4. The Right Thing Isn't Always the Best Thing
Cecina was sitting right there, facing Piran. She didn't turn around. Hrvalye's stomach turned leaden and dropped as he stood there dumbfounded. He'd also forgotten to exhale before walking in, and air began escaping from his half-open mouth with an...
3. Behold, the Magnificent City of Koris
Hrvalye awakened, sitting up in a bed with his left arm in a sling, a cold pack on his left shoulder, and an automated subdermal drug dispenser wrapped around his right arm. His shoulder ached, but far less intensely than before. He leaned back heavily...
2. Thank God for Antiseptic Spray
It didn't feel like much time had passed when Cecina returned, but it was hard to say. Hrvalye's reverie ran pretty deep. "Sorry that took so long. Trva is apparently out sick today, so I had to have one of the janitors scrounge around with me. Very...
5. You're Probably High
Hrvalye lay on his stomach, his elbows dug into the fresh new grass, still quite short with the newly minted season, his head resting on his hands, which were propped under either side of his jaw. He had positioned himself at the very edge of one of...
1. A Cold Morning
Koris was always a beautiful city in the springtime. Situated a few miles inland from the coast behind imposing seaside cliffs, its denizens would know that winter was truly over when the ocean currents shifted to start blowing tender sea spray kisses...
Vignette: Snow
"You know, Hervie, today is a good day," Cecina said with a smirk, her arms akimbo. As predicted and as intended, Hrvalye cringed, "What the hell is wrong with you?" Cecina's smirk intensified, "Nothing is wrong with me, dear heart," she gestured to...
“Premonition” - The Day Of
"Premonition" - The Day Of * * * He leans back in the office chair, tilting it off its feet, idly peering toward the entrance across the room. Warm, cheap incandescence and the steady humming of a CRT greet the night air coming through the sliding...
To Know When to Fold 'em
Flick sat at his armchair in the study reading a manual of some description, the room's enormous bookcases ran the entire length of one of the walls in the room and reaching to the ceiling like a grand library. He had taken a large selection of...
Vignette: Tiny Nibling
"This is an honor, Hrvalye." "It is, mother, you're right, but I don't--I don't know if I'm the right choice. I'm busy at the labs, and when I go into immersion I'll be completely unavailable to the kid." "You are the child's only uncle." "Their...
Blooming Tides - Prologue: A Fragile Dream
The mouse's eyes widened, then he pivoted to examine the ram. harel, most likely. the boy had slumped to his side since the cub had left his grasp, eyes closed.
Kingdom of the Old Demons: Chapter 8
To the Ashen Lands It had been weird for Zardes and Malkar when they were sailing. Somehow, travelling over the sea of water seemed like a normality, much like the phrase 'the sea is water'. Now, however, it wasn't the case, for the sea was...
Light Bane: Chapter 33
Though he had seen how she handled herself in a fight, her caprine appearance also added to the werewolf's worry.