Return of Victory – Snippet 3
Return of Victory, Reclaiming Honor Book VIII
By Justin Sloan & Michael Anderle
Snippet 3
Unedited
New York
Valerie took her first step into HQ in what felt like years, but really it hadn’t been more than a couple of months or so. How odd it felt, knowing that this building had once been home to her enemies. She had led a siege against Commander Strake and his Enforcers, then hunted him and the CEOs behind him down. The building had become her home after that, but now felt like such a strange, foreign place.
This sensation confirmed something she had been thinking about for a while now—that she didn’t belong here. But where did she belong? In space?
With a glance at the skies, she wondered what sort of battles were going on in space right now. Was it possible something could go wrong and it would all be over without her even getting a chance to fight?
Considering the fact that it was Bethany Ann up there fighting for their survival, she was hopeful.
Several men and women in black uniforms passed by, eyes wide at the sight of her. They all knew her, apparently, though she didn’t know them. She wondered if they had thought she was dead, or if that ruse had even stuck. Knowing the way information moved around this city, she wouldn’t be surprised if it hadn’t.
The elevator dinged and there was Sandra, her belly certainly leaving no doubt that the woman was moving along in her pregnancy. Otherwise, she looked the exact same.
Her eyes met Valerie’s and the two women ran forward, wrapping their arms around each other and laughing.
“How can such a short amount of time feel like an eternity?” Sandra asked.
“That’s a bit melodramatic,” Valerie replied, winking to show she was joking. “I see we’re not under attack yet?”
“Straight to business, huh?”
“Tell me we can afford not to be and I’ll gladly head over to your café for a bottle of wine. No? I didn’t think so.”
“Diego, Davies, and the rest are upstairs.” Sandra led the way back to the elevator and, once Valerie was in, she pressed the button.”
“The rest being all but Cammie and Royland?”
“And Sergeant Garcia. He was there the last time, so he went to show them the way. Cammie and Royland aren’t really part of the council anymore. Not at this point, anyway. It’s like they’ve moved on.”
“I know the feeling,” Valerie replied, staring at the wall as she lost herself in the events in Norway. She still regretted the loss of the sweet airship with her symbol carved into its side, but life was full of loss. Better a ship than a loved one.
“Er, right.” Sandra glanced at her, seemingly nervous.
“I haven’t changed so much,” Valerie commented. “You don’t have to look at me like I’m a stranger.”
“You haven’t…and you have.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Sandra shrugged. “It’s like, I see a different look in your eyes, you know? Like you’re ready to say good bye to us all.”
Valerie bit her lip. That was somewhat accurate, after all. “Not until I know you’re all safe. Not until I’ve taught these assholes a lesson and sent a message so loud the whole world will hear it.”
Sandra blinked as if she was holding back something she really wanted to say, but then just nodded. After a few minutes, she said, “I’ll be sad when that day comes.”
The elevator dinged, and she walked out before Valerie had a chance to respond. Upon opening the doors to the colonel’s office, Valerie was pleased to see Diego in there.
He smiled, but the first thing he said was, “I’m coming with you.”
“No!” Sandra stepped into the room, shoving him. “Don’t you start that, not again. I’m not watching you run out to your possible death while you leave me here again!”
“Can we start with a ‘Hey, Val, how’s it going’ maybe?” Valerie asked, glancing around to see Davies sitting at the table. The office was otherwise unoccupied.
Davies gave her a nod. “Hey Val, how’s it going?”
She smiled. “Thank you, that wasn’t so hard. Peachy, Davies. A couple of my friends went off into the lion’s den without me, and now Sandra here is stalling.”
“I wanted to have Diego draw you a map, show you how to get to El Diablo, but instead he apparently wants to do is act like an ass.”
“Our ability to tell her where to go might get her lost, putting Cammie and the others in danger if Valerie arrives too late.”
“He has a point,” Davies agreed. “It’s not like you can just wander out there and find what you’re looking for just because you really want to. This is the real wor—”
“Enough out of you,” Sandra snapped. “Val, talk some sense into them! You can find the place; you’re great with direction. You found your way back from Norway, after all.”
“France, actually.”
Sandra frowned. “Oh. You…you went back?”
Valerie nodded slowly. “I didn’t get out of the airship. I thought I’d want to, but when I was there, I just…didn’t feel the need. It’s in the past, not a part of me I need to explore anymore.”
“All about the next step now, huh?”
Valerie nodded. “That’s right. And right now, as much as I want to side with you, Diego has a point.”
“Take Davies!” Sandra countered. “He was there.”
“He can’t heal,” Diego argued. “And if you need to move quick, he’s not a Were. I’m the right choice, and we all know it.”
Sandra looked desperately at Davies, but he shook his head.
“Call me a coward,” he stated, “that’s fine. But me going back out there? Not very likely unless I’m ordered to, and then it better be alongside a damn army.”
“Valerie’s better than an army!”
“True, but… Am I being ordered?” He looked at each of them, though none of them were in his chain of command. “If not, I’ll have to side with Diego on this. He really is the only option.”
“Dammit.” Sandra pulled out a chair and sat, arms crossed. She took a deep breath. “Okay, that’s decided. I’m over it. Plan?”
Valerie hesitated, but then cleared her throat. “Can we bring everyone back here to New York and then take a strike team out to deal with the enemy?”
“That’s one strategy we’ve been mulling over,” Davies replied. “Problem is, some of the people don’t want to leave their homes.”
“Then we make them.”
Diego chuckled. “Yes, that’s an option. A very Valerie option, which is why you’re in the ‘kicking ass’ business instead of the ‘making friends’ business. There’s an old man in El Diablo—Pops. He won’t go easily, and the folk who live there aren’t keen on forcing him.”
“There might be other villages too, and other situations like Pops’,” Sandra offered. “We can’t go around the world making everyone pile into New York. The city would burst.”
“So what do you recommend?” Valerie asked.
“We simply have to destroy our enemies,” Sandra answered. “Set up in these different towns if we must. Defend and destroy, that’s our motto. D and D.”
“D and D… I like that. Or the Double Ds.” Valerie pursed her lips in thought. “Okay, so if it’s all about the Double Ds from now on, why are we sitting around here pulling an SOOA all day?”
“SOOA?”
“’Sitting on our assessment.’ Let’s get moving.”
Diego nodded, gave Sandra a kiss, and said, “Let’s go.”
“For the record, Val,” Sandra commented, “acronyms don’t work for everything. Let’s leave that to me. Also, don’t you let Diego get hurt or you’ll be answering to me.”
“All about the threats these days,” Valerie replied with a laugh. “’Don’t let my man get hurt, don’t miss the baby.’ I get it.”
“I’m damn serious about both of those.”
Valerie nodded, then held her friend by the shoulders. “I know you are, and I promise to do my best on both accounts.”
Then she gave her friend a quick kiss on the forehead. Sandra wiped it off with a confused look, but laughed. “Whatever, just go kick their asses.”
“Deal.”
“Who said I need looking after?” Diego muttered as he started to follow Valerie toward the hanger bay where they kept the Pods.
He paused to give Sandra a more thorough farewell and convince her he would come back in one piece, leaving Valerie to linger in the hall. She spent the time assessing the places where they had tried to cover up and repaint the holes where bullets had hit the walls. In a sense, this building was as much a member of the team as any of them, she thought.
When they were ready, they made their way to the Pods and soon flew out, watching New York grow small beneath them as they rose, then disappear in the rear display.
“She will come after you, you know,” Valerie stated. “If you die, I mean. She’ll go into the afterlife and pull you right back here so she can unleash her own version of hell on you.”
Diego chuckled, glancing back at the city. “I don’t doubt it.”
“Then we’ll just have to make sure you don’t take any shit, right?”
“Hey, any plan that involves me not getting hurt sounds good to me.” He thought about it, then added, “Or rather, not getting hurt beyond the point of healing. We have to defeat these sons of bitches, and I mean to do my part. Just…if you see any grenades about to take off my head, give me a shout. Deal?”
“Deal.”
He leaned forward to assess the ground behind them, and pointed out the direction to steer. Soon they were well on their way.
Return of Victory – Snippet 2
Return of Victory, Reclaiming Honor Book VIII
By Justin Sloan & Michael Anderle
Snippet 2
Unedited
Cammie glanced around the desert landscape and the town known as El Diablo. It was pressed up against a small hill with dead trees at the top that resembled devil horns, which looked especially ominous silhouetted against the night.
The first thing she had done was come to New York looking for Valerie. When she learned that Sandra had been in touch with her and that Valerie was heading for New York, her first instinct had been to stay there and wait. But the more she heard about the situation, the upcoming predicament, the more she realized that they had to get ahead of this war situation.
So here she was, with Sergeant Garcia and Royland. They had told the others that anyone who wanted to return to the island up north could take off that day. The rest would stay in New York to help fight.
Nobody had left.
It still amazed her that she had gone from the Badlands to this, and what a journey it had been. Now she had Royland at her side, and a group of close friends at her back. While she had felt like quite the badass before, now she stood tall, looking around this land as if nothing could touch her. Like she was on top of the world.
A crunch of rocks on hard dirt sounded behind her and she looked around to see Garcia stepping up next to her. His broad shoulders gave him an imposing silhouette, but he was just one more of her new friends, one more fighter who was with her to kick ass and not bother with the names. Garcia was the only one of the small group to travel out here today who had been here with Diego.
“That’s Micky,” Garcia pointed out the large man in a leather jacket walking toward them.
“And he’s on our side?” Royland asked to be sure.
“This place smells like the devil’s butt crack,” Cammie noted, scrunching her nose as a gust of wind carried sand and more of that smell. “They should’ve called the city that instead. El Diablo’s Butt Crack.”
Garcia shook his head at Royland for chuckling. “Don’t laugh at her jokes just ‘cause she’s your girl, first of all. Second, don’t say that kind of shit in front of them, and third…that’s not how you say butt crack in Spanish.”
She turned to him, waiting, but he didn’t offer the translation.
“Good to see you again, big guy,” Garcia said, turning to welcome Micky.
The large man nodded, then climbed up to the ledge where they stood. “What, too chicken-shit to just walk into town and see if you get shot or not?”
“Damn.” Garcia laughed. “After our welcome last time, I thought maybe you’d want to try to fight Cammie here before deciding if you trust her.”
Micky scoffed, but looked at her from the corner of his eye.
“Try me,” she said, smiling and revealing teeth that grew sharp as he watched.
“Diego got a sex change?” Mickey looked her up and down, ignoring the growl that came from Royland.
Cammie laughed. “I like this big dude, Garcia. Where’d you find him?”
“Tried to crack my skull open, that’s where.” Garcia replied.
“And we’ve been best friends ever since,” Micky added. “Well, ever since you soundly kicked my butt, right?”
“Trust me,” Garcia leaned in, conspiratorially, “if I could take you, you wouldn’t stand a chance against either of these two. So we can skip that whole challenge part, right?”
The man had a hungry look in his eyes, but nodded. “I’ll take your word for it. Where is Diego, though?”
“His woman wouldn’t let him come back out to play,” Garcia answered with a sneer.
“Sounds like a smart woman. He still wearing my vest?”
Garcia chuckled and nodded.
“No troubles yet?” Cammie asked.
Micky shook his head. “A couple of skirmishes—scouts, I think. And…we might be being watched. But those shit-lickers show their ugly mugs around here, we’re ready.”
“So, there’s no chance of you all simply coming back with us to New York?” Royland asked, although they had been over this in the airship on the way over more than once.
They had brought the airship so that they could ferry people if needed, versus a Pod that would only fit a few of them. The way they figured it, at some point the people might change their minds, especially if the fighting got really bad.
“Wish I could say there was,” Micky replied. “These people are loyal to their homes. Many don’t even think we have anything to worry about. Way they see it, we’ve survived out here this long, we’ll survive a little longer.”
“Damn hubris,” Royland muttered, but said no more after a glance from Cammie.
“Well, mister,” she nodded toward the town, “I suppose we’d better see this place that’s so very precious.”
Micky laughed. “I’m sure it will live up to your expectations. Come on.”
He led the way past some huts to another large man who introduced himself as Arturo. A redhead poked her head out of a doorway and blew a kiss to Micky, then waved to Garcia before ducking back in. Cammie saw as the door closed that she’d only been in a towel.
“At least you still take baths out here,” Cammie noted.
“Ha. Only in our enemy’s blood.” Micky winked, and Arturo laughed.
They turned a corner as Micky explained to his buddy who Cammie and Royland were, and then a man came charging up and plowed into Arturo. Fists started flying and more of the townsfolk emerged, some rubbing their eyes. They had already gone to bed, apparently, but everyone wanted to see what the commotion was.
Storm Callers Audiobook Release!
Storm Callers: Storms of Magic Book 2
By P.T. Hylton & Michael Anderle
The audiobook for Storm Callers: Age of Magic: A Kurtherian Gambit Series: Storms of Magic, Book 2 is now available!
When the storm clouds gather, only the bravest answer the call.
Abbey and Dustin head to the Storm Wall to investigate a series of Barskall attacks. They arrive in the midst of a battle and discover an unlikely ally. They soon learn of a powerful weapon they can use to stop Dahlia and her seafaring pirates…
If they can find it in time.
The search will take them deep into enemy territory where their only hope for survival is the resourcefulness of their small but feisty crew.
As they race to find the weapon, a mysterious group of Storm Callers threatens to take over the seas and pave the wave for a whole new breed of Storm Raiders.
Set on the foundation laid by the Kurtherian Gambit Series, Storm Callers tells an entirely new story in the Age of Magic – and of the heroes and villains who battle for control of its destiny.
Return of Victory – Snippet 1
Return of Victory, Reclaiming Honor Book VIII
By Justin Sloan & Michael Anderle
Snippet 1
Unedited
Valerie had never realized that being alone with her thoughts would be so cathartic, but sailing across the Atlantic by herself certainly provided that opportunity. After her coms device went on the fritz halfway across, she was left staring out at the darkness to the west. She just wished the airship would hurry the hell up so she could get to New York before war broke out.
A part of her still believed there would be a way to mitigate this fire that her friends had started, but the rest of her thought that a final war to end it all wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Pull out all the rats and cut off their heads, so that they and the disease they had brought upon the lands would be gone once and for all.
That wasn’t all she thought about, though, as she sailed. She thought about how she had almost returned to the military compound where she was raised, how she could have very easily touched down in Old Paris and visited her old haunts, searching out clues to her life before she was turned into a vampire. Now that those thoughts were in the past, she realized what a trap such actions would have been. Could she ever have escaped? Even if she had physically departed, she was certain she wouldn’t have left mentally.
It was time to accept that she was a new person, that she had moved on.
Michael’s Justice Enforcer wouldn’t meander about in her old life. She’d be on the front edge making a difference. For now, that meant defending New York for what she hoped was the final time. After that? She had no idea.
Two thoughts occurred to her, though, as she sailed back. The first was the question of how she would explain the whole situation with faking her own death in New York, if she had to do so. She supposed simply telling the truth would work. The second was about Robin and having left her up north in Toronto. She wasn’t regretting that, but she wondered about her, about how they had become romantically involved to begin with. Here she was, this super-powerful vampire, taking a younger, less-experience vampire under her wing, and they had become somewhat involved. Nothing too serious, though it had been glorious. She would never forget the way the woman had kissed her after taking down Slaver’s Peak, but they hadn’t even gone as far as her and Jackson, and even that wasn’t much. Still, had it been wrong of her?
She tried to put herself in Robin’s shoes, and wanted to hit herself. A powerful older vampire comes along and gives you oogly-eyes? It would be pretty damned hard to resist. Imagine if Michael, after helping her take down Donovan, had swept her up in his arms and pressed his lips against hers. There was no way she would’ve been able to refuse. In fact, she thought about it now, imagining the strength, how it would’ve felt, his tongue—NO! She laid back in the one-woman airship, closing her eyes and sighing.
Promise Number One to herself was never have thoughts like that again. He was with Bethany Anne, in a sense. Two vampires that, as far as Valerie knew, could read minds. Best to figure out how to picture Michael as her grandfather or something, so she didn’t get her head ripped off by a jealous lover. Ah, shit, best not to think of Bethany Anne as a jealous lover, either, Valerie thought. Another way to likely get her head torn off.
For a moment she pondered the idea of the infamous Bethany Anne, wondering if she really was the type to tear heads off or if Valerie was letting the old rumors of her vampire days with the Forsaken get the best of her.
Promise Number Two time. She swore to herself right then and there to not let romance stuff get in the way of her duty, and to not let herself get in a position where her power might influence someone to go for her.
Promise Number Three. She was going to kick so much ass here that no motherfuckers would ever consider attacking her, her people, or anyplace in this hemisphere ever again. The sound of her feet hitting asses would reverberate across the world, she decided, so that even those back in Europe, Asia, and everywhere else would think twice.
It seemed like she had been sailing for an eternity. But as a gust of wind rocked the ship, she thought she saw something in the distance. Land! She jumped up and whooped, unable to contain her excitement.
“Did you miss me?” she asked as the ‘something’ grew larger and she could make out the tall buildings and city lights of New York.
She was back, and ready for action.
***
The comm device buzzed at Sandra’s side and she leaped up, reaching for it, annoyed that Diego wasn’t there to grab it for her. They had agreed, however, that it was best to take turns at HQ, being ready and making plans for this war that was supposedly going to happen.
All they had so far was the threat Diego had returned with. An army of nomads, wackos, Forsaken and Weres was out there and had teamed up to declare war on New York. While Sandra and the other members of the New York Council were taking every possible precaution—including recalling Valerie and even reaching out to Colonel Walton—they didn’t really know how large a force they were up against.
“Valerie?” Sandra asked, having seen the name on the device but still too excited to really believe it.
“It’s me, yeah.”
“What the hell? I’ve been trying to get through to you.”
“No need, I’m here.”
Sandra held the comm device out and stared at it, then pulled it back and said, “Wait…here? You made it? Like, ‘in New York’ here?”
“As in ‘I flew straight back from Europe and am landing in New York as we speak,’ yes. That ‘here.’” Valerie laughed, which reminded Sandra how much she had missed that laugh. “Where do you need me?”
Sandra thought about this a moment, then said, “Meet me at HQ. We have to brief you on the situation.”
“Sure, but first—I don’t suppose you’ve seen Cammie and Royland?”
With a sigh, Sandra replied, “That’s part of the situation. I’ll tell you when you get there.”
“Sandra…”
“Yes, okay? She made it, but she’s not here now. She went out to…gather intel.”
“Gather intel?” Valerie asked.
“In a sense.”
“Sandra, so help me—”
“Okay, okay.” Sandra hadn’t wanted to tell Valerie and get her worked up, not until they were all in a room discussing it rationally. Too late. “The short version is, there’s a community out there, one of our new allies, and we think they’ll be hit first by the attack. Cammie and Royland had meant to go back to the island, but when they heard what was potentially happening, they volunteered to take a small force and go to the front lines, in a sense.”
“Oh my God, Sandra, and you let them?”
“Hey, I’ve tried talking Cammie out of things before. She’s as pig-headed as you are.”
“I’m going after them.”
“See?” Sandra chuckled despite herself. “Pig-headed. At least come by HQ first, get briefed. Then we can make decisions.”
“The decision’s made,” Valerie replied. “But sure, I want to see you first anyway. I’ll be there in ten. But if I am ten minutes too late to help them…”
“I can’t wait to see you too,” Sandra said and hung up, then rolled out of bed, hoping this stupid nausea would go away soon.
Working with Audio Talent to Create Audiobooks
At LMBPN publishing, we make a HUGE effort to get all of our books into audio. But if you’ve read the books, you know the names can get a little… uh, difficult to pronounce.
The immensely talented narrators we work with prep the books and then contact us for pronunciation help. Here’s a little something Martha Carr provided to narrator Carly Robins as a pronunciation guide to help with Waking Magic, book two in the Leria Chronicles, by Martha and Michael Anderle.
These are the names you’ll hear pronounced by Martha: Sigland, Rhazdon, Altrea Extendia, Reflectus Moranus, Hoomanna, Altrea Extendia, Perrom, Trevilsom Prison, Druina, Ossonia, Arpak, Azrakan, and Nastratium.
Sued for Peace Audiobook Release!
Sued for Peace: The Kurtherian Gambit, Book 11
By Michael Anderle
Greed and fear, two emotions that rule both individuals…and countries.
Now, China has decided that they will do whatever it takes to acquire TQB technology.
There was a glaring flaw in their plan. When they kill an unborn little baby in a raid, the Queen Bitch is released.
Now, China has two options…Kill Bethany Anne, or sue for peace.
Born Into Flames Audiobook Release!
Born into Flames, Reclaiming Honor Book V Audiobook
By Justin Sloan & Michael Anderle
Out of the shadows and into the fire.
When Valerie and Robin head north to take on an army of post-apocalyptic pirates, the deadly duo find themselves on a thrill-ride of air-ship battles and full-on assaults against pirate strongholds.
Her friends back in Old Manhattan discover an attempt at mutiny, while Sandra learns that being an expecting mother doesn’t mean she has to stop kicking ass and taking names.
Everyone must step up their game, or be consumed by the flames of this new world.
Shades of Glory RELEASE!
Shade of Glory, The Hidden Magic Chronicles Book 3
By Justin Sloan & Michael Anderle
An army of sorcerers has taken over.
Rhona and Alastar have formed alliances and been learning how to master their magic.
The fight that awaits is bound to be epic. But will they be enough when put up against a goddess?
Journey into an undercover mission by two mystics, a journey into the kingdom of the south where new secrets are uncovered, and a land of elemental-based magic and, maybe…
A unicorn.
In the penultimate book of the Hidden Magic Chronicles, these two families learn the secrets of their past, discover the expanse of their magical abilities, and find new friendships in unsuspected places.
Shades of Glory – Snippet 3
Shades of Glory, The Hidden Magic Chronicles Book 3
By Justin Sloan and Michael Anderle
Snippet 3
Unedited
“Remnant!” a voice shouted, then repeated itself again, “Remnant nearby, and they’re attacking a group led by Laird Lokane!”
Alastar sat up, confused, head hurting from an uneasy sleep, and then registered that it was Kia shouting as she ran past a barely alert guard. Several around the camp were rousing, all turning with confusion, and he glanced around, worried about his sister—only to find her curled up against Donnon.
Estair hadn’t been able to sleep near Alastar, much to his annoyance. Laird Summers had a protective watch over her, and still hadn’t warmed to the idea of her being friendly with a paladin.
Others were murmuring about the disturbance, some brushing her off as a silly girl, but Alastar knew better. Donnon and Rhona knew better. The three were at her side in an instant.
“What is it?” Donnon asked his daughter.
She repeated herself, saying she had seen the remnant out there and come across a man who said he was with Laird Lokane.
Donnon rubbed his temple and shook his head. “Remind me to scold you later for being out there without one of us.”
“You’re gonna hold my hand whenever I have to pee?” she asked, glaring.
“Something tells me that was not what you were doing,” Rhona replied, and the girl’s frown vanished, quickly replaced with a sheepish grin.
“Fine. Point is, they’re in trouble.”
Alastar turned to the spot where he’d laid down to sleep and grabbed his sword and armor. As he readied himself, he said, “Let’s get to it then.” Turning to address the rest of them, he continued, “You all heard her. There’re remnant out there that mean to do harm to humans. We won’t stand by and let that happen.
Summers was there a moment later, Estair at his side.
“Lair Lokane is no friend of mine,” Summers said, folding his arms.
“Well, he is of mine,” Estair argued, earning her a truly annoyed glare from the man. “And I’ll go to his defense.”
“We’re in no condition to run off to a fight right now,” Summers replied. “Let them fend for themselves, while we—”
“Cower?” Kia interrupted.
“Dear,” Donnon said, holding her arm. “We mustn’t speak to a laird so. But…” He looked for his weapon and then found it. As he picked it up, he continued, “She’s right, sir.”
Summers’ face went beet-red and he grumbled something under his breath. With a wave of his hand, he said, “Forget our safety when there’s glory and honor to be had.”
Alastar laughed, but quickly hid the amusement. He knew going to the defense of the others was without question the right thing to do here, but he didn’t want to get on the laird’s bad side.
Instead, he turned to Kia. “Lead the way.”
“I think you mean ‘point the way,’” Donnon corrected him.
Kia shook her head. “I’m part of this battle whether you like it or not, Dad.”
Donnon’s mouth fell open and he looked to the others for support, but Alastar just shrugged.
“She’s one of our most powerful magic users,” he noted.
Rhona nodded.
“You’re all out to send me to an early grave,” Donnon said, wiping his brow before turning to his daughter and nodding. “Fine, but you stay in the rear. If you were to get hurt, I’d never forgive myself.”
“Trust me, Dad, I’m not a huge fan of pain.” She smiled and turned back the way she had come, shouting, “Try to keep up, old man.”
“She really is going to give me a heart attack,” Donnon remarked as he ran after her, battle ax in hand and the others close behind.
As Alastar sprinted, doing his best to hold his long sword at his side so it didn’t bounce around too much, he noted the hint of a smile on his sister’s face.
“What?”
“I’m not allowed to smile when running into a fight?”
He laughed. “Is that who you are now?”
“Not exactly, no,” she admitted, “but it’s a relief to be going up against remnant instead of an army of sorcerers, wouldn’t you say?”
He had to agree with that, especially since the two of them were still figuring out how their magic worked. Maybe if they’d had more time to train or someone to show them how to use their magic, they wouldn’t have had to retreat after defeating the High Paladin.
Part of him still didn’t believe that was over, that he had slain the man he had looked up to for so long. Sir Gildon had been the closest thing Alastar had to a father; the only one who knew how to really use the power of light. And he’d been a liar, a murderer, and a traitor to his people.
Alastar would have been happy to go up against the paladins to teach them a lesson about loyalty and what was right in this world. Dealing with an army of remnant would have to do—for now.
A shout and then a burst of flame came from ahead.
More shouts, and then a flaming remnant stumbled toward him.
Cloaked – The Ascension Myth Snippet 02 of XXX
UNEDITED
Giles nodded. “Yeah. I mean, the talisman I had there and then took to Teshov was the one I found on Earth, if you remember. That means we haven’t found any pieces of the puzzle in the Estarian culture. And with what I showed you and Molly about the similarities in the genetic makeup of the Zhyn and the Estarians, it seems only logical that there will be one in Estarian culture.”
Lance grunted, and Giles continued, “Arlene and I both believe that there are cultural similarities too. Like, similarities in their ascension myths.”
Lance frowned. “You mean you think they’re both talking about the same phenomenon?”
Giles’ face lit up “Exactly!”
Reynolds rubbed his chin, his elbows resting on the table. “Hmm. Yes, Molly had mentioned as much.”
“Molly?” Giles asked, curious.
Lance nodded. “Yeah, she was also interested in getting answers about this.”
Giles thought for a moment. “You mean because of her realm-jumping thing?”
Lance took a slurp of coffee and then pushed the mug away, deciding he’d had enough. “Yes, I believe so.” He paused, watching Giles’ reactions carefully. “Do you think it’s related?”
Giles nodded. “Almost certainly. There’s a bigger picture we’re not seeing yet. I think gathering these two fragments—the oracle from Orn, and whatever the Estarian equivalent is, will give us some definites to work with.”
Lance took a deep breath. “Well, you have my blessing.” He paused, settling back in the seat. “You’ll be taking Arlene with you, of course?”
Giles looked resistant for a moment before quickly realizing that the suggestion Lance had made wasn’t actually a suggestion. He gathered his thoughts. “Yes, Uncle Lance. I’ll be taking Arlene to babysit me,” he teased.
Lance’s face relaxed a little. “Very good,” he acknowledged. “So tell me, this ‘do’ your mother is organizing tomorrow… What time does it start?”
Aboard the ArchAngel, Comms Room AA19
Arlene sat immersed in her holo screens, her audio implants tuning out the sounds around her and playing a brain-synch track to help her focus. She scrolled through one of the holo documents, trying to figure out if there was a connection between that and the other account she had been reading.
She felt a nudge on her shoulder.
She turned, half-expecting it to have been a random muscle spasm or even a sensation from the realm-jumping she had been doing earlier. When she concentrated hard, she sometimes lost her grounding.
But then she saw that there was someone standing just behind her.
She flicked her audio to ambient and looked up. “Oh, Giles. You scared me!” she said, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
Giles pulled a console chair next to her. “No I didn’t,” he told her. “You could have an armed warrior sneak up next to you, and you’d be ready to poke his eyes out with your elbow.
Arlene turned back to her document, her face perfectly straight. “That is true.”
Giles chuckled. “So, I have news,” he offered.
Arlene continued studying her screens, flicking between one and another as if she were on the brink of a meaningful breakthrough. “Uh huh,” she muttered.
Giles leaned back in his chair. “Yeah. You want the good news or the bad?”
Arlene leaned forward a little, and turned her head toward him. She narrowed her eyes. “Gimme the bad first. Always.”
Giles grinned. “The bad news is, I need to take you with me.”
Arlene tried her best to look annoyed. “And the good news?” she asked.
Giles’ grin spread a little wider. “The good news is, the general has put us onto the Orn thing. We can leave wherever we want.” He rocked a little in the console chair, waiting for the praise to follow.
Arlene didn’t answer and went back to her screens.
Giles sat up suddenly. “What? What’s the problem?” he pressed.
Arlene minimized her holo screens and turned to him. “What’s the problem?” she repeated his question, a hint of frustration in her voice now.
Giles eyes opened in bewilderment. “Yeah.”
Arlene clasped her hands together on her lap. “I’ll tell you what the problem is! Apart from the fact that only a few weeks ago you went and surrendered your sorry ass to a known terrorist organization. Apart from that, and the hell you put us all through…you left me.”
Giles’ eyes wrinkled up in confusion. “What? When?” he asked, searching his memory.
Arlene frowned at him. “Seventy years ago. We had a row, and I thought we were going to figure it out. And then I came home one evening and you were just…gone.”
Giles’ mouth dropped open. “I left because you told me to!”
Arlene scowled at him. “I did no such thing!”
—
FROM MICHAEL >>> I’m boarding a plane, and need to drop this quick. If you haven’t check out the stuff below!
CHECK OUT Ell speaking English 1.0 (the King’s English) Here on http://lawnfairies.com (a shout out to the Pitchfork and Matches group who helped name the website!)
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