“How long has this sat here?” Valerie asked, blowing dust off a red and green box. “Probably years. My parents weren’t big on decorating,” Hayden replied. He and Valerie were getting ready to spend their first holiday season at his parents’ old home. The house was a gift from them to the newlyweds since they ...

Between the apartment complexes, the cathedral’s spires pierced the brooding sky. The forecast predicted a clear day, but the pillars of dark clouds augured a different outcome. “Figures.” Sam looked away from the ill weather omen. Why care? The black bank of cloud looked more prophetic the closer he got. What kind of whirlwind of ...

“Yes, Master.” I choke out the words to relieve the pressure on my throat. Finally, Kaelthar releases me. I stumble back, gasping for air.   He stands from the desk and stalks toward me. I slink away as he draws close.   “The others won’t believe you if you tell them.” Is he reading my thoughts? “They took my word about the planet, and they’ll do the same now.”   He’s right. They’re trained to trust him, have been their ...

The great cacophonous roar of the 7:30 rush buzzed through Sam’s body as he and his coworkers became thin stretched across espresso machines, breakfast sandwiches, and caffeine-deficient customers. He smacked the mocha bottle, but only a lone, lethargic drop fell into the frothy milk. With a groan, he tossed it into the empty trash but ...

Pastor Morgan Williams placed his hat and umbrella on the bench that lined the wall of the police observation room. “Why call me, of all people? I’ve read the papers. The girl is guilty.” Police Chief Ezra Smoles tugged on the woolen collar of his uniform as the fabric scratched against his skin. “There might ...

Screaming pierces my eardrums. The door slams, and suddenly, we’re all capable of calling light to the tips of our fingers. In the crackling glow, panic flares in Tyrak’s eyes as he turns and nearly trips over me to run to the staircase. Ember grips my hand, and we bolt, Jelric to my side.   We stampede as if Ortha’s body could fly, hands twisted ...

The ocean felt endless from the little dinghy. The press of Kila against my shoulder was overwhelming and sweaty. Three days since the The Pearl sank, Lanta sat in the rower’s seat. Despite my aching arms, I counted the seconds until my turn. The sun started to set over the horizon. “Should I scrounge dinner together?” ...

The house sat tucked away in the depths of the woods. Its once white, pristine boards had turned a nasty shade of brown from years of wear. The windows were covered in dirt. The roof sagged, holding its breath so it wouldn’t cave in. These were the thoughts that crossed Maggie Harrington’s mind when she ...

          Cricket’s chirping filled the desert’s rolling hills; the silence of the night echoed. A horse in a stable snorted as a woman with raven-black hair fed him hay. A sad smile came across her features while she stroked the soft, brown fur of her beautiful steed. Her blue eyes swam ...

Nobody questions how the Sorcerer Kaelthar grows the most potent herbs in Anacaris, but an hour into tilling his garden, I discover the bones. I loft a glittering femur, too long for a dog, too short for a stag, and present it to Ember’s kneeling form. “What is this?”   Ember snaps to attention, sandy hair ...