Sobs ripped through Sofia’s chest as she fell back into the hot, white sand. Mama and the babies were inside. Inside. Dad was still at the pool when the concrete mammoth slammed to the ground. The beach was full of people. She couldn’t focus. Wails and shrieks swirled around her, muffled and distant. The guy ...

“So, Derek, first you want to heat the pan to medium,” said the lady on the TV with the too-big hair. Simon watched through dull eyes as she plopped a large saucepan onto a stove and lit the flame.  He pulled at the scratchy T-shirt his mom had given him to change into. Bright green ...

Esme stared out at the water from her poolside lounge chair. She remembered loving the wicker seating when she found The Paradise online, but now the rigid weave dug into her thighs. She sensed Marcus’s eyes boring into her from a few chairs away and refused to look at him, her grip tightened on the ...

As the sun rose over the horizon, Lexi turned the wheel of her Focus and repressed a grimace at the terrifying squeal of too-old axles. She pulled up to a guard station big enough for one, stuccoed and painted light coral.  How is it possible this guard shack looks 100 times better than my own ...

“This is like a CASTLE!” shouted Matty as he ran through the lobby of the Paradise, a high-rise beachside condominium complex. The lobby atrium towered above his head and filtered bright sunlight down onto plush seats, carefully arranged tropical plants and opulent water features.  “Stay close!” yelled Marcus through the automatic glass doors as he ...

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Jacobs. He’s gotta go.”  Lexi Jacobs sent waves of ire back over the rickety desk and squeezed the faded gray upholstery that surrounded the arms of her chair. Her back stiffened as anger flooded her capillaries and reddened her pale skin. She aimed her glare at the daycare owner’s limp yellow hair ...

Who could have guessed an unexpected encounter at a local bar in a lighthearted discussion about horoscopes would lead to the sudden disappearance of Maureen McKinsey? Maureen was spunky and outspoken. She established friendships with her sharp humor and winning smile. Born February 29, 1992, she chose not to celebrate her birthday on February 28 ...

Nia’s cab stops at a dead end, where a sidewalk to the left leads to the castle. After getting her bags from the trunk and seat, Nia thanks the driver, who tips his hat and drives off. Nia starts walking towards the castle underneath a canopy of palm trees and twittering birds. Nia takes no ...

  Several Years Ago Forbidden. Denied. All his life, he felt a calling; something told him to seek out the knowledge hidden deep within the city. And then the voice started speaking, several years into running after the calling. The High Rulers’ Archive has the answer. And maybe it was unwise to follow a voice ...

A long time ago, he stopped believing in the power of the gods and started believing in the power of himself. Kaidyn knew they existed. Whenever Selene cast her spells, she always invoked the power of her deity, and Kaidyn saw Duskfather in his powerful, mystical form. And maybe Kaidyn would be inclined to call ...