J a m e s M a x w e ll  \nThe Firewall Trilogy  \nA Girl From Nowhere A World of Secrets A Search for Starlight  \nThe Evermen Saga  \nEnchantress The Hidden Relic The Path of the Storm The Lore of the Evermen Seven Words of Power  \nThe Shifting Tides  \nGolden Age Silver Road Copper Chain Iron Will  \n[OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com)  \nThis is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author ’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.  \nText copyright © 2025 by James Maxwell All rights reserved.  \nNo part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.  \nPublished by Everlast Books Cover design by EGA  \n[www.jamesmaxwell.com](www.jamesmaxwell.com)  \n[ISBN-13: 978-0-646-70810-2](ISBN-13: 978-0-646-70810-2)  \nPrinted in the United States of America  \n[OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com)  \n[OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com)  \nFor Alicia, with all my love and gratitude  \n[OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com)  \nChapter One  \nBETHANY WAS STANDING on a field of stars.  \nLooking down, the stars were below her and even between her feet. The floor felt solid, but the array of bright twinkling dots in a variety of colors told every sense that she should be falling through the void of darkness.  \nWhen she raised her gaze, stars were on all sides and everywhere above her head. At least the firmament was still. Sometimes, under the spell of the Weaver ’s Breath, starlight would form long dizzying lines. Panic could set in, along with dread that she would never escape this terrible, overwhelming, awe-inspiring place.  \nBut she was in control. She had her staff in hand, crowned with a metal orb that was somehow fashioned in layers, like the petals of a flower bud. Over her brand-new emerald-green dress, decorated in silver stars, she wore the soft gray cloak of a diviner.  \nHer training was now a part of her. This wasn’t a separate place from the real world. She was just seeing what no one other than a diviner had an opportunity to see. This was the real world. This was the tapestry.  \nLifting her chin and squaring her shoulders, she walked the path of stars. She pulled her staff toward her; the pattern of lights around her changed. When she rotated her staff, the heavens moved and familiar constellations came into view.  \nEven as she worked, under the spell of the Weaver ’s Breath, flashes of remembrance tried to distract her.  \nDiviner Trask’s face appeared in her mind’s eye, with his stern expression, neatly combed black hair, and short pointed beard. Her teacher spoke in his crisp, authoritative voice. We are aware that your mother is unwell. . . You have performed well in your studies, some would say extremely well. . . You have been offered a place in the household of Esk. . .  \nBethany levered her staff, shifting the swathes of stars, searching for the most important constellations of all: the ones that would lead her to her destination. She knew why her buried consciousness was anxious about the journey. She was on her way to Esk right now.  \nXander ’s sharp-featured face came next, with his intelligent, goldflecked brown eyes watching her as they sat side by side in the atrium at the Observatory in Everlast. Bethany, I—She spoke at the same time. You’ve been a good friend, Xander. He flinched like she had slapped him. Friend?  \nBethany slowed her movements on the path of stars. She had to concentrate. This wasn’t a time to make mistakes.  \nThe warmth that came from Charlton, with his bright blue eyes, messy gray hair, and careworn face was always a source of comfort. You know that I will miss you too. But you always know where you can ","cbCaioq5Rm7gQIbF","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaioq5Rm7gQIbF","pdf",2081536,10,387,"English","en",105,"# Chapter One\n## Bethany in the star-field\n## Memories and preparations\n## The gateway and arrival","[{\"question\":\"Where does Chapter One begin, and what is Bethany doing there?\",\"answer\":\"Chapter One begins with Bethany standing in a field of stars, using her diviner staff and training to navigate the constellations and follow a chosen path.\"},{\"question\":\"What threatens Bethany’s concentration during the journey?\",\"answer\":\"Under the Weaver’s Breath, flashes of remembrance—especially her instructors and the people who worry about her—try to distract her while she searches for the route to Esk.\"},{\"question\":\"What assignment is Bethany preparing for as she reaches the next step?\",\"answer\":\"Bethany is preparing to serve as eyes and ears for her father regarding an upcoming fielding hosted by the Conways, with potential trouble to be reported from Declan or her father’s son.\"}]","WRATH AND RUIN - Chapter One | PDF",1785477912,596,{"code":4,"msg":31,"data":32},"ok",{"site_id":24,"language":23,"slug":33,"title":13,"keywords":34,"description":14,"schema_data":35,"social_meta":87,"head_meta":89,"extra_data":91,"updated_unix":28},"wrath-and-ruin-chapter-one","",{"@graph":36,"@context":86},[37,54,69],{"@type":38,"itemListElement":39},"BreadcrumbList",[40,44,48,51],{"item":41,"name":42,"@type":43,"position":11},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":45,"name":46,"@type":43,"position":47},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":49,"name":12,"@type":43,"position":50},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/story-novel/",3,{"item":52,"name":13,"@type":43,"position":53},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/wrath-and-ruin-chapter-one/115959/",4,{"url":52,"name":13,"@type":55,"author":56,"headline":13,"publisher":58,"fileFormat":61,"inLanguage":23,"description":14,"dateModified":62,"datePublished":63,"encodingFormat":61,"isAccessibleForFree":64,"interactionStatistic":65},"DigitalDocument",{"name":9,"@type":57},"Person",{"url":41,"name":59,"@type":60},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-08-22","2026-07-31",true,{"@type":66,"interactionType":67,"userInteractionCount":20},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":68},"ViewAction",{"@type":70,"mainEntity":71},"FAQPage",[72,78,82],{"name":73,"@type":74,"acceptedAnswer":75},"Where does Chapter One begin, and what is Bethany doing there?","Question",{"text":76,"@type":77},"Chapter One begins with Bethany standing in a field of stars, using her diviner staff and training to navigate the constellations and follow a chosen path.","Answer",{"name":79,"@type":74,"acceptedAnswer":80},"What threatens Bethany’s concentration during the journey?",{"text":81,"@type":77},"Under the Weaver’s Breath, flashes of remembrance—especially her instructors and the people who worry about her—try to distract her while she searches for the route to Esk.",{"name":83,"@type":74,"acceptedAnswer":84},"What assignment is Bethany preparing for as she reaches the next step?",{"text":85,"@type":77},"Bethany is preparing to serve as eyes and ears for her father regarding an upcoming fielding hosted by the Conways, with potential trouble to be reported from Declan or her father’s son.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":52,"og:type":88,"og:title":13,"og:site_name":59,"og:description":14},"article",{"robots":90,"canonical":52},"index,follow",{"doc_id":7,"site_id":24},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":93},[94,97,101,105,110,115,120,125,130,133,136],{"id":11,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":12,"show_sort_weight":95,"slug":96},90,"story-novel",{"id":47,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":53,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":116,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":117,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":119},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":121,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":122,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":124},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":126,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":127,"show_sort_weight":128,"slug":129},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":128,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":131,"show_sort_weight":128,"slug":132},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":20,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":134,"show_sort_weight":20,"slug":135},"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":137,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":138,"show_sort_weight":106,"slug":139},19,"General","general"]