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(occurs about 15 years before the start of the main Leyward Stones series) Brone Donahue possessed only two mementos of his late wife: the platinum ring in his left jeans pocket, and the ghost staring over his right shoulder. The warm rays of golden hour spilled across his desk as Moira watched him work. She huffed. “Hot ash and holy water? This is even worse than your last plan.” Brone suppressed a shiver as her icy breath grazed his neck. Her breath in life had been warm a

(occurs about 10 years before the start of the main Leyward Stones series) The chit-chat of dinner conversations drifts out at Mother and me from lantern-lit windows as we slip out into the grassy field just beyond the final row of the village houses, arms laden with crates of faespell vials and herbal remedies we couldn’t quite manage to sell out of in another slow day at the market. I unfurl my wings, relieved to spread them now that we’re finally out of the narrow Arcvale

(occurs about 5 years before the start of the main Leyward Stones series) Little dove, wake up. Duvessa blinked her eyes open, a distant racket of clangs and howls colliding with the throbs in her head. Her amber pendant hummed warm against her sternum. Though she couldn’t see it through the thick cotton of her dress, she knew the hum meant it was glowing--the rune had activated. Danger. She bolted upright, nearly ramming her head into the massive bear leaning over her. “F

(occurs about 15 years before the start of the main Leyward Stones series) Joe Dullahan wiped engine grease on his jeans then slammed the hood of the old Buick. “That should get you back to town. How’d you end up so far off the main road, anyway?” “Took a wrong turn back at Clarksville.” The old man planted brown loafers unsteadily on the dirt and leaned into his cane as he stepped out of the driver’s seat. He slid a trembling hand into the pocket of his slacks. “What do I

(occurs about 15 years before the start of the main Leyward Stones series) Moonlight spilled over the broken fence in the middle of the field, spotlighting it like the lone prop on a stage of grass and darkness. To most observers, the free-standing segment of worn log fence would seem a remnant of days long gone, marking this lot as former pasture land before subdivisions had cropped up on either side, leaving only this small patch of field and one remaining copse of skinny p

(occurs about 5 years before the start of the main Leyward Stones series) Lightning slashed the night sky. I tipped my face up as the thunder rumbled. I imagined Keyja darting among the white slivers that sliced out as the bolt crackled--hair flying, skirt clutched above her knees, dainty, dirt-crusted feet dashing cloud to cloud--even as a teenager, she’d hated wearing shoes. But my fancy faded with the flash.Keyja was the lightning now. She was never coming back to me. “Fun

(occurs about 7 years before the start of the main Leyward Stones series) It’s been days since Mom first fell into the fever sleep, and I’ve finally resorted to digging my father’s journal out of the attic. Mom’s half-lucid mumblings about it are the only lead I have for helping her, and heaven knows no other help is coming. I’m not even sure the neighbors are still out there. For days, I’ve heard nothing but the weeds. After poring over the journal at the kitchen table for t

199 p.A. Arameth Core “Kneel.” The word slid out through the king’s gritted teeth, his knuckles whitening around his staff. Prince Marculian blanched, dropping to his knees, then slid forward, his forehead pressing the cold marble. “Forgive me, Father.” Tension quivered through his back and he slowed his breaths—any sign of fear would only make the beating worse. The staff struck and Marculian bit back his cries, his teeth drawing blood from his bottom lip. The strike o

207 p.A. Upper Veil Grumkin Farswallow clutched a tiny screwdriver between his thick fingers. He leaned forward, nose almost touching the frames of his broken glasses. “Dagnabbit!” The miniature tool slipped from his fingers again, nearly stabbing his other hand. “How am I supposed to fix my glasses if I can’t see to fix them?” he muttered. Grumkin flopped back in his chair. I should have installed some kind of vision enhancement in this lab . “Master Grumkin?” a voice

Note: This flash was originally published in Havok online (gohavok.com) in February of 2019. 2019 Earth The tall stranger sauntered through the dark alleyway. His long fingers trailed across the rough brick of the buildings on either side of him, and his arm span filled the alley. He moved at a lazy pace, no hurry to be anywhere. His stroll this evening wasn’t about destination but discovery—about finding someone, finding the one, the perfect specimen to assuage tonight’s h

2019 Earth Tristan jumped as his phone buzzed against the desktop beside him. He glanced at his phone’s screen. 8:30 a.m. Time to go already? He ran a finger across the now-dry sketch, then sighed and slipped his sketch pad and pen into his messenger bag before draping the bag across his shoulder and heading for the door. His morning routine of sketching his dreams calmed him, but this morning the time had flown by. He’d awoken in a sweaty panic and jotted a quick outl

2019 / 216 p.A. Tragor Outpost Edge of The Reclaimed Fallows Joint Kingdom of Alleanza-Raith’il “Heading out for another patrol, Lamach?” Lamach glanced up at the man peering down at him from the ledge atop the village gate and shrugged. “You have no need of me on the walls tonight, Barrek. What else would I do?” “Rest. Eat and drink. Retire to bed, perhaps,” Barrek answered. “Have you forgotten the war is over? There is peace now, Lamach. Two guards on the wall a