Category Archives: The Alarna Affair

“The train is stopping.  I think we’re here,” Jon Gardner told his brother Tam. Tam leaned over to join Jon in peering out the compartment window at the gray, misty view outside.  The train gave out a loud hoot and … Continue reading →

The grand terminal at Merigvon could be seen from some distance, gleaming amid the city’s spires. The great glass roof seemed to slide arching over them like a glittering clamshell as the train pulled slowly in. Other trains passed quite … Continue reading →

The Professor and his charges boarded their new train without further incident.  It was bigger than the last train, painted green, with brown upholstered bench seats in little walled compartments. A hallway beside the compartments ran the length of the … Continue reading →

Jon told the Professor and Tam about seeing the pickpocket on the train but did not mention seeing the great black wing.  He didn’t want the Professor to think he was telling stories, and Jon was unsure himself of just … Continue reading →

“Father’s gone on business for the moment,” Djaren said, opening the carriage door for his mother. “He’ll be home quite soon, I imagine.”  Hellin Blackfeather picked her small daughter up nimbly and set her in the carriage.  Ellea bore this … Continue reading →

“My word, Jon, I think you are correct,” the Professor said.  “It’s a sealed tomb passage, if I am not mistaken.”  The Professor pointed to a line of carved symbols.  “What do you think of this?” Jon peered up at … Continue reading →

Hellin looked in on Jon later after he and Tam had washed up and dressed.  She insisted on re-applying wet towels to Jon’s head and neck, and giving them both a salve for sunburn.  “You’ll soon be healthy and brown … Continue reading →

The next day nearly all the children had excuses for why they wanted to go into town.  Hellin regarded them at breakfast with an amused but cynical eye.  “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were all plotting something.” … Continue reading →

Kara dashed around one corner and another, mentally cursing her terrible luck.  The boy behind her was not losing ground.  His nice clothes were quite dust covered and his hair was coming loose, but he was not giving up.  Kara … Continue reading →

Jon was having trouble sleeping again.  There was a lantern lit in the sitting room, where Hellin’s shadow was visible as she sat waiting up for Doctor Blackfeather to return.  Jon could see her silhouette clearly though his tent wall … Continue reading →