Getting better

I have survived the great wisdom tooth extraction. It wasn't pretty though. I don't say this often since being an author who dreams up fantastical situations, but it went worse than I imagined it would. 

One of the things I learned about myself is that I don't handle pain meds well. Like at all. I managed to throw up more times in an 8 hour period than I had since I was a child sick with whatever virus it is children manage to get. Not being able to eat solid food probably compounded the situation. We knew my stomach is very sensitive since I have trouble with anything that has iron in it and antibiotics but this was even worse than that. 

I went off those meds fairly quickly. My mouth was a little more sore than I would have liked but I was able to keep food--and more importantly water--down. 

The husband was a rock star though. He did all the errands throughout, picking up the meds and antibiotics, making runs for ice cream and other soft food because I hadn't bought any beforehand. He also made his first cup of tea ever. Granted, I had to groan instructions at him since he's never brewed tea before and I didn't want him singing my tea leaves and ruining the flavor, but he did it. All two sips I had before falling asleep again were delicious.   

Those on Facebook who said I'd at least have something to put in a book were right. One day a character of mine will have a similar reaction to a surgery or medication and those who've read this blog post will know why.

Wisdom Teeth Woes

 I am in full on grinch mode. The past few weeks since returning from our road trip have been one thing after another. In my infinite wisdom, I decided to delay all the necessary appointments to the end of the year. Throw in the website revamp and a couple other important matters and hardly a week has passed without several days having at least one appointment.

Most of the time I go months with it being just me and my writing.

To make matters worse, I go in to get my wisdom teeth extracted tomorrow. It’s a rite of passage I’ve thus avoided until now. Four years of putting this off until I can’t any longer. Now, they’re impacted and growing into the teeth next to them so they have to come out. Or as my dentist said, “Your time is up. They must come out.”

I do not want to do this. I do not want to do this at all.

I very much wish I could bury my head in the covers and hibernate for the rest of winter, but that’s not what adults do.

I just hope its not like the last time I had a procedure where I spent half the time before the drugs put me under explaining all about the plot of my next novel and how this was such an interesting experience that it needed to be included in a book one day.

They found me very entertaining. I, on the other hand, was very embarrassed. And wishing they’d recorded it so I could be sure I hadn’t missed any great ideas.

Who knows? Maybe this will give me a break through with Aileen. Hopefully, I’ll remember it later.

It's Live!

A few housekeeping items.

 Facets of Revolution is now available in all the retailers. The print version should be coming later today or tomorrow. I approved it this morning now we just have to wait for it work its way through Amazon's queue. The audio version is coming but I do not have an ETA yet.

Happy Reading!

The line between loyalty and betrayal has never been so fine.

Chasing the trail of the woman who was once considered her best friend, Kira Forrest returns to the planet of her birth. When a near deadly incident jeopardizes her arrival, Kira will find the secrets she’s worked so hard to hide bubbling to the surface one by one.

Her only hope to control her destiny and protect the ones she loves is to embark on a dangerous rite of passage that may require far more of her than she’s willing to pay. For a hidden menace stalks her from the shadows—it's target those closest to her.

With the help of her lover and the allies she's made, Kira will have to fight for her future—and her past.

A reckoning is coming. The Phoenix will have to rise from her ashes to decide once and for all where she belongs.

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3QRwRon

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3QKUn6H

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3QvWmvJ

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3zYFvux

Universal: https://books2read.com/u/mvXrqz

Facets of Revolution Excerpt

Preorder now

Available Sept. 27

One

Almaluc – A space station above the planet Jettie

 

Selene tilted the cup she held to admire the lovely reddish color of the liquid inside. It really was the perfect shade. A delight for the eyes and a promise for the palate.

It was amazing how a love of plants steeped in hot liquid was a universal concept that transcended boundaries of culture and species.

From the seemingly infinite variations of tea and coffee you encountered while visiting human space to the Haldeel's zier, an underwater flower that released a unique neurotoxin when exposed to hot water that made the lips, tongue, and throat tingle while stimulating the nervous system in much the same way caffeine did humans.

And finally, the Tuann laug, the beverage Selene was currently enjoying.

Closing her eyes, Selene lifted the cup to her lips, breathing in the steam for a short second before indulging in a tiny sip.

Yes. Absolutely perfect.

The taste was unlike anything else Selene had encountered. It wasn't quite an oolong. Something about the high and low notes in the tea were a little too spicy for that. If Selene had to pick a comparison, she would say it was a much more mellow version of chai. A little bit smoother with a more delicate finish.

It was the kind of tea you might savor in the quiet moments. Those times when you wanted to bask in simplicity.

Selene set the delicate cup on the saucer she held.

"You were right. This was well worth the experience," Selene told the person sitting across from her.

The woman finished pouring her own cup before setting down the pot and straightening. Everything about her—from her elegant bearing to the floor length robes and the way her straight black hair was arranged so it cascaded over her shoulder—was a carefully crafted image designed to put Selene at ease and lower her guard.

Yukina was about as far from being the refined, gentle creature she was portraying herself as one could get. As the oldest Face of the Tuann emperor, she was someone who regularly swam in the shark-infested waters of some of the most politically dangerous arenas in both the Haldeel and Tuann empires.

She didn’t spend her time sipping tea while exchanging inane chatter with perfect strangers. Not unless it served her agenda in some way.

Selene studied Yukina over the rim of her cup, taking in every shift of the woman's expression. It wasn’t easy. Yukina didn't give her much to work with.

There was a reason the forty-three had listed Yukina as one of the top ten Tuann to avoid under any circumstances. The other used deceit and manipulation the same way most breathed air. You could never trust what she was showing you on the surface. It made her a difficult opponent. Even for someone as experienced as Selene in the art of deception and misdirection.

"I am so glad you enjoyed it." Yukina paused. "If you were to return home, you would find many other things to your liking."

Selene hid her smile behind her cup. No wonder Kira had so much trouble with this one. For someone as used to saying what she meant as Kira, it would be difficult to play these subtle word games.

Not that Selene thought Kira incapable of it. Selene didn't think there was anything Kira wasn't capable of. But such methods would annoy her youngest sister.

And an irritated Kira was rather dangerous.

No, Kira preferred to beat and batter the situation until it took the shape she wanted. She lacked patience. It was her defining weakness—and sometimes her greatest strength.

Selene was different. Patience was where she lived. Sometimes for too long. She would rather the moment pass than risk herself.

In Yukina, Selene saw a kindred spirit. Each understood that words were a weapon every bit as dangerous as a blade. That it took a deft hand to shape and mold them to their maximum potential.

Perhaps had circumstances been different—had Selene not been kidnapped from the Tuann as a child and grown up in hell—they might have enjoyed matching wits in this fashion.

They could have been—maybe not friends—but acquaintances who regularly challenged each other to a battle of wits.

Selene thought she might have enjoyed that.

As she was thinking, her gaze drifted to the man standing behind Yukina. The armor he was wearing was distinctive of a Tuann oshota, an elite warrior class responsible for the protection of their chosen one, the person they called a sword. Known as synth armor, it was far more advanced than anything humans had created.

Harder than any metal or alloy, it could stop all but the most extreme ballistic weapons. However, it wasn’t without its drawbacks, proving weak to en-blades and a few other types of weapons.

This version was a matte black darker than the void of space outside this ship.

He was tall, towering over Yukina with broad shoulders and a wide chest that pointed to a life devoted to training.

Despite his size, he was trying not to seem dangerous—and doing a bad job of it.

Selene suspected that the reason for that was his eyes. They were the first thing you noticed about him. A gold that was striking against his light brown skin.

He watched Selene with the kind of intensity that said he was trying to peel back her skin to study what lay under it.

"See something interesting?" he asked.

Selene played with the handle of her cup. The revelation of secrets was a delicate thing.

Too much and you risked destroying the very thing you hoped to help. Too little and nothing ever changed.

Selene needed change. They all did.

Very well. A hint then.

"I knew a boy with eyes like yours once." Selene pretended not to notice the subtle tension that entered the man's stance or the way everything about him sharpened.

The man tried to stare Selene down, a predator in that moment before it struck. "And what happened to that boy?”

Selene occupied herself with her cup and the liquid inside, done with this topic for now. "Some stones should be left unturned."

Yukina and the man exchanged a quiet look before Yukina took the lead in the conversation once again.

"You're very different from her."

"No one is like Kira. She is unique."

"You sound admiring."

"Do I?" Selene swirled the liquid in her cup. "Perhaps that is because I am. She is the best of us."

"There are more then?" Yukina asked, as if she didn’t already know after Selene’s hint earlier.

“There are.”

“Why won’t they return to us?”

Selene couldn’t tell if the ache in Yukina’s voice was real or not. In a sense, it didn’t matter.

The forty-three were aware that the Tuann yearned for those they lost in an event they called the Sorrowing. It was a time when hundreds of their children were taken from them and hundreds more of their people were killed.

It was a devastating blow for a people who reproduced extremely slowly. The mental bonds the Tuann made with their loved ones made it doubly so. When those ties were severed in such a traumatic fashion, it caused the slow decline of those left behind.

Those Tuann who couldn’t recover perished as they faded away from sorrow.

Selene was sure it felt like a dream to discover not all of those children had died. It was a gift the Tuann would never walk away from. They didn’t realize the cost their former children had already paid for survival. The nightmares they still lived with.

That hell had tempered the two youngest, Kira and Jin. Like phoenixes, they’d risen from the ashes of their beginnings.

The rest of the forty-three weren’t so lucky. They were broken.

Monsters—better left alone.

Selene feared the Tuann wouldn’t accept who the forty-three had to become in order to survive—or what was done to them.

Perhaps because of their long lives there was a rigidity to their social structure. And the stolen children would never be bound again.

She blinked at her tea, dismissing the memories through an effort of will.

Across from her, Yukina reached for her own cup, taking a small sip as she studied Selene in the same way Selene had her earlier. “The trip to Ta Sa’Riel will take up to a month. There will be a lot of time to discover what other things you may have missed in the intervening years.”

A faint smile graced Selene’s face.

Clever woman. Yukina acted like Selene’s accompaniment was already a foregone conclusion.

It was a move taken out of Selene’s own playbook when dealing with her children. How strange to see her own tactics used against her.

While she was considering Yukina, the doorway adjacent to their table dissolved to reveal a pair of people—a mountain of a man in matte black synth armor in the process of murmuring something to his companion.

A woman. Tall by human standards, though still short compared to the man. Gray-purple eyes that seemed like they’d seen all the pain this world had to offer focused on Selene. Their owner scanned her quickly as if to assure herself Selene was in once piece.

Hair the color of wine framed delicate features. Like Kira, it was untamed. Beautiful in its disarray.

Warmth filled Selene’s chest. She’d come.

Against all odds. Despite any arguments the Tuann would have thrown her way.

Kira’s face revealed a worry Selene knew she didn’t deserve. Not after all that she’d done. The wrongs she and the rest of the forty-three had turned their faces from. Determined not to see. Or feel. Or interfere with.

Despite all the anger and hurt, Kira had set it aside to come to Selene’s rescue. Willing to risk everything.

It was why the forty-three loved her and Jin so much—though they made sure the two never realized.

Kira and Jin were the sun and the forty-three the planets that watched over them from afar. Only intervening when the worst possible outcome was assured.

Such as was the case on Rothchild.

There was a loud clink in the sudden silence as Yukina set her cup down harder than necessary.

“Why did you bring her here?” Yukina demanded of the mountain standing next to Kira.

“She’s rather persistent when she wants to be.” Graydon prowled into the room, his movements like that of a lion. Someone dangerous and assured of his place at the top of the food chain.

Kira remained motionless on the threshold. Her hands moved in an unobtrusive gesture Selene remembered from their childhood when any form of unauthorized communication would result in a beating.

Roughly, the gesture meant, "Do you need assistance?"

Selene ran a finger along the rim of her ear. "Do not interfere."

Once, her ears had been as pointed as the Tuann's across from her. Now, like the rest of the forty-three and Kira, they were docked to allow them to blend in with humans easier. Just one more scar that separated them from their former brethren.

"I don't care how persistent she is. Her presence here is not welcome," Yukina said to Graydon as he sprawled in the seat next to her.

"You're welcome to try to move her," Graydon rumbled with an amused look that said he looked forward to the attempt.

It was strange. If asked, Selene would have said Graydon was far too loyal to his emperor and his position as the emperor's Face to be here, helping Kira circumvent another Face’s will.

Yet that was exactly what he was doing.

Kira stepped into the room, revealing the man waiting behind her. Selene sucked in a harsh breath as recognition darted through her.

Taller than Kira, the man wore a pair of wire-framed glasses that managed to make him seem almost nondescript.

"Alexander," Selene whispered.

Hope was a fragile concept, and it was one of the first things their masters had beaten out of them. What was the use of wishes and dreams when your present was filled with nothing but survival at all costs?

That loss made you forget that such a thing ever existed in the first place.

She never in a million years would have hoped for Alexander's interference in this matter. Life had taught her to be pragmatic.

Something as innocuous as a prince riding to a damsel's rescue was as far out of reach as the sky was for a frog stuck at the bottom of a well.

"What is the meaning of this?" Yukina demanded as Selene experienced the unsettling sensation of butterflies in her stomach. Something she thought she was much too jaded to ever entertain.

It took a moment to understand Kira’s expression, the pinched, almost combative look that made her seem as bristly as a porcupine.

Kira was worried, Selene realized with a soft amazement.

She shouldn't be. She'd given Selene a gift beyond measure by convincing Alexander to come. Selene had always thought she was done with that fleeting emotion called hope. Kira had shown her she wasn't.

What a lovely discovery after all this time.

Alexander spared Selene the briefest of glances as he entered. Kira shadowed him, keeping to the edges of the room. As if by doing so, she could keep her presence unobtrusive.

Unlikely, but Selene appreciated the attempt.

"Would anyone care to explain why the Tuann abducted a Haldeel citizen from one of our planets?" Alexander asked, coming to a stop beside Selene.

He reached down, dragging a chair out from the table with a loud squeal before lowering his bulk into it.

For such a big man, he could move silently when he wanted to.

"I'd consider your next words carefully if you don't want a war," Alexander advised when Yukina simply stared.

Graydon reached for a bowl of fruit, snagging one of the blue spheres and popping it into his mouth.

"She is Tuann," Yukina finally said.

"She is a Haldeel citizen. As such, not even your emperor can remove her from our borders against her will."

Alexander placed a token on the table before pushing the button at its center. An image with Selene's face was projected into the air, along with a full set of papers proclaiming her citizenship of a Haldeel planet.

Yukina studied them for half a second. "They're legitimate."

"I know." The smile that touched Alexander's face was sharp and faintly mocking. "Why do you think I'm here?"

"Why weren't the Tuann informed that one of us had applied for citizenship?" Yukina asked.

"You’re our allies; not our masters. Do you think the Haldeel are required to keep you apprised of our own affairs?"

The skin around Yukina's eyes tightened. She didn’t like that question, and it was easy to see why. Alexander’s argument had the advantage of being legally full proof. The Tuann would be hard-pressed to come up with a counter that would allow them to take Selene without her permission.

If she wanted, Selene could take the hand Alexander was offering and walk out of here free and clear. The Tuann wouldn't be able to touch her. Their enemies, on the other hand, wouldn’t be so easily dissuaded.

They were the ones the forty-three were most concerned with.

The wisest choice would be to take the exit Alexander procured and disappear. It would take time, but she could establish another home for herself and the children Kira had rescued. She would have peace in her life. Far from the threat of danger.

Nothing would change. Particularly not her.

As if from a distance, Selene heard herself speak up. "I'll go."

Kira straightened from the wall.

A balloon built in Selene's chest. "I'll go with them. I'll accompany the Tuann to their home world."

Relief replaced the tight feeling of that balloon. She'd done it. She'd taken that first and hardest step into the light.

"What are you doing right now?" Kira loomed over Selene in a manner Selene knew wasn't meant to be intimidating. Her sister couldn't help her nature. Even as a child, Kira's stare could make others back down when she was angry. As an adult, that ability had only grown.

Ignoring the hot splash of power against her skin, Selene reached for the pot of tea and filled a second cup before handing it to Kira.

Bafflement showed on Kira's expression as she took the offered tea.

"They issued an invitation, and I am accepting," Selene said by way of explanation.

Kira raised the cup and blew on its surface before taking a small sip. She made a pleased expression. "You have obligations. Remember?"

"I would never forget."

The children were Selene's heart and soul. They were her salvation at a time when she'd contemplated ending the monotony of her existence.

Selene didn't think Kira was aware of how close she'd been to the abyss when that first child was brought to her. Or maybe Kira knew, and the children were her solution.

Selene had taken that first child and built a life around them and the others that followed.

She would never leave them in danger.

"I've already made arrangements for another to take up my duties in my absence."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes."

Selene had never been surer of anything.

Something inside her said Kira would have need of her soon. That her presence was necessary for the other's survival. If that was the case, Selene planned to accompany her—whether the rest of the forty-three approved or not.

"Much as it pains me to say—I agree with Kira. It will not be easy to leave later." Alexander's gaze bored into the side of Selene's face.

Kira continued to sip her tea, watching the byplay between them with a look of avid interest.

"It is time," Selene said, facing Alexander.

His disapproval over this course of action radiated from every line of his body.

Selene channeled the calm that had served her well in the worst times of her life as she met his stare. One no less intimidating than Kira’s own.

Selene didn’t let herself waver, despite the instinct warning her to retreat. That she wasn’t as powerful as either of the other two. It was one she had practice in denying.

She wouldn’t allow herself to be swayed. This was her path. She would take it no matter the cost.

Alexander’s eyes closed in defeat. "Very well. If that is your wish."

Kira gave him an appalled look. "That's it? That's all you have to say? She tells you she's going and you're like, okay?"

Alexander glared at their youngest sister. "She isn't as reckless as some I could name."

Kira's scowl deepened. "I'm not reckless."

A scoff came from across the table. The target of Kira’s ire shifted to Graydon.

"Then it's settled. We'll leave in two days," Yukina said, quick to press her advantage.

To her credit, there was no sign of smug victory, her expression as calmly poised as it had been before Alexander and Kira's interruption.

"Not quite." Alexander gave the emperor’s Face an unamused smile. "I'll be accompanying Selene to your planet."

A choked sound came from Kira as she lifted her head to stare. "Is this a joke?"

Alexander ignored her as he focused on the Tuann.

Yukina gave him a polite smile that did nothing to conceal her dislike. "As noble as your offer is, I'm afraid you're not invited."

Alexander lifted a hand, ki pooling his palm. Before the rest could react, he slammed his hand onto the table. A concussive wave erupted.

For a split second, nothing happened. Then the table crumpled as if a giant had smashed it as flat as a thin piece of paper.

"Whoa." Kira's expression hinted at a jealousy Selene found amusing.

If her sister wanted, Kira could do far more than flatten a table.

Faint interest showed on Graydon's face before he selected another piece of fruit from the sideboard and popped it in his mouth.

"What about now?" Alexander asked with a smile as polite as the one Yukina had just offered him.

Yukina's gaze lifted. "The Tuann welcomes the return of our child."

Finn Short

Some of you are way better at this stalking thing than I gave you credit for. The newsletter had only been out for a few hours before many of you had uncovered the fact that the Finn short was in it. After which, I received several panicked emails from people who'd just joined and who were now asking very nicely for me to resend. 

Hence the reason behind this blog post that is coming a week earlier than originally planned.  Oh well, you know what they say about best laid plans. 

For future, and so nobody panics, I will always eventually make the shorts available via my blog and website. I'm not a big fan of making content exclusive. Though I may delay giving public access by a week or so. 

With the admin stuff addressed; a little message about the Finn Short.

The intersection between creativity and fandom is quite interesting. Without so many of you asking the question about Finn's tardiness in Threshold of Annihilation, I never would have taken the time to go "Huh. Why was he late?" 

And I probably wouldn't have written this scene. Which would have been sad. I enjoyed my time in Finn's head and I hope you do too.

Without further ado: 

Finn Short

And if you're still wanting to sign up for the newsletter so you get first access to these types of things, you  can do so here.

The Process Goes On

The betas have given me their feedback and the editor has weighed in. So far, I've distilled my notes into identifying three or four relatively big issues with a few minor ones scattered around. They're nothing truly ground shattering but I am going to need some brainstorming and creative solutions to address them.

Editing is an interesting process. No one really wants people to find issues with their work. At least not this writer. I want to have written a perfect book with which no fault can be found. Sadly, I've yet to do that nor do I think it's a possibility for the future. Feedback, whether from betas or even friends, makes a book stronger. It requires you to put a little thought into those things you might have overlooked otherwise. 

Because I put so much effort into the first couple of drafts and don't release the book until I feel I've made it the best I can, it can be daunting when people point out the flaws. Sometimes that means delving a little further into my characters' motivations or rethinking why something happened the way it did. The answer is usually there as long as I look hard enough. The upside is that sometimes it can lead you to something truly wondrous. 

Now to decide if that fancy cup of cold brew coffee from my favorite coffee shop will help me with this or if it would be better to buckle down and get editing. Choices.

Draft End

Facebook and Twitter people already know that I finished the second draft of Firebird 4 on Friday. I probably should have announced that via the blog as well but I was so exhausted I pretty much shut down for an entire weekend. Literally--I did nothing. 

The book tops out at 146,071 words. 5600 of them were written on Friday. By the time I typed the last word my wrists, elbows, and shoulders were telling me they were also done. 

Before you get too excited and think Firebird 4 is coming out next week, you should know it still needs one more pass before I can release to betas and editors. Too much has changed from the original and I need to make sure the edits I made actually work. Not to mention, my ending needs another run. As epic as it is, I was flying through the narrative for the last 10,000 or so. There are a few things that need to be fleshed out. 

After the third pass, it'll be out of my hands and off to betas and the editor. 

For now, I'm resisting the urge to dive back in immediately and start working. Sometimes rest is needed no matter how much your mind is screaming that this needs to be done NOW!

That means today (and possibly tomorrow) will be spent on admin tasks. Maybe I'll figure out the title so I can contact the cover designer. Definitely need to contact the editor and get that set up. 

It seems even when a draft is done there is so much to do.

Random snippet - Firebird 4

 Snippet awesomeness because I'm in an amazingly good mood today.

“I find the fact you consider me dangerous enough to be wary of highly flattering.”

Kira scowled. “Who said anything about me being wary?”

A teasing look settled on Graydon’s face. “You would only take precautions if you thought I was a threat. I’m gratified to know I’ve made such a good impression.”

Kira stared at Graydon like she thought he’d lost his mind. “Most people would feel sad to know their lover considered them dangerous.”

Graydon leaned forward. “Those people are not Tuann.”

Friday Snippet

 Happy Friday! To celebrate the end of the week, here is a tiny snippet from today's writing. As always, no promises it will make it to the end product. 

Snippet:

Raider smirked. “When have you ever known me not to accomplish something I set my mind to?”

“First time for everything,” she responded. 

“I won’t fail.”

There was a certainty in Raider’s words that told her to believe him. Some of it stemmed from their history and how often Raider had come through for her. Even when it would have been easier—and saner—to walk away. Instead, he’d stayed and done the hard things. 

His conviction was unshakable, as if the possibility of anything but success had never entered his mind. 

People underestimated how far willpower could take them. They let the weaknesses of their minds  dictate how high they could rise. True strength was finding your wall and overcoming it. Something Raider and all of the Curs had excelled at. 

Raider would make it through this experience or break himself trying.

Kira could only hope it wasn’t the second of those two options. She’d hate having to explain to her niece why the father Elena had just been reunited with was now a broken mess.

“I miss the days when I could order you to not be a dumbass,” Kira muttered under her breath.

Things were so much easier then. She could tell him what to do and there was even a chance—not a great one—but a chance, he might listen to her. 

Raider rubbed his chin to hide the smile she knew was on his face. “Technically, you still can. You never finished your exit packet.” 

Kira harrumphed. “What bullshit.”

He was going to do what he wanted. Kira could talk until she was blue in the face and it wouldn’t change a thing.

As Promised

 As promised, here is the tiniest of snippets. No idea whether it will be cut or not. Enjoy!

Kira planted a hand on the side of his face and shoved. “How many times do I have to tell you not to call me Grump Grump? It’s Kira. Sometimes Phoenix. Nix or Nixxy, if you’re very dear to me.”

Raider strolled toward them, an apple in his hand that he pointed at Kira. “Don’t forget Nixxy Poo.”

“No. Do not call me that. I hate that name.”

The next person who used it was going to get stabbed. Over and over again.

Maksym let Kira wiggle out of his hold with a pout. “But Grump Grump, you are so very grumpy.”

There was a crunch as Raider bit into the apple. “He’s got you there.”

Sneak Peak

 I probably shouldn't do this. Especially since I'm not entirely sure this is staying, but I couldn't resist. Here is a small snippet from the current WIP. It made me smile so I'm sharing it with you. Hope it brightens your Monday.

Snippet

Reluctance showed on Raider’s face before his expression firmed. “You know you’re not the only one, right? We’re all killers. Every person in your orbit. Don’t forget that. Don’t let it crush you.”

Tears burned Kira’s eyes as she blinked back emotion.

Raider’s grin was easy. “Well, maybe not the squirt.”

Elena’s head popped out of her nook in the ceiling. “Not true, sperm donor.”

Any trace of humor disappeared from Raider’s face as his expression turned severe. A wolf looked out of his eyes. The killer he’d said he was.

Kira shook her head at him, knowing violence was imminent. “Not me. I would never allow her to do something like that at her age.”

And Selene wouldn’t either. She knew how important it was to let the children in her care be children. 

They both were intimately familiar with the consequences of taking a life at a young age and agreed that wasn’t a fate they wished on those they’d saved.

Or at least that was what Kira thought they’d agreed on.

Raider’s fury was still hot as Kira looked up at Elena.

“When?” Kira snapped.

Caution finally entered her niece’s expression. 

Good. Elena could use a little more of that. 

Elena became preoccupied with fiddling with of the screw bolts holding up the panel beside her. “On Almaluc.”

“What happened?” 

And where was Wren and Auralyn while it was happening?

Kira and Selene had been very careful with Elena, giving her the tools to defend herself should the worse ever happen. All the while ensuring her safety so that such actions never became necessary.

The fact she’d done so on Kira’s watch made this all the more appalling. 

Elena’s feet kicked. “A tsavitee war drone tried to stop the Wanderer from coming to save you. I crushed him with the ship.” 

Kira blinked at her niece.

Raider choked. He crouched as Kira stood there speechless, his body shaking harder has he buried his face in his knees. 

End of Week

 What a week. 

I am once again severely behind on answering fan emails. My house has not been cleaned in two weeks. My 17,000 words have been condensed to around 4000.  Not to mention I have to take the second cat to the vet after taking the first cat yesterday.

Deep breath. Writing Gods -- please let me get 3000 words today so my 4000 can be 7000.  Also, if you can swing it send someone to take care of my chores.

Hope everyone has a good weekend. 

 

Teaser

 People have asked so here you go. Chapter one of The Storm's Whisper. Hope you enjoy.

Also--a caveat--this has not been put through the proof reader's yet so there may be typos.

Chapter One

Eva's hands paused as a furtive rustling came from the tall grasses not far from where she stood.

One truth she'd come to understand in the months since joining the Trateri, a conquering group of clans who had united the Lowlands and Highlands for the first time in living memory—the Highlands were never quiet.

There was always something. Some noise or sound to keep you company. Even if you were totally alone, not another human for hundreds of miles, there would never be true silence. You only had to listen to hear the wind ripping down from the mountain tops to play in the valleys and ravines. There'd be the call of birds or the song of insects. Small animals rooting for food in the grasses and trees.

Eva had long become used to it. To the point she barely noticed anymore, unless a discordant note was introduced into the harmony.

Like now.

Whatever was out there was determined. If not for the way the sounds abruptly stopped every time she looked in its direction, as if fearing discovery, she'd say it wanted her attention.

But that would be ridiculous.

Except, not really.

For some reason, the thought felt right. True. As if there was a little voice in the back of her mind influencing her perception.

Just like every time before, the movement abruptly stopped as soon as Eva started paying attention.

Moments ticked by, the sudden silence loud. As if the world held its breath.

The dappled gray mare Eva was in the middle of brushing aimed a disgruntled look at her when she paused once again. Caia reached back, lipping Eva's hands in silent demand.

"Fine, fine, your highness. I won't slack off anymore. My bad," Eva murmured to the mare, still preoccupied by their hidden watcher as she resumed brushing, her strokes slower than before.

Caia shook her head, her mane flying in a wordless rebuke before she leaned further into Eva's hands. Even under the best of circumstances, the mare could be demanding, acting every bit the queen Eva sometimes thought of her as. She was even worse when it came time for grooming. Never satisfied until Eva felt like her hands would fall off her wrists from exhaustion.

Sure enough, as soon as Eva took her attention off their watcher, the rustling resumed. The creature's caution forgotten in the face of its goal.

Eva smirked. That didn't take long.

Then again, patience wasn't exactly the creature's strong suit.

At the renewed sounds, a man poked his head over the horse he'd been tending. Unlike many Trateri, he was fair skinned with dirty blond hair and green eyes, a sign that he had Lowlander somewhere in his ancestry.

Not surprising. The Trateri had a long tradition of co-opting others into their clans. A nice way of saying they kidnapped people they took a liking to. Strange thing was, a lot of those people ended up joining the very clans, who they had every right to view as their enemy.

That was the Trateri for you, though. They had a way of getting under your skin. Making you see things in a different light. Next thing you knew, you were going out of your way to prove yourself. Fighting for a place among them and accepting tents you had no idea how to erect.

Jason leaned one arm on the horse's back and quirked an eyebrow at Eva in question.

Eva shook her head and rolled her eyes to the sky. She didn't know either.

A soft huff of amusement escaped him. It wasn't the first time strange things had happened around Eva, nor would it be the last.

At least their watcher didn't pose a threat. At least not to their lives. Their sanity and peace of mind? That was an entirely different story.

Eva checked on her guard for the afternoon. One of the Anateri, specially assigned to protect her. He was one of an elite group of warriors whose main responsibility was the protection of Fallon Hawkvale, warlord and leader of the Trateri clans, along with his interests.

Somehow, Eva had managed to become one of those interests.

She was a Caller. The first in centuries. A title that had slowly faded from memory for all except a select few.

Her ability allowed her to hear the thoughts and desires of mythologicals, a group of beings with the same intelligence and cunning as a human who were long thought gone from the Broken Lands. It was only recently they'd been freed from their imprisonment in the Badlands.

With them, they brought the potential for a new status quo—and the need for alliances.

That was where Eva came in. She and her newfound ability were the linchpin expected to hold this whole, chaotic mess together.

No one had exactly explained just how that was supposed to happen yet. It left her to feel her way blind.

Her elevation in status brought rewards—but also risk. She'd become the target for every one of the Hawkvale's enemies both internal and external.

Control her, and you gained the potential for leverage over a powerful group of mythologicals. Kill her, and the chances of an alliance went into the abyss alongside her.

Hence the need for the Anateri.

Drake was the easier going of the two, happy to keep his distance when the threat level was low.

It was why he'd chosen a position on top of a tall boulder that would allow him a perfect vantage point of the valley. Currently, he was lying on his back, hands clasped behind his head as he studied the clouds.

Feeling her eyes on him, Drake swept an idle glance over the meadow. Nothing changed in his posture, his body remaining relaxed.

It was all the confirmation Eva needed. Whatever was out there wasn't a threat.

Not that she'd really been in doubt. As a prey animal, whose senses were highly tuned to the environment around her, Caia would have alerted Eva to danger far in advance.

Eva peeked at the grasses out of the corner of her eye.

Three orange tails tipped in black slipped into view, waving merrily. Eva paused in her brushing again.

Jason slapped his horse's flank in dismissal. The horse moved away slowly, finding another grazing spot as Jason advanced toward Eva.

"What is he doing?" Jason asked, not taking his eyes from the tails.

Eva shook her head. That was a very good question. One she'd like to know the answer to. Preferably before the tails owner did something that would come back to bite her in the ass.

The tails froze, going stock still. Seconds passed, tension building subtly in the air.

Eva drew a sharp breath as the fire fox exploded out of the grass in a graceful leap, drawing a perfect arc in the air as he descended head first.

There was a squeak and then a crunch before happy growling reached them.

Jason winced. "He did all this to get our attention just to catch a field mouse?"

"Look at it this way. At least someone else was his victim this time."

They both knew that wasn't always the case. Over the past month and a half they'd been in this out-of-the-way valley in an isolated stretch of the Highlands where few humans, if any, had ever explored, the fire fox had played more than one prank.

To call the creature mischievous was kind.

In truth, he was a terror. His tyranny similar to that of a toddler, only far more mobile and way more intelligent. Not to mention vindictive.

Threats of bodily harm didn't work. Outsmarting him was a fanciful wish, and a more concentrated interest on his part.

Most ended up regretting tangling with the fire fox. As both Roscoe and Ghost, two of Eva's friends, could attest. They were still discovering prickle thorns, a plant native to the Highlands known for causing rashes and a prickling sensation when it came into contact with skin, in their clothing and bedding.

No one knew how the fire fox managed to get the thorns into their belongings. Only that he did.

Since then, most gave the fire fox a wide berth.

"Do you think he arranged his hunt simply so we could admire his prowess?"

A thoughtful look crossed Eva's face. "It's possible."

The crunching in the bushes stopped.

Jason's eyes widened in dismay as he mouthed a curse. One Eva seconded.

Idiot. He should have known better than to draw the fox's attention.

Golden eyes landed on Eva and Jason, studying them with an intelligence and cunning far greater than any animal.

Not much bigger than a cat, the fire fox resembled the fox he took his name from. His face was triangular and in daylight his coat held the same coloring as his vulpine cousins. With one notable exception—the three tails that were once again waving madly above the grass.

"What are you doing over there?" Eva called.

The grass rustled as the fire fox trotted toward Eva, carrying a kill nearly as long as him.

"Is that—?" Jason pointed uncertainly at the fire fox's victim.

"You're not seeing things. It's a wheezer."

Eva recognized it from the beast pamphlet the pathfinder who'd accompanied them to this valley had left before he'd made his return journey to Wayfarer's Keep, the stronghold of the pathfinders and the place where the rest of the Trateri army was camped.

Often mistaken as the largest entry into the rodent family, the wheezer had beady eyes and overly large front teeth. Looking like a mix between a possum and a weasel, its light brown fur allowed it to blend into most environments.

Eva would be tempted to call the creatures cute if not for the fact they were extremely aggressive and territorial. They preferred to stalk their prey and didn't care if that prey was twice their size. Human, bandisox, or other, the wheezer saw them in the same light. As enemies and food.

It wasn't their attack power where the real danger lay. Though admittedly, they'd been known to shred a grown man's leg in seconds before waddling off, looking pleased with themselves.

What was truly worrying about them was the fact that a single bite or scratch from their claws more often than not ended in infection and eventually death.

It was a slow, agonizing way to go.

Drake straightened at the sight of the wheezer in the fire fox's jaws, the playful look on his face turning serious.

A cold feeling moved through Eva.

Their oversight could have easily cost lives. There was no healer in the small party that had accompanied Eva all the way up here in hopes of strengthening their alliance with the mythologicals. No one to treat them if things went wrong. Not for hundreds of miles. Several weeks of hard journey separated them from any form of help.

It was a grim realization that highlighted how drastically they had underestimated their surroundings.

Drake hopped down from his boulder, jogging in Eva's direction.

To Eva's surprise, the fire fox turned, trotting toward the far side of the valley where fallen boulders from a long-ago avalanche dotted the landscape. The places where stone met dirt were overgrown with grass, some of which climbed halfway up their sides.

Solitary trees stretched their arms to the sky. In the distance steep hills that transitioned to rugged mountains framed either side of the wide valley floor.

To Eva's rear, Caia and the rest of the small herd of mounts grazed in the pretty meadow.

Beyond them was the small camp they'd set up upon arrival. In the distance, at the opposite end of the valley, were the ruins of a long-ago settlement. The stone walls that made up the houses long fallen into disrepair.

The fire fox slowed and then stopped when he realized Eva and Jason hadn't moved. He aimed an expectant look at Eva over his shoulder.

"Does he want us to follow?"

Eva released a resigned breath. "Probably."

"That's not sinister or anything," Jason complained, trailing Eva as she started after the fire fox. "Follow the mysterious mythological to an equally mysterious destination. What could go wrong?"

Eva smothered her smile, privately agreeing with the sentiment.

Unfortunately, ignoring the fire fox wasn't an option. Even if he wasn't being painfully obvious in his desire, she'd still follow. If for no other reason than self-preservation. It was easier to anticipate the fire fox's actions when you knew what he was up to.

The fire fox trotted happily through the meadow, bypassing the hulking silhouettes of boulders before heading for a tree standing alone in the midst of the field. A creature peered around it with a shy face. His massive form huddling behind the small tree as if it would protect him from them should have been a comical sight. 

And maybe it would have if he hadn't gone unnoticed until that exact moment.

Eva squashed her alarm, knowing the fire fox wouldn't have endangered her without reason. She took a moment to study the creature.

His skin was mottled with grays, browns and greens. A moss-like plant covered his back and hands. White flowers similar to daisies sprouted from his head.

From a distance he would resemble a slow-moving boulder, ambling across the valley floor. It was perfect camouflage. No one would even notice unless they mentally marked his location and then compared it to his new one.

Which Eva doubted many would do.

Despite his large size, his features were kind. Gentle even. This wasn't a creature who would do harm. Eva got a sense of peace from him. A bottomless well of serenity and warmth.

It would be tempting to linger and soak up his tranquility.

Eva took a step toward him only to stop as Drake blocked her with his arm. He watched the creature with a frown, viewing the other as a potential threat he needed to protect her from.

The fire fox trotted up to the creature and stopped. He laid his kill down at the base of the tree and sat before wrapping his tails around his feet.

The fox's gaze was knowing as he watched Eva in silent demand.

"What is that?" Jason breathed.

Eva held a finger to her lips, signaling for quiet. There was something about this moment that felt important. As if their entire future in this valley hung in the balance.

The fire fox was acting as if they needed to pay tribute to the rock creature. It was Eva's job to find out why.

Jason nodded to show he understood.  

Eva pushed Drake's arm out of her way and stepped around him.

"Eva!" Drake hissed.

Eva paused, knowing if Drake felt she was placing herself in danger he was liable to act. And not necessarily in ways she would agree with. She wouldn't put it past him to grab her and make a run for it.

In the Broken Lands where even a rodent could pose a threat to your life, it was easy to view anything strange or unexpected as an enemy.

This was the drawback to having elite warriors shadow your every move. Explanations were needed lest they take matters into their own hands.

Better for everyone if she spent a few short seconds to head such actions off at the pass.

"He's a mythological. I can feel it."

She wasn't quite sure how but the creature gave off the same feeling as the fire fox. Like there was more to them if you simply looked beneath the surface. A deep well of possibility lurking. It felt different than what she felt around beasts, though she'd be hard pressed to explain exactly how. Just that it was.

It was a feeling in her bones. A knowing, if you will.

Mythologicals were kind of in the realm of her expertise now—which wasn't exactly saying much considering how little was actually known about them.

It meant the fire fox's strange behavior and this creature's appearance in the valley were her responsibility—and she took her responsibilities seriously.

Drake held her gaze, his stubborn need to protect warring with his frustration over knowing she was right. Moments passed before he relented.

Drake stepped aside, allowing her to continue unhindered.

"Be careful," Jason whispered.

"Afraid you'll have to deal with Caia on your own?"

Jason snorted. "Damn right I am. That mare is a devil."

As if sensing they were talking about her, Caia butted Jason in the back, making him stumble forward a few steps. He swatted her head away with an irritated look on his face.

"When did you get over here?" Jason whisper yelled.

"She's been following us since we started," Drake said in a low voice, not taking his eyes off the creature.

Eva crept forward, careful to keep each movement slow and non-threatening. In one sense, Drake was absolutely right. This was dangerous. It always was when approaching unknown mythologicals. You never knew if they'd be accepting of human presence or seek to destroy.

Human/mythological relations was a relatively new concept and there was a long history of the two not getting along. Some might even say they were natural born enemies. Imprisonment for centuries in the Badlands tended to do that.

Still, Eva didn't think the fire fox would put her in a situation that endangered her life.

Eva stopped when she sensed Drake's tension increase to a level that suggested he'd act if she went any closer. She didn't look away from the rock creature, crouching to make herself smaller and seem like less of a threat before aiming a gentle smile in his direction.

He shrunk behind his tree, only his eyes peering out at her, the rest of his face hidden by the trunk, even as his lower body and torso stuck out the other side.

Eva didn't move. Sometimes, with wild creatures, patience went further than anything else. Letting them come to you was always better than forcing an interaction.

Long seconds passed before the fox looked up at the gentle creature.

The two stared at each other, holding a conversation Eva could almost sense. She concentrated but only caught a low-level buzz in the back of her mind. So faint that she almost thought she'd imagined it.

As if coming to a decision, the rock creature reached up and plucked one of the white flowers from the top of his head and held it out to Eva.

"For me?" She pointed at her chest.

A low rumbling came from the mythological's throat. It put her in mind of boulders being pushed across the land, inch by slow inch. The passage of centuries encompassed in that one sound, carrying with them an invisible weight.

As if afraid she wouldn't understand, the mythological tucked his chin in a slow nod.

Eva glanced at the tiny flower, made even smaller by the massive hand wrapped around it. A hand that could easily have palmed Eva's skull and crushed it.

Yet the mythological handled that flower like a precious treasure. Inexplicably gentle as he offered it to Eva.

Conscious of the way Drake tensed as she reached out to take it, Eva gave the mythological a bright smile. "Thank you. I'll cherish it."

Another slow rumble came, like that of titans clashing.

Eva didn't know what he said, not in words at least. It was more of a feeling she got. A sense that he was welcoming her to the valley. That as long as he was here this place would be blessed.

People in the Highlands often liked to say that the land had a mind and will of its own. It could embrace your presence, but it also could decide you weren't welcome. There was many a cautionary tale of what happened in such cases. Usually, those involved died in grisly ways.

Until right this moment, Eva, like many Trateri, thought that was merely an excuse those in the Highlands gave for not being willing to leave the safety of their villages.

What she was picking up from the mythological suggested otherwise. Maybe there was some truth in those stories and not everything was superstition.

It was a thought to examine later—when she wasn't in the presence of an entity she was beginning to suspect was more than just a mythological.

There was a connection she could feel. As if he was the land in some abstract fashion.

A silly thought—except this was the Highlands and much stranger things had happened.

Eva tilted the flower in her hand, attracted to the strange petals. She was almost mesmerized at the faint shimmer she caught in their depths. As if a pollen made of diamonds had been scattered along its silky surface.

Exquisite.

Eva came back to herself with a jolt. "Where are my manners? You gave me a gift. It's only right I give you one in return."

Eva dug in her pockets, her fingers touching against the smooth woven surface of the decorative pattern she'd been working on for Caia.

It wasn't much. Just a little thing she'd seen on other Trateri saddles. Often tied to the front or side and left to hang free. They were usually gifts from family, friends, or lovers and came in a variety of colors and patterns.

This pattern was a tad more complicated than any she'd tried before. Made from multiple strands, it had an interesting red pattern running down its center while the outside edges were made from white thread.

It didn't look half bad, if Eva was being entirely honest.

Perhaps that was why she didn't dismiss it as a possibility. Though created with Caia in mind, it carried her sincerity. It wasn't too much to say it was a physical expression of the love and respect she had for Caia. Most importantly, it was something she'd created with her own hands.

That made it the perfect gift.

Either way, Eva wasn't sure how likely it was for her to meet this mythological again. Once this moment passed, chances were it wouldn't come again.

Impressions, good or bad, tended to last much longer than the moments that created them. As the people she'd claimed as her own, she wanted the Trateri to start off on a good foot—especially with unknown mythologicals who may or may not have been dangerous.

Making her decision, Eva withdrew the weaving from her pocket and held it out on the flat of her hand.

"For you," she said before she could change her mind.

The mythological's gaze caught hers, the rest of the world falling away.

Emotions that weren't hers, feelings and thoughts that came from a place outside of herself, swept through her. She caught gratitude and surprise. Pleasure and fascination.

Along with those emotions came the press of years. She knew in her bones that the mythological in front of her was old. As old as the valley she stood in, the more fanciful part of her wanted to claim.

For a mind as young as hers it was too much. Too heavy a weight to carry.

Beads of sweat popped up on her forehead as her hand trembled under the onslaught.

As abruptly as it had come, the pressure of the mythological's mind withdrew, the stress abating.

The last thing she caught was an apology and a welcome. Beneath it all was also a promise to live in peace with the humans as long as they respected the land.

Eva came back to herself, blinking in surprise at the solitary tree trunk. The mythological was gone.  

Puzzled, she studied the ground, only to find the carcass of the wheezer gone. Not even a spot of blood to mark where it had been.

"What was that?" Eva asked in a soft voice.

She felt off balance. Uncertain whether she'd actually experienced what she thought she had. It felt fantastical. Like a dream, if not for the flower still clutched in her hand.

A crafty look slid across the fire fox's face before it was gone, leaving only innocence behind.

Eva narrowed her eyes, ignoring the clop of hooves from behind her. Did he really think she believed that expression?

One thing she knew—the fire fox was almost never innocent.

"Did you accomplish what you wanted?" Eva asked him with a pointed look.

His only response was a foxy smile before he scampered away, his tails bouncing behind him as he disappeared amid the boulders.

Eva didn't have long to ponder what scheme the fox was involved in now as Caia and Jason started for her.

"What was that?" Jason asked, unknowingly echoing her question from before as he stared past the tree to the boulder field beyond.

Eva followed his gaze, her attention fastening on a moss-covered boulder she was sure hadn't been there before her encounter with the mythological.

Her eyes sharpened as the boulder shifted. Not much. Barely a foot, which from this distance was nearly imperceptible. Before, she would have thought she was imagining things. Her mind taking a flight of fancy inspired by the unbelievable tales she'd heard about this place.

"That's why," she whispered to herself.

She'd thought it strange no one had mentioned this being. If there had been even a whisper of his existence, there was no way the Trateri would have taken a chance and settled here.

It was because the mythological was nearly impossible to spot. His camouflage damn near perfect.

"We need to tell the others," Drake said, joining them. His gaze was direct as he focused on Eva. "Should we be worried?"

She shook her head. "I didn't get the sense that he was a danger."

If anything, it was the opposite. That he would help up to a certain point.

She kept that part to herself, not wanting to sound crazy.

After a lifetime of pretending to be normal, she wasn't quite used to people knowing about her strange gifts. She struggled to accept that they wouldn't turn on her if they knew the true extent.

It was why she held part of herself back—even with those she'd come to call friends.

"Is that what the mythological gave you?" Jason asked as all three of their gazes landed on the flower.

Eva held it in front of her eyes. "It seemed important to him."

"Never seen anyone grow flowers on their head. Let alone pluck one and give it to someone else." Drake's gaze moved from the flower to Eva's face.

"What do you suppose it means?" Jason asked.

Eva rubbed the flower's stem between her fingers, twirling the shaft and watching the petals rotate. "I think it's a symbol of friendship."

That's how it felt to her, anyway. A token exchanged with pure intentions.

Taking advantage of their preoccupation, Caia extended her neck. Her teeth chomped closed on the flower before Eva or anyone else could react.

Caia chewed loudly, smacking her lips as if to say the flower was delicious.

Eva sputtered, her gaze going from the pitifully empty stem in her hands to her too-stupid-to-live horse.

A choked sound escaped Jason as his shoulders trembled suspiciously. "Well, it appears Caia just ate your token of friendship."

Drake leaned toward Jason, staring at the horse like she'd committed an unspeakable act. "You don't think she'll die from this, do you?"

"From a flower?"

"It is the Highlands."

Jason made a little nod as if to concede the point. They all knew the Highlands reputation—though usually it wasn't the flora that was likely to do you in. No, that honor went to the many dangerous beasts lurking around every corner.

"I'm more afraid the mythological will come back. How do you think he'd feel if he knew the horse ate his head flower?" Jason muttered.

Drake touched the sword at his side in reassurance.

Eva threw the now bare stem on the ground, crossing to Caia and grabbing the horse's jaw.

"Spit it out, you daft thing. Spit. It. Out. Right. Now."

Caia tried to tug her face out of Eva's grip, but the human was far more stubborn than the horse expected.

Eva forced Caia's head down, not caring when the horse's eyes rolled, showing the whites around them, or the way her lips peeled back to reveal teeth that were clamped stubbornly together. They didn't budge no matter what tricks Eva tried to get them to part.

All that mattered was the fact Caia had eaten an unknown flower. A flower that Eva could tell held some type of strange power that could KILL her STUPID horse.

That was to say nothing about the fact that Jason was right. How would the mythological feel if he knew that the flower, something that was quite literally a part of him, was consumed so presumptuously?

None of which Eva could bring herself to care about if her friend, the sister of a different species, was harmed.

"Caia!" Eva shouted, losing patience.

Caia half spun, knocking into Eva and nearly toppling her to the ground. The force of the blow loosened her grip on Caia's head as the horse jerked out of reach.

Caia backed away and stopped, her legs splayed, a wild look of defiance on her face that Eva recognized. One that meant no amount of bargaining or threatening would force Caia into compliance.

It was the look that said she'd dug in and blood would spill before she gave up.

Caia's tail whipped back and forth behind her, showing her fury as horse and horse mistress engaged in a standoff.

Finally, Eva relented, letting out a huff. "Fine, but don't think I'll shed a tear when you keel over. You're on your own, my dear. Completely and totally."

That was a lie.

Eva had no doubt she'd be utterly and totally devastated if anything were to happen to the daft creature.

Especially something as preventable as eating questionable flora that originated from a powerful creature's head.

As the horse responsible for finding Eva and subsequently leading her to the Trateri, they shared a bond. One totally unique to the two.

Some might even say they shared a fate. An inexplicable thread binding them together that neither wished to sever.

With Caia had come Ollie, a herd master who'd been responsible for the mare. When he'd offered to take her with him, Eva had accepted. In her mind, people who treated a runaway mount as gently as they did Caia couldn't be all bad. No matter what rumor and stories claimed.

Eva believed that encounter had saved her life. Chances were, she'd be long dead if she'd remained in that forest. Alone and vulnerable to those that hunted there.

They'd been inseparable ever since. The horse acting more like an overzealous guard dog than a mount.

Which was why if something ever happened to Caia, Eva was sure the resulting fallout would be catastrophic. She fully expected there to be tears. Rivers of them. Enough to fill a thousand lakes.

Not that her horse seemed to appreciate that, if the bored expression on the idiot equine's face was anything to judge by.

The sound of hoof beats drew her attention from Caia's poor judgment. Drake stiffened for a moment, before relaxing at the sight of the rider and horse thundering across the meadow toward them.

Eva squinted, recognizing the mount long before she did the woman.

While not unique, the pretty bay with her black mane and tail were distinctive enough for Eva to know the rider, even at this distance.

Fiona. Someone Eva considered a friend—though how that happened was still a mystery to her.

Fiona's expression was guarded as her gaze went from the three of them to their surroundings, taking note of the lack of other horses and the fact they were far from where they'd said they would be.

"Anything wrong?" Fiona's hand hovered near the hilt of her blade.

"All is well," Drake replied.

Fiona grunted, not looking entirely convinced as she scanned their surroundings.

Her jaw flexed, making the three parallel scars that ran along it more prominent. Surprisingly, those old battle marks did nothing to detract from her appeal. Rather they enhanced it, promising an interesting experience for any brave enough to tempt the rapids.

Finding nothing, Fiona focused amber colored eyes on Eva, her expression fierce.

"You're needed."

Eva straightened, sending the other woman a questioning look.

The bay tried to sidestep, picking up on her rider's heightened emotions. Fiona soothed her with a pat on her neck.

"Our sentries spotted a large element heading in our direction. Caden wants you present when we meet them."

A hushed silence sunk in after Fiona's words.

"How is that possible?" Jason burst out. "No one was supposed to be up here except us."

Drake stirred, appearing interested. "Trateri?"

Fiona hesitated, shooting a glance at Eva before reluctantly nodding. "It looks that way."

"Then the treaty—" Jason trailed off as he glanced at Eva in dismay.

"Is over," Drake finished, putting into words what they all thinking.