“What are they doing now?” Kara demanded, wide-eyed. She sat on Rades’s broad shoulders with both hands spread against the shivering door.

“That’s not them.” Djaren stared at the trembling floor and walls. “This is an earthquake. Leave the door and get into the inner courtyard!” Continue reading →

Jon had wanted to see Tuwa again, but not under these circumstances. All the captives had been brought up on deck, awaiting separation and the ships that would take them to their new destinations. Continue reading →

Tam rowed the overloaded little boat with the best of his strength, leading the trail of little vessels out to the waiting ship. From here, he had a good view of the Professor, too weak still to row, his pale scarred shoulders loosely bundled in blankets. The Professor frowned as he studied the papers Jon and Kalani had retrieved. Continue reading →

Djaren woke suddenly, groggy, sure that he shouldn’t be asleep, no matter what his body thought of the matter. Continue reading →

Soon, two more ships came into view, all converging. The man in charge of their boat brought out a spyglass, and the ship they were heading for turned in its course. Continue reading →

Tam crouched awkwardly in his mop closet, clutching the papers Jon had shoved at him, and felt his brother slipping further and further away. He wasn’t sure he’d done the right thing, just setting, but there had been a lot of fellows to deal with, and more than a mallet would manage. Continue reading →

A big shape suddenly obscured Djaren’s view. Wide shoulders and big arms with strong, clawed hands grabbed the falling fire and redirected it, tossing it like tinder. Continue reading →

Djaren crept south through Trimela, keeping to the darkest shadows and stepping carefully heel to toe with his soft leather boots, as he’d been taught, not sacrificing balance for silence. Continue reading →