Terry Henry Walton Short Story

by | Jul 19, 2017 | ,

Wednesday Terry Henry Walton Short Story

 

The World According to Clovis

     So many people! I love people! the dog thought. Hear me roar in joy!

     The coonhound puppy barked and barked until he was picked up.

     Wow! I sing the song of my people and someone picks me up! Look at that food! I love being picked up!

     “Shh, little puppy. Look at those big eyes. Who’s a good boy?” said a woman with blue eyes and a silver streak in her otherwise black hair.

     Who? I have to know! Who’s a good boy? Clovis asked, whimpering, engrossed in anticipation. Ooh. Have to pee. Ah, all better now. Where were we?

     “Clovis!” the pretty young woman said, holding the puppy at arm’s length as she looked at the wet spot on her pants leg.

     Wow! Look at that sammich. That little boy has a sammich. Put me down!Clovis thought. Almost in response. He was set gently on the ground. He bolted like greased lightning.

     At least that’s what he thought as he stumbled and tripped his way to the proffered sandwich. With one superdog leap, he cleared the final blades of grass. His dog mouth wrapped around the sandwich and his terrifying assault ripped it from the young boy’s grip. The child started to cry.

     Clovis gulped the sandwich down. Sammich and play! I love people. An older woman started to chase him and he ran, dodging under a table, among chairs, and between legs until she gave up.

     “Shoo, you mangy cur!”

     Another dog! Where’d you come from? Clovis growled and snapped, prancing back and forth in challenge to his fellow canine. The wolf bitch raised a paw and smacked the puppy on the head.

     Ow! Clovis cried and started to whimper. What did you do that for?

     Go away, she told him.

     I want to be big like you! Clovis said, happy once again, the surprise and pain of being on the wrong end of a wolf’s paw long forgotten.

     “Clovis!” the pretty young woman called. The dog looked around, but couldn’t see her. When he turned back he had to dodge out of the way as the wolf tried to pee on him.

     Hey! Clovis squatted and peed in the same spot, to add his mark to the wolf’s stench

     “What did you get into?” Clovis looked back to see two hands wrap around his sides and pick him up. Her round human face came close and sniffed. His tongue lashed out and caught her nose. She tickled his nose back. He liked her. Clovis licked her fingers. He tasted jerky. Which reminded him. He was hungry.

***

      Clovis thought the ledge had been lower. He’d always jumped onto it without issue, but it just seemed higher today. “Come on, boy,” the tall and dark-skinned man called. He was heading to the barn where he kept some of the cows. It used to be fun chasing the cows, but then the human… all the yelling …it was still worth it. After getting kicked, Clovis decided that maybe his humans were right.

     He panted as he loped after the man. It was just them while the others were gone. Did they leave yesterday? Maybe months ago? Clovis couldn’t remember. The females had their work and the males had their manly work. Clovis chose the manly work, in the pasture, with the cows.

     Auburn looked at Clovis’s graying face. “We need to build you a ramp, don’t we old boy?” he asked. Clovis cocked his head one way, and then the other. He wasn’t sure what the man was saying, but he talked all the time. Clovis listened because it was his job. The female had said so.

     The barn was packed with cattle. Auburn moved them to clear the way so he could get past. Clovis stayed on his heels.

     “It’s about time, isn’t it girl?” he asked the cow struggling with labor. Crimson was there, Alabama’s boy. He had been there all along and whistled as she got close. Auburn wanted to be there at the birth, just in case. Crimson was still training. He hadn’t seen it all yet.

     Clovis stared at the process. He stood mouth slack as he watched. He’d seen it before, but it always amazed him how big cows could poop out baby cows. Clovis always looked and sniffed at his, wondering why he never produced a puppy. He figured that he wasn’t eating the right stuff.

     Auburn was relaxed and calm which made Clovis calm. The calf was born without issues, and the big man cleared the way so they could leave. They didn’t go to the house, though, but the stable where the human hitched the horse to their cart. He waved for Clovis to jump in, but it was too high.

     Clovis whimpered. I’ll just run alongside, if that’s okay, he thought.

     “You ride up here with me!” the nice man said, getting down to pick Clovis up and put him up front.

     I can see the whole world from up here! he exclaimed as he sat on the padded bench next to the human. The ride was fraught with danger and adventure as Clovis imagined crazed beasts attacking from all sides. He barked at them as the man rubbed his back and held him close.

     The cart rolled into the main community of North Chicago and Clovis’s favorite spot, the park where there were always other dogs and people. Children mostly. He loved the children.

     When the cart stopped, Clovis leaned over the edge to jump down.

     “Hang on, boy,” the man said kindly. He got down first and walked around, where he could get a good grip and lower the old coonhound to the ground. Clovis wagged his tail furiously. He loped away, looking for something to eat, until he heard a voice.

     The musical voice of the one with glowing blue eyes. He hoped she had some jerky. She did last time he saw her. Was that yesterday? It didn’t matter, even yesterday was forever long ago.

     He saw her! There with the others. My whole pack. Holy crap! He ran toward them, reveling in his speed. He leapt for her. A big man stepped in the way and caught Clovis. “Hey buddy!” Terry said, holding Clovis close.

     Terry leaned close to Cordelia so Clovis could lick her face. “When are you going to train this dog?”

Find out more about Craig Martelle, his books, and his life in Alaska at http://www.craigmartelle.com

The Arcadian Druid – Snippet 3 and Video update!

by | Jul 17, 2017 | , ,

The Arcadian Druid

Tales of the Feisty Druid Book 1
By: Candy Crum and Michael Anderle

Chapter Two

Talia took her time as she made her way through the Academy, looking over every square inch as Amelia, the former Dean of Students and current Chancellor of Arcadia, showed her around and gave her a bit of the history on the building.

She’d heard about the great Academy her entire life, but she’d never been there. All she had to go on were stories and descriptions, but it was obvious everything had changed.

She narrowed her eyes as she looked to where a large statue of the past Chancellor had once stood.

“Is everything alright?” Amelia asked as she looked Talia over.

“What used to stand here?” Talia asked. Most of the rubble had been cleared, but there were still scars from where the damage had taken place.

“Ah,” Amelia said, her sweet voice suddenly turning cold. “A statue. The former Chancellor, Adrien, had it erected in his honor.” She shook her head then added, “He was a real son of a bitch. Anyway, now that he’s gone, the sculpture is, too.”

Talia stared at the area for a moment longer before looking to Amelia. “Now that you’re Chancellor, will you put another in place? One of you perhaps?”

Amelia laughed. “Oh, no. I’d never do something like that. I always hated looking at it. The monstrosity was a gigantic reminder of whose thumb I was constantly under, that everyone was under. It wasn’t a good life to live. Fear and insecurity don’t have a place in the Academy—not anymore! I’m sure we’ll put something there in time, but for now, it sure as hell won’t be anything quite so selfish and pathetic.”

Talia forced a smile as she continued following her tour guide. She’d heard terrible things about the Chancellor from several people, but she wanted to know how Amelia felt in particular. “Was the Chancellor really that bad?”

Amelia stopped, clearly thinking of a proper response before turning back to Talia. “I’ve never seen or met anyone like him. He was charismatic and intelligent, well-spoken and powerful.”

“Well, that doesn’t sound so bad,” Talia sighed. “In fact, it sounds like everything a Chancellor should be.”

Amelia gave a sad smile, her eyes telling Talia just how much she was holding back. “You’re very right. That’s everything a person in power should be. However, he was also cold, cruel. He was a vengeful man, and he killed a lot of innocent people. Children even!”

“It sounds like Arcadia went through terrible times with him,” Talia said.

Amelia nodded down the corridor. “Let’s move on,” she said, obviously wanting to leave the old site of the statue. After a few steps, she spoke again. “I still have trouble sleeping because I know I helped him—even if I had no idea what he was doing, what he was trying to accomplish.”

“Well, it seems like the city has a brand-new chance. If things go right, this city will get everything it deserves,” Talia said. “I can assure you of that.”

Stopping, Amelia placed a hand on Talia’s shoulder. “That’s why I was so happy when you applied. Someone from far away that had no experience with him or even knew much about him. Believe me, Talia. You’ll have a great start here at thenew Academy. You’ll be in the position that I held for so long. As Dean, you have the opportunity to do wonderful things for this school, and unlike my predecessor, I can use my new position to help you see those through.”

Talia nodded. “So, you believe you can lead the Academy back from the darkness he left behind, Chancellor Amelia?”

“Even with things so strained, this city has more hope than ever,” Amelia said, “and it’s all because of a teenage girl from the Boulevard. It’s all because the people of this city came together and fought for what’s right, for what’s theirs. It’s so inspiring. Please, let me show you to your office. You’re gonna love it. Trust me!”

Amelia began ascending the stairs, Talia close behind. Talia paused, taking one last look down the hallway to where the statue of Adrien once stood.
​
No… You will certainly be the last person that I trust, she thought before faking an excited smile and following the newest Chancellor to the Dean’s office.

Check out the video update from Candy at YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXzl-llzls0&t=5s

You can find out more infromation about Candy Crum and see her other books at http://www.candycrumbooks.com

 

The Arcadian Druid – Snippet 2

by | Jul 16, 2017 | ,

The Arcadian Druid, Tales of the Feisty Druid Book One

Snippet 2

By Candy Crum and Michael Anderle

Chapter One
Present Day – Ten Years Later

The intense, morning sun was bright enough to shine through the thick canopy of leaves overhead as Arryn prepared for the day.
She made her way outside of her small cabin that was expertly crafted out of live trees by magic, bending and shaping them into a thriving home. Walking down the steps made of stone, she stopped to take in the morning view.
The ground was particularly cool against Arryn’s bare feet. It had rained the night before, and the sun hadn’t yet risen enough to allow the dirt to completely dry. Still, it was dry enough for her to walk around without her boots, and that was good enough for her.
Like the druids she’d come to call family, she preferred to explore the area barefoot. In training, battle, and normal, everyday living, the druids went without shoes of any kind. The constant connection to the ground below always kept them close to nature and allowed them to better access magic at all times.
Only when it rained or on journeys did they prefer to wear shoes.
Over the years, she’d grown to enjoy it just as much. It didn’t matter to her that she’d been adopted into their ways instead of being naturally born there—she loved them. The druids’ peaceful way of life allowed her to be free. Free in every way.
Several of her friends were up and wandering around, but she could easily sneak away. Those few moments alone always brought her joy.
Arryn had only made it a few hundred feet away from camp when she felt something slither around her left ankle. She gasped and jumped, trying to pull away, but it held strong.
Then, something wrapped around her right ankle, tugging a little as it did. Another gasp escaped her throat as her heart began to pound. She looked down to see thick, leafy vines encircling her legs.
Her face fell, and her eyes narrowed as a heavy sigh escaped her. “Oh, hell,” she said to herself just before her feet were pulled out from under her.
She landed hard on the ground, the air rushing out of her lungs in a loud oof! She silently thanked whatever gods could hear her that it had rained, and the firm ground beneath her was softer that morning.
Arryn sighed in defeat, lying there, ankles tied together. She defiantly crossed her arms over her chest like an angry child. “Who the hell needs enemies when I have the two of you?”
Wild laughter at her expense echoed through the immediate area, only irritating her further.
“Come, now,” Elysia giggled. “You can’t blame us entirely, now can you?”
Arryn looked to her right to see Elysia and Cathillian standing there, both with mischievous grins on their faces.
The elusive and mythical druids… Arryn had heard tales about them as a child, but no one really believed they existed.
Oh, they existed alright.
And they were assholes.
But they were only assholes if they liked you, and only if they cared enough to teach you to always be on guard and never lose focus. Otherwise, they were just piss-your-pants terrifying.
Arryn, however, was not amused.  Still wearing her smile, Elysia looked around the forest as she inhaled deeply, no doubt taking in the scent of the early morning air.
Cathillian locked eyes with Arryn, the smirk on his face telling her he was very pleased with his prank.  “It never fails!” he said. “You have to do better than that. Always keep your senses up! If you don’t close yourself off to nature, it’ll warn you of impending dangers. How do you think we know when something wanders into the Forest?” He tapped on the side of his head. “Guard’s always up.”
Arryn kept her position on the ground as she let him lecture her about the usual. Her mind always wandered a bit. Being in tune with nature one hundred percent of the time didn’t come easy for her. It was something a druid was taught from day one to do, but she had to work hard.
Elysia always played little harmless pranks on her to remind her to open up. Cathillian, was just as bad. He was a damn good warrior, but his magic was a bit weaker in comparison.
Though, that wasn’t saying much as he was one of the strongest warriors that they had, and he was also the grandson of the Chieftain which meant his magic was nothing shy of strong. Unfortunately for him, he was always a total scatterbrain. Not much better than Arryn in that department.
And she planned to remind him of that.  As he prattled on, a large bird landed in the tree next to them. It was a golden eagle, not unlike Cathillian’s own familiar, Echo, though much smaller by comparison.
More specifically, the eagle landed on a thick branch just overhead of Cathillian. Arryn furrowed her brows and nodded her head, feigning sincere interest in his lecture.
He was so sure of himself that he didn’t notice the slight shift in the position of her eyes as she focused on the bird. She felt the connection to the eagle, allowing her to communicate wordlessly through her magic. It looked down at Arryn, and the corner of her mouth turned up as she pointedly looked over to Cathillian.
With a familiar—animals that have a much deeper, magical connection to their druid—the communication happens seamlessly. The effects are unpredictable with random wildlife, though the bird seemed happy enough to entertain her.
The bird unfurled its large wings for a moment before settling in, shaking its tail feathers a little, and shitting directly on top of Cathillian’s head.
Arryn laughed hard—almost too hard.
“Oh, my,” Elysia said, sharing in the laughter as well. “I suppose you should take your own advice, son.”
“You’re no better!” Cathillian argued, wiping the mess from the front of his face where it had run down his forehead. “You didn’t even notice she was casting!”
Elysia shrugged. “I was taking in the morning. Perhaps we should all take lessons on keeping our guard up.” She looked over to Arryn, smile still on her face and winked. “Nice one.”
“Thanks. So, uh… You guys planning to let me go any time today? Or should I plan to forage on—” she looked to each side of her “—these lovely ferns here? I’m sure they’re delicious.”
With only a wave of Elysia’s hand, the vines unraveled, and Arryn was freed. Cathillian made his way over, and Arryn put her finger in the air.
“No! No, you just stay right there, sir.”
Cathillian gave a devious smile. “Aw, but I just wanted to help you up.”
Arryn knew better. She shook her head. “Nope. Not with that on your hands. You just stay right over there, shit head.” She looked up, thinking over her witty retort for a moment before laughing hard all over again. “Oh, damn. You’re not living that one down.”
“Jerk,” Cathillian said, waving his hand a bit. A few clumps of mud lifted from the ground and hit her directly in the side of the head, sticking to her hair and rolling down onto her shoulder.
Arryn sat there, shocked for a moment before jumping to her feet. “Oh, you’re gonna die now, bitch!”
The two had grown up together as best friends. Always arguing. Always sparring. Always playing pranks. It wasn’t unheard of for one to attack the other, especially when there was a single step taken too far.
“Arryn!” Elysia said, stepping between the two. “It’s such a beautiful morning. You should walk with me to the river. We’ll clean that mess outta your hair.”
“Can I come? Because I have far worse than a little dirt in mine,” Cathillian said, looking to Arryn. “Besides, she wants to kill me, and I can’t pass up the opportunity to show her up.”
He winked, earning an eye roll from Arryn.
“After that speech you gave, I assumed you were one with all of your surroundings, son. Right? I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” Elysia said with an exaggerated smile before turning to walk away.
Arryn bit her lip to keep from laughing or slinging another insult his way.
She loved Elysia like a mother, though she’d never been raised to think of her that way. Elysia showed Arryn the love and affection that any mother shows her children, but Arryn was more like a friend of the family, and Elysia was her godmother.
“That wasn’t the first time I’ve caught you wandering off alone,” Elysia said. Though her words might have suggested that she was irritated or upset, her voice was as warm as it usually was. “You know how I feel about that.”
Arryn didn’t answer right away. They walked in silence as Arryn tried to pull larger globs of mud from her hair, but instead only pressed them in further. Her nose scrunched as she pulled her hand away and saw just how dirty it was, knowing her hair was even worse. She wiped it on her brown, leather pants.
“I know how you feel about it, and I’m sorry,” Arryn finally responded.
“I don’t need to tell you that large beasts lurk in the woods, even in the peaceful Dark Forest. They, too, find their way in. They aren’t quite as deterred by thick walls of thorns and brush as humans. There’s never a shortage of food sources here because of our people. It attracts animals of all kinds. You know better than most why I fear anyone wandering off alone. Everyone travels in pairs.”
Arryn absolutely knew why Elysia had such an issue with traveling in solitude…

To be continued… Keep checking in to the Age of Magic and Kurtherian Gambit fan pages for more updates on snippets!

The book releases soon, so you won’t have to wait too much longer. Tuesday July 18th!

To check out Candy Crum and her other books http://www.candycrumbooks.com

 

Nomad’s Force – Snippet 6!

by | Jul 14, 2017 | ,

Nomad’s Force

Terry Henry Walton Chronicles, Book 9

Snippet 6

UNEDITED

By Craig Martelle and Michael Anderle

Manhattan

     Butch and Skippy ran into the brush to get away from where the pod could have been seen. They remained under cover in what used to be Central Park. It had deteriorated to where it was like a jungle.

     And probably as dangerous, they thought. They sniffed and listened, using their Werewolf sentences to the utmost of their abilities.

     Wild animals. A group of unwashed humans. All of them could be easily avoided. Butch and Skippy looked at each before stripping, bundling their clothes into their backpacks, and changing into Were form.

     Two Werewolves moved through the brush, barely making a sound as they circled wide of the humans. The started to run when they hit an open area, scattering squirrels and deer alike.

     Once into Midtown, they slowed, found a secluded alley, and changed back into human form. They dressed, put on their backpacks, and continued toward lower Manhattan, the financial district which Akio had indicated was starting to make a comeback.

     Terry and Char had been to New York City a few times after the fall, but always to Brooklyn or Queens. Manhattan was a new twist.

     “Maybe they commute?” Skippy said. “Is the subway running?”

     Butch chuckled out loud. “Maybe.”

     When they left the alley, an older man was leaning against the wall, watching them.

     “Hello there,” he said. Skippy sniffed the air, smelling the man’s faint odor. They hadn’t been paying attention when they were changing. He cursed himself for losing his focus. Terry’s warnings raged back into his head.

     Butch took it in stride. “You like to watch? So does he,” she said smoothly nodding toward Skippy. “Where do you live?”

     He looked sideways at her, admiring her beauty. Brown hair, brown eyes, and slender. She put on her most winning smile as she walked toward the man. He took a step back.

     Not a street tough, she thought. Skippy remained where he was, letting Butch make her play.

     “I’m just out for a walk, but when I saw you. You’re one fine woman,” the man managed to stammer.

     An older man in a place where men die young. He was exactly what Butch was looking for.

     “And I’m looking for the right man,” Butch said in her New York accent. She approached him fearlessly and took his arm in both her hands. “Let’s go to your place. I hope it’s not far.”

     Butch smiled adoringly at the man. He hesitated for only a moment, never taking his eyes from the Werewolf.

     He started walking with Butch at his side having completely forgotten about Skippy.

     Skippy stayed back, hoping that the man would continue to ignore him.

     “It’s not far, my pretty,” he said softly. I’m set up with a small group, but it’s nice and we have plenty of privacy.”

     Butch signaled behind her back, pointing and shaking her hand. Skippy had no idea what she was trying to say. She kept looking at the older man, so she never saw Skippy shrug and shake his head.

     “What do you do here, where you can stand around and watch a young lady get dressed?” Butch asked.

     “I work in the steel mill. Twelve hour shifts, six days a week, and they pay us in food. It’s a good deal. I never go hungry and have lots of time to do what I want,” the man replied proudly.

     They continued toward Lower Manhattan for two blocks and then turned west at the Empire State building. Butch and Skippy looked closely, wondering if the old girl was going to fall on them. The bricks in the street suggested bits and pieces were coming off. When would the structural integrity fail?

     A question best left to engineers and philosophers, neither of whom were there.

     “I’m Dwayne, by the way. I didn’t get your name,” he said.

     “My name is Beatrice, but I don’t think you want to die, so don’t call me that. I go by Butch. And my partner back there is Skippy.” She stabbed a thumb over her shoulder.

     “Partner? As in business partner?” Dwayne ventured.

     “No. As in life partner, husband, taking the bone canoe for a ride. That kind of partner. Listen, Dwayne.” Butch stopped and turned him toward her. “You’ve made me reconsider what I intended to do. I was going to kill you, move into your place, and take all your stuff. But I can’t do that, now. There was never a chance of us getting together, so that’s out, but what we really want is food and shelter. If we can join your group, get a place to stay, and then maybe get jobs at the mill, that would be perfect for us.”

     Dwayne was taken aback, his hopes for a wild evening with the beautiful woman dashed. He got angry and grabbed her arm. She took hold of his hand with hers and squeezed until he cried out. She continued the pressure until he fell to his knees.

     “You’ll notice that we have certain skills and if you’re community needs people to protect them, we can do that, too. You will feel safe with us around once we give you our word,” Butch explained.

     “How can we trust you?”

     “I could just kill you and be done with it. I told you exactly what we want and what we can provide in return. Our actions will earn your trust if we give you a chance. Now, please don’t grab me again,” Butch told the older man as she let go of his hand.

     He rubbed it and carefully stood up. He looked back and forth, then bowed his head. “This way.”

______________________________

I have a truck, and we had a few yards of gravel delivered because I need to have a ready stock for landscaping to control water run off and to fill those pesky sinkholes when they crop up. The road to our place from the main road gets zero maintenance from the city as its beyond where they’ll go. We have some potholes and they have become rather extensive making it an obstacle course to drive a quarter of a mile. So I put a blue tarp in the back of my truck and shoveied in half a ton of gravel. I paced myself so I didn’t run out of air.

And then I drove the truck to the potholes, collecting some rocks along the sides of the road along the way. I filled the deepest holes with big rocks and then shoveled the gravel, complete with fines on top. As of this morning, the repairs are holding nicely. I am pleased. I have one more load to clean up our street the rest of the way to the main road. I will leave a few because we can’t have people speeding down our road. Phyllis and I are out there way too much to deal with fast traffic. Traffic is defined as one car every two hours.

Barnes & Noble Fairbanks supports indie authors and I’m doing a book signing on August 26th! They will have a number of my titles available for sale and will put some marketing horsepower behind the effort. I’ll tag people I know and hopefully, there will be some interest for the event. I’ll keep everyone posted via Facebook.

In the interim, here’s a link to my other books. If you haven’t checked them out, stop by my author page and take a look.

http://www.amazon.com/Craig-Martelle/e/B01AQVF3ZY

 

Might Makes Right – TKG 18 – Snippet 01 of …

by | Jul 13, 2017 | ,

UNEDITED

QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Park – 4 months after First Battle at Karillian

The two women set up near their favorite tree. It had grown in the years from when they had first used it as a backdrop for their reports, but it was still recognizable.

One woman ran a hand through her hair, the other winked at her from behind her HUD Reporting setup.

Not that Giannini could see Sia’s wink.

There were a total of five drone cameras around Sia, with one high overhead getting the setting shot.  Giannini would always be amazed at Sia’s ability to control so many input streams.

“Hello,” Giannini spoke to Sia, “My name is Giannini Oviedo, and I’m coming to you from the Mark Billingsly Park inside the QBBS Merideth Reynolds inside the Etheric Empire. This is our first report before additional Etheric Empire’s ships leave to further support the Karilleans in their fight with the Leath.”

Outside of the view of the camera’s, two men glided through the tree’s, their eyes flicking everywhere, searching out everyone and looking for anything that might give them the hint the two women were in danger.

Giannini continued speaking over the top of some action video of a battle. “We will have an interview with the Empress later today, but we were able to confirm the video’s that have circulated of her activity and actions on the Yaree’s or Karillian’s home world are correct. Empress Bethany Anne, Stephen, Gabrielle, John Grimes, Eric Escobar, Darryl Jackson and Scott English are seen in these video’s fighting the Leath from an odd pyramid structure in a jungle.”

Sia cut back to Giannini only, “Now, we have video provided by Cheryl Lynn taken from the HUD of those fighting.” Giannini looked straight into the camera.

“If you are bothered by violent death, please turn your channel now.”

 

QBBS Merideth Reynolds – Main Military Meeting Room

“We are,” Admiral Thomas answered Bethany Anne’s question, “probably outmatched on ships production by 50% in ships hulls and 80% on existing tonnage.”

The Admiral listened to an update, thought about his response and added, “The ships are, class by class, close but not equivalent to our capabilities. However, with their numbers and very little luck, they could take us in a major action so long as it is not here in our system. We are dropping puck defensive satellites as quick as we can right now.”

“How many attacks,” Bethany Anne asked, “have we had in Karillian by them in the last four months?”

“Three,” he answered. While both of them knew these answers, the many operations people in the large meeting room were put on notice. They should know all of this information as well. It wasn’t as if most didn’t know, since the updates for each attack by the Leath into Karillian space were shared, but tiny questions like these helped everyone focus on the questions at hand.

Bethany Anne raised an eyebrow. “Timing?”

“Exactly twenty-two point four days apart.” He answered.

“Another one in?” She asked.

“Three days, four hours, twelve minutes.” Admiral Thomas replied.

Bethany Anne paused a moment.

TOM, why are they so predictable?

The Phraim-‘Eh clan are very regimented in their belief system. However that major clan is broken down into five smaller clans. One of them, the K’gurth, are regimented to a fault.

That is a Kurtherian assessment?

No, that is a Kurtherian with years and years of working with humans assessment. Most Kurtherian’s would see the symmetry of the math and revel in it. So, we would, perhaps, love the math and believe that the math is sacrosanct, to mess with it would upset the meaning of the accomplishments.

So, they won’t change?

We don’t know that it is the K’gurth clan, it might be one of the other four. Even so, it depends on how much the Leath themselves believe in the rightness of the plan, before they change it.

Well, that’s annoying that it could change at any time.

Very.

She spoke to the group, “TOM says that the likely clan of Kurtherian’s behind the Leath revel in the math of symmetry. However, we can’t absolutely depend on them always being so regimented, as the Leath themselves might have more leeway with what they choose to do.

“Well, that’s annoying,” General Lanced Reynolds grumped.

“Very,” Admiral Thomas agreed to the general chuckles of the group. A dependable opponent was a god send. A dependable opponent who could change when you most needed them to stay dependable was an invitation to have your ass handed to you at the worst possible moment.

Hey. That’s what we said!

Like father, like daughter she replied.

 

FROM MICHAEL >>> WORKING, I’m WORKING 😉

Actually, ALL of us are working, or down sick.  Well, except that CM Raymond – He is going on vacation (I joke, he will have his words complete before he leaves Saturday for us.)

Even Andrew Dobell is slamming together covers for us at an alarming rate as he and his family go on vacation for the last third of July.

Speaking of Andrew, many of you know that when I met him, he was a doing many different jobs (primarily wedding photoshoots) to keep his family fed. However, what he wanted to do was produce stories and work on creative projects for his artwork.

At the time we spoke last year, he had one book out (and the book been out for a while, not producing income) and was working on his second.  Fast forward fifteen months, and Andrew has completed two trilogies, has just finished his LAST wedding shoot and is looking forward to another productive year (again, thanks in large part to YOU).

Sorry ladies, but when you are newlyweds, some of you can cause a wedding photo person to lose all of their hair… (Wait, that’s not a comment on Andrews going bald or anything, right?)

Yes, yes it is 😉

ANYWAY… I want to let those who are following Andrew’s career know that his ELEVENTH TITLE is out (he even has a coloring book) – This book is The Prometheus Trap!

books2read.com/PrometheusTrap

AVAILABLE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED

The Prometheus Trap (The New Prometheus Book 3)

It was a routine mission, saving some more victims of the Corporations greed, but it turned into a nightmare. Now you’re alone, separated from your team, with a superior cybernetic killer hunting you down inside a building from which there’s no escape, could you survive?

The Nano Liberation, instigated by Frankie and her team at the A.C.T. freed billions from the tyranny of the Corporations rule, but the Corporations aren’t going to go down without a fight.

While the former victims of the Corporations rule start to stand up for themselves and fight back, the Corporations move to regain their power, killing these innocents and blackmailing officials.

Frankie and the A.C.T. find themselves stretched as they try to respond to every report of Corporation violence. When they head into the Undercity, into one of the huge support buildings, it seems like just another mission, until the ambush.

Outclassed and outgunned by cybernetic mercenaries hired by Psytech, Frankie finds herself separated from her strike team, trapped inside the building and disconnected from the outside world.
Now she is being hunted down by Hellion and her team, an elite strike force that will stop at nothing to kill Frankie.

Now Frankie must survive in a hostile environment, find her team and somehow find a way to fight back against a bigger, superior and bloodthirsty mercenary group.

This new Cyberpunk action thriller, the third book in The New Prometheus Series, is available now!

CLICK HERE to read / review the inside or buy at YOUR local Amazon: books2read.com/PrometheusTrap

 

The Arcadian Druid – Snippet 1

by | Jul 13, 2017 | ,

The Arcadian Druid

Tales of the Feisty Druid: Book One

The Arcadian Druid is the first book in a new series in the Age of Magic Universe.

Snippet 1

UNEDITED

By Candy Crum and Michael Anderle

Prologue
Ten Years Ago

        Matriarch… Patriarch… Please don’t let her die like this. She must survive. 
Silent prayers filled Elayne’s mind; her arms held her young daughter tightly on the horse as they raced through the woods. The Hunters weren’t far behind, and death was sure to accompany them.
          The druid said she is extraordinary. Arryn must live. Her mind focused on the promise, to the hope the druid provided.
Elayne pleaded to the old gods as she ducked under a tree branch. Please accept my sacrifice and save her life. I believe she would serve you well.
The sound of iron-clad hooves thundering against the damp ground echoed through the night air, assaulting their ears. The cool wind whipped the coarse mane of their spotted horse into Arryn’s face. She closed her eyes tight as Elayne cradled her tighter.
The darkness scared Arryn, and she wasn’t quite certain if it was the heavy fog that had settled in the woods or the pounding of the two horses in stride behind them that terrified her more. Things lurked in the darkness—large things with ferocious teeth—especially in the fog, but the greatest threat right then were the Hunters not far behind them. They may not have claws, but they had magitech.
Weapons far worse and much more lethal.
Now, riding on the back of a horse whose thundering hooves carried them further away from Arcadia and closer to freedom, Elayne and Arryn silently prayed that they be delivered to safety—to Elysia, the Druid they had met in the Dark Forest. Free from the Hunters who Elayne could now see were getting closer. Free from Adrien. Free from death.
“Arryn,” Elayne said, her voice trembling with fear. She knew the words that she needed to say, but they killed her to speak them. Tears welled in her eyes, knowing what she was about to do. “I love you. I love you so much.”
Arryn’s entire body stiffened in Elayne’s arms at the sound of her voice, and she knew that her daughter was far more aware of their situation than a small girl should have been.
“No! You can’t! Please!” her daughter pleaded, somehow knowing exactly what was about to happen.
Elayne had heard that very same tone that she’d just taken in her husband’s voice before he’d pulled them both to his chest. He’d hugged them and then forced them to run while he sacrificed himself to the Hunters to buy them time to escape. But it didn’t take long for the Hunters to catch on, and now Elayne sounded just as desperate.
“It has to be this way, baby. I can’t let you die when I can stop it.” Her mother blinked the tears away. “Remember, you have greatness in you. One of these days, you will come back and save our people. Help them, guide them.” Elayne squeezed her daughter’s waist with the arm that held her in place. “You know where to go. You know what you must do. You’ll be safe there.”
Arryn began to cry. Elayne felt the tears drip from the girl’s cheeks down onto the bare skin of the arm that she had wrapped around her waist. There was no way to know if Christopher had survived, and now Elayne planned to sacrifice herself as well.
It didn’t matter as long as their daughter lived…
The sting in her eyes fought the pain in her chest as she continued instructing her only child. “Please. Do this for me. For your father. Don’t let us die in vain. Let this be our victory—let your full life be our victory. One day, Arryn, one day you will make this right. Return to Arcadia when you’re strong enough and take it back. Do what we couldn’t.”
Her daughter was too young to understand the love a parent carried for their child, but she certainly understood her love for her parents. Elayne hoped that it was enough to drive the girl forward and allow her never to look back.
“Arryn, promise me!” Elayne demanded, her own need to hear it come back coloring her request.
“I promise,” Arryn said, her small arm lifting to wipe away her own tears.
Elayne pulled hard on the reins, the horse crying out into the murky darkness as she did. He slowed to a stop, and Elayne quickly dismounted. She moved to the side and squeezed her daughter’s hand.
She pointed down the path. “Hold tight to the reins and head west. That’s all you need to know. Stay close to the water. She will find you and keep you safe. I love you!”
Arryn was barely able to choke out the words, “I love you,” before her mother slapped the horse’s rear, sending him into a full gallop.
Then, her mother turned from watching her daughter streak away, and settled herself in the middle of the path, waiting for those who would do her child wrong.

***

The girl wanted nothing more than to stop. She wanted to go back for her mother, but her instincts and the promise she made drove her forward.
The foggy darkness lit up bright orange behind her as the tortured screams of men echoed throughout the vast wooded land. Suddenly, a bright flash from a magitech weapon filled the sky, and the sound of her mother’s pain-filled screams reached her ears.
Then—there was nothing.
No horses. No men on foot. No voices. No screams. Just the sound of her horse running through the night, the tiny branches and ground giving way with every stride. She said another prayer that the Matriarch and Patriarch would take care of her heroic mother, knowing she’d just given her life to protect her.
Blinking the tears away, Arryn focused on moving faster to get to safety. The Dark Forest was a long ride away. The horse would need to stop for water, and she would need to sleep, but fear and desperation pushed her. Her mother had told her to head west and stay close to the water, so she found the Kalt river and travelled along the edge.
Horse and rider traveled as long as they could before her horse couldn’t go any farther.
Being outside of a city was new, was scary. After a not-so-restful sleep from losing her mother and anything familiar she’d ever known, she and her misappropriated stallion carried on.
They traveled in search of the druid, Elysia, the woman who only a few months prior had vowed to care for Arryn in any emergency to repay a life debt. As Arryn approached the edge of the lush Dark Forest, Arryn saw people waiting for her.
Elysia was standing there with several other druids. Arryn saw another familiar face with those standing—Elysia’s son, Cathillian.
Somehow, the druid Elder had known of her coming. How she knew wasn’t important to Arryn at the moment, but the success of her parents’ sacrifice, was.
Arryn pulled back on the reins and slowed her horse before slowly climbing off. Taking the reins in her hand and walking alongside him with tears in her eyes, she approached Elysia and the others.
“Oh, Arryn,” Elysia said, opening her arms to the young one.
Elysia took in a deep breath. The young girl’s presence without her mother could only mean both of her parent’s sacrificed all for her child. Elysia’s expression was warm, but sad. It held the weight of young Arryn’s reality.
Arryn dropped the reins some ten feet from the group and ran into Elysia’s arms, the tears finally releasing in a torrent, overflowing. Cathillian stepped forward, placing a hand on her back. She turned her head over to see who was touching her, and he brushed the black hair from her face.
“I’m sorry about your parents,” he said in a small, fragile voice. She watched with her eyes as he turned his face to the horse, and with a wave of his hand, her stallion approached. Cathillian took hold of the reins and turned to face her once again. “You have a home here now.”
Arryn pulled back off of Elysia’s shoulder and nodded to him. “Mourn tonight, child,” Elysia told her, gently stroking Arryn’s right cheek with her thumb. “Tomorrow is a new day, and we will go to the river to honor them. Tomorrow, you’ll say your goodbyes. They will rest well knowing that you’re safe.”
The words pierced Arryn’s heart.
Her mother had said as much. Arryn’s life would be her mother’s victory. If she wasted her life wishing for other outcomes, she would dishonor her. As Arryn turned and looked into the eyes of the beautiful, golden-haired druid, she knew that her parents’ judgement had been well placed.
All Arryn could see was the kindness of her heart, and the smile of a mother.
All Arryn could think about was realizing the future that Elysia had seen for her the day they’d met. The power that Elysia had sensed in her.
Arryn nodded to the woman, promising herself she would become strong enough to return to Arcadia.
And she would avenge her parents.

To find out more about Candy Crum and to check out her other books: http://www.candycrumbooks.com