Skye Ritchey's Blog, page 9

Sunday Snippet: Elemental Healing (a Lantern Jack tale)

Happy Easter tothose who celebrate. For everyone else, I hope your weekend is rocking withgood vibes!

We got someterrific news this week. My youngest, who will graduate from university in May,got accepted into grad school! She's so excited and will have a Master of Arts Administrationwhen she finishes.

Had a fairly busy weekwith work projects. Discovered one ended up with a corrupted file and had tofix some weird, random code that inserted itself into the file. What a pain!

Decent week of viewingtelevision. I'll admit some was mainly background noise while I worked on editing.But not bad overall.

Ended up gettingtwo episodes of The Batman in this week. Enjoyed both and should be ontrack to catch another one this week.

Also caught twoepisodes of Classic Rugrats. Weirdly, I remember two but from differentepisodes. They always did two per show and I distinctly remember one from eachof the episodes I watched. Weird.

Watched anotherepisode of My Life Is Murder and, once again, enjoyed it. Dueling bakersisn't something I would normally think of as a premise for murder.

Enjoyed another episodeof Midsomer Murders. I have one left for this season and then it's timeto wait for more again. Good thing there are plenty of other mysteries to keepme occupied.

Started the newseason of Silent Witness. Another new face or two for this season andI'm okay with that. I have a feeling things are going to get very interestingthis season.

Caught anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. We're getting closer to Humphrey's exitand Jack's entrance. I'll be able to start Beyond Paradise in the nearfuture.

Watched anotherepisode of Elementary. The new vibe between Holmes and Watson is fun.I'm enjoying a slightly softer version of Sherlock.

Started an episodeof Peak Practice. I skipped one because I really didn't care one bit aboutthe whole saga of Andrew and Kate. But it's interesting that Will is back.Should be a wild ride.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Elemental Healing,a Lantern Jack tale.

Here's the miniblurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right another wrong. Erica Ellisis a fire demon whose powers are going out of control. She needs interventionand an ancient ritual could save her from harming others. Perth Pettigrew is a mysticknight and knows the old rites. Too bad he's no longer using his gift. It's upto Lantern Jack to bring the two together for some elemental healing.

And a preview snippet…

Erica woke up,thankfully still numb. A full bottle of liquor knocked her back a few hours.She might have to grab more to be safe.

She blinked away thesleep them jolted upright. "What the hell?" An ugly carved pumpkintook up space on the nightstand.

It greeted her. "Hello,I go by Jack."

She rubbed her eyes."Huh, you're new." She glanced around. "Did Blenden bringyou?" Who else could've entered her studio apartment while she slept.

Her low-simmering angerfaded. He'd never brought her anything before. If a weird gourd could count asa gift.

Jack tsked. "Blendendidn't bring me. But I am here to help you."

She laughed. "Oh,sure. A creepy jack-o-lantern is going to help me. Right." How, exactly,did the plant think it could assist her?

Jack responded. "Youcan doubt all you want, but I'm your only hope."

Seriously? Maybe shewouldn't plan on drinking whiskey anymore. Clearly, the potent alcohol had herhallucinating. And gave her a raging headache.

Erica groaned."I'm talking to a damned pumpkin." She got up on wobbly legs andstarted for the small bathroom. "What do you know about me anyway?"

Jack filled her in. "Iknow you're out of control and losing your grip on your ability more with eachpassing day. How bad do you think it'll be on All Hallows?"

Erica paused then satdown. Hard.

She raked a handthrough her hair. "Shit. I didn't even think about that." And sheshould have.

Jack pushed her. "Youneed to."

Erica sighed. "IfBlenden hadn't bailed, this wouldn't be a problem." Why did her mentorleave her high and dry, especially so close to All Hallows?

Jack made anoncommittal reply. "Maybe he didn't bail. Maybe he did. Either way,you have to step up and decide what to do."

Erica huffed out abreath. "Right because that's so easy to do." She inhaled slowly,trying to find her center. "Fine. Got any suggestions?"

Jack chuckled. "Youwon't like it."

At this point, Ericadidn't care. "I don't enjoy drinking myself to an early deatheither." And she really hated the idea of being anywhere near as drunk asshe'd need to be on All Hallows in order to not hurt anyone.

Jack replied. "There'sa place—a rock quarry—about an hour's drive from here. If you go out ofcontrol, there's not much you can burn down out there."

Erika considered theidea. Safer to be away from people until—hell, better make that if—she got herability under control. But she could use help. She didn't want to live at aquarry for the rest of her days.

She eyed the pumpkin. "Whatabout Blenden? If he comes back, he won't know where to find me." Shedidn't want to believe the grizzled, old demon abandoned her.

Jack made a sound offrustration. "Maybe someone else will show you the way. You can't counton an old fire demon."

Right. As if someoneelse is going to leap to my aid.Erica had a brief thought about the handsome mystic knight. Too bad he neededan attitude adjustment.

Which led her back toMatchick. "Blenden's the only one who gave a shit. No one else gives adamn about helping me transition."

Jack sighed. "I'mnot saying he didn't care. I'm saying he's old and maybe unable to helpanymore."

Is that why hehasn't been around lately?

Erica growled on anangry breath. "Fine. But if I have to camp out, I'm not going." Shecouldn't do tents for obvious reasons.

Jack's face twisted. "There'sa small building the foreman used to stay in. It's cinder block so you can'tdamage it too much."

Erica snorted."Gee, thanks for the confidence." And why did she feel insulted by apumpkin?

Jack smirked. "Doyou want directions or not?"

Erica got up andstarted gathering stuff to pack. "Not like I have any other options."

I have so much fun writing the Lantern Jack tales. This oneis a little tricky but I'm enjoying it.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Dawn of the Sun

Ohio weather istripping on some kind of psychedelic drug right now. We're in our third winterat the moment, so hopefully actual spring will happen in about two weeks. Ofcourse, we'll have to give or take a month because who knows how long the statewill be under the influence.

Had a crazy week ofwork, a mom crisis mode occurrence, and of course the weird weather, whichwreaks havoc on my sinuses.

I didn't get muchtelevision watched this week. Too many things going on to really pay attentionto my shows.

I did get an episodeof Death in Paradise watched and enjoyed it. I hadn't seen any of thisone and ended up really liking the mystery.

I also started anepisode of Elementary and should finish it up today. I love the fundynamic of Holmes and Watson after last week's near miss with Watson's life.

Other than that, Imight be back on track this week, but I won't hold my breath. My brain is doingweird things and having a very hard time staying focused on more than one thingat a time. It's driving me batshit.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Dawn of the Sun,a novella that launches a couple on a journey to save their people.

Here's theminiblurb:

Apollo and Aurora aren't supposed to get together, butthe Universe has other ideas. When everything starts to go sideways, twomortals personify the ancient deities and balance is restored.

And a preview snippet…

Alston fought the hands keeping himfrom being at Aleina's side. "Let me go, you assholes." He had totell her … so many things.

Like how much he needed her. Hedidn't care if they argued all the time. She made him think and feel andchallenged him to change his perspective. She drove him beyond insanesometimes, but also sent him to dizzying heights. He didn't want to be in a worldthat didn't have her. What the hell would that even look like?

Aleina breathed in a sharp gasp ofair and the medical team went into action getting her stabilized. Alstonshrugged off the restraining grip of the orderly and relaxed when the healergave the all clear. Everyone stepped back from the gurney and Aleina slowlyopened her eyes.

The healer clasped Aleina's palm."You're finally on the road to recovery. You need some rest, and we'llevaluate you overnight." She eased away and nodded for the physician to assessthe patient.

Aleina glanced around, her gazelanding on Alston. His shoulders hunched and he tried to shrink into thebackground. Now that she'd stabilized, he didn't need to be here. And sheprobably didn't want him to be. He'd been so happy she came back from the brinkand didn't think about leaving as soon as she'd opened her eyes. He thoughtabout heading out now, though.

When she didn't look away, her gazecompletely inscrutable, Alston started to head for the door.

She called him back. "Alston,wait." Her voice rasped and she cleared her throat before nodding towardthe healer. "Can we have the room? I want Alston to stay so we can talkfor a while." She shuffled a little on the bed and the physician propped apillow behind her back.

The healer frowned. "Not toolong. You'll need rest to recover." Her lips quirked. "I realizethat's a big ask, but I'm not taking any chances with you." With a pointedlook, she left the room and called for everyone else to follow her.

Alston moved forward, standingbeside the bed. "Thank the universe you're alive." He reached for herhand and squeezed it between his.

She smiled. "Grab a seat. Ihave a lot to tell you." Her eyes flashed with excitement.

He tilted his head, not quite surehow to take her almost jubilant mood. But he pulled a chair around and settledbeside the bed. He didn't care about anything else but spending time with her.

Until she launched into somethingabout a between life and death thing. The she shared a vision of the futuregranted by Pythia—a glorious future, where their children would rule or shapethe world for generations to come.

And he had no idea what to do withthe onslaught of information except try to absorb the words and make sense ofthem later.

I like how thisstory is shaping up. There should be two more books following this one and Ican't wait to see how they go.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Dangerous Elements (a Lantern Jack tale)

Happy St. Patrick'sDay! It's been a chaotic week with work projects and life stuff going on. Andmy distraction levels are making me frustrated. But … I'm still getting stuffdone so I can't really complain.

I definitely didn'tmake a full round of shows this week. Just didn't have the bandwidth with myfocus being all over the place.

I did catch anepisode of The Batman and had vague memories of watching this the firsttime around. Joker episodes are hit and miss in the version of the dark knight.

Watched an episodeof My Life Is Murder and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm almost finished withthis show, and I'll miss it when I'm done. Such a fun cast of characters.

Caught anotherepisode of Midsomer Murders and again enjoyed the mystery. I'd seensomething of a similar nature of the plot based on a true story, so thisepisode ended up being a lot of fun.

Finished up the finalepisode of Silent Witness season twenty-five. I'll be starting seasontwenty-six this week. Ended up really enjoying the limited episode run.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Dangerous Elements,a Lantern Jack tale featuring shifters and keepers.

Here's theminiblurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right another wrong. Thelong-standing animosity between shifters and the human council comes to adangerous head. Dahlia Derringer is next in line to rule the council and she'sstepping into the role because a shifter almost took her father's life. OttoOrpheus leads the shifters and he's furious a rogue fox acted against hisorders. Samhain is nigh and the shifters need to replenish their aura … if Ottocan get Dahlia's permission to do so.

And a preview snippet…

Dahlia's fists clenched. The sheeraudacity! She tamped down a strong urge to punch Mr. Otto Orpheus in the face.Acting innocent after what they did? Inconceivable.

But … he didn't appear to be goinganywhere so… "Fine." She dug her phone out of her back pocket."If it gets you off…" She scrolled to her video app and mashed herthumb on the icon. "Here." Shoving the phone in his face, sheswallowed down the bile threatening to spew forth.

Otto's eyes went wide then narrowedinto angry slits. His lips twisted in a pained grimace and he blanched beforetwo spots of red flushed his cheeks. The footage showed a fox shifter attackingher father, biting his calf to bring him down then tearing into his arm andchest, trying to get to his jugular. Her dad rolled into a ball, tucking hishead to his sternum and using his arms as protection. The fox bit and clawed ather father's back, shredding his shirt and leaving a bloody mess behind.

Dahlia came into view and fired awarning shot in the air. She couldn't risk taking aim at the fox—not when hehovered over her father. She could've taken the animal down when he ran, butconcern overrode her instincts and she went to her dad instead. The video endedon her phone, but she had the security camera feed saved on their server.

Otto snarled a curse. "God dammit."He met her gaze. "Is Dean—" He broke off, swallowing hard. "Howis he?"

Dahlia huffed out an angry breath."Not dead, but it was damned close." She might as well give him thefull status. "And he could still take a turn. He's feverish and fightinginfection." And had a long road to recovery.

Otto sighed. "Look, I didn'torchestrate this, and I don't condone it." He paced back and forth, a handrunning over the top of his head. "But I can't say I'm shocked somethinglike this happened." He paused and met her gaze. "I'm not surprised ashifter went rogue. It's long been a point of contention—the lack of access toour sacred ground."

She growled, low in her throat."Are you seriously defending that damn fox?" After seeing what it didto her dad?

Otto shook his head. "Notdefending him or his actions. But I understand where he's coming from. For mostof us, the land calls out—we need it, and it needs us."

The longing in his voice almost gotto her. But, no, whether he sanctioned the action or not, one of his memberscaused harm and almost killed her father. She wouldn't let him spin this in anyway.

Dahlia squared her shoulders."Are you saying the attack was my dad's fault?" Her voice all butquaked with anger.

I'm very excited tohave another installment underway in the Lantern Jack series. I love thesestories so much.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Dance in the Underground (First Breed Nation)

Man. What acrazy-busy week. Our weather is still being contrary. Warm and spring-like acouple of days followed by another blast of winter. My sinuses are notthrilled.

I didn't get througha full round of television this week. I had way too many irons in the fire andneeded to focus. My brain doesn't want to cooperate at all. Thankfully, I havethree current projects, which lets me bounce around when I can't concentrate onone specific thing.

I did get a holidayepisode of My Life Is Murder watched and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's interestingto see how the southern hemisphere celebrates the holiday in the middle oftheir summer.

I tried to watch thebehind-the-scenes Agatha Raisin, but it wouldn't play. That's twoseasons now that I can't access the specials. I'm kind of bummed about that.

I started the newseason of Midsomer Murders and loved the episode. I'm excited to diveback into this series. It's fun to see an older Betty.

Silent Witness continues to be very intriguing. I reallywant to know who's behind the curtain pulling the strings.

Caught another Deathin Paradise and remembered some of this one. Mainly the beginning and theend. Not sure what happened to the middle part and why I missed it the firsttime around but it's nice to finally see the whole episode.

Enjoyed an episodeof Elementary. I like the slow progression of trust being built withSherlock and Watson. I have a sneaking suspicion that Sherlock now knows Joanisn't being paid by his father anymore. I'll be interested to see how thatplays out.

That's as far as Imade it for viewing this week and that's it for the life update. Tonight's postis from Dance in the Underground, a follow-up novella in the First Breedseries.

Here's the miniblurb:

The First Breed Nation has to open another file. VinceGrillo is Raven Malone's right-hand man in the underground community, where thefreaks and geeks seek refuge. Raven sends Vince undercover at a strip clubwhere exotic dancers are disappearing then turning up dead a few days later.Evita Viccars, the headlining act, takes one look at Vince and tries to stakeher claim on the shifter. Too bad she's the next victim on the phantomstalker's list.

And a preview snippet…

Vince Grillo enteredthe canteen and made a slow walk to Raven Malone's table. "You really needan office, Rave." He pulled a chair out and spun it around, sitting withhis forearms resting on the back.

She glanced up from astack of notes and some kind of printed report. "If I had an office, I'dnever get to leave." Her gaze scanned semi-full space. "I've beentrying to get out of here for the last three hours. Every time I get up,someone else stops by to unload whatever issue they have on me." Sighing,she raked her fingers through her hair.

Vince's lips twisted."That's why you texted me? To get a break for a few?" He didn't mind,but he'd been knee-deep in renovating one of the empty sections of theirunderground space in the unused subway terminal.

Raven huffed out abreath. "Actually, no. I texted because I've been trying to track youdown." She met his gaze. "I need you to do something for me. Andyou're not gonna like it." Shuffling through the printed paper, she pulleda page out and turned it toward him.

Vince glanced at the sheetin front of him. "Crime scene photos?" Four grisly images along withtyped captions covered the surface.

Raven shook her head."Not officially. Gio's working on a case and thinks one of ours isinvolved." She placed her phone on the table and started a video.

Vince narrowed hiseyes, leaning closer to the screen. The grainy security camera footage leftmuch to the imagination, but Vince's stomach churned regardless. The sceneunfolding could have been the opening to a horror movie with an assailantgiving chase to a woman, entrapping her, and unleashing terror on the lonefemale.

Vince flashed Raven aquick look. "What makes Gio think it's one of ours?" Committing actsof evil didn't require preternatural genes—or altered DNA.

The shit straight-upnormal humans let loose on the world ranked as something vile half the time.

Raven nodded toward herdevice. "Keep watching." She exhaled slowly, a sure sign she held alot back right now.

Vince focused on thevideo again, the beat-down sickening even without sound. Ten seconds later, theassailant hovered over the prone woman then another second later, theydisappeared from the screen.

Vince's head snappedup. "Is there a glitch in this video?"

Raven jerked her headback and forth. "Nope. Whoever delivered that brutality can either makethemselves invisible or they've got a teleportation ability." She shuffledthrough the notes on the table.

Vince let out a lowwhistle. "We don't have much data on first breeds who can teleport or havebuilt-in cloaking devices." He could dig through the archives, which heanticipated Raven wanting him to do. "That's why you wanted to see me? Youwant me to troll through our information and see if anything hits?" She'dhave to handle the geek side of things.

No one had moreknowledge about the genetic splicing trials than Raven.

Raven winced."Yeah, sorry, but that's not what I need you for." She inhaled deeplythen spit everything out. "I want you to go up top and work undercover tofind out whose behind this."

Vince reared back."Fuck that. You know I hate going up top unless it's to shift and run or makeshort excursions for you." The idea of staying up there for an extendedperiod made his hackles rise.

Raven held up a hand."That should tell you how important this is. She's the third victim andthis person is escalating. They're carefully choosing women that work at onelocation. The first two were pretty banged up, but this one? She's barelyhanging on. There's a good chance she won't pull through." Raven pinnedhim with an understanding look. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't have to. Giocan't go undercover because he's known at the venue. I don't trust anyone elsedown here to handle the situation." She riffled through the pages againand pulled on out. "This is a list of her injuries along with the previoustwo."

Vince read through thelengthy bullet points. Damn. The first two had extensive bruising andcontusions along with some lacerations and abrasions. The third woman hadbroken bones, internal bleeding, and a fractured skull.

The guy—Vince's gutwouldn't accept the assailant as being a female—definitely upped his game.

Heaving a sigh, Vinceclosed his eyes. "What hellhole are you sending me to?" He blinkedwhen Raven didn't respond right away.

Her lips twitched …just a little. "The Twisted Stiletto."

Vince's mouth droppedopen. "The upscale gentleman's club that pulls in five figures everynight?" Probably six digits one the weekend.

Raven lifted her chin."The very one."

Vince huffed out abreath. "Well … shit." He couldn't say being up top would be loads offun.

But it would beinteresting…

I love this series,which has two books in the works so far. If all goes well, I'd like about threemore.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: Countdown to Midnight

Well, Marchdefinitely enters the year with a roar. We've had the crazy weather that hopsback and forth between warm and cold along with snow showers, thunderstorms,and thirty-degree temperature changes in twenty-four hours. Weirdly, it'ssomehow fitting that March is my birth month. Volatile and a wee bit mercurial.

My focus is stillall over the place, but I have multiple work projects, which helps when I needa change of scenery. It drives me batty when I read the same paragraph over andover because I keep getting distracted by everything. Being able to hop fromone manuscript to another helps in a weird way.

Had a decent weekof viewing. Still not quite getting a full slate in, but I'm happy with theshows I'm keeping up with. I'm having issues with one of the streamers on adevice, but I got the show watched despite the tech glitches.

Started out with thefinale of Agatha Raisin. I have a bonus behind-the-scenes episode towatch then it's on to a new show. I'll miss this one. I've had so much funwatching the characters interact and solve mysteries.

Caught another SilentWitness episode. So sorry about Jack's dad. And the whole deal with his momis beyond sad. Very nice to see Nikki be there for him. I'm wondering aboutSimone at the moment and Sam is playing a very cagey game.

Enjoyed another Deathin Paradise. I'd seen most of this one and enjoyed it the first time. Ilove Martha to bits and can't wait to finish Humphrey's run to start BeyondParadise in the near future.

Watched another episodeof Elementary. Interesting episode and I'm almost sorry the FBI ladywill live to show up again in the future.

Caught an episodeof The Batman. I had vague memories of watching this the first time but noteverything. I'm still not sure how I feel about Batgirl. I think I end upliking her better once Robin enters the show.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats. I didn't remember either of the vignettes,which I'm kind of happy about. The later seasons were kind of hit or miss forus when the kiddos were young.

Finished the secondseason of The Secret Life of Amy Benson and I'm really hoping we get athird. I'm invested in the characters and want to see what happens next.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Countdown toMidnight, a novella that reunites a couple in the run up to New Year's Eve.

Here's the miniblurb:

When a necromancer is hell-bent on raising an army ofghostly beings on the cusp of the New Year, Jace Pembroke, a mysticadvisor, is called to stop the spirit-wrangler, but she can't do it alone. Sheneeds help from ghost hunter Ridley Saint, but convincing him won't be easybecause they used to be a couple and she walked away because a ghostly ancestortook up residence in Jace's home. Fighting the clock as it ticks towardmidnight, Jace has to stay mum about what tips her off to keep Ridley away fromher ghost and attempt to banish the spirit-wrangler trying to bring the beingsacross the divide.

And a preview snippet…

Solstice Eve

Jace Pembroke relaxedin a tub full of bubbles. "Finally have some time to recharge and nourishmy inner self." Closing her eyes, she sank lower in the water, letting thefrothy suds brush up against her chin.

"Jacie, my girl.You've got big trouble brewing."

Jace's eyes poppedopen. "Gram, I don't want to hear anything negative right now. You knowhow hard I've been working to sort out everyone's issues." The holidayseason brought out so much in people … sadly, not all of it good.

Jace's grandmother tookcorporeal form, something she could only do on the solstices and equinoxes.

She wagged a finger."I know, I know. But this can't wait. Norman Thurgooder is getting readyto wreak havoc in the city, right here in our glade." She paced back andforth.

Jace's nose scrunchedup in concentration. "Thurgooder. Why is that name—" She broke offwhen the memory clicked. "Wait, the necromancer?" What kind of shitplan did the spirit-wrangler want to unleash?

Mellie Pembroke pausedlong enough to nod. "Yes, the necromancer. Rumblings are strong on theother side. Everyone is excited about New Year's Eve when Thurgooder hasdecided to launch his master plan." She waved her hands back and forth."Get out of that tub and get dressed. We've got a lot to get through andyou'll be a prune by the time I'm done explaining." She faded out thencalled from Jace's bedroom. "Don't waste time, Jacie."

Jace heaved a sigh andpulled the stopper from the tub. Only one other person called her Jacie andJace couldn't let her thoughts go to him right now. Too many memories to sortthrough and not enough time to take a trip down that lane.

Drying off, she firmlyclosed the door on her past. "I walked away from Ridley for areason." And that reason happened to be in her bedroom right now.

Jace made the shorttrip to her room and found her gram pacing again. "Okay, Gram, you'regoing to make me dizzy if you keep up with the back and forth on myfloor." She pointed to the chair in the corner. "Take a seat and I'llget dressed." Rifling through her drawers, she pulled out a pair ofleggings and a waffle-knit shirt.

Mellie shook her head."No time for sitting, Jacie. You've got someplace to be and a favor to ask."She waved her hand and continued walking.

Jace frowned."Where, exactly, do I have be?" She pulled the pants on and shruggedinto the shirt. "And who am I asking for a favor?" Yanking anotherdrawer open, she found a pair of thick socks and tugged them on.

Mellie paused andleveled her gaze on Jace. "You have to find that young man of yours. We'regoing to need his help."

Say what? She couldn't have heard hergrandmother correctly. No way could she bring a ghost hunter in to whatever thenecromancer had planned. Ridley's first action would be to send Mellie to theafterlife.

Jace blinked and shookher head. "Hell, no, Gram. That's not going to happen."

This story is inthe very beginning stages, but I'm having so much fun writing it. I love a goodghost versus an evil being.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Consortium of Chaos (a Chaos novella)

February kind offlew by, which isn't actually a big shock since it's a short month anyway. But,man, I kind of wish it went by a little slower. I'm always scrounging aroundfor time and short months make me feel like there's less to be had.

Still had troublefocusing this week but I got a lot accomplished on my work projects despite mydistraction. Luckily, I have more than one project going so I can hop aroundwhen I start to lose my concentration.

Had an okay week ofviewing. I have to figure out what's going on with one of my streamers. Thatcould take another week. But I did get through most of my usual shows.

Started with MyLife Is Murder and actually got two episodes watched. I like the pickupwith Alexa's brother again. I wondered if we'd see him this season. Alsoenjoyed both cases Alexa had to solve.

Watched the first partof Agatha Raisin. Poor James. I can't wait to find out who offed hisbride. I love the interaction between all the characters, but I'm sad Roy isn'tin this one. At least not yet.

Caught anotherepisode of Silent Witness. Kind of enjoyed having another case mixed inwith the ongoing saga of Sam Ryan. I'm really not sure what's going on with herand I'm not going to be super surprised if she ends up being in the clear. Alsoloved Nikki and Jack's date. Nice to get some backstory with Simone, too.

Enjoyed an episodeof Death in Paradise. I remember bits of this one and I'm glad I got tosee the whole thing from start to finish. Not a bad opening for season six.

Watched anotherepisode of Elementary. I liked seeing Sherlock realize he'd way oversteppedwith the NYPD. Also loved having the captain kind of take some of his dignity back.

Caught another episodeof The Batman. I'm not as fond of this season and I remember feelingthis way when I watched originally. The new format grew on me, and I'll settleback in and enjoy, but I really loved the first season of this show the most.

Enjoyed thepenultimate episode of The Secret Life of Amy Benson. Everything is comingto a head, and I can't wait to see how this ends.

Also rewatched the BattlestarGalactica resistance webisodes. Groundbreaking at the time, there's a lotof story packed into ten mini-episodes. And twenty years later, I'm stillstunned at how prescient the writers were for what's going on in the worldtoday.

And that's prettymuch it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Consortium ofChaos, a novella in my chaos series.

Here's the miniblurb:

A missing brother, a madman's sinister plot to make aperfect world, and a connection so strong it saves a life hundreds of milesaway. Ashton Sylvester and Esme Von Staunton never have a dull moment.

And a preview snippet…

Ash became unsettled as soon as Esmelaunched. His weird sixth sense all but screamed a warning that something didn'tfeel right.

Smithers picked up on Ash's unease."Can I do anything, sir?"

Ash heaved a sigh. "How aboutyou drive me to the meeting and poke around in the shops, while I try to stayawake."

Smithers gave him a bland smile."You have the shorter end of the stick this time."

Ash couldn't disagree, especially sittingin on another session of the Consortium of Mining and Minerals. He onlylistened with half an ear because he didn't give a damn about any of the drivelslated for discussion. Sadly, keeping up appearances had become a necessaryevil.

Esme would be the first to remind meof that.

While the forechair droned on, Ashlet his mind wander. Intelligence reports came in slowly and he needed toremedy that issue. It might be time to take on a little more risk and use the zeppelins.He'd held back on that front because piracy was rampant in the skies.

A moment of guilt hit him. If he'dused them previously, they could've discovered the camps a lot sooner. Maybeprevented the infestation of the horrible places. Kept good people from beingforced to work in the mines.

Like Esme's brother.

Ash wondered if she'd made contactwith Eric yet. He cast a quick eye to his time piece. He'd know in a few hours.Grayswander would send a communiqué soon.

The forechair switched the topicover to the sale of Olympus.

Ash narrowed his eyes in anger. Itwas a touchy subject for him. He'd voted against the mining of the mineraluntil more research could be done. But the limitless potential for energyderived from the refined ore had the consortium too lathered up to wait. Onceit had been discovered that in its unrefined state the rock had mind-alteringproperties, Ash presented a motion to halt all mining until proper safetymethods could be put in place.

The members got a whiff of how theycould create a new market for usage … and the more dubious members of the consortiumwanted to not only keep the mining of the mineral but also made the decision tomake it available to the masses. Until they understood the complex nature ofthe meteor rock, Ash thought it should be used only for medical purposes in itsunrefined state.

Needless to say, he'd beenoutvoted.

The damned stuff would be society'sdownfall. The desire to turn a profit won out over the potential hazardsOlympus presented. That kind of greed and avarice sickened Ash. Maybe hecouldn't dissuade the trade for the stuff, but he could influence safepractices in the mining operations and refining processes.

Even though the council would fighthim tooth and nail.

And the man leading the chargewould be Mobride.

It didn't make sense. Why would heor anyone in consortium object to providing respirators to the workforce?Olympus had proven dangerous in raw form. Once processed, it lost its unstableand narcotic effect.

The answer hit Ash like ahydrohammer.

And he did not like it.

He almost interrupted theproceedings and demanded confirmation but thought better of it. He should dosome stealthy digging around first.

If Ash had guessed correctly, the contrivanceangered him. He might not be able to dissuade the trade of Olympus, but hewould use influence and demand safe practices in the mining operations andrefining processes. He didn't give a hang how it affected the bottom line andprofits of the society.

He knew in his bones, he'd guessedcorrectly. Someone—a very big someone—in the council didn't want safe workingconditions for the workforce. Instead, their preference would lean more towardfast consumption with minimal output. Hook the workers on the stuff and theydidn't care how dangerous the job would … or if they got paid.

Keep the supply flowing and createmore demand when the wage-earners became addicted to the Olympus. Pay them less—theywouldn't care—and hell … the plan actually came across as rather brilliant.

And damned evil.

And Ash would find a way to stopit.

I'm having so muchfun writing this series. It's got a steampunk flair but doesn't dive completelyinto the genre.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Conjuring Justice

It's been a roughweek where my brain wants to do anything but focus on work. We also got eightinches of snow on Friday and the temps dropped way down again. My sinuses arenot happy at the moment.

Not a bad week ofviewing television. The whole distraction thing kind of kept me from getting afull slate watched. I did get through most of my normal shows.

I started out with MyLife Is Murder. I kind of like the new assistant but I'm wondering what's goingon the Maddie. I also love seeing actors from other shows pop up on this one. Ididn't realize how much Australian and New Zealand shows I've been watching.

Caught anotherepisode of Agatha Raisin and finished up the two-parter. Kind of wiggedout that James is getting married to someone else. But I loved the interactionsin this one.

Continued the eight-part,I think, Silent Witness. This season is very intriguing with a lot of twistsand turns. I'm looking forward to seeing how everything plays out.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Death in Paradise and didn't remember seeing any of this one.Happy to have it in the watched pile.

Watched another episodeof Elementary. The introduction of Moriarity is something I've lookedforward to. Not sure how I feel about Joan lying to Sherlock, but I'll reservejudgment until I see how it rolls on screen.

Caught anotherepisode of The Batman. Enjoyed seeing Scarface again. Also liked peelingback the layers of Hugo Strange. He's an intriguing character.

Enjoyed another episodeof Classic Rugrats. I don't remember either of them from the originalrun and liked both. Such a fun show.

Also watched anotherepisode of The Secret Life of Amy Benson. Very interesting twist withMaggie coming back. I can definitely see how the books this series is based onwould captivate readers. I do think there's a little loss of translation fromthe page to screen, but I really love this series a lot.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Conjuring Justice,an experimental novella that closely follows the plot and storyline of acontemporary novella I'm also working on.

Here's theminiblurb:

A mesmer that practices the dark arts uses Koren Milnar,a skilled conjurer, to take out an entire mage council. She's taken intocustody by Talbot Lindsay, a dream walker who is tasked with discovering whatprompted Koren's wild spree. The dream walker gradually earns Koren'strust—while trying to avoid falling for her—and uncovers a sinister plot thatleads back to her childhood.

And a preview snippet…

Koren Milnar watchedthe medallion spinning back and forth, listening to the monotone voice behindher as it counted backward from one hundred. Her eyelids drooped and she hatedthe pull against her will. At twelve, she didn't understand the intricacies ofhypnosis, but she agreed to be put under. Seventeen-year-old Jamma Sager, thehypnotist and resident mesmer, convinced the group home matron it would be afun experiment for the younger kids in the residence.

What a load of crap.

He wanted to get backat Koren for being able to resist his mesmer ability. She didn't know how shedid it, but she blocked him with a shield. He couldn't make her do anything hedirected her to do, and the idea drove him mad.

Jamma opened with asoothing tone. "Koren, you're relaxed now, and open to all suggestions. Doyou understand?"

She automaticallyresponded, "Yes, Jamma."

"Good, good."He placed the shiny medal aside and moved in closer. "Do you remember whatwe're doing?"

Koren nodded."Yes, Jamma."

"And what is that,Koren?" His voice took on a lilting tone.

She sank deeper intothe hypnosis. "Practicing for the fun show you want to put on for theother kids."

Jamma's voice hoveredagainst her right ear. "And what else are we doing today, Koren?"

She didn't hesitatewith her answer. "Sowing the seeds to get past my shield."

Jamma smiled."Good, Koren, very good."

I love the idea of puttinga paranormal spin on a contemporary story I'm also writing. If all goes well,I'll be doing a science fiction version also.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Choice to Make

Happy Valentineweek to those who celebrate. I'll throw in Galentine, friends with benefits,and all things hearts and flowers, too. February is a short but sometimesbrutal month. Celebrate whatever you can.

Very busy work weekwith some great projects. Ran into a few glitchy things in a manuscript andthat slowed my flow down. I actually enjoy that sometimes. Makes me stop andthink about the story and how to suggest better changes.

Semi-decent viewingweek. Made it through my shortened list of shows but had no time for my rewatchof Battlestar Galactica.

Started off withthe season three opener of My Life Is Murder. Still enjoying this showso much. I think three is the last season so I'm going to savor it.

Started a newtwo-part Agatha Raisin. Very much enjoyed the antics of Wilkes and I'm alittle bummed that Bill and Toni aren't really connecting. Also kind of wishRoy had more to do.

Watched the seasontwenty-five opening episode of Silent Witness. Kind of cool to see Sam Ryanagain. I think this season is focused around one main case and I'm kind ofexcited to see where it goes. Also kind of great to see Nikki and Jack maybeget their bookmark on the same page. We'll see how that goes.

Caught anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. Very interesting premise for this one. Enjoyedthe unraveling of the case to find out who did it.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Elementary. I like Joan's resistance to staying with Sherlockbut it would be more interesting if she actually said why she didn't want tostick around.

Watched another episodeof The Batman. I'd forgotten about this one and kind of loved how Barbarafigured out who Batman is then decided she had it all wrong. Fun episode.

Caught another episodeof Classic Rugrats. I have vague memories of the two vignettes andrather enjoyed both.

Got another episodeof The Secret Life of Amy Benson in and pretty much loved it. The storyis moving along and I'm excited to get more details to her past.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Choice to Make,a novella where the Fates step in and offer a choice.

Here's theminiblurb:

Hallen and Will never get the timing right until theFates step in and give them a chance. But each has a choice to make, and cosmicirony may rear its ugly head … again.

And a preview snippet…

Will dropped his pen. That's it.The final tests are complete." He gave Hallen a wide grin. "It'shabitable. You found us a new home." His heart filled with pride at heraccomplishment.

Hallen blinked. "You're serious?"Wonder filled her voice. "I can't believe it." She slumped back inthe chair. "What's next?"

Will's stomach growled. "Idon't know about you, but I'm getting some dinner. Wanna join me?" Hearched a brow.

They'd spent a lot of time togetherover the past three days. She might need some time alone. He started for theexit.

Hallen hopped up. "I can definitelyeat something. My stomach's been in knots since we made orbit." She followedWill out into the corridor.

He didn't blame her for beingtwitchy. No one had known if the planet she led them to would be able tosupport life. The big, beautiful rock could, and they all had some decisions tomake. Human and clone—living together… Could they finally get things right?

The not being certain might explainthe odd restlessness he'd had since they arrived at the coordinates Hallenprovided. Change is coming. He didn'tknow why the idea calmed and terrified him in equal measure.

The dining hall had a handful ofpeople, so they found a quiet table in a corner. Hallen tucked into her foodwith gusto. Some things never changed, and another layer of satisfactionrippled through him.

Hallen glanced up. "Is itweird this is like the best pasta I've ever tasted?" She swirled anotherforkful up.

Will cracked a grin. "Amazinghow good something tastes when it's sprinkled with a victorious feeling."

Hallen nodded and they ate insilence for a while. Once each cleaned their plate, they headed to the drop-offarea. Will broached a topic he'd been putting off, mainly to avoid dredging uppast hurts.

But she faced a big decision abouther former lover, the one she discovered to be a clone only weeks before she'ddisappeared. He'd put his life on the line—in her memory—during the final daysof fighting for their lost planet. Toxic exposure to a clone-specific form ofradiation ravaged through him and he'd been isolated since before her return.

Will kept his tone casual. "Haveyou checked on James recently? How is he?"

Hallen's face fell. "He's notgood. He can't communicate verbally anymore. But he's still able to write and sign."Her voice lowered when they exited the dining hall and started for quarters. "Hetold me he's not going down to the planet."

Will paused. "Are you okaywith that?" Even if she and James weren't together anymore, she rarely letpeople go.

She held up a hand. "Can wetalk about this inside?" Her head tilted toward her quarters.

Will nodded. "Sure, I'm donefor the night." He strolled into her space and settled on the sofa besideher.

Hallen took a moment beforeresuming their conversation. "To answer, no, I'm honestly not all rightwith James staying behind." She met Will's gaze. "But he made it clear,in the nicest possible way, that I don't have a say in his decision." Hereyes welled with tears. "And I get that. I do. But he's basically choosingdeath because he can't care for himself." Her voice broke.

Will's heart went out to her andthe bitterness he expected didn't hit him between the eyes.

He put his arms around her and drewher close. "I'm sorry, Hallen. I know this isn't what you'd want for him."Hell, Will hated the idea of James staying behind, even if they'd been closerto rivals than anything else.

Hallen sought solace with Jameswhen Will walked away from her after their one night of passion. They'd finallylaid the ghost of his brother to rest, and Will had been ready for them tostart a future. Hallen … not so much. Will had learned a valuable lesson fromthe whole debacle. Hallen had to come to him on her terms. Not his.

She snuggled into him. "Shouldn'tdump this on you. I made a mess of everything and everyone." Her gaze roseto meet his. "It's selfish, but I'm glad you're here." She put herhead on his shoulder.

Will wrapped an arm around her."No place I'd rather be right now." He meant every word.

She let out a small gasp and her shouldersshook. He let her cry the cleansing tears she needed to expel. He brushed hishand over her hair and murmured soothing words until she finally fell asleep.

They'd never had such an honestconversation about their past mistakes. Something real and true with no morehiding behind angst and snark. A big step for them. His lips curved and hishead lolled on the back of the couch when his drifted eyes shut.

This story ispretty much complete minus a few finishing touches. I'm so excited to get itready for publication!

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: A Castle Christmas Carol

Well, the shortestmonth is off to a banger start. I had a full slate of projects and managed toget through two before their deadlines. The other two aren't due until midweek,and I have two more starting this week. I'm so excited to have a full calendar!

Had a semi-solidweek of viewing. Made it most of the way through my current round of shows andI'm hoping to continue the same this week. We'll see if the workload allows forit.

Started off with a MyLife Is Murder behind the scenes interview with Lucy Lawless. Ended upthoroughly enjoying it. Should be ready to start season three this week.

Finished up thetwo-part Agatha Raisin. Somewhat disappointed with how the storylineplayed out with James and Agatha. But also really enjoyed the mystery. I lovethe reveals from Sarah's past and Bill and Toni better stay together or I'mgoing to lose my mind.

Caught the secondhalf of Silent Witness and I'm rather happy my fear did not come tolight and the grad student didn't drug Nikki's drink. I also love that she basicallysaid, yeah, no thanks to him. I would not mind if Nikki and Jack took theirshot. We'll see how that goes.

Watched anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. I really don't remember any of this one,so it was nice to have no expectations going in. Actually enjoyed the mysteryunfold.

Enjoyed an episodeof Elementary. Very fun watching Sherlock interact with Joan's familyand the way her mom kind of planted the seed for Joan to stick around and workwith Sherlock.

Caught another episodeof The Batman. I remember watching this the first time around, but I guessI was thinking Batgirl didn't show up until season three. So wrong on thatcount.

Watched anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats. Again, these were two vignettes that I didn'tremember, so it was nice to have new to me stuff to watch.

I'm enjoying thesecond season of The Secret Life of Amy Benson. Episode two had somegood reveals and I'm kind of excited to see where things go in the next one.

Caught anotherepisode of Peak Practice. I'm really, really not interested in the wholeAndrew and Kate saga. The ex-husband is a total dick and Andrew is a blockheadif he can't figure out Richard is behind everything. Will be skipping the nextepisode and moving on to Will's return.

Didn't have time formy Battlestar Galactica rewatch this week and I skipped VIP becauseI wanted to get Peak Practice in. I'll try to pick up with those if timeallows.

That's pretty much itfor the life update this week. Tonight's post is from A Castle Christmas Carol,a reverse harem holiday story.

Here's the miniblurb:

Ebony Schrool, the daughter of a toy magnate, is summoned toa meeting at Halliday Castle in the first week of December. She's surprised tofind three men—each representing her past, present, and future—all bearing newsshe doesn't want to hear. Ebony is used to doing things her way, even when herdecisions wreak havoc on SchroolRules Toys employee morale. Foley Norton,Patton Gates, and Pearson Beatty have to show Ebony the error of her waysbefore the holiday season is beyond saving and they're not above usingseduction to make their case.

And a preview snippet…

Ebony Schrool pulledinto the semicircular drive of the monstrosity of a castle perched at the topof a cliff. "Why on earth am I here?" A single winding road that wenton forever. "Not to mention a sketchy-ass bridge across the bay." Andthe creepy tunnel that led to… "Wow. Gorgeous view." A courtyard infront of the castle stretched clear to the edge of the cliff. "Almostworth the crazy drive to get here."

Almost.

But not quite.

She still didn't knowwhy she'd been summoned to this way out of the way location. "There'dbetter be a damn good reason to drag me to the end of the earth." Asidefrom the view.

Popping her door open,she slid out of the car and stretched the kinks out. Once she retrieved hersuitcase—the letter informed her to be prepared for several days—she startedtoward the huge arched doors. Her mind spun with too many thoughts.

Why did I blindlyaccept this invitation during our busiest time of the year? Because the underlying threat oflosing SchroolRules did not compute for her. Not after spending the last twoyears since her dad married Maleva Lonce aka the stepwitch rebuilding andrebranding the company to Ebony's specifications.

And turned me intothe most hated person in the organization. Well, too bad. Ebony had something to prove to herold man, namely if he wanted to hitch his wagon to a woman after knowing herfor less than a month, Ebony would protect the legacy of the business hestarted with her mom. Ebony refused to allow her stepwitch to get hermoney-grubbing paws on the assets of the toy company.

Which means I haveto wrest control from my dad.Not an easy feat. But she'd pulled the profit margin up and reduced costs. Partof her expenditure-cutting measures put a stop to the annual shutdown of thefactory from December fifteenth through the end of the year. Her dad startedthe tradition during the second year of business and the company ate thevacation time. He considered the gesture a holiday bonus and all employeesstill had two weeks of paid vacation they could use throughout the year. Ebony discontinuedthe time off this holiday season.

Which pisseseveryone off but so be it. They'll get the pay but not the vacation. She needed to keep productiongoing if she wanted to show she could run SchroolRules better than her dad.And, right now, she didn't want anything more in the world than besting him.

How did it come tothis? Stupidquestion. The how would be Maleva Lonce-Schrool. She'd driven a wedge between Ebonyand her dad. When Maleva asked for a seat on the board, Ebony flat-out refusedto consider the idea and threw down the gauntlet by challenging her father tolet Ebony run the company. If she didn't show improved profits after threeyears, the stepwitch could join the board.

Ebony paused on thetrek to the door. "I will not lose to her." Dragging her case, shemarched forward and used the doorknocker.

After several longseconds, the arched wooden panels opened, and Ebony strolled into the mainhall. When her eyes adjusted to the interior, her mouth dropped open at thethree men greeting her. Her eyes narrowed and her mind whirled. Had she justwalked into a trap?

Shaking her head, shehuffed out a frustrated breath. "What the fuck is going on? Why am I here?" 

This story is achallenge but also so much fun. I love taking a classic and spinning it on itshead.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Casting Spells (a Lantern Jack tale)

Geez. I can't believeJanuary is almost over. It's been a month. Hell, it's been a year and we're onlythrough the first month. Heh.

Had a crazy-busywork week and I'm so thrilled! Several new projects are in my calendar and I'mmoving full steam ahead on my new venture. Truly hoping I'll have it ready tolaunch in the next few weeks.

Solid week ofviewing. Didn't quite make it through my full list of shows, but the new workprojects are taking priority and I'm totally okay with that.

Started with MyLife Is Murder. So much fun to see Renee O'Connor acting with Lucy Lawlessagain. A great episode.

Enjoyed another AgathaRaisin episode. Nice to have James back even though I have a feeling hewon't be a permanent fixture. The episode ended on a cliffhanger so I'm lookingforward to picking back up this week.

Watched the firstof a two-part Silent Witness. The tension building in this episode endedup being excellent. I'm a bit disappointed in Nikki's story thread. The studentseriously screamed creepy stalker from the first moment he popped up on screen.I have a very sneaking suspicion he did something and if true, I really want a majorrepercussion. I'm also hoping like hell Jack's family isn't going to be smallerby the end of the next episode.

Caught another episodeof Death in Paradise and had seen bits and pieces of this one. So glad Igot to watch the whole thing. I like getting backstory for the island cast.

Enjoyed an episodeof Elementary. Kind of loved Sherlock sort of being there for Watson atthe end. The dynamic between the two characters is fun to watch. Getting aglimpse of Jane's backstory is also nice. Makes me wonder about the lawyer guythough. I'm not a fan of fast and loose storytelling.

Started season twoof The Batman. I remember being so disappointed they changed the themesong. I do rather like the introduction of Batgirl.

Watched anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats. Loved this the first time it aired andthoroughly enjoyed again. So much fun.

Starting my viewingschedule over again. The Secret Life of Amy Benson, VIP, and BattlestarGalactica will hopefully get a watch this week. I also need to pick back upwith Peak Practice in the near future.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Casting Spells,a Lantern Jack novella.

Here's theminiblurb:

The Lantern Jack is back to right another wrong. CeliaCarmichael is overwhelmed by her new role as coven head and she's determined tolearn all she can about the familiar who chose her, the cat named Haven. NyxNolan is on a mission to discover where the remains of his ancestor, the formerleader of the warden of warlocks is buried. The man disappeared over a centuryago and left a signet ring and a photo for Nyx as the only clue to hiswhereabouts. Celia and Nyx discover their histories are entwined and they havethe power to lay the animosity between the witches and the warlocks to rest.

And a preview snippet…

Nyx Nolan issued a terse demand intohis phone. "Buy the company. They won't get a better offer." He'ddoubled the asking price.

His warden hovered on the brink offinancial collapse. Nyx had a golden touch but the other warlocks weren't asnaturally gifted. The warden's resources had dwindled over the last severalgenerations.

Nyx snorted. "My father hasn'thelped." The man's proclivities were legendary, and his generation spentfaster than they acquired.

Wresting control hadn't been easy,but Nyx had a window of opportunity to prove he had the stones to lead.

"It would be easier if Ididn't meet with opposition on every front." Or some lame mystery tosolve.

He fingered the packet delivered byspecial courier this morning. A quick spell cast revealed layers of protectivemagick with a blood connection. So, a relative would somehow be involved.

But how? "Maybe one of myancestors had a vision?" He couldn't think of anything else to explain themysterious package. "Only one way to find out." He buzzed his admin,Benoit Lethgate. "No disturbances until further notice. That includes myfather." Nyx did not want to deal with his dad's issues today.

Benoit gave his assurance. "Iunderstand, Mr. Nolan. You can be sure if anyone gets past me, I'm either deador dying."

Nyx thanked the admin and signedoff, chuckling at the Mr. Nolan bit. Nolan grew up with Benoit and theirfriendship went back to their childhood. He couldn't imagine a better person tohave his back.

Nolan also took Benoit at his word.The physically imposing man would not let anyone near Nyx until he gave theword. The former linebacker didn't lack physical prowess, not at six-three andone hundred ninety pounds, and he had a strong handle on spellcasting. Averitable army wouldn't get by the beefy man.

Benoit often acted as a bodyguardwhen Nyx traveled, which tended to not be necessary, but the man's presenceoften saved time and hassle. Other fae beings usually thought twice abouttesting Benoit's patience. And that gave Nyx time to do what he needed.

Nyx spent several hours gettingthrough the protective bindings of the package. When the final seal lifted, heopened the box to find a signet ring with an enclosed photo of a manor housealong with a note.

 

Seek information … knowledge willcome.

Find the manor house … clues to thepast.

Take no one else … travel from yourhome.

Reveal the secret … find truth atlast.

 

Answers to the past were a priorityfor Nyx. He needed to know why the fortunes of the warlocks turned terrible. Hadthey been cursed? Hexed? And, if so, why?

He got up and crossed his office,pulling the door open. "Benoit, I'm going to need you to run interferencefor me." And maybe not ask any questions.

Benoit narrowed his eyes, studyingNyx for a long moment, then gave an emphatic nod. "Whatever you need,boss."

The Lantern Jacktales are so much fun to write. I love weaving in Jack's back story with thecurrent issues the main couples face.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye