by S D Simper
A tentative voice, one that refused to waver despite the evidence of tears on her face, broke the silence in the room. “Once the funerals have been held, I’ll be leaving with Demitri. I’ve signed a contract with Imperator Casvir.”
Zorlaeus’ heart seized at the word ‘contract.’ He kept his head down, but his eyes glanced up and saw the false courage etched into the girl’s face as she stepped inside. Casvir remained beyond the doorframe, but he watched.
Marielle dared to ask, “A contract for what?” He saw her stand tall, and it took all of his willpower to not drag her to his side.
“I’ll be adventuring with him, for a time, to help him find an artifact.”
“Flowridia,” the empress said, and with tentative care she took Flowridia’s hand in her own, “have you done this by your own choice?”
“He offered. I set the terms.”
Before Flowridia could say anything more, Thalmus pulled the girl into a hug. “It doesn’t mean you have to do this,” he said, and the rumble of his voice spoke of something deep and dangerous.
“I already signed-”
“That means nothing.”
“I’m going to do this,” Flowridia said as she pulled from his embrace. “This isn’t forever.”
Zorlaeus heard her uncertainty. He dared to look back, beyond the doorframe, to Imperator Casvir towering in the background. He gave Zorlaeus no mind, instead keeping his stoic, relentless stare on Flowridia.
Something protective steeled his gaze, and something possessive, the willingness to cleave the half-giant in two should he threaten the resolve of the young woman he faced.
And there, in the flickering shadow of a smile threatening to pull at Casvir’s lip, shone victory.
Casvir watched. Zorlaeus wondered how long he had been watching.
End
“Strange to say,
that in a world of gods and monsters,
the greatest danger lies within you.”
The dead lay gone but not forgotten. War has sparked in the demonic realm of Sha’Demoni, ignited by the wrath of a vengeful goddess seeking recompense for her daughter’s death – and she deems Flowridia responsible. Meanwhile, Flowridia embarks on a journey with Imperator Casvir of Nox’Kartha, the mysterious patron of her powers. Casvir’s assistance in her kingdom’s quest to stop the reborn God of Order could ensure victory, but not without its own costs. After all, he who writes the contracts writes them in his favor.
Flowridia’s powers flourish under Casvir’s tutelage, manifesting in talents beyond her nightmares and dreams. With the strings of life and death held in her grasp, destiny might come at the cost of her soul.
All the while, Flowridia is plagued by dreams of Ayla Darkleaf, as well as the tantalizing promise of her lost love’s return – for a price. But the city of the dead is full of secrets, and those her lover kept were the darkest of all.
Read a sneak peek of ‘Among Gods and Monsters’ and more at S D Simper’s website – sdsimper.com
About the author:
S D Simper has lived in both the hottest place on earth and the coldest, spans the employment spectrum from theatre teacher to professional editor, and plays more instruments than can be counted on one hand. She and her beloved wife share a home with their two cats and innumerable bookshelves.
Visit her website at sdsimper.com to see her other works, including Beneath the Loch, a novella about a girl who makes a murderous deal with a fae.
