Alex and his friends moved from display to display, taking a look at the coveted prizes for the Games of Roal.
On a raised platform—behind magically reinforced glass guarded by squads of Watchers—were wonders that glittered in the morning light.
Or at least, what had seemed to be wonders.
There were multiple suits of full plate armour inlaid with gold and precious jewels on display as prizes for combat events; like the sky-joust and the grand melee. There were s...
2023-04-29 23:19:16 +0000 UTC
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“I have to tell you, it has been far too long since we have seen the Games of Roal.” King Aksuma said, feeding Najyah. “The last time we saw them was when Sembrouthes was here attending the university…what a spectacular sight they were. I was so impressed by them that we started an annual contest for our young people to test their strength against each other. It truly helps the young ones build hardiness.”
He paused, as if lost in a memory before continuing. “I remembe...
2023-04-28 22:02:04 +0000 UTC
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As Alex spent more time with Hannah’s power, he also found that his senses for teleportation magic grew ever sharper.
Where he could feel when someone was using teleportation spells before, and guess roughly where they would appear, now, he could also sense where they were coming from.
He felt waves of heat drifting from the middle of the courtyard as if a window had been opened leading from a much hotter place. Vague floral scents, aromas of spices, incense and sea water tickle...
2023-04-27 22:18:43 +0000 UTC
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“This humble servant greets His Royal Highness, Raptor of Tekezash, Lord of the Sapphire Sea!” a woman in silk robes cried in Tekish, mirroring the salute offered by the guards outside.
“This humble servant greets His Royal Highness, Raptor of Tekezash, Lord of the Sapphire Sea!” shouted a small army of servants filling the entrance hall, each bowing with hands clasped before them in supplication.
The servants, who were ringed by guards—bowed in salute to their prince—...
2023-04-26 22:21:45 +0000 UTC
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Guards long trained in protecting those entrusted to them readied their weapons as interlopers abruptly appeared in the courtyard.
The sentries’ duty was clear; patrol the rampart day and night, inspect the villa and be prepared for attacks from ground and air. This morning, as a matter of routine, they had once again combed the surroundings as the sun crested the horizon. These were men and women drawn from the finest of their kingdom’s army, forged by the sort of training and expe...
2023-04-25 22:02:13 +0000 UTC
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Alex couldn’t quite figure out what was happening.
Moments ago, he’d been in a deep trance, searching for the Traveller’s power. He’d managed to touch it a few times—even gripped and changed its shape—but he still couldn’t do anything practical with it.
He’d held it and manipulated its shape in different ways, desperate to learn how to use it properly. If he could at least partially master it by the time the Games of Roal started, his team would have a maj...
2023-04-22 22:17:06 +0000 UTC
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“I want to see you break down and cry,” Grimloch grinned, his jagged teeth shining as brightly as his enchanted armour. He gripped his spike maul in both hands, his dull, black eyes seeming to drink in the grey light of day.
“Funny, I was going to say the same to you,” Hart’s large eyes pierced the sharkman. He was holding the Hive-queen claw blade lightly in one hand, as he moved with terrifying, predatory grace.
Every shift of his muscles promised speed and explosive p...
2023-04-21 23:01:33 +0000 UTC
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“That’s…a magic circuit I drew,” Selina said suspiciously. “It was for my assignment. What’s wrong with it?”
“Well that’s the thing, Selina. There’s nothing wrong with it.” He said, pointing to the diagram. “Honestly, there’s suspiciously nothing wrong with it. Your teacher told me that—there have been eleven year olds that have drawn magic circuits this accurate. But they’ve been few and far between. And honestly? Most of those h...
2023-04-20 22:24:42 +0000 UTC
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Selina Roth knocked on the door of her brother’s laboratory on the evening she turned twelve years old.
The day had been amazing, even by the high standards set by every birthday she’d ever had in her young life. For most of her birthday celebrations, Alex and the Lus had all but harnessed the stars for her when that special day arrived.
From the time he’d started working at McHarris’ bakery back in Alric, her brother would bake heaps of wonderful treats for her and her fr...
2023-04-19 21:45:03 +0000 UTC
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“Under no circumstances would I make that choice,” Khalik declared. “I would forsake my position first.”
Silence hung over the table.
“But…what if they do not give you a choice?” Isolde asked. “We both know what it means from birth to have more duties than choice.”
“There is always a choice,” Khalik said firmly. “It is true that kings and queens have great burdens placed on them by birthright, but they also have choices. A monarch might choose not to ...
2023-04-18 19:49:45 +0000 UTC
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The prince was clad in clothing of green, woven from leaves of what looked to be scores of trees. Wreaths of summer berries were entwined throughout his beard, and vibrant red vines were twisted through his plaits.
A garland of dried fruit lay around his neck and a crown of blossoms encircled his brow. Even Najyah had been adorned with wide cuffs of ivy just above her talons.
The prince looked as though lightning had just struck him.
His eyes were unfocused, and though he wa...
2023-04-15 20:49:07 +0000 UTC
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In the time that Alex had known Prince Khalik Behr-Medr, one of his closest friends, it was rare that he had seen him appear in public looking anything but impeccably dressed, groomed and poised. His beard was always perfectly sculpted like he’d used a ruler to measure every angle. His plaits were always perfectly braided, and his clothes were rarely anything but immaculate, perfectly clean, washed, and pressed.
The only time Khalik had ever looked worse—unless he was in the middle ...
2023-04-14 19:56:10 +0000 UTC
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It was nearly summer when Alex finally caught the Traveller’s power.
For weeks, he had been chasing it, closing the distance with every long night spent on the bakery's roof. Every bit of time and effort he’d devoted to chasing it meant it was easier to track, and no matter how long it took to catch it, it would be worth it.
Her power kept growing in him; if it had been like wavering candlelight before, it was like kindling flame now, giving life to a bonfire. And as the...
2023-04-13 21:45:18 +0000 UTC
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In the weeks since she’d visited Alex’s bakery, Carey London dreamed.
Every night, she would offer up her prayers as she’d always done. Yet, her recent dreams were different from her past ones.
For it was not to Uldar that she now prayed.
It was not even to St. Avelyn.
Now, she would call on the Saint of Alric. The story Alex had told was a wonderful one to hear—as glorious as any of the parables she’d heard growing up—and she recognised the similarities be...
2023-04-12 14:24:35 +0000 UTC
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Heeeeeey everyone!
That's right, at last, Mark of the Fool Book 3 has launched on Amazon and Audible, with the audiobook narrated by Travis Baldree!
With this I can say I successfully published a trio of novels! I always wanted to publish a trilogy, and the fact that I've managed to put out the first three novels in a series of nine is incredible to me. But we're here. Together we made this happen, and it's just damned lovely.
The links t...
2023-04-12 14:24:18 +0000 UTC
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This is a Fool chapter, for those of you who ju
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This is a Fool chapter, for those of you who ju
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This is a Fool chapter, for those of you who ju
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This is a Fool chapter, for those of you who ju
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This is a Fool chapter, for those of you who ju
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This is a Fool chapter, for those of you who ju
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This is a Fool chapter, for those of you who ju
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This is a Fool chapter, for those of you who ju
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This is a Fool chapter, for those of you who ju
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This is a Fool chapter, for those of you who ju
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This is a Fool chapter, for those of you who ju
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This is a Fool chapter, for those of you who ju
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Spoiler wall! Spoiler wall! Does whatever a Spo
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Spoiler wall! Spoiler wall! Does whatever a Spo
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