by M. D. Grimm
She lifted her empty bottle. “Here’s to fighting a war on both fronts and hoping we make it out alive.”
Poe wrinkled his nose but clinked his bottle against hers in solidarity.
Arcas read the report their source in the Agency had sent them. Gregor had read it first and didn’t know what to make of it.
“So,” Arcas said softly. “Nordik really does live in those national parks. Sanctuary—what a dull name.”
Gregor heard the strange tone in his leader’s voice and curiosity made him speak.
“My lord, do you—know Nordik?”
“In a way,” Arcas said, closing the folder the report rested in and then setting it on his desk. He met Gregor’s eyes. “We met a long time ago under very gruesome circumstances.”
Gregor desperately wanted to know about the circumstances, but he knew better. He kept his mouth shut and was dazzled by the mystery his leader presented. The man himself was a puzzle and every so often, another piece would fall into place.
“Sir, about Haven—” Gregor started.
“Not yet,” Arcas said.
“But—”
“We are not ready.” Arcas cut across his protest easily, and the spark in his eyes warned Gregor that the subject was closed. “And they are on high alert. We need them lulled first, like sheep thinking the wolf isn’t at their door. And it would be foolish of us to lead our knights into Haven without learning more details about it, correct?”
Gregor nodded. “Of course, my lord.”
“And now that the Agency is involved, we must move even more carefully.”
Gregor agreed.
“We move on, then,” Arcas said smoothly. “How is Group 1 coming along with finding out where Subject 1A has been taken?”
“They have several possible locations—” Gregor said.
“I don’t want possible locations.” Arcas’s voice lowered dangerously, and Gregor suddenly felt cold and his muscles stiffened.
“I want my pet found, Gregor. I want to know where the Agency has stashed the wolf shifter. Tell our informant to dig deeper. To get more clearance. He needs to convince the captains to vote him chief.”
“Of course, my lord. I will speak with Group 1 and the informant.”
Arcas smiled, but Gregor still felt cold.
“Good. Dismissed.”
###
About This Book
For anyone familiar with the first edition, I’m sure you noticed one of the bigger changes I made. Yes, I kept Travis blind, or mostly-blind. I didn’t bring in Lila to heal him. After the first version was published, a reviewer with a disability described disappointment that a differently-abled character was “fixed” at the end of the book. They were absolutely right and the sentiment has simmered in my mind for years. I thought I would take this opportunity, with my rebrand and republishing, to make some changes that I hope will better represent the diversity I want my series to contain. I decided to modify Lila’s ability to healing recent injuries. In doing so, I saw no need to even bring it up within the story.
Travis is a great character and absolutely capable and fierce. He didn’t need to be “fixed.” He is perfect the way he is. Representation is important, and so I made the ultimate decision to remove that section from the book. Yes, he regained partial sight naturally but that was integral to the events of the novel. I would be forced to rewrite the entire story if I wanted to change that. So, while he won’t regain all his sight back, he will remain mostly blind and just fine with it. He has friends, family, and a mate who adores him.
I enjoyed revisiting the first introduction to Haven and its interesting society. I added a bit more at the beginning with Travis and his first meeting with Jack. I didn’t want to touch too much on events in the sequel, “Ghosts of Halloween Past,” which focuses on the events surrounding the “mill incident.” But it was a major turning point for Travis, so I felt the need to allude to it. Don’t worry, I will also be republishing the sequel so the entire story of their friendship and courtship will be available soon.
As always, certain aspects of the story might not hold up to close scrutiny (beyond the shifting, that is), so please enjoy the story for what it is—a bit of entertainment to make your day a little brighter.
May dragons guard your dreams,
M.D. Grimm
About M.D. Grimm
M.D. Grimm decided to become an author in the second grade (kind of young to make life decisions, but whatever) and nothing has changed since then (well, plenty of things, actually, but not that!). Thankfully, she has indulgent parents who let her dream, but also made sure she understood she’d need a steady job to pay the bills (they never let her forget it!). After graduating from the University of Oregon and majoring in English (let’s be honest: useless degree, what else was she going to do with it?), she started on her writing career and couldn’t be happier. Working by day and writing by night (or any spare time she can carve out), she enjoys embarking on romantic quests and daring adventures (living vicariously, you could say) and creating characters that always triumph against the villain (or else what’s the point?), finding their soul mate in the process.
Other Titles by M.D. Grimm
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A Warrior’s Redemption trilogy
Healing Lance
Forgiving Lance
Avenging Lance
Anthology
Guardians of a Giant’s Treasure
(Includes: Trash and Treasures, Night Guardians, A Giant’s Friend)
On Wings saga
On Wings of Thunder
On Wings of Passion (prequel)
Queer SciFi Flash Fiction Anthology
Renewal
Impact
Migration
Single Title
Eye of the Beholder
The Saga of the Bold People
Leopold
Legacy
The Shifter Chronicles
Psychic Moon * Celtic Warrior and Wolf Spirit
Love is a Whirlwind
Blind Devotion
Hunter and Hunted
The Stones of Power
Ruby: Lost and Found
Peridot: War and Peace
Amethyst: Bow and Arrow
Agate: Then and Now
Emerald: Good and Evil
Carnelian: Dreams and Visions
Lapis Lazuli: Forgotten and Remembered
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