Travis Starnes

From the Top - Chapter 11

While we waited for Mr. Eaves to figure out if we had a case or not, Warren and I worked out a plan, or at least the beginnings of a plan. We’d try and pick a region to the west that was close enough to drive to, but far enough that MAC would have limited contacts there to interfere with us.

The real problem was that meant places which were far enough away that we couldn’t make it a ‘day trip.’ We didn’t have time to put together a tour or really even bundle gigs in one area, ...

Border Crossed - Chapter 6

Whitaker pulled out her phone while Taylor began to walk the room. He wasn’t doing an in-depth search yet, but getting a sense of anything that might be important or notable. While he didn’t normally expect anything incriminating or useful to be just sitting out in the open, considering the tunnel he saw, it wasn’t like they were able to just hide their illegal activities anyway.

Besides looking through the room, Taylor was also keeping an eye on the garage building itself through...

From the Top - Chapter 10

Kat and I had our first official date on Sunday afternoon. It was weird since she had spent most of the previous day with me down in Asheville, for the second of the shows Willie had set up. She helped us set up, worked the merch table while we were on stage, and was basically with me for almost ten hours. And yet today, because our date was official, she was acting all nervous and weird.

It got worse the closer it got to lunchtime when we planned to go out. I wasn’t that much better....

From the Top - Chapter 9

**It looks like there was an error on this post when it went up on Saturday, so I'm resetting it and resending it out now**

Since I was in Asheville, I decided to try to kill two birds with one stone. I didn’t know if Dr. Rothstein would be available, but his office wasn’t that far out of the way, and if he was, it meant Kat and I could move ahead with … whatever our new relationship was going to be.

The building was just as impressive as the last time I’d...

From the Top - Chapter 8

I was standing in the middle of the stage, playing my heart out. Ten thousand people filled the arena in front of me, cheering and singing along. I was just finishing the solo, turning to Lyla to start singing the next verse, when she opened her mouth and let out a high-pitched squeal.

My eyes flew open as my brain tried to transition between the dream and the noise that was happening in front of me. Hanna was standing just beyond the entryway, one hand partially in front of her face, b...

From the Top - Chapter 7

By Friday, we were halfway done with the trials, and Kat was killing it. She hadn’t posted any more records, but she’d qualified for the team in every event she was entered in so far. Today was mostly for events she wasn’t in, except a couple of prelims for the longer races, which wouldn’t have their finals until Saturday and Sunday. So, it was an easier day, allowing us a late start. We were still heading over to watch the events, but without the need to do warm-ups or change, so we ...

From the Top - Chapter 6

Monday morning, I drove back up to Willie’s house. He’d had to go to Nashville for some kind of treatment on Thursday, and he didn’t get back until Sunday night, so I wanted a chance to spend some real time with him. Normally, I waited until the afternoon to visit, in case he was sleeping in; but I had band practice later, and I still needed to pack for the drive to Indianapolis. So, I’d texted ahead to Keenan to make sure he was up.

I was surprised when Keenan, who looked tired...

In the Shadow of Lions (Shattered Lands #1) - Chapter 1

Starhaven, Kingdom of Sidor

“The king is dead,” a voice said behind Aldric Whitton, pulling him out of his thoughts. He’d been staring out over the balcony, off of their elder brother’s royal chambers, at the city sprawling beneath it and the sea beyond, so wrapped up in thought that he hadn’t heard Edmund enter until he spoke.

“When?” Aldric asked, turning to face his older brother.

“Not ten minutes ago. The sickness finally finished what th...

From the Top - Chapter 5

The next morning, I was still thinking about my conversation with Mrs. Phillips. I actually felt a little relieved after talking about my dad and hearing her thoughts on my mixed feelings about the man.

Of course, that didn’t fix my anxiety about our lack of gigs. It was now halfway through June and we still hadn’t played a single gig other than the Blue Ridge shows. There were only two months left before I would be back in school, and our time was quickly running out.

I was s...

From the Top - Chapter 4

The house was quiet once Seth and Lyla went home, leaving me to go back inside and sit sullenly on my couch, worrying. Warren had left shortly after dropping the news, wanting to make it down to Asheville to talk to some people in person. He had seemed hopeful, but considering most of these people had agreed to have us play and then canceled, I was feeling less so.

I’d stayed confident for Seth and Lyla, offering to help cover their expenses, but I knew they were right. I had a cushio...

From the Top - Chapter 3

By Wednesday I was starting to get a little antsy. Warren still didn’t have any news for us about our next gig, although he said he was working on it. I was still holding out some hope for a summer tour, but if we needed to put time into smaller clubs locally before we could book a full tour and we would have to be done touring by mid-August, we were running out of time to get it done.

What made it worse was that I had nothing to do. Kat was off at practice and Mrs. Phillips was worki...

From the Top - Chapter 2

Sunday afternoon before practice I was back at the Blue Ridge for my usual training with Chef and our gig that night, although I had something else planned that Chef didn’t know about.

I made my way around back and sat down in one of the chairs to wait while Chef finished making sure everyone was doing what they should be. The back door was slightly open, as it was most days, to let a little fresh air in and a little heat from the kitchen out, and I could hear Chef raising his voice o...

From the Top (Country Roads #5) - Chapter 1

“Morning,” I said, sitting down at the dining table across from Kat.

She was an early riser and usually beat me downstairs in the morning. This had, more or less, been our pattern since school had gotten out and everything had settled down. I wasn’t all that busy, but Kat’s schedule was packed, so this was basically the only time I got to see her all day. Knowing she was heading to college in a few months, I wanted to get every moment we could together, even if it was just morni...

The Fires of Vulcan - Chapter 30

Port of Kalb

Valdar stepped out of the temporary housing he’d been given when the fleet arrived back at the port a handful of days before, stretching and taking in the crisp salty air. He still thought of the cabin of his ship as his home, since it’s where he spent the majority of his time, but even he had to admit it was nice to sleep somewhere a little less cramped.

He was even considering getting something a little more permanent, for when he wasn’t aboar...

The Fires of Vulcan - Chapter 29

Daramouda

Ky stood, looking at the high walls of the besieged port and the smoke billowing up from inside its walls. The Carthaginians had picked their ground well, even if they hadn’t done it on purpose. Almost no high ground existed, at least not within range of the port, limiting his ability to fire into the city. They’d also improved their walls more than he’d thought they were capable of.

He could see wood and dirt through the cracks and holes left by t...

The Fires of Vulcan - Chapter 28

Devnum

Lucilla arrived for a second time at the large open field outside of Devnum. Though the early fall morning air held a chill that warned of the upcoming winter, a large crowd had already gathered in anticipation of this day’s event, again they were held back by several squads of Praetorians. Hortensius and Sorantius were at the balloon in the center of the field, no doubt making last-minute preparations for their launch.

The first test had proven to be a d...

The Fires of Vulcan - Chapter 27

Gaul, North of the Pyrenees

“This is unacceptable!” General Tabnit said, slamming his fist against the wooden gate of the empty Roman fort. “How could you let them slip through your hands again?”

“My apologies, sir, the terrain was difficult and …” Atar, leader of his advance units, started to say, until another shout from his commander cut him off.

“Enough excuses! Time and again your men have arrived to find an empty fort, the Romans escape...

The Fires of Vulcan - Chapter 26

Port of Kalb, Mouth of the Middle Sea

Valdar stepped carefully from the boarding plank down into the cutter, moving aft to take his place in the stern seat as the small boat began moving for the shore. Despite months of pounding the fortress from the sea and blockading it from resupply, he knew the coming battle would be anything but easy. This wasn’t where he saw himself before throwing his lot in with the Britannians. He was a ship’s captain and had no place leadi...

The Fires of Vulcan - Chapter 25

Lucilla made her way into the palace from the courtyard, preferring to take the back way in to avoid the throngs of petitioners and citizens coming and going on business, official or otherwise.

She couldn’t wait until the telegraph was finally installed, after hearing Ky describe what it would be like, enabling communication with a far-off city in an instant. She spent the last four hours in a carriage on the bumpy roads, returning yet again from visiting Factorium to give the latest ...

The Fires of Vulcan - Chapter 24

Southern Germania

Ky halted his army, scanning the valley below through the drone flying high above the heavily wooded area. Using the naked eye, looking down the slope, the scene was serene and peaceful, with the early morning fog, not yet burned off by the morning sun, still covering the canopy.

The drone’s thermal sensors told a different story. Nearly ten thousand men hid beneath those trees, the remnants of the northern Carthaginian army, on the run after t...

The Fires of Vulcan - Chapter 23

Gaul, North of the Pyrenees

An argument was in full swing as Bomilcar ducked through the entrance to the command tent, which came to an abrupt halt just as the general made his sudden appearance. Aelius, Gordianus, and several of their tribunes were gathered around a rough map of the area and had clearly been in a heated discussion about what to do next. Now, all five men were staring at him, shocked.

It was a testament to how chaotic things must have been along t...

The Fires of Vulcan - Chapter 22

Hispania, North of the Pyrenees

The Carthaginian encampment blanketed the hill’s base, tents and men sprawling as far as the eye could see. At the center of this makeshift city sat the abandoned Roman fort, looming over the Carthaginians from atop the small rise.

The men cheered Tabnit as he rode through the camp, which was still being assembled. Certainly, they were happy to not have the fight everyone had been expecting and seemed to attribute their painless t...

The Fires of Vulcan - Chapter 21

South of Devnum

Claudius led his squad of Praetorians through the dense woods, trudging along the damp trail. Normally, he hated the way the ground turned soggy from the endless early summer rains, but now, it worked to his benefit. The ground had been muddy when the prisoners came through, preserving some signs of their passing, enough so that his trackers could follow.

Still, the forest was not where he wanted to follow them. The towering trees blocked out the s...

The Fires of Vulcan - Chapter 20

Devnum

Lucilla sat on her father’s throne, her throne now, and tried to radiate calm despite the rage churning inside of her. Everything she’d feared when they’d decided to start the new prisoner work gangs had come to pass, and she needed answers. However, she recalled her father’s words that a monarch must be calm and balanced at all times. Revealing her hand too readily, even to allies, only weakened her position.

It had been a hard-learned lesson, cont...

The Fires of Vulcan - Chapter 19

Port Invictus

Velius stood atop the walls of Port Invictus, surveying the sprawling Carthaginian siege works encircling the city, taking in the trenches and barriers dug by the enemy to protect themselves from the Britannian artillery. Despite this artillery, the Carthaginians had made steady progress toward the city walls. At the rate they were gaining ground, Velius estimated they would be close enough to assault the walls and get clear of his artillery in a few weeks...

The Fires of Vulcan - Chapter 18

Gaul, North of the Pyrenees

Velius gazed out the flap of the command tent, watching as the last crimson rays of dusk disappeared below the horizon. Around him, his commanders shuffled into the large tent, still wearing their armor from that day’s ride.

“It’s been four days since the last Carthaginian patrol was spotted near our forts,” he said, facing the men once they were all seated. “Almost a week since the last skirmish or raid on ou...

The Fires of Vulcan - Chapter 17

Devnum

Faenius walked purposefully into the temple, past the marble columns, intricate mosaics, and frescoes depicting religious tales, flanked by a squad of his best Praetorians, including the recently promoted centurion, Claudius, whom Faenius had been watching closely, as the man had promise.

The thunder of their synchronized footsteps echoed off the high ceiling as the guards fanned out, establishing control of the vestibule. Two temple guards moved to block t...

The Fires of Vulcan - Chapter 16

Outside Factorium

Lucilla sat in the carriage, watching the familiar countryside roll past in a blur of green and gold. She’d taken this trip so many times that she was almost comfortable with the bouncing and jostling, although they were turning for a detour, heading to the new work camp south of the manufacturing city. She was both eager and apprehensive about inspecting the new labor camp.

It was a necessary solution to their critical worker shortage, but the...

Border Crossed - Chapter 5

Taylor and Whitaker’s black SUV pulled to a gravelly stop on the shoulder of the state road, dust billowing around it in a choking cloud as they both stepped out to look over the area.

They’d gotten an early morning start after a few hours of sleep, which made it midday when they reached their destination. The problem was, Taylor had only identified a section of interest on the map. In person, it was a desolate stretch of scrub brush and wire fences, for all intents and purposes a l...

The Fires of Vulcan - Chapter 15

North of the Pyrenees, Sixth Fort Construction Site

Velius walked slowly across the muddy ground, surveying the scene before him with a grim expression. Bodies of Carthaginian soldiers were being hauled away by the grave detail teams, stacked in careless heaps before being tossed into mass burial pits. Though they had given far worse than they got, the sight of so many dead still turned his stomach. This was the fourth assault they had beaten back as they constructed th...