The dark-skinned man sighed and started off, “Well, I suppose I’d better go get ready. My fans await.”
“Fans?” Mira asked, amused.
“That’s right,” Cameron said, “Falen’s got a lot of fans. Only thing is, none of them know it.”
“Yet,” Falen corrected, “none of them know it yet.” Then he flashed a wink and was gone.
Nicks nodded, “Alright, come on, Blinks, that’s our cue. We’ll see you two down there.”
Cameron nodded, and when they were gone, Mira grabbed his hand and pulled him in to another kiss. “I’m going to go get ready as well. See you there?”
Cameron smiled, “I look forward to it.”
Alone, Cameron turned back to the balcony once more and looked out on the city. His city. There was a lot to do. There was no telling how far the corruption in the Church had spread, nor was there any knowing what the consequences would be of the Etherstone’s breaking. Would there be another Fulmination? Would the Church start a war?
The Church was the single largest institution in the country, with thousands of members, many—such as the Harvesters—trained in the arts of war. And of course there were the Bloodless to think about. It had only been two days since the shattering of the Etherstone. The Church had not sent an agent yet, but news would spread, and he didn’t think it would be long before they did. And what message what that man bring with him? Would he bring advice? Would he bring war?
They had taken their first steps—willingly or not—on a new path, and there was no telling where it might lead. The idea should have scared him, but instead he found himself smiling, staring out onto the city with new hope. Whatever might come, he would not be alone—his friends would be with him.
Thanks for reading
I hope you liked the time you spent with Cameron, Memory, and the others in Reaper’s Awakening. The next book in The Essence Chronicles will come out as soon as possible.
While you’re waiting on the next book in The Essence Chronicles, why not give The Son of the Morning or A Sellsword’s Compassion a try?
If you enjoyed Reaper’s Awakening, I’d love it if you would take a moment and leave an honest review on Amazon. Reviews make a huge difference for any author, particularly independent ones, and there is nothing writers enjoy more than hearing from their readers.
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About the Author
Jacob Peppers lives in Georgia with his wife and three dogs. He is an avid reader and writer and when he’s not exploring the worlds of others, he’s creating his own. His short fiction has been published in various markets, and his short story, “The Lies of Autumn,” was a finalist for the 2013 Eric Hoffer Award for Short Prose. He is also the author of The Seven Virtues series as well as The Essence Chronicles.
Note from the Author
Although the cover of this book may have my name on it, the truth is that the making of it—like any book—has taken the hands and, more than that, the eyes of a lot of different people. People whose advice and insight have been invaluable to making the book before you. The funny thing? At the end of the day, I get the checks and they get my thanks. It’s a raw deal, I know, but what are you gonna do?
Bearing that in mind, I would like to take the time to thank those whose input has made Reaper’s Awakening what it is. Thanks, as always, to my loving wife who remains loving despite the fact that I have a tendency to step out of this world from time to time (sometimes, pray for me, mid-conversation) and into a world of magic and swordfighting and unicorns. Well, okay, maybe no unicorns yet, but give me time. I’ll get there.
I’d like to thank my mom, dad, and brothers for their support for my book as well as for helping me with all of those other pesky things that life has a tendency of putting in the way of the book. Thanks to BJ and Tim, who have spent so much time listening to me talk about the book that somebody really ought to be paying them a salary at this point.
Thanks also to Cameron, a friend of mine whose excitement for the next book has done much to push me through tough writing days to a final product that is, I hope, up to his standard. Thanks, as always, to D.W Hawkins, a writer friend of mine (surely, you’ve checked his books out by now, right?) who has been an immense help in navigating the path of independent publishing. What steps I’ve taken correctly, I’ve done so because he’d gone before me leaving markers on the road.
And the most important thanks of all goes to you, dear reader. I’m glad you came back to visit the workshop. It’s because of you that I get to do this writing thing that I love so much. If you’ll look around, you’ll notice that things are really getting moving now; bellows are bellowing, furnaces are furnacing. I hope you like the things we’ve made together so far, but keep your apron on for a bit longer, won’t you? And those protective gloves? Oh, you’re not going to want to lose those—we’re just getting started.
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