Travis Starnes

An Ending of Oaths - Chapter 2

Valemonde

“… so pigheaded,” Isolde said, her nostrils flaring as she tried in vain to keep her temper in check. “Can’t you see we have to end this stupid war? How many more must die before you see reason?”

“Quite, damn you,” her father said, massaging his temples. “I was having a peaceful evening before you stormed in here. Why must I deal with your constant nagging?”

“Because someone has to tell you when you’re wrong. You’ve surrou...

The Wings of Mercury - Chapter 12

Carthage

Claudius ran as fast as his legs could carry him, which was at least easier now that the guard had gotten rid of the heavy armor, which would have severely weighed him down. What he really wished for, however, was more men.

He just happened to be at the guard post, checking on the rotation, when the messenger had arrived with a warning of a disturbance nearby. Claudius had grabbed every man he could find, stripping the guard post to just one man and every...

Desperate Rendition - Chapter 5

The spot the gang leader pointed out was, in fact, on the far edge of town. When Taylor found it, he could see why they’d want a place like this. Still in the city, giving them access to travel quickly, but backed away near open land, giving good sightlines. It was also a large, walled house, which gave it an additional layer of security.

Not perfectly secure, of course. For one, the house made up part of the wall, so there were doors to the outside. For another, it was still part of ...

The Wings of Mercury - Chapter 11

Carthage

Medb slipped through the narrow alleyways of Carthage, her cloak pulled tight against the cool spring air. The streets were quiet, partially because of the early hours and partially because of the continued pervasive unease that had settled over the city, everyone feeling how close it was to boiling over. She approached a small, abandoned house, its once-white walls now stained and crumbling, the door hanging slightly ajar, broken down by sword and club.

...

Desperate Rendition - Chapter 4

The buzzing phone jerked Taylor awake. The phone said he’d been asleep for only five hours, which wasn’t enough, since he had a strong feeling that this day was going to be even longer. It also said that, had he been a gambling man, he would have lost a fair amount of money.

Before he’d gone to bed the night before, Taylor had sent a message giving, in extreme detail, what would happen if the gang leader took the upfront payment and ran. Even with that threat, he’d been all but ...

Center Stage - Chapter 36

I sat on the edge of the hospital bed, wincing as the doctor finished up the last of my stitches. The adrenaline had now fully worn off, and I still had a little of the shakes. I’d had them before after fights, but never like this. Although I guess this wasn’t so much of a fight as someone trying to kill me.

“I’m so sorry, I’m here,” Kat said, rushing in.

The doctor looked up at her, but didn’t say anything as she came over to my opposite side and took my hand. One o...

Center Stage - Chapter 35

The stands were full of energy, with flags everywhere from multiple nations, although Japan more than any others. They actually had a swimmer in the finals, but she was low ranked and had barely gotten through the semifinals. Her countrymen, though, were riled up cheering for her.

The Americans were cheering too, as we had two swimmers in the race, but Kat had beaten the other girl’s time in the semis and beaten her at team trials, so she was the favorite to bring home gold. I was ner...

The Wings of Mercury - Chapter 10

Factorium

“… appreciate it, but I really came to find out how the steamship project is coming?” Lucilla said.

It had been a week since she’d received notice that the fuse test failed, and she hadn’t heard from the manufacturer since. She’d sent requests for updates, which had been met with, not silence, but demurs. Which was unusual for Hortensius and enough to prompt Lucilla to come see what was happening.

“We are working as fast as we can, Yo...

Center Stage - Chapter 34

The stands were already packed as we made our way in. Jean had wanted to wait until the stands were full to get to our seats, so we didn’t have to push through a bulk of people, but I was worried that would mean we’d have to make a late arrival. So instead, I opted to be very early. Jean didn’t love that, but I’d already made it clear I wasn’t going to compromise my support for Kat, and it was up to Jean to keep me safe while I was doing it.

We were in our seats before the swi...

Center Stage - Chapter 33

I leaned back in the cushioned chair and closed my eyes for a minute. The party had gone late the night before, with Kat and I not being able to escape until almost two in the morning and Quinn had me on a call at six that morning for the first of dozens of call-in interviews I did that morning, and then hustled out for the midday taping of the show that would air that night.

My friends had all stayed in town to see the show and were flying back the next day and, because they were here,...

The Wings of Mercury - Chapter 9

Outside Factorium

Hortensius scrutinized the percussion cap and fuse assembly inside the cone of the shell. His calloused hands, stained with grease and gunpowder, made minute adjustments as he muttered under his breath. Around him, his team of assistants peered over his shoulder as he finished examining their work.

“The wire seems to be under a lot of tension,” Hortensius said, pointing at the device inside the nose of the shell.

The setup was actually ...

Center Stage - Chapter 32

It’d been traveling a lot over the last year, doing the show and the tour following it, not to mention all of the meetings and recording, and I’d even had them send me a car a few times.

This however, was my first time in a limo. I wasn’t sure I got what the hype was a ll about. I mean, it was cool to not have to drive and the leg room was nice, but I was a poor country boy at heart still, and I couldn’t help but feel a little out of place.

I also didn’t love the suit I�...

Cover Reveal - Center Stage (Country Roads #6)

Center Stage - Chapter 31

“...And running down,” I sang, finishing the last verse of Velocity, playing the last running riff that closed out the song.

“Nailed it,” Tran said from the booth as he locked the recording. “That’s a wrap. I love it when they’re easy like that. Great job, all three of you.”

He wasn’t wrong, this song had gone incredibly smoothly. We’d only done four run-throughs of it, making a handful of small adjustments before Tran announced that we were trying it ...

An Ending of Oaths (Shattered Lands #2) - Chapter 1

Cestralion, Aurorin Province, Lynese

William stood on the balcony of the Viceroy’s keep, watching as snow fell, blanketing the city of Cestralion. Despite the cold and its occupation by a hostile force, the city bustled with activity, people going about their daily lives as if nothing had changed.

“Seems strange, doesn’t it?” Pembroke said, joining William at the railing, his breath misting in the frigid air.

“My lord?”

“The quiet. The pe...

The Wings of Mercury - Chapter 8

Factorium

Lucilla was back in Factorium. Once again, she was happy that the train line had been installed, making this a quick morning and back home by mid-afternoon.

Hortensius was away, dealing with an ore supplier that had significantly slowed its output, but Lucilla’s main goal was to talk to Sorantius. The chemist had a habit of getting overly focused in his workshop, failing to report on his progress, which was very much needed as the war started to heat u...

Concept Arts - Country Roads Character Portraits

Charlie's bodyguards - 1) Mana 2) Jean 3) Malik

Center Stage - Chapter 30

Up to this point, we’d done all of our recording in Raleigh. The studio was nice, but walking into a label’s primary recording studio, it was clear we’d been small time and they’d been up until that moment.

The equipment was state-of-the-art with the latest recording gear and mixing consoles. The recording spaces themselves were spacious and beautiful with what looked like wooden sound baffling, and incredibly comfortable accommodations.

Tran, who I guess would be our prod...

Center Stage - Chapter 29

Saturday afternoon, I got the text I’d been hoping for. It had taken a few days from Hal agreeing to let Cole open to working out the details on the back end. I’d insisted on being the one to call him first and ask him to open, and we were now at the point where we were ready to start scheduling him.

I felt bad that, other than a few texts here or there, we hadn’t really spoken since a little after the end of the show. That was on me. Between school and everything, I’d been busy...

The Wings of Mercury - Chapter 7

Devnum

Lucilla paced the length of her private chambers, wearing a deep line in the carpet. She loved the ability to hear his voice from so far away, but days like this, it was a curse as much as a gift. She’d known about the loss in Eastern Germania for hours and couldn’t say anything or even let on that she’d heard such devastating news.

Worse, she knew that Ky had been seriously wounded and had to swallow down the fear and anger that news caused. Sophus h...

Center Stage - Chapter 28

Memorial day rolled around and it was time for the parade I’d agreed to be in. They’d put me smack in the middle of the admittedly small parade, between the high school marching band and a tractor pulling a trailer full of 4H kids and a few of their smaller animals.

I was in the mayor’s convertible sitting next to him, which shouldn’t have surprised me. He was all about the self-publicity and he seemed determined to try and find a way to draft off of quasi-celebrity, even a litt...

Posting Note - Possible Delay

We are about to be hit by a hurricane dead on, so there's likely to be a few days delay in posting. It's not a big hurricane, but our power company sucks so I expect to be without power for a few days.

I'll keep you updated if it looks like it will be extended further than that.

Center Stage - Chapter 27

Since the weekend, we’d really picked up work on songwriting, going from essentially the moment I got home from school until well into the evening. It was more than a month until we needed to be ready to be at the studio, but I wanted to really polish as much as we could before that moment.

We were in the garage again, the AC I’d bought and convinced Mrs. Phillips to let us install so we didn’t melt trying desperately to cool the enclosed garage down now that the temperatures were...

The Wings of Mercury - Chapter 6

Gual

Lucilla tried not to let her annoyance and exhaustion show as she listened to the representatives from Italia.

It had been a busy few weeks, even busier once Ky left the week before, whom she missed desperately. Worse, she knew this was just the beginning and she would likely not see him again for a long time. The last war had been mostly fought at, or at least near, home. This new one, even Carthage would be considered close. Ky had sent along the reports of...

Center Stage - Chapter 26

The rest of my night had been a hellish blur. I’d spent the night pacing or staring at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep. It was just impossible to wrap my head around the idea that someone wanted to hurt me for something I didn’t even understand. I got that there were crazy people in the world, but having it targeted at me was completely different.

Not that I’d done nothing all night. I’d texted Kat to let her know what was going on, which turned into an hour and a half argume...

Center Stage - Chapter 25

The next few weeks passed more or less uneventfully, for me at least. UNC was in an uproar. Although the reasoning wasn’t made public, Kat said the sudden firing of Cross had created a huge commotion across campus. Everyone knew about his dating students and the public spectacle Hanna had put on, so it wasn’t hard to figure out, and most of the student body had more or less worked it out themselves.

At first, Hanna was very nervous about all the attention, but when it turned out mos...

Center Stage - Chapter 24

I was still exhausted the next morning after our long hours in the studio the day before, but I made sure to be on the UNC campus well before the time for my meeting.

I made my way to the administration building. They must have been alerted to me coming because I got in line behind some students when the receptionist waved me over.

“Charlie Nelson? They’ve actually moved the meeting to Spranger Hall. It’s just across the quad, big brick building, can’t miss it.”

�...

Desperate Rendition - Chapter 3

After only five hours, Taylor pulled the beat-up jeep back into the spot he had taken it from, next to the rundown bar where he had met Emilio. Emilio had a smirk on his face when Taylor walked back through the doors.

“Back so soon, amigo? Don’t tell me you missed my company already.”

The sun had gone down, but it wasn’t very late, which maybe explained why the bar was less full now than it had been just hours earlier.

“Something like that,” Taylor said, sliding ...

Center Stage - Chapter 23

I was glad when the school day ended. While I’d wished to be back in school and normal all during the tour, now my public life had invaded even that. Between kids still making comments about my being a millionaire and the weird... I don’t even know what to call it. Intervention slash strong arm meeting in the principal’s office, school had suddenly stopped being a refuge for me.

Which sucked.

When I got inside, I saw Hanna was sitting on the couch, hugging her knees to her c...

Center Stage - Chapter 22

After leaving the signing, we couldn’t go straight back home. I’d originally had the USC press conference set for the fifteenth, but since we were in LA for this signing, I’d convinced them to move everything up so we could do it at one time, and save flying back and forth across the country two more times.

I hadn’t counted on LA traffic though, and the trip to USC took almost forty-five minutes, making us a good ten minutes late for the press conference. As soon as we got there...