Decima Cordia, former prefect of the 44th Thessali Legion was the first thing that Rose could focus on when she woke.  She was standing with her blade out casting her eyes about trying to look at Rose and the darkness… Continue reading

Rose was poking the oversized iron pot that sat on the grate over the hearth.  The heavy lid had been moved to the side and the bits of carrot and beet bobbed around in a simmering broth that would hopefully… Continue reading

She woke up sad, having dreamed of her sister. Hester would be thirteen now, but in Rose’s dream she was still a ten year old girl. Moments after waking Rose couldn’t remember why the dream had been sad or even… Continue reading

Turned out that Emrys’ spirits were great for lots of stuff like moving bodies and digging holes and scaring the shit out of Rose.  They were also fairly good for brief bathroom breaks on the path and helping them set… Continue reading

It took them about thirty minutes to get back on the move. The unconscious woman wasn’t so much of an issue, especially at first.  At first, it was the debate about what to do with the dead woman that slowed… Continue reading

The first real thing that brought Rose down out of her haze was Emrys.  “Oh… oh, no.  I didn’t.  I’m so sorry, I didn’t think.”  Rose finally got herself disentangled and turned around to see him, but he wasn’t talking… Continue reading

Rose had to be honest with herself:  she had not been as prepared for this as she’d hoped. Sure, if she’d been alone she’d have been making progress, but it would have been slower going.  Training with her teacher in… Continue reading

“The proper word for what I do is metaphysics, but most people who know about it call it The Talent.”  They’d been on the path for about an hour.  The hills were getting steep and uneven, and Rose’s arms were… Continue reading

It should have come as no surprise to Rose when their shoddy ship ran out of fuel, but somehow it did.  The captain sat them all down the night before and said, in his most embarrassed voice, “Folks, it seems… Continue reading

By the time Ellen had fitted them with traveling food and fresh blankets and secured for them passage on a paddle ship heading up the Ardole, Rose just about believed that the efforts weren’t part of some sort of trap.… Continue reading