“Anyone can learn to string sentences together and form a cohesive narrative,” the professor projects into the full classroom as he strolls from one side of the room to the other. “What makes a storyteller is pouring your soul onto the page.” He pauses for effect. “Emotions. Experiences. Truth.” His voice booms. “What about fiction?” a student asks. The professor […]
Oh no, no, not again. Don’t react. You’ll cause her to panic. I fixed my face into a pleasant smile. “Well, how does it look?” the woman in my shop asked, clasping her hands and jumping up from the chair. “I’m just going to need to make some adjustments,” I replied, easing her back down into the seat. “Eyes on […]
I strolled through the streets of Vrezar with Brayden at my side. In place of the gallows, vendors had set up stalls of fragrant foods, produce, and flowers. Some sold or traded their crafted furniture or woven rugs, as everyone was rebuilding their homes. Neighbors lingered in the streets, chatting and laughing. I shook my head, a grin on my […]
We pulled our boat to shore under the cover of darkness. Rage boiled up within me the moment I stepped foot back on the mainland. But startlingly, a kernel of fear resided in my heart. I reminded myself that I was the one with all the power now. The tables had turned. That brought a vicious grin to my face. […]
We flew out of the tunnel entrance, and staggered to a stop when we reached Linzer. All four of his eyes from both heads were wide eyed and fixed on me. “We got it!” I wheezed, and motioned toward the silver axe. I was about to tell Linzer everything when I followed his gaze towards my arms. My fingers were […]
To read from the beginning, start here. If you missed Part 5, click here. … Dyanis smiled at me. “I was right about you Aleryn. You are truly noble at heart.” Behind the smile was a sadness I couldn’t understand until he continued. “But you’re naively optimistic. We both know the logical choice here.” Before I could stop him, Dyanis […]
To read “The Gallows” from the beginning, click here. … We awoke and had a small meal before setting out again. Linzer was ripping into the flesh of a rabbit he had caught but urged us to eat quickly as more creatures would surely be tracking us. “So you’re tasked with protecting this temple?” I inquired after swallowing the last of […]
To read “The Gallows” from the beginning, click here. … “I’ll send Linzer with you, but you’ll still need weapons. Most of the creatures wouldn’t dare attack you with Linzer around, but there are some that consider him a traitor to their kind for befriending humans,” Brayden says, as he hands us each a pack of supplies. He offers a […]
I squeezed my eyes shut and instinctively jumped clear of the creature’s path. I rolled, bracing for impact. My body was still tense when I heard laughter. Confused, I opened my eyes, and Brayden was embracing the creature like a pet. It had tackled him to the ground, and he was scratching its belly as its tongue lolled playfully out […]
“Come along and don’t fall behind,” the stranger said. “This place is dangerous if you don’t know where you’re going.” I was too exhausted to ask any questions, so I placed my feet beneath me and pushed myself to stand. It was then that I took my first real look at this South Island. A fog surrounded the entire shore, […]
