Closing Doors: The Last Marla Mason Novel

by T. A. Pratt

  Thanks to Juliet Ulman (to whom this book is dedicated) for buying Blood Engines for Bantam Spectra way back in 2006, and then saying, “You know what? How about you write four books about Marla for me?” She made this into a series. It would have been one standalone novel and a few stories without her.

  Thanks to John Teehan of Merry Blacksmith Press for keeping Marla in print, and in such fine style.

  Thanks to my agent Ginger Clark, who realized I had something here, and encouraged me to focus on it.

  Thanks to Steve Feldberg at Audible for wanting to do all these novels as audiobooks, and to the marvelous Jessica Almasy, who has been the voice of Marla (and all the other characters!) in those recordings.

  Thanks to Anne Rodman, who spent years trying to shepherd Marla’s story onto the big and small screens. She was tireless and enthusiastic (and the option money bought me a car, so, I mean, that was cool).

  Thanks to artists Daniel Dos Santos, Lindsey Look (who did this cover), Zack Stella, Aislinn Harvey, (who did these interiors) Adam Koford, and Justin Pierce, all of whom contributed artwork featuring Marla and her world. There are few things that delight me more than seeing my world illustrated by such talents. Related thanks to Jenn Reese for helping out with cover designs.

  Thanks to Ais, Katrina, Sarah, and Zoe for all the ways they take care of me, in more ways than I can list.

  Thanks to everyone who ever sent me a fan letter or an annoyed email or hit a donate button on those first online serials or chipped in for the later Kickstarters. I wouldn’t have made it past the fourth book without you.

  The most heartfelt thanks of all go to my wife Heather Shaw, and our son River. They have given me all the support a writer could ask for, and all the love a husband and father could want.

  A whole bunch of people made this particular book right here possible by contributing to the Kickstarter. My thanks to Aaron McConnell, Adam, Adam Caldwell, Albert van Os, Alexa Gulliford, Alexander the Drake, Allen Edwards, Alpha Chen, Amanda Fisher, Amy F., André Arko, Andreas Gustafsson, Andrew and Kate Barton, Andrew Hatchell, Andrew J Clark IV, Andrew Lin, Angela Korra’ti, Angela P, Ann Lemay, Anne Rodman, Anne Wind, Anonymous, Anthony Craig Senatore, Anton Nath, Apprentice Sorcerers Keira & Rowan Schwartz, Arashi Veronica Cesana, Arlene parker, Athena Holter-Mehren, Atlee Breland, Ava Jarvis, Avamarie Jung Kanninen Dally, BA Lawhead, becca stockman, Ben Esacove, Ben Meginnis, Beth Rheaume, Beth Wodzinski, Betsy Haibel, Bill Jennings, Brenda Hovdenes, Brian Jackel, Brittany Wilbert, Bryan Sims, Bryant Durrell, C. Joshua Villines., C.D. Lewis, Caleb Wilson, Carol J. Guess, Casey Fiesler, Cat Rambo, Catie Murphy, Chad Bowden, Chad Price, Chelle P, Chris Connelly, Chris Langston, Chris McLaren, Christian Decomain, Christian Stegmann, Christine Chen, Christopher Sasaki, Christopher Todd Kjergaard, Christy, Cinnamon Davis, Claire Connelly, Claudius Reich, Cliff Winnig, Colette Reap, Colleen LeBlanc, Collin “Maleclypse” Smith, Connor Moran, Courtney Ostaff, Craig Hackl, Crystal Landry, D. Potter, Dan and Hanna Pack, Dan Percival, Dan Walma, Dana, Dani danooli Daly, Danielle Benson, Danielle Church, Danielle Kong, Danika Hadgraft, Dave Lawson, David Bell, David Bennett, David J. Schwartz, David Mazza, David P., David Rains, David Starner, Dean M Roddick, Deanna Stanley, Deena, Dena Heilik, Denise Murray, DM, Don, Beth & Meghan Ferris, Donald Mayne, Duck Dodgers, Eduardo T, Edward Greaves, Edward J Smola III, Elaine Tindill-Rohr, Ellen Sandberg, Elsa, Else, Emb0r, Emily Agan, enui, Ergo Ojasoo, Eric “Scatterbug” Bates, Ernie Sawyer, Evan Ladouceur, Evangeline Zikos, Ferran Selles, G. Jenkins, Galen W Miller, Gann and Constance Bierner, Gary Cornell, Gary Singer, Gavran, Glenn Seiler, Glennis LeBlanc, Glyph, Greg Bossert, Greg Levick, Guillaume Actif, Gunnar Hogberg, Harvey King, Hathway, Heather Dendinger, Heather Pritchett, Heidi Berthiaume, Hugh Eckert, Hynek Schlawack, Ian Mond, Iván Morett (lima), Iysha Evelyn, J Lee, J. Rossi, J.R. Murdock, Jake Mandel, James Eric Myers, James M. Yager, Jay Garpetti, Jaym Gates, Jay Turpin, Jean Marie Ward, Jeff Huse, Jeffrey, Jeffrey Bedser, Jen Woods, Jenjen4280, Jenn Snively, Jennifer Berk, Jennifer Chun, Jennifer Howland, Jeremy Rosehart, Jessi Harding, Jessica Bay, Jim Lewinson, Joanna Fuller, Joe McTee, Joe Rosenblum, Joey Shoji, John Blankenship, John Dees, John Devenny, John Hildebrand, John M Gamble, Jon Eichten, Jon Hansen, Jon Lundy, Jon Pruett, Jonathan Duhrkoop, Jonathan K Stephens, Jordin Rausch, Jordy Jensky, Julie Gammad, Juliet “Battle-axe” Ulman, Justin Jackson, Justin Morton, Justine, Kaitlin Thorsen, Karen Brigitta Goetz, Karen Graham, Karen Robinson, Karin Imhoof, Kat Wing, Katherine Zeppelin, Kathleen T. Hanrahan, Katie Douglas, Keith Hall, Keith Teklits, Keith Weinzerl, Kelly Angelina Hong, Kendall P. Bullen, Kenn Luby, Kerim, Kevin Hogan, Kiara Pyrenei, Kris Downs, Kristin Bodreau, Kwame Phillips-Solomon, Laura D., Laura F Pelletier, Lee DeBoer, Lilly Ibelo, Liran Lotker, Lori Gildersleeve, Lori L., Lucinda Bromfield, Lukas Bürgi, M. Murakami, M.K. Carroll, Maia, Marcel van Os, Margaret Klee, Marius Gedminas, Mark “guitar god” Loggins, Mark Buckmaster and Cynthia Anne Cofer, Mark Rowe, Marla, Matt (Twpsyn) Hill, Matt Holmes, Matthew Galloway, Matthew Walker, Max Kaehn, Max Leviton, Maynard Garrett, Megan Ross, Melissa Tabon, Michael “Maikeruu” Pierno, Michael Bernardi, Michael D. Blanchard, Michelle Matel, Mikael Vikström, Mike Bavister, Mike Dawson, Mike Jasper, Mike Wilson, Mirek Nowak, Myk Pilgrim, Nancy Lebovitz, Natalie Luhrs, Nathan Bremmer, Neil Campbell, Nellie, Nick Axmaker, Nicole Dutton, Niels Erik Knudsen, NinjaDebugger, Ori Shifrin, Pablo Garcia, Patti Short, Paul Bulmer, Paul Echeverri, Paul Rubin, Pedro Arjona, Pete Milan, Phil Adler, Phil Boswell, Phil Dawson, Phil Franz, Philda Todzaniso, Rachael Squires, Ragi Gonçalves, Randy Ellefson, Reed Lindner, Richard Naxton, Rick Cambere, Rick F., Riven Homewood, Ro Molina, Rob Steinberger, Rob Uccello, Robert Adam II, Robin Mayer, Rodelle Ladia Jr., Rodrigo Martin, Roger Silverstein, Roman Pauer, Ron Jarrell, Russ Rew, Russ Wilcox, Ryan Rapp, Ryan Spicher, S. Rune Emerson, Sam Courtney, Samuel Montgomery-Blinn, Sarah “Ineffable Light” Day, Sarah Heitz, Scott Drummond, Scott E Sanders, Sean, Sean Elliott, Shadowjack, Shadowspawn, Shannon John Clark, Sharon Wood, Shef Reynolds, Shelley Cass, Sheryl R. Hayes, SilensVigilo, Siobhan Porter, Skyler Spurgeon, Smith Roberts, Smoot, Sraedi, Stefon Mears, Stephen Ballentine, Stephen Boucher, Stephen Harrison, Steve Feldon, Steve Lindauer, Steven Klotz, Steven Saus, Stonerberg, Su Lem, summervillain, Susan Lee, Susan Marie Groppi, T Burton, Tamara L. DeGray, Tammy Thaggert, Tania Clucas, Tara Rowan, Ted Brown, The House of Croft, Thomas, Tim and Meredith Hines, Tim Uruski, Timothy Callahan, Tobias S. Buckell, Tom Weir, Tomas Burgos-Caez, Tony James, Tophat3d, Topher Hughes, Tory Shade, Travis M. Dunn, Trey Wren, Ultann Hsieh, Ursula, Vicky Brunet, Ville Häkkinen, Vincent Meijer, Von Welch, William P. Hassinger, Yaron Davidson, Yoshio Kobayashi, and Younjee Shon. You’re all great.

  Thank you, for reading this, and taking this journey with me.

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Dedication

  Epigraph

  Book One: The Wedding

  Let No One Put Asunder

  Book Two: But First

  Sacred Rites and Dating Sites

  The Limits of Divinity

  The Fell Port

  Two Hits

  The Head and the Heart

  Black Sand

  The Doctor and the God

  Mirror Mirror

  Flesh Is Grass

  Underworlding

  The Primordial

  Things In Common

  Of Two Minds

  Suitors

  No Good Deed

  It Goes Beep

  Human Nature

  Visitations

  The Inimical

  Sympathies

  The Last Oracle Hunt

  The Nature of Royalty

  Through the Briarpatch

  Consorting

  Book Three: The Marriage

  One Door Closes

  Acknowledgments

 

 

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