azaleaellis

The wait for Book 5

Hey guys!

I'm just here to announce officially, for those who might be coming to check out the Patreon after the release of A Foreboding of Woe, that we're on a short hiatus from new Practical Guide to Sorcery chapters as I write my way into Book 5, A Cauldron of Bitterness. 

So we've got everything up to Chapter 204 -- "Hermeneutics," which is the last chapter of Book 4 (and we also have about 30k words of exclusive bonus content from books 1-4 that you won...

Chapter 204 - Hermeneutics

Sebastien

Month 8 Day 15, Sunday 1:15 p.m.

The next day, Sebastien walked a long, winding route through Verdant Stag territory on the way to Nightmare Pack’s fighting arena. It was sunny, without a trace of clouds in the sky, but she wanted to be triply certain she was not being tracked or followed. Her divination-diverting ward didn’t so much as twitch, and though she was aware that she might have no idea if some more arcane magics were being used, she noticed nothing alarmin...

Chapter 203 - Icarus Rising

Siobhan

Month 8 Day 14, Saturday 11:45 p.m.

Siobhan inclined her head gracefully and walked past Professor Lacer as he held the door open for her. His gaze was fixated on her, and she imagined she could feel it hot on her skin as he examined her.

He waved her into his living room, which was surrounded by packed bookcases and sported one lone couch. Only a single lamp was lit, sitting on a small table by one of the couch arms and spilling gentle warm light. It was obviously m...

Chapter 202 - Countergambit

Siobhan

Month 8 Day 14, Saturday 9:10 p.m.

Siobhan stared at the crumbling stone wall of the gate house. ‘What just happened?’

She examined her shadow for several long minutes, experimenting with moving it around and shaping it as she liked to see if there was any hint of the feedback or resistance she’d gotten from the being when it was present. But there was nothing. The spell was still harder to use than normal, but when she adjusted the Circle over her mou...

Chapter 201 - A Sealed Memory

Siobhan

Month 8 Day 14, Saturday 8:59 p.m.

The Red Guard agent screamed, and as if that had been a trigger, a scream burst from Siobhan’s mouth, too.

Siobhan’s shadow waited patiently for them to run out of breath, then turned its head to the agent. “You had better take off that glove before it consumes you.” It even sounded like Siobhan, though distant and muffled, as if heard through a wall.

Then it turned to her. “Siobhan, leave now. I will take care of th...

Chapter 200 - A Separation

Siobhan

Month 8 Day 14, Saturday 8:55 p.m.

Siobhan slid to a stop in front of the Red Guard agent, falling on her bottom and scrambling back to her feet.

“There’s no point in running. We’re destined to meet under the rain,” they said, somehow seeming both bored and frustrated. “I commend your ingenuity, but escape is futile without fulfilling the terms of our agreement. Without defeating me, this barrier will not drop. You have ninety seconds left.” They had alre...

Chapter 199 - An Exchange of Blows

Siobhan

Month 8 Day 14, Saturday 8:50 p.m.

There was no response to Siobhan’s challenge. As the streetlamp’s light flickered for a painfully long moment, she slid her hands along the spell rod and found the segment for a light spell without looking. She snapped open that array and dropped her barrier spell so as not to give away her ability to dual-cast so early, then cast the light projectile. It was one of a few new spells that she had added to her utility list.

A brig...

Chapter 198 - Strange Phenomena

Sebastien

Month 8 Day 13, Friday 11:00 p.m.

Sebastien had to knock for a while before Thomas the doorman and pseudo-butler opened the door for her, sleepy eyed. “Sorry about the late hour. Is Oliver here?”

Thomas nodded silently, his eyes flicking up toward Oliver’s study and giving her all the information she needed.

She strode toward the stairs without further delay. However, she stopped at the study door, bracing herself to see Oliver in person once more. She ...

Chapter 197 - A Life's Work

Author Note:

Please forgive the formatting. Patreon seems to have done an update or perhaps be having a glitch. My normal method of pasting in from my main manuscript is deleting all of the paragraph spacing. Found a way to force the paragraph spacing, but in turn it deletes all of the other formatting, like italics. I don't have time to go back and add all formatting and such in manually right now, and I figured you guys would want the chapter even if it looks funny. If you want to r...

Chapter 196 - Ashes of the Phoenix

Siobhan

Month 7 Day 15, Thursday 12:15 a.m.

Siobhan turned the pages of Myrddin: An Investigative Chronicle of the Legend until she found a section that drew her attention.

Somewhat famously, Myrddin was said to have been given a quest by a dragon that required him to turn clay to flesh.

Siobhan had seen Professor Lacer actually do this in class, with a turtle. Of course, Professor Lacer wasn’t rumored to have created sentience, nor true life out of clay. 2024-01-26 01:02:56 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 195 - An Unfathomable Lightness of Being

Sebastien

Month 6 Day 25, Friday 5:15 a.m.

On Friday morning, well before classes started, Sebastien left for her apartment, which was both more inviting and more well protected than it had been when she moved in. Once again, stopped by to check the lock box on her way. This time, a letter was waiting for her. Finally.

With the curtain drawn and a bottle of moonlight sizzle glowing soft and bright, she read his latest response.

If you wish to discover...

2024-01-19 00:42:57 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 194 - Damien's Report

Sebastien

Month 5 Day 9, Sunday 7:05 p.m.

Though she had returned to her other form, after an entire weekend of casting through most of her waking hours, Sebastien’s mind still felt like a well-used muscle, weak and on the verge of soreness. But her debts were paid, she had resources left over, and her Will was growing.

Sebastien stopped at her apartment to write a return letter for Professor Lacer.

She was very aware that once the letter left her possession, it woul...

Chapter 1.31 - In which Percy develops a photograph

Percy

Month 12, Day 9, Wednesday 4:00 p.m.

About a week later, Percy had locked himself in his and Gideon’s bedroom, a chair wedged under the doorknob to keep the little boy from bursting in and ruining the photograph development process. 

Percy had gone in to the station several times to meet the experts Lieutenant Robards had called in. All tests had found nothing, something Percy had half-expected and found himself more relieved about than worried. ...

Chapter 193 - Almost New Again

Sebastien

Month 4 Day 30, Friday 7:05 p.m.

Sebastien’s elation, along with the feeling of inexhaustible energy, deserted her not long after she stopped casting the light-refinement spell, and left her with trembling muscles, exhaustion, and a terrible thirst. But as before, some faint mist lingered within her for longer.

By Friday, she was so sore that she had to take a pain potion and massage an entire jar of salve into her muscles before she could make it to breakfast. W...

Chapter 1.30 - In which Lieutenant Robards makes a house call

Calder

Month 12, Day 2, Wednesday 7:00 p.m.

When Calder confronted Mr. Irving with the evidence of his presence at the gang fight days before, the boy’s rather dark skin gained a pale, greenish tint.

As a concession, and due to the niggling worry that something was not right with the boy’s home life, Calder and Percy were talking at an outdoor table in front of a small pub a few blocks away from the boy’s house. The boy had slipped away with some excuse before any of h...

Chapter 192 - Nine Full Breaths

Sebastien

Month 4 Day 17, Saturday 9:45 p.m.

After allowing time for her burning eyes and shaky breath to settle, Siobhan had done her homework while considering what to say to Ana. She worked slower than usual.

When she finally confronted the other young woman that evening, Ana nodded her head easily. “I did deny his contract. You know I can forge my father’s signature.” She frowned suddenly. “Is that a problem? I did it so that I could offer you something valuable ...

Azalea's Arcane Alcove: Community Space Now Open!

Hey guys!

EXCITING NEWS: Today we're opening the discussion board, Azalea's Arcane Alcove, which will be a community space for us to spend time discussing the books and anything else that we feel like!

For now, this announcement is only going to you guys. In a little while we'll open up the Alcove to everyone. 

Moderation will be handled by Stef, who most of you know from her comments here on Patreon.

If you have any questions about how to use the board once you...

Siobhan Naught Character Card

Edit: Made her look slightly younger.

Bio: Siobhan found herself at the top of the coppers' most wanted list for stealing Myrddin's journal and skillfully evading all attempts to retrieve it. Rumors suggest her peculiar powers come from shadows, nightmares, and blood magic. They say she is a shapeshifter using ancient powers, or an Aberrant. Perhaps she is only a girl in over her head... or, perhaps, some of the rumors are true.

This is a bonus card as thanks for helping me nam...

Chapter 191 - Secrets Kept

Sebastien

Month 4 Day 17, Saturday 8:25 a.m.

Sebastien’s carriage driver offered her a newspaper—a way to increase his tips, no doubt. It was the Daily Sun, and of course it was filled with drivel, as usual. After recent experience Sebastien would never trust what this paper wrote about anything. There was nothing new within, merely more gossip and speculation about her. They had reached the point of trying to wring water from a dry rag.

They were digging into Ennis Naug...

Chapter 1.29 - In which Lieutenant Robards begins to question

Calder

Month 12, Day 2, Wednesday 9:00 a.m.

Several days had passed since the latest appearance of the young woman people were now calling the Raven Queen—which was a foolishly dramatic code name to give an enemy. In Calder’s opinion it would lead to fear and respect, which, while perhaps appropriate, could also be counterproductive.

Calder was doing one last examination of the street and the buildings involved before they declared that all possible evidence had...

David Gnorrish Character Card

Bio: Professor Gnorrish teaches introductory University classes about the natural sciences - more commonly known as transmutation. The first things people notice about Gnorrish are his towering height and hulking build, but his passion for his field drives him. His deep, booming voice, frequent gesticulation, and infectious enthusiasm make him make him a favorite among the students.

Siobhan's character card is coming next (Tuesday or Wednesday), as an out-of-order bonus to celebrate th...

The Catastrophe Collector: Larva Audio Sample

This is an excerpt from the Practical Guide to Sorcery spinoff story I wrote. It's set during the timeline of A Conjuring of Ravens. The main character is camera-carrying, disaster-magnet Percy from PGTS Book 3, who finds himself on the path to becoming an accidental vigilante.

I have another hilarious excerpt I would love to share, but Patreon will only allow me to embed one audio file per post. But basically, Gabrielle de Cuir, narrator extraordinaire, has...

Chapter 190 - A Bitter End

Oliver

Month 4 Day 17, Saturday 8:10 a.m.

Oliver was meeting with Anastasia Gervin in his home office when he caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of his eye. It drew his gaze to the wrap-around window behind his desk.

Sebastien was outside.

She stood in front of the wrought-iron entrance gate, looking up at the manor. She firmed her jaw, squared her shoulders, and stepped through.

This last week had been one of the most unpleasant in recent memory. The...

Chapter 1.28 - In which Percy gossips about the Raven Queen

Percy

Month 11, Day 28, Saturday 7:00 a.m.

After breakfast, Viv left, and Percy went to his room to get changed into clean clothing and put away his emergency backpack. Its interior was now smeared with meat sauce and drippings from the kebabs they had never eaten. He sighed deeply. He wanted nothing more than to fall into bed and succumb to his exhaustion, but instead he set about cleaning everything.

He would need to replace the potion of moonlight sizzle, as that had come...

Chapter 189 - A Great Divide

Sebastien

Month 4, Day 17, Saturday 12:55 a.m.

This time, Siobhan wasn’t able to hide her shock. ‘The celerium mines are running dry?’ The questioned echoed in her head, drowning out all other thought for a long moment.

“You…didn’t know,” Grandmaster Kiernan said, his eyes wide. He frowned. “Lord Stag didn’t even tell you what you were stealing? Perhaps it’s him you should be paying a visit in the middle of the night.”

“There’s anothe...

Chapter 1.27 - In which Percy brings Viv home, after all

Percy

Month 11, Day 28, Saturday 5:30 a.m.

They paid the driver and tiptoed through the front door. Mom was asleep on the couch, her head fallen back and to the side in an uncomfortable position.

Percy managed to creep all the way to her side and take her hand in his. He had hoped this would be a gentle awakening, but Mom shot upright at the touch, inhaled her own saliva with a gasp, and then crumpled over coughing.

When she recovered, Viv gave her a small wave and int...

Chapter 188 - The Curse of Curiosity

Sebastien

Month 4, Day 16, Friday 5:10 p.m.

Without being able or allowed to cast magic, Sebastien found herself with a surprising amount of extra time. And though she had planned for everything that involved Siobhan Naught or the Raven Queen to be settled with the completion of Operation Palimpsest, obviously things had not gone according to plan.

Sebastien knew she had a tendency toward recklessness that she hadn’t yet learned to suppress, but she liked to think that as ...

Engagement Challenge: Help Me Name our new Discussion Board!

Your eyes are not deceiving you, a discussion board is in the works and will be up and running by the release of my next book, A Foreboding of Woe.

I’m creating a community space for discussion about my books, with a Patreon-only discussion section for you to talk about the newest releases and Patreon-exclusive content, and several general sections for other discussions. You’ll be able to start threads on specific topics without losing them, you’ll get to know your fellow...

Chapter 1.26 - In which Percy explains his selfishness

Percy

Month 11, Day 28, Saturday 5:00 a.m.

Percy was able to find a wheelbarrow with a shaky wooden wheel that seemed intent on popping off if he pushed the contraption in the wrong direction or at the wrong angle. By the time he’d tinkered with it and heaved Viv into the tub, the coppers had arrived and joined the fighting.

Percy was not interested whatsoever in getting involved any further, and so he pried away the boards nailed to the warehouse’s back door and rolled ...

Chapter 187 - Transmutation Exercises

Sebastien

Month 4, Day 12, Monday 3:50 p.m.

Silence followed Sebastien’s question.

“What?” Damien asked.

She continued to stare at Professor Lacer. “Magic, or reality, or whatever you want to call it, is either accessing or storing our ideas. Judging by the fact that old spells that aren’t practiced very often in the modern world are still viable and don’t go back to being ‘wild,’ I’d say it’s the latter.”

“What?” Damien said again.