Fantasy

Birthdays and Book stuff

Hey readers,

We hope you are doing well, all things considered.

Because everyone’s talking about Brandon Sanderson’s Kickstarter campaign…

Our Scribe wants to be like him someday, and her characters support that goal 100%! She’s read a few of his books and enjoyed them. So there won’t be any shade cast on him in here. Sorry to disappoint you.

In other news, this Thursday is our Scribe, Melinda’s, birthday! So we’ll be celebrating that with some writing sprints! Our Scribe must get those precious words down.

We hoped our next book, Curse Breaker Trapped, would be finished by her birthday, but we’ve still got a few days, so she could finish it in time. Anything’s possible, especially if you live in a fantasy world.

I’m anxious to get it into your hands because I, Ran, Sarn’s son and sidekick, have quite the adventure in it. Papa might not enjoy that, but it’s necessary. We stare death in the face in Curse Breaker Trapped and risk everything to save ourselves and our loved ones.

Why’s it not done?

Melinda is mad that the book won’t end the way she wants it to. But that’s not a bad thing because the sequel will come out not long after (we hope!). And one book in every trilogy tends to go rogue. Remember Curse Breaker Darkens and Curse Breaker Falls? They also went rogue.

And I’m resisting the urge to give specifics. But I can’t give away any spoilers because the book isn’t finished and things could still change. So I’ll stop here and return you to our special presentation of Curse Breaker Fallout.

Curse Breaker Fallout

by Melinda Kucsera

“Then how do we help her?” Sarn sat up. This was taking too long. Sovvan had said time flowed differently in the Gray Between, but he couldn’t remember if time moved more quickly or more slowly there. He hoped it was the former because that would give them more time.

“You do it through here.” Thing tapped the side of his head.

“I don’t understand. Doesn’t that count as going to the Gray Between?” Sarn ran a hand through his hair just to feel something solid. This conversation had taken a strange turn.

“No, it doesn’t count because you’re not physically in the Gray Between. You’re in her mind, and she happens to be in the Gray Between. Do you understand now?” Thing tapped his feet claws on the ground, and they clicked on the stonework.

“How do we do that?” Because that sounded difficult, and it wasn’t something Sarn could do with his magic.

“You don’t do anything. You let the master work.” Thing cracked his knuckles.

Miren rolled his eyes. “Oh lord, here he goes again.”

“You’ll need my help too,” Bear shook his furry paw at Thing. “You’re not going to the Gray Between either. There’s a limit to how far you can reach with your mind.”

Thing shrugged, but he didn’t comment. Maybe he didn’t know what his limits were. He might have never hit them. That would explain why Thing was so confident he could do this.

“Before you start, what are the risks?” Because Ran was about two seconds from insisting that he go too, and Sarn needed to know if he should preempt that with a solid no.

“I don’t think there are any, but I’m not sure I can take all of you at the same time. We might have to do this one at a time. Who’s going first?” Thing glanced around for a volunteer.

“I am!” Ran raised his hand and waved it around. “She promised to come back and tell me what happened, and she didn’t do that yet.”

Bear shook his head. “You should go last. Before you argue the point, remember you’re the only one of us who can summon her.”

“Oh, I forgot about that. Should I summon her now?” Ran glanced around for confirmation.

Bear waved that suggestion away. “Not yet. We’ll hold that in reserve. Let’s first get an idea of what she’s doing right now. If she’s in serious trouble, we’ll let you know, and you can do your summoning thing.”

“Okay.” Ran didn’t argue the point.

Sarn touched his forehead to check for a fever, but Ran felt cool. Maybe the tyke was growing up. Miren stifled a laugh at his befuddled expression, but his brother sobered fast because this was no laughing matter. Their sister might be in deep trouble.

“I should go. I don’t have a concussion.” Miren rubbed his leg. He didn’t glare at Sarn, but he could have.

Sarn gritted his teeth before he said something he might regret. Sovvan was his twin, but Miren was right. He had a healing concussion, and he was more tired than he’d been in a long time. But sleep wouldn’t come until he knew Sovvan was all right, and maybe not even then. I need to see her and talk to her about many things, like what the hell she’s doing right now.

But Sarn had left his younger brother out of so many things lately. Could he make up for that by sending Miren first? Eventually, Sarn would have to tell Miren all the things he’d kept from him. Maybe I could put that off for a little longer if I let him go.

Thing waited for an answer, so Sarn gave him one before that creature’s tapping claws got on his nerves. He clapped Miren on the back. “Tell her we miss her. She should visit us when she can. She’s always welcome.” Sarn rubbed his throat. The lump in there had grown as all the words he needed to say had piled up in his mouth. Sarn swallowed them because now wasn’t the time or the place.

“All right, let’s see what happens.” Thing looked at Bear. “How do we proceed?”

“You don’t do anything. It’s all on me.” A translucent bear rose from Ran’s stuffed bear, and the ghost bear extended a paw to Miren. He accepted it, and he collapsed onto the bedroll in a boneless heap.

“Uncle Miren!” Ran gasped then covered his mouth.

“Miren!” Sarn crawled to his side to check that he was still breathing. Thank Fate, his brother was. “What did you do to him?”

***

To read what happens next, get Curse Breaker Fallout now! And if you want to know what Sovvan is doing, grab His Angelic Keeper Tempted.


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