They parted ways with their mounts at the front door, waving goodbye as the three creatures vanished back into the trees. Adelaide dismounted as well, moving from her broom to the ground without so much as breaking stride. She led the way up the steps, the door swinging open in her wake with no input … Continue reading The Sisters of the Woods Ch.5 →

“So, we haven’t met.” Nic looked over at Adelaide where she hovered next to him on her broomstick. She somehow managed to daintily perch on it, her legs crossed and pose casual. She might as well be sitting on a plush reclining chair for all the difficulty she was having. “Not that I know of,” … Continue reading The Sisters of the Woods Ch.4 →

Nic was a city boy. He’d spent his life among buildings, pavement, and nice straight lines arranged in nice, neat grids. Most of the greenery he’d been around in his life had been like the Worthington estate: pruned, hemmed, and arranged wherever space could be found for it to fit. What surrounded him now was … Continue reading The Sisters of the Woods Ch.3 →

“So…” The word was already out before Nic realized that he didn’t have any to follow it. He’d intended to speak a full sentence, but it had vanished the second he needed it most. This proved deeply unfortunate as Geniveve had already turned to look at him. “Hm?” she asked. “Uh…” Nic stumbled, desperately grasping … Continue reading The Sisters of the Woods Ch.2 →

Mornings at Greytower started bright and early. Or rather, dark and early as the tower’s many automated subroutines roused themselves well before sunrise. Quiet things to begin, revising logs, transmitting updates, and receiving downloads in return. Nothing moved, save the tiny bots that scurried about maintaining systems, from the thinnest wires in the walls to … Continue reading The Sisters of the Woods Ch.1 →

Another peculiar feeling gripped Nic as he exited the Library. Part of it was the wards again, their presence having grown no weaker since the last time he’d crossed over them. As they exited the airlock, Nic glimpsed sunlight for the first time in a full day. He winced at the glare, eyes taking a … Continue reading Archive Ch.16 →

It was a chaotic thing charging the bot. A delicate balance of moving, dodging, weaving, ducking, and swerving around the many objects filling the air. Stopping for any length of time was a mistake that many things were ready and eager to punish. One book to the face might not be so bad but a … Continue reading Archive Ch.15 →

Nic’s stomach lurched sharply as he went over the edge, mind rushing as many thoughts collided at once. Blind panic chief among them, mixed with no shortage of fear and worry, mostly for himself but also for Jordi. Some part of him thought to try and reach out for the shelf, arrest his fall before … Continue reading Archive Ch.14 →

“We’re here.” Nic looked up at Jordi where he stood several paces ahead. He’d stopped short at the end of a passageway, standing next to a small metal cylinder bolted upright to the floor. It obviously didn’t belong, far too modern compared to its surroundings and positioned to be obvious rather than melding in with … Continue reading Archive Ch.13 →

Nic couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t for lack of trying, certainly not for lack of wanting. His exhaustion had only increased since he first sat down, limbs growing downright leaden and useless as the evening wore on. It had taken everything he had left just to crawl into his bedroll, and he doubted that much could … Continue reading Archive Ch.12 →