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Pointer   Nudging his companion, the plate-mail clad Kiraak ahead of me jerked his chin in my direction. “Look. Another crazy one incoming,” he said. “Shall I dispatch him, or should I give you the honor?” The monster had probably meant for that comment to...

Pointer   The pit’s holding pens were filthier than I’d imagined, and the smell was horrendous, a mixture of unwashed bodies, excrement, and urine left to fester for years. The people weren’t much better, clumping into three groups. First came those who’d ...

Pointer   A big man stopped opposite me, exactly as every other opponent had, and when he met my fervent gaze, recognition failed to flicker in his eyes. “Thumb?” I said, pitching my ruined voice to carry over the crowd’s cheering. Alouin, Thumb must have ...

Ryvolim   As usual, Sigemond’s tavern was noisy and packed, strongly smelling of alcohol and other types of sticky sweetness. Meandering to the bar, I raised a hand to grab the barkeep’s attention. On noting me, Sigemond shouted, “Ah, Ryvolim! A whiskey fur...

Ryvolim   Seemingly finished with me, Bright craned their head toward their human. “Crisis solved,” they said. “You can tell him your news now.” “But you didn’t answer my… ugh!” Groaning, Raimie slapped a hand to his face.  “Whatever. I should be used to...

Kylorian   Raimie and his army had left Tiro a day or so ago, almost as soon as his people had returned from the Birthing Grounds, and I was still struggling with figuring out how I felt about that. In many ways, I was questioning what I knew about him.  I’...

Kylorian   Unfortunately, turning to their own grief was a luxury only Eliade and Ren could afford right now. After hugging them both, murmuring reassuring words as they shuddered or remained dry-eyed, I left Tiro’s graveyard in a rush. On storming into the ...

Eledis When I’d learned about the order to leave Tiro, I’d been irate. Why hadn’t Raimie consulted with me about this beforehand?  And when I’d figured out where we were headed, I’d been confused. Time and again, Raimie had proven he had a decent tactical ...

Raimie   I didn’t want to catch up with Kaedesa right now. I’d much rather head into the wilds, where I could get started with the only thing that had helped me find sleep for the last week. It would even be nice simply to continue trailing behind her and Os...

Doldimar Waking to the horror of my life, screaming alongside my mind with my throat a blazing inferno and- Do as you’re told, Arivor, and I’ll make your bad dreams and memories go away again. Give in, and I become HIM, but I can’t take it anymore, I can’...

My darling, I’ve safely delivered our beloved Illasaya into the hands of the Audish royal family, and I must admit, my love, that I’m not comfortable with the arrangement. No matter that you’ve foreseen that this marriage will improve our odds in the end, I c...

Eledis You know the old adage, ‘Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth’? Bullshit! Always inspect a gifted horse. You don’t know what awful diseases that mangy beast may be carrying.-Unknown Another two weeks of marching across Auden’s southern border passed...

Ryvolim   “What is this?” Eledis asked behind me. Ignoring him, I irritably hummed to myself. The others, old man included, probably saw this open gate as danger, a trap, everything that would send lightning crackling through their bodies. I saw it for what...

Ryvolim, Eledis   Ryvolim Raimie had been right about our pacing. Soon, we turned a corner, and the palace claimed the group’s focus.  Now, that building. That was an impressive piece of engineering. Made entirely of obsidian glass, one would think it unst...

Heir to the Audish Throne   25th of First, 3467 I met my betrothed today. She was accompanied by the Eselan ambassador, an arrival that’s been delayed by almost six years. Apparently, the Eselan Haven has been dealing with an internal conflict in that time,...

The Boy   Victory wasn’t supposed to feel like this. Standing over Rhylix’s sleeping form, I wondered how it should feel. Should I be exultant? Relieved? How should one feel at the culmination of a battle with zero casualties? Not like this. At least Rhyl...

The Girl   Freedom wasn’t supposed to feel like this. Standing over Hadrion’s grave, I wondered what my little brother would think of the mess that I’d become, and his much-loved voice echoed in my head. “Shouldn’t have ended things with Raimie, silly. I k...

The Boy   I didn’t deserve this. As another woman approached me with her gaggle of children, I groaned under my breath. I could already hear her words.  “Thank you.”  “You’ve saved us!” “Are you the one we’ve been waiting for?”  I’d heard so many variat...

The Girl   I deserved this. Kylorian had gotten in my face with flushed cheeks, but he wasn’t screaming at me. In many ways, I’d have preferred that. But no. The words that he imparted were cool and collected, even if he looked anything but . “What were y...

The Boy For the first time in months, I felt like myself. My companions and I had left Elisk three days ago, and since then, we’d made good time. Around us, spring was giving way to summer, leaving muggy air to chase us across every mile, but the grass of ...