Travis Starnes

An Ending of Oaths - Chapter 19

Selwyn, Barony of Fairshore, River Mark

Baron Quentin Blout rode at the head of his knights, the flat farmlands stretching out before him, golden and rich from the summer rains. They were behind schedule. Today was Pride's Fall, the day that marked the end of the time of magic, when their powers went awry and split their content apart, creating the shattered lands. He'd hoped to mark the occasion by riding into Kenna and taking the Duke's ancestral seat.

It wouldn...

An Ending of Oaths - Chapter 18

Starhaven, Sidor

Edmund sat in his chamber, a goblet of wine untouched at his side. The hearth was empty and the windows had been opened to allow a cool breeze in, to cut the summer heat. There were more comfortable places in the palace to spend time, less stuffy than the king’s private study, but Edmund reveled in it. In the trappings of office that he’d always coveted. He couldn’t help but wonder if he still would have coveted this if he’d known how he would h...

Second Down - Chapter 7

Everyone was nervous and amped up as we suited up in the locker room. Our fieldhouse was behind one of the goal lines in an older style building, but we could already hear the noise of the crowd outside.

We were all freshmen, being the freshman team, so even though most of us had been playing for years, there was a big difference between middle school ball and high school, as far as attendance. In Texas, football was king and high school games could pull huge crowds. The varsity games e...

Mortals, Mythlings, & Mischief - Chapter 2

It didn’t take long to realize that I’d be with the same kids every class, as we all kind of traveled together in a group more or less in the same direction, although kids dipped in and out to try and visit friends or stop for something without being late to the next class.

We were apparently freshman group A, which led to the obvious assumption there was at least a group B. The school wasn’t that packed, so if each class had about the same number of kids, which was fifteen for my...

An Ending of Oaths - Chapter 17

Rendallia City, Rendallia

Isolde wandered through the halls of the keep, her “protector” trailing behind her, a constant shadow. He was not a guardian, not really. More of a watchful jailer, a reminder of her captivity in Rendallia. She’d been excited when she’d first come here with William, free of her father’s control. Yes, she’d been scared, suddenly married off to someone who was, essentially, a stranger. But he wasn’t. Not really.

She’d spent ...

Second Down - Chapter 6

Monday, we were playing our first full scrimmage in pads and everything, trying to get as close to a real game as possible against our defensive linemen. Our first game was on Thursday, which didn’t give us much time to get ready. How fast the schedule was between our first practice and our first game, a week into the school year, was pretty stunning, and probably one of the big reasons why they liked putting all the freshmen on the freshman team. There just wasn’t time for us to get read...

Cover Reveal: Desperate Rendition

An Ending of Oaths - Chapter 16

Twyver, Barony of Greenwood, River Mark

Baron Inworth rode through the crowded city streets as more of his people took what little belongings they had to run south, before the inevitable invasion began. Inworth wished he could tell his people he could protect them. Keep them safe.

But that would be a lie. He’d seen the enemy forces from the top of the keep himself and knew that today was the day. There was little comfort he would be able to bring them.

The...

Desperate Rendition - Chapter 17

Washington D.C.

Taylor’s back felt cramped, but he wasn’t going to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing him in distress. They were treating him like he was the criminal, instead of the man hiring hitmen to kill political opponents and kidnapping teenage girls. It had been a holding cell in Atlanta, a Bureau plain in shackles, and then, by his count, six hours in this interrogation room.

He got the transportation. They had appearances to maintain. It was bein...

The Blackstar Legacy (Veilguard Saga #2) - Chapter 1

“Fast. You have to react faster,” Rowan said as his sword passed within inches of Osric’s face.

Osric danced back and feinted left, then quickly changed direction, trying to catch him when he was off balance, on his back foot. Or so it had seemed to Osric. Rowan’s wrist pivoted, turning to parry the attack, but then Osric moved. The attack had been a second feint. He ducked under Rowan’s guard and struck, his practice sword connecting solidly with the ranger’s side.

�...

An Ending of Oaths - Chapter 15

Valemonde, Lynese

The Lynesian palace was impressive. William had to give it to them. He’d always thought the palace at Starhaven was impressive, but it paled in comparison to what the Lynesians had done. Where they had stone lined with tapestries, statues, and art, here every part of the wall itself was art, the stone covered with some kind of plaster material that had been carved and painted to make long intricate patterns. Even the molding on the floor and ceiling ...

Second Down - Chapter 5

The rest of my first day went well, even though I did not have a single class that did not have one of Elijah's group in it. Notably, Miguel and the rest of that group were not in the remedial classes. Only a handful of the other freshman players were in all the remedial classes, which I think showed again how bad of an influence they had been on me. It also meant that once I was out, I was not going to have to have at least required classes with them anymore. I would still see them in condit...

An Ending of Oaths - Chapter 14

North Bank of the Thunderhorn, Kingsheart, Sidor

Aldric stared out the farmhouse window, finally giving up on his pacing. He had arrived early and, in spite of Alyssa’s protests, without guards. He needed to convince Edmund that he was being sincere and was a reasonable intermediary. Worse, he had to convince Serwyn who, by all reports, was becoming more insatiable and bloodthirsty.

He knew Alyssa did not trust Edmund, and to be honest, he did not either, but he...

An Ending of Oaths - Chapter 13

Outside Valemonde, Lynese

William was in the command tent, looking over the map, which his aides had just updated with the latest reports. Two more ships had arrived from Rendallia to help secure Dawnstar Lake, bringing his total to six. Not a fleet, but a large enough body to hopefully stop the small but continuous stream of smugglers bringing supplies into the city from the southern shores of the lake, which were still under Lynesian control.

They were small shi...

Second Down - Chapter 4

I was lying on my bed, the playbook Coach Heidemann had given me open on my chest. In middle school, we’d just kind of learned plays and run them. There hadn’t been all this homework. I’d forgotten how much work it was at this level.

The thought almost made me laugh out loud. The thing I’d ‘forgotten’ hadn’t actually happened to me. It had only been a week since the dream, and already I was starting to think of things from it as my past, as much as just a dream.

The ...

Desperate Rendition - Chapter 16

Taylor held Kara tightly, relief washing over him as he felt her safe in his arms. For a long moment, neither said anything else. For a moment, Kara let her tough girl act down and allowed herself to be the vulnerable, scared young adult she was.

The spell was broken by the sound of Bonnie’s footsteps coming down the stairs. By the time she got to the bottom, Kara had withdrawn from the embrace and was wiping away tears.

“Good to see you’re alive and kicking, kid,” Bonnie ...

An Ending of Oaths - Chapter 12

Kenna, River Mark, Sidor

Aldric fastened the final clasp on his travel bag, having the feeling as if he was forgetting something he had every time he had to leave home.

He should have done this already. Things had been spiraling out of control for a month, ever since the stupid execution of Thurston. He’d tried to talk Garris down. He’d tried to talk Edmund down. Both were stubborn, refusing to give up any face, of being seen to back down.

Garris was det...

Second Down - Chapter 3

We managed to finish practice with no more incidents, although it was a rough finish. Everyone was icy toward each other, even the kids not directly part of the conflict. The vibes were just off, and the coach wasn’t having it. We’d ended up having to run laps for the last ten minutes of practice, with a threat that we’d spend the entire next day running laps if we didn’t get our heads out of our asses.

The locker room wasn’t any better. We managed to keep our space and didn�...

An Ending of Oaths - Chapter 11

Starhaven, Kingdom of Sidor

Serwyn stood on Market Road, his eyes fixed on the execution platform sitting in the center of the wide road, which from the bustling Merchants’ tier to the Nobles’ tier, now lined with grim-faced guards holding back the swelling crowd.

On the platform, Baron Thurston waited, guards on either side of him and his hands shackled, his noble finery stripped away. The man’s face was gaunt from his time in the dungeons, but he was still...

Desperate Rendition - Chapter 15

John Taylor parked the SUV a quarter mile down from the farmhouse, where it was still blocked by a tree line before the ground upended up to the farmhouse and surrounding pastures.

This far out in the middle of nowhere, there were no street lights and with the cloud cover above, it was pitch black. Even with that, he could see the path up to the farmhouse had no cover except for a self-standing barn to the left of the surprisingly large one-story farmhouse.

“Looks deserted,” B...

Desperate Rendition - Chapter 14

They didn’t have long. Even in a more or less empty industrial district, there was a good chance someone called the cops and reported gunfire. Worse, he had a problem.

Kara wasn’t here and they didn’t have any survivors, which meant he had no lead on her. If something happened to her, he’d never forgive himself. There wasn’t time to wallow, though. Taylor moved quickly from body to body, checking for any kind of intel. Mostly, they were clean. No IDs, no helpful notes giving d...

An Ending of Oaths - Chapter 10

Kenna, River Mark, Sidor

Aldric sat in his favorite cushioned chair, feeling the warmth from the fireplace, still not feeling warm. He had only been home from Shadowhold for a few days, and he’d yet to feel fully warm. The season had been incredibly long this year, with more of the monsters staying out, not returning to the depths as most of their kind did.

He didn’t know how many more years he had of leading this fight in him. He wasn’t a young man anymore,...

An Ending of Oaths - Chapter 9

Lindvale, The Barony of Lindenwood, Sidor

“…supplies for the work to be done,” Thurston said, sitting in his simple but comfortable chair, enjoying the always sour look on his steward’s face. “We’ve been cut off from Iron Keep all winter and I know there has been a lot of worry about when the roads will reopen. I’ve already spoken to the Barons on the other end of the pass through the Shatterstone Mountains and they’ve agreed to lend their men and coin t...

Second Down - Chapter 2

I was lying on my bed, listening to the ceiling fan go round and round, both tired but also not wanting to just lie here because I would have to sit with my own thoughts too much.

Today had been another brutal practice, so much so that one of the sophomores had gotten heat stroke and started vomiting by the stands. I had drunk a lot, more than most of the guys actually, and it had been hell on me. I couldn’t figure out why none of the other guys were bringing very much water with them...

Desperate Rendition - Chapter 13

Bonnie came back alive as they pulled off the freeway and into the maze of warehouses and factories that filled this small industrial area outside the city, craning her neck around looking from building to building.

“That’s it up there,” Taylor said, pointing down toward the end of the street.

They made it past another warehouse when Bonnie said, “Pull off here. Park around back.”

It was the smart play, Taylor thought as he pulled around the building. It would give...

An Ending of Oaths - Chapter 8

Starhaven, Sidor

Edmund stormed down the hall, nearly barreling over the few servants that were too slow to get out of his way in time. Furious didn’t even begin to describe his mood. The full shock of the wyvern’s message crumpled in his left hand still hadn’t settled all the way yet.

It had been a physical blow to him, threatening to destroy so many of his carefully laid plans. He couldn’t fathom how this had even been possible. He’d had all of the pla...

Desperate Rendition - Chapter 12

Washington, D.C.

They slowly made their way off the plane, stuck in the mass of people, as Taylor tried to think through options. They had just stepped out of the plane and onto the jetway when he saw his option.

Grabbing Bonnie’s hand, he yanked her after him, through the jetway door and down the stairs. She pulled her hand free, but saw his plan and ran after him as they hit the tarmac and sprinted down the length of the airport.

“Stay low,” he shout...

An Ending of Oaths - Chapter 7

Ebbwater, Dunwic’s Reach, Kingsheart

Tom Fletcher heaved another log from the cart, his muscles straining under the weight. He tossed it on the pile with the other logs, the sound loud and echoey in the empty woodshed. Sweat beaded on his brow despite the cold evening air, a testament to the hours he’d spent catching up on work.

He paused, straightening his back and wiping his forehead with a calloused hand. The sun had long since dipped below the horizon, the...

The Wings of Mercury - Chapter 27 (Final)

Temporary Legion Hospital, Eastern Germania

“And make sure those supplies reach the forward aid stations by tomorrow,” Ky heard Lucilla say, her voice reaching him before he pushed his way through the tent flap. “I will not accept any delays.”

Ky smiled to himself. Although he spoke to her every day, it was a different thing, hearing her voice in person and not over the comms. Ky held up a hand, halting his lictore and directing them to wait outside the te...

The Wings of Mercury - Chapter 26

Northern Wistla River

A cascade of animals running down the river, away from the alien chugging sound, preceded the sight of the metal behemoth coming round the riverbend, smoke puffing away out of its three metal stacks, making so much noise that it would be impossible for the ship to sneak up on anything.

Even with the noise and the fear it caused the local wildlife, Captain Leodgar was happy with his charge. He’d even admit, to himself if not others, that it ...