Might Makes Right – TKG 18 – Snippet 01 of …
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!
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
Nomad Supreme Audiobook Release!
The Arcadian Druid – Snippet 1
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
Terry Henry Walton Short Story
Wednesday Terry Henry Walton Short Story
The spring morning sent a misty fog rolling in from the lake. Kae liked to walk along the shore in the morning, a habit he’d picked up from his father. Everything the colonel fought for was so people like Kaeden could enjoy the peace and serenity of the world around them without having to be afraid.
Terry had insulated the people from the influences from the outside.
People. What Kae’s father meant was civilians, those not serving in the Force de Guerre.
Kaeden knew what his father meant. Many bristled at the term, but they wouldn’t say anything to the man who saved most of their lives by bringing them to North Chicago. And now they had running water and electricity, those things that soon came to be taken for granted. Kae wouldn’t forget. It was the FDG that made all things possible. And the FDG was Terry Henry Walton.
Kae thought he could do more good as a member of the fishing fleet and a defender of all things Terry Henry from outside the FDG. There was an unspoken barrier, even though Kae’s father did everything he could to keep the warriors integrated with the community—working the fields, helping in the kitchen, moving, cleaning, and building. Nothing was beneath or beyond them.
And still people bad-mouthed him. Terry sloughed it off. He didn’t shoot back. He defended their right to speak their mind. He also defended the right of people who didn’t want to listen to mindless drivel. Terry explained about the risks of a free society until he was blue in the face, but there were those who abused it on both sides.
“More control!” some screamed.
“We’re free, so why do we need a military?” others claimed. Kae found that he was better distancing himself from the whole conversation and simply leading by example. Enjoying the freedoms earned by the warriors, while living his life to the fullest, not bending a knee to anyone.
A ripple in the water distracted him. Someone swimming. A little cool, he thought, but stepped to the water’s edge and dipped a finger in. Too cold!
He looked at the swimmer wondering why he would tolerate that instead of going for a run where the weather was perfect. Kae planned to pound out some miles, run to the power plant and back before the fishing boat headed out.
“What are you looking at, perv?” Marcie called. Kae realized he’d been staring, but hadn’t been looking at her. Of course, it was Marcie. He saw the blond hair.
Now. She was hard to miss.
“Nothing! I was thinking about dad and the FDG.”
“I’m nothing, you say? You’re looking at a naked woman and thinking about your dad. I was right. You are a perv.” She motioned for him to turn around so she could get out.
He complied without question. When she cleared her throat, he turned around. She had her towel around her, but it didn’t cover much.
Kae did a double take.
“When did we grow up?” he asked softly.
“What do you mean?”
“You look incredible. I mean, it’s hard not to see how beautiful you were as we grew up, but I always thought of you as my younger sister. I am not thinking of you like that right now. My god, Marcie! You made my heart skip a beat.”
Kae looked uncomfortable while talking. He wasn’t one to share what he was feeling. He’d learned that from his father as much as his mother tried to break both of them from it. Kimber also kept her emotions inside, letting them stew until she exploded. Cory was helping her, even though she was younger than Marcie.
Beautiful Marcie.
“I don’t know what to say,” Marcie said softly as she moved closer. Kae’s breath caught as her towel dropped, seemingly of its own accord. She wrapped her arms around him and rubbed her cheek on his, whispering as her lips brushed his ear.
“Men chase women only until she catches him.”
Find out more about Craig Martelle at www.craigmartelle.com
Shades of Dark RELEASE!
Shades of Dark
The Hidden Magic Chronicles
We’re excited to announce that Shades of Dark is now available on Amazon. Check out the blurb and click the link below if you’re interested.
The Truth will set you free, but what happens when the Truth is a Lie?
Rhona and her paladin brother Alastar have left the protection of the Paladin’s, and are now hunted by the same group.
Feeling like he can still make a difference for the people, Alastar is looking for his version of the Holy Grail.
The search for the magical Sword of Light takes Rhona and Alastar to an island rumored to be haunted and overrun by remnant.
What they discover there will change the fate of Roneland, but in ways they never would have imagined.
Along the way, Alastar is surrounded by the people he needs, as his belief’s start falling to the reality of truth.
When you know the truth about magic… anything is possible.
Shades of Dark – Final Snippet
Shades of Dark
The Hidden Magic Chronicles Book 2
Final Snippet
UNEDITED
By Justin Sloan and Michael Anderle
Although her father had insisted they get a full night’s sleep before beginning their mission, Kia found that sleep didn’t come easily the night before riding off. Add in her worries about Rhona and the others, and she had only been able to sleep for a couple hours. The rest of the time was spent staring at the ceiling and flashing back to those sorcerers and their magic.
Her father had always told her to hide that her magic was different than the others. Not only had she skipped the phase where others saw spirits or familiars, but she could control fire without a nearby flame. No one else even considered that possible. While fighting to save their lives, it obviously hadn’t been such a big deal. Now she wondered where they stood on the issue.
When they went out to the surrounding clans, would she be expected to stand by and pretend like everything was normal, or would she serve as an example of how their situation had changed?
She finally gave up and, opening the door carefully to avoid waking her father, crept out into the early morning. The sun was still just a faint light beyond the clouds on the horizon, a distant glow that sent long shadows across the village.
She still found these people strange; the water mages and their kin. She had almost forgotten about the others visiting, the outsiders who had come seeking refuge after paladins or remnant had destroyed their homes. But as she made her way to the kitchens to see if there were any leftovers, she spotted a small boy by the river. He was moving his hands in a complicated pattern that resembled waves, so at first she expected to see him manipulating water. When she drew close, however, she saw that there was a wind spirit hovering before him, the two in some sort of staring contest.
“They’re not real, you know,” Kia said. Suddenly the wind spirit was gone and the boy leapt up, spinning to face her.
“I was just watching the water,” he said, face pale. His eyes narrowed as he took her in. “Oh, you! You’re that sympathizer girl, aren’t you? I’ve heard of you.”
“Excuse me?”
“The one who’s friends with a paladin.” He shook his head as if she should be ashamed. “The rest of us don’t appreciate that much.”
“So you speak for the rest of the clans, do you?” Kia folded her arms across her chest.
“Well, no, but my uncle says—”
“You uncle’s an idiot.”
The boy stepped forward, moving his hands again as his eyes turned black, but Kia held out her hand, palm up, and made a flame dance there. It was tiny, but threatened to be so much more.
“I dare you,” she challenged, smiling in the knowledge that the fire’s reflection would be casting creepy shadows across her face that added to the intimidation factor.
“My uncle saved me,” the boy muttered, eyes wide at the sight of the flame. He stumbled back and sat again, black fading from his eyes. “He wasn’t able to save my dad, but he saved me.”
Kia let her hand fall, knowing the answer before she asked. “Was it remnant or paladins?”
The boy gave her a look that confirmed her suspicion and then replied, “Paladins,” as if to rub salt in the wound.
“Not my friends,” she retorted. “The paladins are after them too, for betraying them. For turning from their ways and helping us.”
The boy looked doubtful. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
For a moment, the boy watched the darkness and the moon’s reflection on the water. Kia sat down beside him.
“I’m sorry about your dad.”
“Me too. And I know they’re not real…the spirits. Not like my dad was, anyway. But sometimes my uncle is too busy with clan responsibilities, and it’s nice to have someone to talk to.”
“Even if it’s an imaginary wind spirit?”
He nodded.
“You can talk to me.” She offered a smile, but he didn’t notice.
“Thanks.” He looked up, cautiously. “You know, I met them. The mystics that your friends traveled with.”
“You met actual mystics? The good ones, right? I mean, I heard the stories too, about the fight at the Fortress of Stirling, but to actually meet them…”
He smiled, proud now.
FROM JUSTIN >>> The final snippet before the book releases (today?). I hope you all are as excited as we are! We’re so excited, that book 3 is already underway.
So what’s next after you get the book? Get PT Hylton’s next one, because you know it’ll be great.
As for me, I have to get back to writing so that you don’t have long to wait for the next book.
Find out more about Justin Sloan and his books at http://www.justinsloanauthor.com
Nomad’s Force – Snippet 5
Nomad’s Force
Terry Henry Walton Chronicles, Book 9
Snippet 5
UNEDITED
By Craig Martelle and Michael Anderle
Kimber quickly sobered. “Dammit! I’m sorry, Gunny. We got carried away. I mean, I got carried away. Here’s the deal…” Kim explained the situation with the others adding when they thought it warranted.
“I see,” Lacy said, slowly stroking her chin. She was too old and liked home far too much to throw her hat in the ring for consideration, but she thought that there might be less competition for the positions than the newly enhanced youngsters thought. “Let me offer an alternative. Why don’t we just ask them?”
“You mean, ask the members of the Force if they want to join?” Kae wondered.
“Yes,” Lacy replied simply. “You line up and they can join who they want and we’ll see how things shake out. I think you’ll find this lesson in human behavior enlightening.”
Kim, Kae, and Marcie considered themselves well-versed in human behavior having been brought up in the community with Terry and Char leading the way. Marcie’s father, Billy Spires had his moments of clarity when it came to dealing with other people.
Ramses was open. He had not had much interaction with people in his life. He appreciated the opportunity to lean, so he shrugged and watched.
Since the four of them were outranked by the Gunnery Sergeant, they unquestioningly agreed to do it her way.
The company, which consisted of two platoons since the other two were deployed to San Francisco, stopped their training evolutions for the day and reported to the front of the barracks where they stood in formation.
“At ease!” Lacy shouted. “Do we have a little something for you, or what? All I can promise is discomfort, physical anguish, maybe even some outright pain. Who wants to volunteer? ”
There were no oorahs as the warriors waited impatiently for the gunny to describe the bad side of the good deal.
“As I thought,” she looked at the four, and they returned her gaze impassively. Cordelia watched from the side, unsure of what the gunny was getting to.
“No volunteers, huh? Let me tell you a little bit more. You know that your squad leaders and platoon sergeant had been gone. Corporal Marcie filled in while the others underwent a special medical procedure to make them more like the colonel and the major. That means they’ll be in the line of fire that much more. And now they need help. We will have ten volunteers join each one of them—Sergeant Kimber, Corporals Kaeden, Marcie, and Ramses.
“You’ll train as a reconnaissance tactical team, a tac team where you’ll be dropped into enemy territory. You’ll scout an area and then return unseen with the information you’ve gathered. Some of you have already done some of this training. Others have not, but it only gets ratcheted up from here. You’ll work hard and you’ll be gone a lot. That’s the only thing I can promise you. The rest is up to you. And remember, ladies. The word ‘volunteer’ does not have to start with the word ‘I,’” Lacy told them.
She could see the wheels turning as they mulled the unsavory proposition. One warrior raised her hand. It was Camilla.
“I volunteer,” she said firmly.
“Fall in on the squad leader of your choice,” Lacy told them, stepping aside to let the warriors pass.
Camilla marched straight to Kaeden, nodded and stood next to him. She’d been in his squad before.
The rest of that squad joined her. Marcie’s squad fell in on her and Ramses’ squad joined him. Kimber stood alone, until a trickle of warriors came from the second platoon.
“The sergeant needs five more, ladies!” Lacy bellowed as she stormed toward the platoon. No one moved.
“Counting down. Five. Four. Three. Two…” she hesitated, drawing out the word. The warriors remained steadfast. “One. You, you, tall guy, you, and one more. How about you, smartass?”
Kimber wasn’t sure she wanted the one that Lacy had designated as a smartass, but he shrugged and left formation. Lacy looked at the remaining warriors. She had twenty.
“Well, ladies. That settles it. I’ll take the remaining bunch, and we’re going to train with them. So you’ll get all the pain and none of the glory. Strap in, bitches, we’re going for a ride!” Lacy grinned devilishly.
Those still in formation groaned in unison, but there were no slackers in the Force. The initial training weeded them out and after that, the training and operational tempo kept them sharp. The colonel didn’t want anyone getting lax. That was a hard and fast rule.
Lacy dismissed the platoon for the day even though it was still the morning with a call to report at daybreak with full packs and ready for a week in the field.
She watched as the four team leads briefed their squads. Once they released the group, she waved them to her.
“What did you learn?” she asked. Lacy had spent so much time with Terry Henry Walton that she’d picked up many of his character traits.
Ramses watched closely. His guess was that he’d earned the trust of his squad, and he wasn’t the only one who thought that.
“They trust us, their squad leaders,” Kae said, convinced he was right.
Lacy shook her head. It seemed that she had something different in mind. Marcie and Kimber didn’t offer anything else.
“People don’t like change. They’re creatures of habit. When given the opportunity to do something, they’ll do it the same way they did it yesterday and the day before. Understand that and use it against your enemies. Watch them long enough that you see the routine that they will inevitably fall into,” Lacy advised.
Check out Craig Martelle’s other books at http://www.craigmartelle.com
Shades of Dark – Snippet 3
Shades of Dark
The Hidden Magic Chronicles Book 2
Snippet 3
UNEDITED
By Justin Sloan and Michael Anderle
The stars glittered in the night sky as the four riders left the village behind. Rhona rode next to Alastar, with Estair and Gordon single-file in back of them. Gordon had insisted he take the rear, to keep a lookout for anyone coming at them from behind. Estair was in the center so that she would be protected enough to shoot her arrows at attackers coming for their party from any direction.
While they all knew magic of one type or another, they figured it would take too long to cast and agreed that they should first use weapons if they were caught off-guard, both for speed of response and because magic was draining. They had to keep moving fast, since none of them knew when Master Irdin and his sorcerers might return.
Riding at night wasn’t easy on the horses, and more than once Rhona heard her brother mutter a curse as his horse nearly tripped. It was necessary, though, to leave at night, because they didn’t know who might be out there watching. They wanted to make as much progress as possible before sunrise, then rest and move on again around midday.
They rode in silence for some time, but when the moon was high overhead they paused to dismount and walk the horses to keep a low profile against the bright sky. Movement in the lands below them gave the impression of the ocean, but they hadn’t ridden nearly far enough yet for that.
Now that they were stationary and could focus their sight, it became clear it was an army moving on the ground below. Remnant, if Rhona had to guess. Even from here, the wind carried their stench—like moldy bread and mud.
“At least they’re headed north,” Gordon stated, “and not east.”
“If they’re headed in any actual direction,” Estair replied, pointing to a few that were starting to meander more to the northwest. As they watched, more and more started breaking off in that direction, then the rest of the group followed. “They seem to be moving at random, all going with the larger group, until a bunch split off in some other direction.”
“Point is, this group likely won’t block our path.”
She grunted. “That’s a plus, for us anyway. Not so much for any clans they might stumble across.”
“When it comes time, we’ll put together an army and push them back into hiding,” Alastar vowed. “They’re too dangerous to have walking about like this.”
A glow appeared from the far side of the group, then another, followed by the sound of someone shouting.
“What in the…?” Alastar craned his neck to see.
Rhona put a hand on her horse to keep her calm, straining her eyes. She knew what the glow was before she confirmed it.
“Paladins. They have the same idea as you, brother, but it seems they think they can do it on their own.”
Alastar grunted, but she could see in his eyes that he had a nascent longing to be out there with them, swinging his sword among his brothers-in-arms.
“You’ll be back with them when this is all over,” she reassured him, “if that’s what you want.”
“I’m a paladin, now and forever.”
Rhona glanced at Estair, who wore the same frown she imagined on her own face.
“There are good men among them,” Alastar declared. “Men who fight for what’s right, who stand for something.”
“Lots of men stand to take a piss,” Gordon commented. “That doesn’t mean it’s the only way to take a piss.”
“I literally have no idea how to interpret that,” Alastar spat, his voice full of annoyance. “Are you telling me I should sit down to pee? Is that what clansmen do? The kilt helps with that, or—”
“No, you daft man.” Gordon pulled his horse back from the edge of the hill, and Rhona did the same so they could ride out of there before the scuffle below ended.
“He’s saying you can do good without the label,” Rhona offered. “I think.”
Gordon shrugged. “More or less.”
“By the Saint, can you all—” Alastar stopped abruptly, then took a step back.
Rhona wasn’t sure why until she glanced ahead and saw what he had seen—two dozen paladins, gold cloaks flapping in the night wind, white, polished armor bright as the moon in the night.
FROM JUSTIN >>> Some of you (if you follow me on my author Facebook page) might have seen that I was pretty out of it today. Woke up with my hip going crazy and had to walk around with a cane (if you see a pic of me, you’ll see I’m not nearly old enough for that to make sense. I have a weird story about that, actually. Once, a couple years ago, when this pain was acting up and I was using my cane to walk, I passed an old woman on the street who was using the same cane. I’m not sure why we noticed, but we both stood there, took note, and smiled. She pointed at my cane, nodded, and walked off. Okay, not much of a story, haha. But a funny occurrence – I think I was… early thirties? So, yeah…
The point of this? I’m glad I finished this and the other book in advance, because my mind was WAY not in productive mode today. (the other book being Reclaiming Honor 5 – Born into Flames).
Tomorrow though, I’m plowing forward – getting started on Shades of Glory (Hidden Magic Chronicles book 3). Exciting!
Check out Justin’s website at http://www.justinsloanauthor.com
Shades of Dark – Snippet 2
Shades of Dark
The Hidden Magic Chronicles Book 2
Snippet 2
By Justin Sloan and Michael Anderle
UNEDITED
Alastar laid on his back and closed his eyes for a moment, reveling in the speckled evening sunlight that made its way through the leaves above to warm his nude body.
Just yesterday he had been a paladin, chaste and pure. He would never have thought about lying with a clanswoman; he had considered all members of the clans his enemy.
But tonight, Estair was lying beside him, breasts exposed to the evening air, and he felt like he was the luckiest man in the world.
She opened her eyes with a moan, then turned to her side. She propped her head on one hand, moving the other to caress his chest.
She giggled. “You have dirt on your cheek.”
“I’m sure I have it in worse places than that,” he said with amusement.
She hit him playfully. “Don’t be dirty.”
He laughed out loud. “That’s a tough one, out here.”
For a moment he just laid there, enjoying the way her fingers played across his skin. When she stopped, he noticed the distant look in her eyes. “What is it?”
“You mean aside from us being about to ride off to our potential deaths?”
He smiled. “Aye, aside from that.”
“Isn’t that enough to worry you?”
“No,” he replied. “Because I’ve seen what we’re capable of when we all work together. You kicked butt back there, and my sister’s magic is unlike anything I’ve ever seen; anything any of us have seen.”
“And to think you used to be one of the people who would chop off a person’s head for using magic.”
He frowned, pushing himself to a sitting position and rearranging his robes to cover himself. “That’s not fair. While I was a paladin, and still am, maybe… I don’t know. But I never once beheaded anyone.”
“So you weren’t a very good paladin. Is that what you’re saying?”
“You honestly believe that’s our sole mission in life? To kill magic users?”
She sat up too, but didn’t seem to feel the need to cover herself. He appreciated that, though it made him feel strange about his own modesty.
After a moment, she continued, “What I see is a group of men who believe they’re better than the rest of the world. They dole out their version of justice while putting magic users down. For that matter, why aren’t there any female paladins? Explain that, if you’re going to defend the order.”
He frowned. “It…it’s not perfect.”
“Yeah, no shite,” she said with a scoff.
“And that’s why we’re changing the world together,” he offered, placing a hand on her leg.
“Speaking of which…” She glanced at the horizon, orange with sunset. “One day of our rest is almost over.”
“Do you feel rested?” he asked.
“You have no idea.” She scooted over to lean into him, and he wrapped his arms around her. “For a man who claims never to have been with a woman, I’d have to say… Actually, I’d have to say you are lying.”
“Ha. Lying is also against the rules of the Order of Rodrick.”
“But if you were a liar, you’d be fine with lying about lying.”
“You have a point.”
She looked into his eyes. “Are you worried about what we’re riding into?”
“Aye.”
“Is Rhona really your sister?”
“Aye.”
She paused, then asked, “Am I the best lover you’ve ever had?”
“Trick question. You’re the only lover I’ve ever had.” He paused, noting the way her eyes narrowed, and then laughed as he added. “But definitely the best.”
“You pass. I can see you’re telling the truth.”
He kissed her, then froze as he heard someone clearing their throat. When he looked up, Rhona was standing ten feet away, hands over her eyes.
“Please, get dressed you two,” she said. “And brother, you’ve changed.”
“I’ve seen the light, and I like the warmth,” he replied as he stood up, faced away from her, and began to dress.
“It’s only natural,” Estair told her, standing but not bothering to reach for her clothes. “Don’t tell me you’re a prude like your brother here?”
“Don’t say anything,” Alastar warned. “I really don’t know if I want to hear the answer.”
Rhona removed her hands, then, seeing Estair, covered her eyes again. “Aye, well… Let’s just say I’m focused on the mission right now, and if this continues when we’re on the road, I’m going to kill somebody.”
Alastar shared a concerned glance with Estair as he realized he hadn’t really thought about that. They’d be filthy out there, for one. The idea of going days without bathing and then being naked with a woman didn’t sit right.
Apparently Estair was having similar thoughts. She looked away, and then started dressing without even making a joke on the subject. That’s how he knew she was concerned; usually she would make some crass comment, even when she was slightly uncomfortable. It seemed to be her way of dealing with touchy situations. But when she was to the point of not being able to joke about something?
He realized with a gulp that he wasn’t getting any for a bit. Good thing he’d made this time count. And the time just after waking up, and the two times early that morning that had put them to sleep.
Alastar knew he had been making up for lost time, but if he’d known he was making up for time he wasn’t going to get, he might have doubled up.
“Wow, I didn’t mean to cast a blanket of gloom on this party,” Rhona said, hands now at her sides since both Alastar and Estair were mostly dressed. “But that’s more like it.”
“You prefer it when I’m not smiling, sister?” Alastar asked.
“I prefer it when your mind is focused on killing bad guys and finding the Sword of Light,” she replied. “Can you honestly say the last few hours have been spent in rest and preparation?”
He thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. “If this is your long-winded way of saying we’re ready to ride, then let’s get to it. But the last thing I need—ever—is my little sister telling me what I should or shouldn’t be doing about my needs.”
“And the last thing I ever want to discuss again is your needs, so…” She gestured toward the village. “Shall we?”
“This is going to be a hoot,” Estair remarked, walking past Rhona.
“It’s not supposed to be fun!” Rhona called after her. “We’re fighting to save lives!”
Estair paused and turned back to say, “I’ve been fighting to save lives most of my life. If you don’t find a way to make it fun, you die of depression. The sooner you learn that, the better.”
And that was one of many reasons Alastar liked her. He smiled as he watched her walk off, then saw his sister glaring at him with hands on her hips.
“I think I prefer the old prudish you,” she told him. “So, the paladin oath… All that is out the window now?”
He considered it. “I think it’s safe to say that the old way of being a paladin wasn’t working. It’s time I changed things up a bit.”
“Fine, just do it where I can’t see or hear.” She turned to walk back to the village as well.
He followed, weirdly wishing Donnon didn’t have to stay behind. He didn’t like the idea of his sister with someone any more than he imagined Rhona enjoyed finding him in the state she had. But if it would shut her up, he’d be happy to turn the other way and pretend nothing was happening.
For now, though, he decided both women were right. He needed to focus on the mission ahead, while trying to find any way possible to ensure he kept it fun. Luckily, Estair would likely do plenty of the work in that regard for him.
But whenever she couldn’t step up, he was committed to working on becoming a new man and a new kind of paladin. One who fought for the freedom and even the lives of those who couldn’t fight for themselves, and didn’t give a damn about the silly things the High Paladin had told him mattered.
All that mattered was the survival of the land and its people, as far as he was concerned.
He was trailing behind the two women, just passing the village gate, when he spotted Leila nearby. Her eyes were black, hands moving in a circle as a ball of water rose out of the river and swirled around her, then turned into a small fairy that danced along her arm.
It was a simple act, but one he found endearing. He walked over to her instead of continuing, careful to stand where she could see him.
“I was under the impression that they only showed themselves as spirits or other beings to children,” he said, when it was clear she had noticed his arrival.
Leila smiled and let the fairy dance away, plunging back into the water from whence she came.
“That’s right,” she replied.
“Then what was that?”
Her kind eyes returned to their normal deep blue, smile lines heavy around them. “A woman can remember her friends, even if they never truly existed.”
“Never truly…” He shook off the thought, then held out a hand, and as his eyes glowed gold, the light fairy appeared. She hovered before him, wings of moonlight-pure sparkling light fluttering, and then she flew around his head once before vanishing in a coruscating display that left light falling like sparks of a fire. “I don’t know. They act on their own, right? I mean, did you tell that spirit to make every move she did? Every flutter of her watery wings, was that you?”
“You’d like to believe that light fairy isn’t simply your imagination, I see.” Leila stood and tilted her head as if talking to a child. “My dear Alastar, it’s a matter of your subconscious.”
“My subconscious controls the spirit?”
“When you aren’t specifically focused on it, yes,” Leila replied.
“And you all are so sure…how?”
She frowned, then chuckled. “I suppose we just are. If you want to believe it’s a separate being, go right ahead. Some still do, even as adults. Others, such as myself, have come to see the light. But if you were to ask a mystic to look into your head and find an answer, I can assure you, it wouldn’t be the one you seem to want.”
“Thank you. For that, and for your hospitality.”
“You’ll be back with the horses,” she replied, then pointed at his chest as she added, “I will have my horses returned to me, whether you all survive this or not.”
“We’ll succeed in our quest, and you’ll have your horses,” he replied, then nodded his farewell and left to find the others. As soon as he turned, he came face-to-face with one of the horses, currently ridden by the water mage Gordon.
“This is how it’s going to be?” Gordon asked. “The rest of us waiting on you?”
“I’m trying to better grasp my magic.”
“Better try grasping a leadership position on this mission of ours. You’re the only one who has a chance of finding this magic sword, so what do you say we get moving?”
Leila tried not to smile, but Alastar noticed.
“Do I need to remind everyone that I was instrumental in taking down the sorcerers?” Alastar asked. “Why do I feel like I’m being chastised for enjoying my one day between battles?”
“Maybe it’s about who you enjoyed it with,” Leila remarked wisely, but when he asked her what she meant by that, she smiled, nodded to Gordon, and walked off. “Do be safe,” she called over her shoulder, before ducking into a doorway of a friend’s house.
Alastar sighed and turned to Gordon. “Do I want to ask what that was about?”
“No,” Gordon replied, and then pulled his horse around. “Get saddled up.”
“If I didn’t know how to heal myself, I’d say there was no way I could even walk after riding yesterday.”
“Too bad your ability to heal doesn’t make you a better rider.”
“I’d like to heal your lips together.” Alastar, not meaning it to come out so harsh, instantly regretted saying it.
Gordon looked at him with surprise, then nudged the horse on. Alastar kicked at a mound of dirt, then followed him. On this journey to save the land, he was going to be accompanied by a guy he was on rocky footing with, a sister who didn’t seem particularly happy with him, and a lover he was not supposed to be loving while they were out.
They were riding out to meet remnant and sorcerers in battle, but that didn’t seem to be the worrisome part here. At least he knew how to kill those.
At the stables, he found Rhona and Estair atop their horses. Kia and Donnon were there to wish them luck.
“Remember, anyone gives you trouble, you send them to me to deal with,” Kia ordered. She was still young, but Alastar felt sorry for anyone who crossed her.
“Will do.” He smiled at her and gave Donnon a hearty handshake. “And you, big guy. Be sure to stay close to your daughter. I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“Aye, she’d be the one to protect me, not any of you lot,” he agreed with a chuckle. He adjusted his kilt, then stood with his thumbs tucked into its waist. “And you watch your sister. She comes back with a single scratch, I’m holding you responsible.”
“You and me both,” Alastar confirmed.
He mounted his horse with the man’s help. Just moving around in his armor was tough, and it was nearly impossible to mount a horse by himself.
“The four horsemen,” Donnon pronounced with a chuckle. Alastar only got the reference because of old stained glass they had found in some churches, though he was curious what Donnon knew about them.
“Well, two,” Kia corrected. “Two horsemen, and two horsewomen.”
Rhona smiled and said, “How odd that you hadn’t noticed,” to Donnon, who blushed and made some comment about him having plenty of time to notice such things when she returned. Alastar did his best to block that part out.
“Gross, Dad!” Kia groaned, then waved at Alastar as he rode off.
“Yeah, gross,” Alastar agreed with a chuckle, then looked back at his companions. “You coming or what?”
Gordon couldn’t help but smile in spite of the annoyed look in his eyes, and Estair laughed.
“You just focus on staying on your horse,” she cautioned. “We’ll focus on keeping you alive long enough to find this sword.”
“Deal.” He spurred the horse on, already hating the shooting pain each bump sent through his legs.
To find out more about Justin Sloan and his other books http://www.justinsloanauthor.com
Shades of Dark – Snippet 1
Shades of Dark, The Hidden Magic Chronicles Book 2
Snippet 1
UNEDITED (Coming July 11, 2017)
By Justin Sloan and Michael Anderle
Rhona sat at the edge of the water, staring west and wondering if they could ever truly be prepared to set foot on an island rumored to be covered in remnant and ghosts.
It was bad enough that she’d be leaving Donnon and Kia behind, given that the remnant were starting to cause trouble even here. Then there was the invading force Master Irdin had told them about: a dark, secret society that meant to conquer these lands, as best they could figure. Oh, and they were powerful sorcerers, too.
At least the land would be in good hands, since Donnon and his daughter had the ability to control fire.
None of that would matter, though, if she and her brother could retrieve the Sword of Light from Sair Talam and return to unite the lands. For too long they had been at war, the paladins and the clans. For too long the King of Gulanri had left them to their own devices.
Now all of that would come to an end, if only they could achieve their goal quickly.
“So eager to be gone?” Donnon asked, stepping up behind her.
She imagined him wrapping his arms around her, holding her and staring out at the setting sun with his lips gently pressed against her neck. The look in his eyes told her he had a similar idea, but they had agreed not to tempt themselves; not when she had to leave and he had to stay to unite the clans in the land’s defense.
Neither wanted to be so emotionally attached that they would put their missions at risk, so she simply nodded with a forced smile while he licked his lips nervously.
“When we return, everything will be different,” she finally said.
“Aye, of course.” He nodded to the city walls. “Kia has fed the horses, and there is food in your packs.”
“Thank you.” She got lost in his eyes for a moment, then turned, blushing. “If the sorcerers return while we’re gone—”
“We’ll hold them off. I’ve sent riders to the nearest clans with messages for them and to pass on to the outlying clans. If nothing else, they’ll be ready. Best case scenario, we’ll hold our own with the paladins and stand united, even if we’re in hiding when the sorcerers arrive.”
“Those damned paladins,” Rhona replied, shaking her head in frustration. “If they’d just listen to reason…”
“A sentiment we’ve expressed for many years.”
“Well…” Rhona sighed at the thought of the warrior order her brother had once belonged to; that she too, in some ways, had once belonged to. Taland and his wicked tongue—and she meant that in more ways than one—had spread his poison widely within the Order of Rodrick. As far as she was concerned, they were as much an enemy as the remnant at this point.
“Leila was asking about that brother of yours. He seems to have run off.”
Rhona chuckled. “Alastar is like a child who has never been to a bakery before. Suddenly he has access to cakes and tarts whenever he wants them, and can’t get enough.”
“I’d say Estair is definitely more tart than cake, but yeah, I get your meaning.” Donnon flushed, and his eyes darted across her body before he looked away.
She hadn’t meant the words to make him feel awkward, but if they were looking for Alastar, it was true that he was probably rolling in the clover near the river, likely somewhere hidden by the trees.
“I’ll find him,” she offered.
Donnon nodded, his eyes on the ground. “I’ll check on the provisions one last time.”
He turned to go, but Rhona took him by the hand. Their fingers lingered, just barely touching each other, but with a heat that screamed for them to do so much more.
“Be careful,” she said at last.
“You too.” He paused, then lifted her hand and kissed the back of it before walking back to the village.
Her heart was about to tear itself out of her chest, so she focused on those damned paladins and the sorcerers, and what a mess they had caused. Taland’s annoying, cocky smile flashed across her mind and she wanted to reach out and slap him, or better yet, unleash her nails across his face and scar his perfect skin.
She found herself breathing heavily, and she realized that a purple light had begun to glow around her fingertips, causing shadows to move through the grass toward her.
Happy thoughts, she told herself, trying to push the darkness away. If it weren’t for all of this, she never would have met Donnon, right? Or his daughter, Kia, whom she had only just gotten to know and already loved like a little sister, or maybe a daughter, though Rhona wasn’t nearly old enough for that.
She remembered the moment they defeated the witch and sent Master Irdin into retreat, the moment she knew Kia was safe, and flushed with joy.
When she looked again, the purple light was gone and the shadows had retreated. Shaking her head to clear it, she stood up and headed toward the trees to find Alastar, hoping she wouldn’t see anything that would scar her for life.
To see Justin Sloan’s other books and find out more about him http://www.justinsloanauthor.com/