web novels and illustrations
A visitor came to the Herringbroke boys’ home by carriage with a large trunk of books. He had dark blond hair, now silvering, and fine features. One or two young ladies from the school down the street paused to admire his profile while he waited at the door. The carriage waited, too, and in it a man with the same face, only slack and expressionless, his shoulders wrapped in blankets. Continue reading “Epilogue”
Eljiah helped Tallis stand, and Tallis immediately went for Djaren’s coat. Djaren sputtered, but let it be taken away, and put up with being turned round under Tallis’ sharp eye. Continue reading “Chapter Eight, Bodyguards, continued”
Eljiah brushed his new small hands across the inscription on Herringbroke’s grave, and found that his fingertips fit inside the letters. He pulled them away, wondering if this strange second youth meant he’d watch twice as many friends outlive him. Continue reading “Chapter Seven, Bodysnatchers”
Tallis turned over some papers covered in sketches and held them up to the light, one after another, while Eljiah watched, distracted from his class notes. “What are you looking for?” he asked.
“Missing people,” Tallis said. Continue reading “Chapter Six, Tombs and Princes, continued”
Djaren stayed up quite late cleaning up after the party. He owed it to Missus Craderly, he thought. He felt fortunate that no one had thrown up their ill-advised food combinations within the apartments. Outside was another matter and, happily, someone else’s jurisdiction. Continue reading “Chapter Six, Tombs and Princes”
“I don’t like meeting here,” one man said, his voice smoke-roughened.
“It’s safe ground,” the thinnest of them said. “Our safe ground. None else digs anymore here but us Leverdowns, and the others all know it.”
“The Crackers and Wells’ lot don’t seem to know lately where their territory ends,” the first mumbled.
“They’d best leave us this if they know what’s good for them,” the short round one said. Continue reading “Chapter Four–Pauper’s Field, continued”
“If Mother were here, she’d have founded a charity already,” Djaren muttered.
Eljiah cleared his throat. “I’d like to look in here, if it’s all right.” He stood looking up at a solidly built building double the width of most of the houses. The placard read “The Herringbroke boys’ house.”
“You already have a charity here.” Djaren smiled. Continue reading “The Cambriol Riddle, Chapter Three–Laws and Paupers, continued”
The day had decided to be one of Cambriol’s rare sunny ones, so the Tembelakan and Shandorian students had pooled their resources and spread their dinners out by the riverside on Tembelakan mats and Shandorian picnic blankets. Continue reading “The Cambriol Riddle, Chapter Three–Laws and Paupers”
Djaren liked the weekly dinners at the embassy, when he got to share a table with Eljiah, Kara, the elderly ambassador, and today, Tallis. Kara sat as far from the skeletal medical student as possible, and eyed his empty plate with a frown. Continue reading “The Cambriol Riddle Chapter Two–Following, continued”
The man who’d been following Djaren lately wasn’t visible from the dormitory window, Kara noted. He disappeared as quickly as he appeared and never entered any of the school buildings. Kara didn’t think he’d been watching Djaren for long. She’d been watching him back for the last two days. Continue reading “The Cambriol Riddle, Chapter Two–Following”