by S. M. Boyce
Audrey’s eyes widened. “Do you think…”
Victoria cautiously nodded, trying not to get her hopes up. If he had an Atlantean Artifact that could make him stronger, maybe she could take it.
Diesel sighed in disappointment. “I’m sorry, my love, but he didn’t have one.”
“What?” Victoria set her hands on her hips, not believing what Diesel had said. “But he’s the general of the Atlantean army. Or, well, he was until we killed him.”
Diesel shrugged. “I don’t understand either. I went through every note on every pillow in that vault. His name wasn’t listed. If he has an Atlantean Artifact, it’s not one that was written down. Since even the king’s and queen’s were written on the parchments, I doubt General Cato had one. It seemed as though he and the royal family were at odds, so perhaps the king didn’t trust the general with one even as he was promoted through the ranks. Maybe he was testing Cato in some way before giving him one. We may never know.”
“I certainly don’t want to go back to find out,” Audrey muttered.
Victoria slumped her shoulders in defeat, trying not to be disappointed. Technically, they had gotten what they went into Atlantis to find: instruction for Audrey. Judging by her performance in their small battle, Audrey had finally begun to control her Atlantean magic. In the end, that mattered most.
Victoria pulled her friend into a hug. “I’m glad to have you back.”
“But how did I fuse with the artifact? I had to give up something valuable, and I didn’t care about that jackass at all.” Audrey pointed toward the general’s body and the smoke sizzling from his between his eyes.
“I believe it was more what he represented,” Diesel said.
Victoria nodded. “Audrey, you sacrificed a kingdom. Fame. Adoration. You sacrificed everything an Atlantean craves in life. And most importantly, you sacrificed a family. The king may have had shady motives, but he wanted to give you the throne.”
Audrey smiled. “But you are my family.”
Victoria beamed. She couldn't help it. She pulled Audrey into another hug, and this time Diesel joined them. Victoria laughed, pushing the wizard away, but he was relentless. She finally allowed it, relishing the peace and quiet.
They had done it. Not only had they rescued Audrey, but they had saved Fairhaven from a threat no one had known existed.
“Let's go home,” Victoria said.
***
As they trudged through the tunnels beneath Fairhaven, Victoria was careful to stay beside Audrey. She wanted to be there in case her friend experienced any aftereffects from fusing with the Atlantean Artifact.
Victoria nudged Audrey in the shoulder. “Back in Atlantis, you mentioned you felt like my sidekick. Do you remember that?”
Audrey stumbled and ran her hand through her hair. “Yeah, vaguely. Sorry. Our conversation is mostly a blur, but I do recall that line.”
Victoria shook her head. “Don’t apologize, I understand. I'm sorry you felt that way, but now that you’re a host as well, you'll know firsthand what it's like. You'll see for yourself that being a host isn’t all it's cracked up to be.”
Audrey rolled her eyes. “Being adored is hard?”
Victoria almost corrected Audrey. She almost went into a diatribe about how people looked at her with fear most of the time. Being a Rhazdon host meant she was under constant threat of being killed, and even some of the people she saved didn't appreciate or trust her.
Maybe she was wrong. Maybe Audrey would never know what that was like. The Rhazdon and Atlantean Artifacts were different, after all.
But should Audrey become adored by the city, Victoria would never want to take that from her. She kept silent, walking through the tunnels toward Fairhaven, determined to let Audrey have her fun for as long as it would last.
Chapter 28
After a while, the tunnels became familiar to Victoria. She recognized the paths Fyrn had taken when they went to their secret training cave, and it wasn't long before she could lead the way to Fyrn’s cottage.
“Hopefully he's there,” Victoria said, picking up the pace. Styx sat on her shoulder, asleep in her hair.
“Tired of me already, my love?" Diesel asked, a hand on his heart as if wounded.
Victoria rolled her eyes. “We need to talk to him about Audrey's Artifact. She needs to learn how to use it.”
Audrey chuckled. “Or I could just take a freaking break, Victoria. I could use about a month of sleep right now.”
Again Victoria bit her tongue. A Rhazdon host couldn't rest, but maybe an Atlantean one could.
As they emerged from the tunnel, Fyrn’s cottage came into view. The lights were off, and no smoke spewed from the chimney. “Dang. Not home.”
The fluttering of wings above them startled Victoria and she tensed in preparation for an attack. Instead, a little blond fairy girl flitted toward them. “You must go to Bertha’s at once through the secret tunnels. You must not be seen!”
Victoria hesitated. “Why?”
Diesel grabbed her arm and pulled her back into the tunnel, alert and suspicious. “That's one of Fyrn’s messengers, Victoria. You should listen. Come on.”
They hurried back down into the tunnels, Diesel leading the way and using his staff as a light. The fairy had flitted off. Victoria wondered if she should have made her stay with them to get an update. Too late.
Before long, Diesel led them to some steps carved into the rock. The short stairway ended at a trap door in the ceiling. With a wave of Diesel’s hand, it opened enough for him to peek through.
Through the opening, Victoria saw Bertha’s store. Heavy footsteps pounded across the hardwood, and the ogre’s feet appeared in the gap. The door swung violently open, and Bertha stood ready with a bow and arrow aimed at them.
“It's nice to see you too,” Victoria said, crossing her arms.
Bertha relaxed the weapon, and a smile broke across her face. “You three are a sight for sore eyes. Come in.”
Before they climbed out, Bertha closed every curtain. The house became dark, lit only by a few lamps on the table or suspended from the ceiling. She nudged the rug back over the trap door to hide it.
“What's going on, Bertha?" Audrey asked as she dusted off her hands.
Bertha opened her mouth to speak, but she paused the moment her eyes met Audrey's. It was as though the ogre couldn't speak. As though the words had been stolen from her mouth. Eventually, Bertha stuttered, “D-dear, you look b-beautiful.”
Victoria studied Audrey, and she had to agree. Audrey's dark hair still had the silky sheen of the Atlanteans, and her skin had a healthy silver glow. She had retained the changes even after leaving Atlantis. To her credit, Audrey shuffled a bit awkwardly. “Thank you?”
Bertha nodded, walking about in her kitchen in a daze and occasionally shooting a glance at Audrey as the ogre set out food.
Audrey leaned toward Victoria. “Is that a compliment? Considering how often she called us ugly when we first got here, I'm not sure.”
Victoria chuckled.
Bertha took the seat at the head of the table. “You are in grave danger, Victoria. As are you, Audrey, but Victoria is Luak’s prime target.”
Victoria’s smile faded. “He's back?”
Bertha nodded. “He paid me a visit.”
Victoria balled her hands into fists to contain her anger. “Did he hurt you?”
The ogre tilted her head and quirked an eyebrow. The expression said, “What the fuck do you think?”
“I'll kill that bastard,” Victoria declared.
“No, what you need to do now is stay out of sight,” Bertha said.
Diesel leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “How bad is it?”
Bertha chewed her lip, seemingly lost in thought. “Bad. The king hasn't left his castle. He’s made a few appearances to assure us that everything's fine, but he stays on his balcony. He is scared, and so are we. We don't think Luak has made it into the castle yet, but it's inevitable. That's th
e seat of power in Fairhaven, and Luak wants that power. All of us need to hide.”
“Well, we’re not leaving the city,” Victoria said in a determined voice.
“We absolutely should,” Bertha said.
Victoria shook her head. “I'm not going to abandon Fairhaven. We can hide here. Bertha, I need you to find us another home to buy with cash, so no one knows who owns it. We have to stay out of sight, so find something near the tunnels or with trapdoor access like yours. I want to be able to quickly and easily move in and out if need be.”
Bertha nodded. “I will make that happen.”
The ogre stood and disappeared into one of her back rooms, and Victoria took a chance and headed into the sales area out front. Carefully, she peered through the curtain to find the Main Street empty except for a few hulking silhouettes in the distance. She couldn’t make out what race they were, but she did notice the giant axes they carried.
“Looks pretty bad,” Audrey said over her shoulder.
Victoria flinched, caught off-guard by Audrey’s stealth, but she nodded. “Sure does.”
“Are you sure staying is the right idea?”
“Sure am. After all, I have an Atlantean host for a sidekick. How could I lose?” She winked.
Audrey laughed and shoved her in the shoulder, but Victoria couldn’t bring herself to smile. Luak had invaded her city, and it seemed as though he was slowly gaining control of it. But this was her home now, and she would be damned if she’d allow Luak to steal two homes from her.
Victoria would stay. She would fight. And she would kill that bastard.
Author Notes – S. M. Boyce
Written October 30, 2017
Holy shit, you guys. What a ride!
As I write this, Glow sits at the top 2,000 of the Amazon store and has, at several points in the last three weeks, gone even higher.
Thank you.
The success of Glow comes right back to you. You put it there. You gave it a bestseller tag. Several bestseller tags, actually. (Mwuah!)
You are the reason The Fairhaven Chronicles has taken off, and I’m so incredibly happy to hear that you’ve enjoyed your time in Fairhaven with Victoria, Audrey, Bertha, Edgar, Fyrn, and yes even Diesel.
The feedback I’ve gotten about Glow has made my cheeks hurt from smiling. I’m told we need Plits jerseys and Berserk trading cards. (I’ll see what I can do!) I’m told the journey into the dark and mesmerizing world of Fairhaven is one that brings you back again and again as you explore the emerging world of Oriceran.
But most importantly, the Fairhaven Chronicles is about friendship, trust, and family. It’s about never giving up on those you love. It’s about trusting those closest to you because you know they will always have your back… even if he’s an annoying but famous wizard who freaking cannot take a hint.
The series is about being a hero, doing what’s right, and having a bit of mischievous fun along the way.
One of the reasons I write is because I would go absolutely bat-shit crazy if I didn’t. Seriously, just stark-raving mad. I guess the voices in my head need an outlet.
Another reason I write is that I love to create pockets of magic—beauty in seemingly small places that enchants and entrances. Being able to take you there has been a gift, and I look forward to bringing more of Victoria’s journey to you.
There are currently twelve books planned in the Fairhaven Chronicles because I am, if nothing else, ambitious as fuck. I also know firsthand from my own bookworm lifestyle that once we as readers fall in love with a world, we want to keep coming back to it.
In the coming novels, every story line will be fresh, every adventure new and exciting. But the magic and fun of the world that loves Berserk will always remain.
In the coming books, you’re going to discover more secrets of Oriceran, test the boundaries of magic itself, and play a helluva lot of Berserk.
I’m so excited to have you along for the ride. You make this so much more fun.
Much love,
Boyce
Author Notes – Martha Carr
Written October 29, 2017
A lot has happened in the Oriceran Universe since the last author notes for the Fairhaven Chronicles. The sweetest one was having two bestsellers on Amazon at the same time – and Glow, Book One – was one of them.
That’s all thanks to YOU GUYS – the FANS! You guys are rockin’ and rollin’ with all the new books, still asking for more!
There are now five series launched with 15 books so far and two more new series to come at the start of the year. We’ve gone from a new Universe to an established playground of great stories with Wizards, Elves and Nichts in just over 90 days.
Boyce had a lot to do with that – she played a big part in designing our new web site at Oriceran.com and establishing the Facebook fan site.
Even better, her tale of an underground world right beneath our feet is fun, dark and dangerous while still being about family, friends and hunting for a solution – no matter what. Fans have noticed too and love this new addition to the Oriceran family.
A BIG THANK YOU to all of you readers for going on this ride with us and letting us know how much you have loved GLOW.
Today, as I write this, is momentous for me in other ways as well. Tomorrow the offspring turns 30! A big deal for both of us.
I still remember the days before he was born. I watched his Dad finish a marathon and I set up his entire nursery, putting away the tiny clothes. I thought I was finishing early… Louie wasn’t due for another six weeks.
He had different plans and was born a preemie weighing in at 8 pounds 12 ounces with bright red curly hair. People were coming over to the NICU window to look at the giant baby in an incubator.
Now, he’s well over six feet and blonde curly hair and one of the most generous people I know. Never thought this career of mine was crazy even though there were plenty of years where the budget was so tight it squeaked.
So that’s two things to celebrate that have grown up to be something great – one super fast and the other right on time!
PUBLISHER Notes – MICHAEL ANDERLE
Written October 30, 2017
First, I want to THANK YOU for not only reading through this book (Shimmer) but also for reading through the author notes to my little ol stuff here in the back.
So, as the publisher, I’m still wet behind the ears on writing Publisher notes. Obviously, I can riff off the book(s), I can talk business, I could talk about my own stories, but I would rather talk about what YOU want to talk about.
So, how about sending in what you would like to learn?
Until then, I’m going to talk Berserk.
You know, the game?
I spoke with Boyce last week, and one of the main things I wanted to chat about was this little game in the stories. As the publisher, I really don’t ‘get involved’ in making large changes or anything to the stories. Rather, I allow the authors to tell the stories they want to tell.
As the Universe director, I can and will get involved if something is ‘against’ the Universe, but other than that we try our best to provide an open playground to tell the fun stories the authors are creating.
With Berserk, I never envisioned the game in Oriceran at all. Not one little bit.
As the publisher, I wanted to humbly request she think about having the stories in the books more. Like, every single book.
The game as described in the stories reminds me of a stupid (but really fun) football game that was around in the late 80’s for the PC. There were orcs and trolls and a stupid football that could grow chicken legs and run around. The football players had clubs with spikes, and for the life of me, I can’t remember the name.
Anyway, reading Berserk brought memories of this game back to me. I like that the rules are pretty simple, but the strategies can be VERY complicated. That I could start thinking off the top of my head two, three, four different ways to play made me think that I’d love to get some popcorn, watch a
game and start arguing about who was playing better and OOOHHH!!! Did you see that hit? Oh, GOD, that must have hurt!
And that right there, I think, is the start of an excellent addition to any universe.
I’m ready for the championship! LET’S GO!
So, being the completely hands-off publisher and everything… I absolutely did not demand that the stories have Berserk in every book.
But, I might have begged, just a little.
;-)
Ad Aeternitatem,
Michael Anderle
Want more?
Ember (Fairhaven Chronicles #3) will publish EARLY!
Book 3 publishes on November 21, 2017.
Get email alerts to be notified of the Book 3 release.
WHAT TO READ NEXT
While you wait for Ember (Fairhaven Chronicles #3), enjoy Lichgates (Grimoire Saga #1) by S. M. Boyce
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The Oriceran email list will be a way to share upcoming news and let you know about giveaways and other fun stuff. The Facebook group is a way for us to connect faster—in other words, to chat and share artwork with you, among other things. Plus, from time to time, we’ll share other great indie authors’ upcoming worlds of magic and adventure. Signing up for the email list is the best way to ensure you get all release notifications and big news.
Enjoy the adventure!
-S. M. Boyce, Martha Carr, and Michael Anderle
***
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