azaleaellis

Chapter 1.25 - In which Percy gets by on bravado

Percy

Month 11, Day 28, Saturday 4:50 a.m.

Percy ducked down and tucked his body forward without even thinking about it, a reflex as instantaneous as jerking his hand away when it brushed against the hot copper of their teapot.

He had lost count of the times he’d pummeled himself by stepping on rakes, hoes, and one time a wheelbarrow. As a child, he had grown to fear the see-saw in a wealthy neighborhood child’s backyard, and at one point, he had even tipped a small boat...

Chapter 186 - Symbolic Meaning

Sebastien

Month 4, Day 12, Monday 2:15 p.m.

Professor Lacer clasped his hands behind his back and began to slowly pace. His voice was precise, clipped, and loud enough to be heard easily. “It may be the second term, but this class remains an introduction to Practical Will-based Casting. Some of you here have been personally approved to move onward from the first term’s class. Some of you have been kept for a second or third attempt to my my standards before moving onw...

Chapter 1.24 - In which Percy bluffs (unconvincingly)

Percy

Month 11, Day 28, Saturday 4:45 a.m.

The Morrow chuckled meanly. “I crush that thing to bits, or I crush you and your girlfriend first, and then the artifact. Don’t be stupid, kid.”

“I wasn’t taking photographs of the fight,” Percy tried. “It was an accidental—”

“I saw the spell light going off,” the man interrupted. “Don’t play coy with me. Give it here. Unless you think you can protect it and the girl at the same time?”

Percy l...

Chapter 185 - Back to School

Sebastien

Month 4, Day 11, Sunday 2:30 p.m.

“Well, about the bracelets, it was a combination of all your hypotheses,” Sebastien said. “Mostly. And I need you to burn any you have left.”

Damien’s eyes widened. “What happened?” he breathed, taking a small step closer to her.

“They were all activated. Every single one I own.”

Damien sucked in a sharp breath.

“But no one was alerted because, to be honest, I’m not a very powerful thaumaturg...

Chapter 1.23 - In which Percy shoves Viv through a window

Percy

Month 11, Day 28, Saturday 4:40 a.m.

A faint glow in the air alerted Percy to the danger just in time. He ducked as an ephemeral grey bolt shot through the space where his head had been just moments before. The deadly magic gave off a faint whine in the split second before it disappeared down the street into the distance.

Percy stared after the stray spell for a moment, then crouched even further down and looked back toward the battle going on a couple of blocks away. ...

Chapter 184 - Ritual Under Moonlight

Sebastien

Month 4, Day 11, Sunday 1:00 p.m.

Sebastien hurried across the University grounds toward the Menagerie, grimacing as she checked the time on her pocket watch. A good number of students returning for the spring term were wandering the pathways, but they moved aside easily enough to let her pass.

After returning from the Retreat, she had taken a nap at Liza’s, calling on the woman to help cast her dreamless sleep spell once more. Somehow, she had slept for four hou...

Chapter 1.22 - In which the storm arrives

Percy

Month 11, Day 28, Saturday 3:40 a.m.

Count Fluffbutt easily outran Viv and Percy, disappearing into the dark.

When Viv eventually ran out of breath, hands on her knees and chortling with delight, she pointed to a small cemetery across the street. “Let’s dance!”

Percy squinted against the wind, which was picking up and smelt of a storm. “Dance? Over those people’s…graves? Can’t we at least go to a tavern? Maybe there would be music,” he added cajol...

Chapter 183 - The Archaeologist

Siobhan

Month 4, Day 11, Sunday 5:30 a.m.

Very early Sunday morning, after waking for what seemed to the be dozenth time to the alarm spell she’d set on her pocket watch, Sebastien took a morning dose of all her prescribed concoctions. Then, she retreated to the nearby bathroom—thankfully empty—and retrieved the beast core and Conduit that she had swallowed.

It was an experience she resolved never to think about again. Even the thought of returning the Condu...

Chapter 1.21 - In which Viv takes a sobering draught

Percy

Month 11, Day 28, Saturday 3:30 a.m.

It took several minutes of pounding on Healer Clements’ door before the man finally opened it. “What!” he demanded, eyebrows drawn into a sharp “V” above his nose. “You again. There is a limit to how early you can expect me to wake. I’m not an emergency clinic! I have patients during the day who require me to be awake enough to treat them. What if I’m so exhausted that there’s another acc—” He broke off, glared at Pe...

Chapter 182 - Harbinger

Thaddeus

Month 4, Day 10, Saturday 10:00 a.m.

“I apologize, your Eminence,” the lead healer said, using a somewhat archaic title as he bowed repeatedly to the High Crown. He shot a glance toward Jorgensen that clearly said he wished he could physically shut the hysterical man’s mouth. “A reaction to the mix of potions, perhaps. His mind is volatile and weak at the moment.”

Grimly, the High Crown nodded to the head healer, and their group hurried out at a speed just...

Chapter 1.20 - In which Percy wields paper over rock

Percy

Month 11, Day 28, Saturday 12:00 a.m.

It was the highest-stakes game of rock-paper-scissors that Percy had ever played.

The Kaiseki Ryori was holding an exclusive birthday party for some young man from one of the Thirteen Crown Families. He had booked the entire restaurant and invited enough friends to fill it. When the manager heard that Percy had a camera obscura, Percy had been roped into working the extra-late shift and taking photographs of the party fo...

Chapter 181 - Revenant

Thaddeus

Month 4, Day 10, Saturday 8:30 a.m.

The Pendragon Corps captain, hands still clasped behind his back as the severity of the situation settled into everyone’s minds, spoke again. “Much of our information comes only from the traitor that we were able to snatch back from her grasp. He has been questioned thoroughly and has made some…outlandish claims.”

“Bring the traitor,” the High Crown commanded. “I would speak to him.”

This was accomplished...

Chapter 1.19 - In which Percy gets his Vista

Percy

Month 11, Day 3, Tuesday 1:00 p.m.

Percy was free to leave. But, since he wanted to accompany the coppers back to Schubert’s Photo Emporium along with the returned satchel of goods, he had to sit around and wait for them to be ready.

Copper Bradshaw, a man with unfortunately orange hair and an easy smile, leaned toward Percy conspiratorially, despite being an entire desk away, which meant that nothing he said would be a secret. “So, was it really just an...

Chapter 180 - Cicatrize

Siobhan

Month 4, Day 10, Saturday 11:30 a.m.

Siobhan woke to the metaphorical scream of a full-to-bursting bladder. She struggled her way out of the too-soft bed and stumbled to the magical chamber pot. As she relieved herself, she stared blearily at the rays of mid-morning sun slipping through the edges of the curtains. The light hurt her eyes and brought her attention to the deep throbbing in her skull, like the slow rumble of distant thunder, or a thousand distant war drums. 2023-10-05 23:56:39 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 1.18 - In which Lieutenant Robards sympathizes, again

(Author Note: Yes, I know chapter 1.17 has been skipped. It's because I added another chapter earlier in the book during revision, and now the numbering is all off. I'll be updating the post for Chapter 1.13 to include 1.13 and 1.14 once the book is totally ready. The extra chapter doesn't contain anything critical to understanding the story, and hasn't caused any changes here.)

Calder

Month 11, Day 3, Tuesday 7:55 a.m.

Calder’s eyes flicked over deta...

Chapter 179 - Pyrrhic Failures

Thaddeus

Month 4, Day 10, Saturday 7:30 a.m.

Much of the night was spent at the Raven Queen’s various crime scenes searching for some tiny bit of evidence that might have been missed, and questioning civilians. Despite Titus’s growing agitation and the air of dogged desperation that suffused the coppers, Thaddeus took some time to nap in the carriage, as none of this was so important that he felt the need to miss an entire night of sleep. It was not him who had to answer to th...

Chapter 178 - Death Wish (+ Announcement)

Gera

Month 4, Day 9, Friday 11:30 p.m.

As Gera and Katerin left the Raven Queen’s room, Gera eyed the red-haired woman dubiously. To be so disrespectful to the Raven Queen, Katerin must have a death wish. But, to Gera’s surprise, the woman had only been mildly rebuked.

Perhaps she had done a favor for the Raven Queen at some point without receiving anything in return. Katerin might be using up a little of the credited goodwill that would have bought her with every moment...

Chapter 177 - An Act of War

Siobhan

Month 4, Day 9, Friday 11:00 p.m.

Gera seemed able to sense behind herself with whatever magic allowed the woman to function so effortlessly without her eye. She turned her head slightly towards Katerin’s astonished face, and then back to Siobhan. “Is it safe to speak freely with her here?” she asked.

Siobhan nodded. Katerin had not been involved any of Siobhan’s plans for Operation Palimpsest, but there was no need for secrecy anymore. The woman might speak ...

Chapter 1.17 - In which Percy resorts to physical violence

Percy

Month 11, Day 3, Tuesday 7:50 a.m.

Percy knew that sometimes he made foolish decisions or became so blinded by his goal that he didn’t realize the consequences accumulating along the sidelines. But he was not an idiot.

And so he didn’t lunge for the satchel of expensive artifacts.

He spun around on his still-shoed foot, just as determined now to escape the thief as he had been to catch him, but before he could take a single step to escape, the man ...

Some News: Missing Chapter, Delays

Hey guys. 

There's not going to be any chapter today (8/31.) In addition to that, I'm pushing out the release date for this book a couple months.

I've written a whole newsletter about the reasons, which is also re-posted on my website. 

Rather than copy the whole thing here, I'll just leave you a link if you want all the details: https://preview.mailerlite.com/i0f9d1r6o3 

Chapter 1.16 - In which Percy attempts to undo his crimes

Percy

Month 11, Day 3, Tuesday 7:30 a.m.

“Stop,” Percy ordered. “You can’t steal from this store. This is Mr. Schubert’s livelihood! Do you know how expensive these things are?”

The thief laughed. When he saw Percy wasn’t smiling, he adjusted the strap of his large satchel over his shoulder and turned to face Percy fully. “Relax, kid. There’s enough for both of us. More than either of us could carry alone. You can have your Vashta 300 or whatever.”

...

Chapter 176 - Out of the Night

Siobhan

Month 4, Day 9, Friday 9:00 p.m.

Siobhan was reaching the edge of her limits.

The vision in her right eye was fading, not with darkness but with an empty spot that she couldn’t tell was there until something disappeared into it. Whatever was wrong with her rib was becoming more debilitating, sending moments of sharp pain radiating through her back and upper abdomen that were followed by a deep, dull ache. Even her shadow-familiar was becoming difficult to maintain ...

Chapter 1.15 - In which Percy is an accomplice

Percy

Month 11, Day 3, Tuesday 5:30 a.m.

Gideon had a nightmare, the only thing that could manage to wake the boy from his coma-like slumber before morning. He crawled out of his bunk and into Percy’s, who tucked Gideon under his arm and fell back to sleep immediately. It had been a difficult, long shift at work the day before, and Percy was limp with exhaustion and looking forward to his sleeping in on his day off.

About an hour before morning, Percy woke to find that Gid...

Chapter 175 - Everywhere at Once

Thaddeus

Month 4, Day 9, Friday 5:00 p.m.

Thaddeus hurried back down to the carriage, where Investigator Kuchen was reading out a new message from the distagram.

“Update. Possible false lead on divination results. Previous signs pointed to the center of the raven swarm, but are now showing multiple results spread throughout the city. Preliminary divination suggests the ravens themselves are the target.”

Silence spread through the nearby coppers, which Titus broke w...

Chapter 1.13 - In which Percy's luck turns AND Chapter 1.14 - In which Percy's luck turns

This post contains 2 chapters.

Percy

Month 9, Day 28, Tuesday 8:05 a.m.

Viv introduced Percy to the kitchen staff, who were so busy rushing around that they barely had time to greet him.

The kitchen was run largely off magic, filled with the kinds of time-saving artifacts his mother would love but that the Irving family certainly couldn’t afford. They were better off than a large portion of the population, but Mom had come from a prosperous family before she marrie...

Chapter 174 - Pyrrhic Victories

Siobhan

Month 4, Day 9, Friday 9:00 p.m.

After more than an hour of walking through winding tunnels of various shapes and sizes, interspersed with the occasional cave, Anders stopped them. “That’s the way we’d go if we wanted to come out on the secluded white cliffs path,” he said, pointing down a tunnel to their right, from which a briny breeze wafted. “But if we want to hit the ferry directly, we can continue on that way.” He jerked his thumb forward. “I can only e...

Chapter 1.12 - In which Percy is hired

Percy

Month 9, Day 28, Tuesday 8:00 a.m.

If not for the need to maintain his awareness, Percy might have hung his head as he trudged down the sidewalk. His job at the bakery hadn’t involved any knives, and had even allowed him to travel to and from the shop at times that others found inconvenient, which meant that the streets were less crowded—and less dangerous.

Really, the only downside had been the semi-frequent screaming of their boss, and the occasional urgent deliv...

Chapter 173 - Caves and Corridors

Siobhan

Month 4, Day 9, Friday 5:30 p.m.

The Pendragon operatives didn’t chase after right away, at least not in the time it took the philtre of darkness she had placed to wear off.

The former captives hurried through the cold, damp dark, bare feet against the rough stone for a long few minutes until they reached an area of relative safety. The injured needed to rest and be attended to. Young Enforcer Turner with the broken leg was slowing them down, and the praying woman ...

Chapter 1.11 - In which Percy is fired

Percy

Month 9, Day 28, Tuesday 7:25 a.m.

“Are those Gilbrathan healer prices, or did we get ripped off?” Percy asked as they left Healer Clements’ house. “It didn’t seem like he really even did anything.”

Dad shook his head with frustration. “With your luck, if I refused to pay him, you would soon be injured and he would refuse to help.” Without even thinking about it, he stepped between Percy and a carriage moving a little too close to the sidewalk....

Chapter 172 - Fear of the Dark

Siobhan

Month 4, Day 9, Friday

Siobhan and her duo of newly turned pseudo-allies, who she definitely did not trust but could not do without, moved quickly toward the cell holding the others. She didn’t pretend she could defeat the Pendragon operatives in battle, didn’t know her way through the tunnels, didn’t know any of the passwords, and didn’t want to have to try to take their thumbs and hope to somehow preserve their spit while needing to cast the password-divining spe...