Category: Asides

She nocked an arrow and drew the bow up in a smooth motion. She exhaled slowly and her breath pooled in a misty cloud, swirling golden in a stream of light before dissipating. The forest was deathly silent; no birds dared sing with a qi’rel so near, its spindly limbs…

The pair had stayed only a brief few hours at Rostall, eager to press on and reach Kinehold to continue the King’s business. They’d secured passage on a wagon that was carting goods to the larger town, sent a missive each to the King and the leader of the Wilds…

Whittide was a quiet place, with a few mud-walled houses, a little jetty for launching boats, and some open-fronted barns where the fish were sorted. It would have been a quaint location for a relaxing getaway if not for the circumstance – and the smell. The arrival of two strangers…

Alwyn picked his way over the rockpools to the cavemouth that the sailor’s trembling finger had pointed to. His hands shook, and he tightened his grip on his staff, regaining his composure. The magic had come back easily – it was always just a whisper away, there beneath the surface…