The Creative Strategist

by Sarah Noffke

  Liv shook her head. “No, but please stay and make sure that…” Liv looked around at the friends she loved with all her heart. “Please stay and just have fun. And make sure that all these people that I love also love each other. The best you can, anyway.”

  “Fine, but that’s usually your job,” he stated. “I’m not as good at it as you are.”

  Liv offered him one last smile as she backed for the door. “I trust you to fill my shoes, Ludwig. If anyone can, it is you.”

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Liv walked all the way home from Rory’s on backroads. All twelve miles. She forgot that she was walking half the time, just operating on autopilot.

  It wasn’t until she was almost to her apartment that she halted suddenly, having a strange déjà vu moment. She turned, feeling a cool wind rolling over her cheeks.

  “This is…” She didn’t finish her sentence. Not because she couldn’t, but because she didn’t want to.

  The spot where she found herself was exactly where she’d met Plato five years prior. Strangely, it was about the same time of day, based on the pink and orange glow of the sunset. Liv remembered having just lost her parents and thinking she’d never be able to breathe the same way again. She felt that way right now, but differently.

  The day she had met Plato, or rather he’d found her, she remembered stepping on a piece of trash. She recalled it right then like it was that morning, clear and crisp in her mind. Wondering what was stuck to the bottom of the only pair of shoes she had, she bent over. When she looked up, the black and white cat was standing just in front of her, having materialized seemingly out of nowhere.

  Liv remembered not being startled at all. She had simply smiled at the cat and said, “Hello.”

  When he’d responded to her, she hadn’t even questioned that he was speaking to her. Sure, she’d had strange animals in the House, but not talking cats. Still, when he asked her where she was going and she shrugged and said, “I don’t know,” she didn’t mind telling him about how lost she was.

  Then he suggested she go down the block to check it out, and that had led to John’s electronics shop and the rest. Well, it had led to the better life she had now. Maybe Plato wasn’t meant to be a part of her life forever. He had definitely helped her fix it, though. He’d taken her from that disadvantaged, beyond-heartbroken girl to the warrior who would fight for every single one of her friends. And more shockingly than anything else, she now had friends.

  Liv looked up at the sun, streaked with color, and pressed her hands to her chest. “Thank you, Plato.”

  She half-expected him to materialize and say, “You’re welcome, but we’re out of toilet paper.”

  When only the sound of cars honking in traffic greeted her ears, Liv let out a disappointed sigh. She just had to move on. Pretend she’d gotten the coroner’s report.

  Yes, it was morbid and horrible, but what else was she to do? Continue to look over her shoulder, waiting for him to show up and save the day? There wasn’t always a happy ending, and she needed to start preparing for that.

  Tomorrow, she had to continue to track down the Mortal Seven. And then there were the elf negotiations. And more importantly, finding the traitor. She had no time to be distracted. Plato would want her to move on. He had died for her.

  Liv swallowed the tension in her throat, deciding she was going to spill every single tear once she got to her apartment. That was what she needed. It was overdue. Tomorrow she’d fight, negotiate, and lead. Tonight, she’d grieve.

  She nodded like she’d made up her mind. Took a step forward. Her foot crunched on a piece of trash.

  Liv’s eyes widened, and she held her breath. Glanced down. Picked up the paper cup stuck to her shoe and braced herself.

  She expected to find the black and white cat staring at her when she looked up. She needed him to be there.

  And when he wasn’t, her heart nearly broken again. She pushed her mouth to the side, keeping the tears at bay.

  “It never happens the same way twice,” he said from behind her.

  Shock overwhelmed her. It couldn’t be real. That voice. And yet it was!

  Liv pressed her hands to her mouth, coughing on the tears. She was simply vibrating with emotion now.

  Now that she was focusing, she could feel him. Maybe sitting on a dumpster. Or maybe she was losing her mind. Anything was possible after everything she’d been through.

  “I’m here. I’m real,” he said when she didn’t turn around.

  Liv held her breath and turned to find that either she was hallucinating, or dreams really did come true. Sitting on the top of a dumpster was the lynx she’d grown to love and depend on more than she’d ever thought possible. He was different, though. Better, somehow. Younger. Still the same, but whereas before he’d had a few battle scars, he was unmarked by time. Brand new.

  “Plato?” Liv asked, needing him to answer to his name.

  He bowed his head, blinking at her with his bright green eyes. “At your service once again, Liv Beaufont.”

  “Y-y-you’re back?” Tears now streamed down her cheeks, soaking her shirt, but she didn’t care.

  “It appears so,” he stated. “Most lynxes only get a hundred years, but none have ever belonged to you. You defy the odds.”

  Liv shook her head. “No, Papa Creola didn’t want you to die. You’re special, Plato.”

  He nodded. “I am. Because lynxes are unique. We’re rare, and none have ever belonged to anyone, ever. Not until now. I chose you, Liv. I choose you still. I’m not going anywhere. Ever.”

  He jumped off the top of the dumpster, gracefully sliding against her leg and looking up at her. “You want to head home now? I could use something to eat.”

  Liv nearly snorted on her tears and laughter. “Sure, but you’re cooking. I’m beat.”

  “How about takeout?” he offered. “I could use something crunchy.”

  “Like steak nachos?” Liv asked. The tears were still coming, but they were filled with the silly laughter of relief.

  “Oh, no. I’m a vegetarian in this lifetime.”

  Liv halted. “What?”

  Plato looked at her, shaking his head. “Oh, come on. I came back from the dead. I’m overdue for a couple of bad jokes.”

  Liv shook her head in relief. “Yeah, you’ll have to tell me all about it. What was it like? Did you meet the Big Guy?”

  “If you mean Rory’s grandfather, no,” Plato answered, striding beside her.

  The two continued to walk through the darkening streets, talking about what they would do tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. Liv knew what would ensure she fell asleep peacefully was that there would be a next. Plato had been reborn. Like the Phoenix, he’d risen from the ashes and was ready to live another hundred lifetimes.

  They’d need those for the adventures in store for them—but not until tomorrow.

  “Can you cover dinner?” Liv asked. “I sort of left my wallet at the House.”

  “Ummm, brand new body. No wallet. Oh, and I’m a cat.”

  “Oh, so you can turn into a lion and kill a hellhound, but you can’t pick up dinner?” Liv asked.

  “Yes, and speaking of which, the reason I never killed Russ was because whoever takes out Cerberus has to replace him,” Plato explained.

  Liv paused, her eyes wide. “So what? I have to guard the underworld?”

  Plato shook his head. “No, I’m technically the one who killed Russ, and then I died.”

  “So you’re leaving again?” Liv asked, fear overwhelming her again.

  “No, but tomorrow we need to start looking for Russ’s replacement,” Plato explained. “As long as we put someone in his place, we’ll be fine.”

  “But won’t they try and come after you, just like Russ?” Liv questioned. “Won’t they think you belong with them?”

  “Yes, which is why we put them to sleep and lock them up again,” Plato stated. “We just need someone to guard the underworld. They don’t have to
be awake. The best guards are usually asleep.”

  Liv shook her head. “Okay, nachos tonight. Replacing the guard of the underworld tomorrow.”

  “Oh, and you need a new sofa,” Plato said discreetly.

  “What’s wrong with my sofa?” she asked.

  “When I awoke…from being dead, I was excited and might have shredded it.”

  Liv nodded. “I guess I get it. I can buy a new sofa.”

  “And a bed,” Plato added.

  Liv huffed. “Fine.”

  “And new pillows.”

  A pure chuckle full of warmth and relief filled the night air. “Plato, I’m glad you’re back. No, not glad. I’m beyond happy. If you allowed such things, I’d hug you.”

  “Well, maybe later, after I’ve turned around six times and licked myself for twenty minutes, we can cuddle for a little bit,” he allowed.

  “That would be nice,” Liv said as they rounded the corner out of the alley.

  “And remember what I said, Liv.” Plato stopped, making her do the same. He appeared so young. Exactly the same as before, but reset in so many ways. “I’d lose another hundred lives for you. We have many battles to fight, and you won’t always be able to look away. So the next time you don’t, please know it isn’t a big deal.”

  Liv nodded, smiling down at the lynx. “Okay, but use your lives sparingly, because I promise to live a really long time, and I need my best friend with me for the rest of my years.”

  Plato winked. “I promise. I’m not going anywhere, Liv Beaufont.”

  What the two had spoken were promises made and sealed between best friends, the strongest spells two could cast. It was an oath in the magical world that fused two souls together for the rest of eternity.

  Sophia Beaufont’s Story Is Coming Soon

  Pre-order now for delivery at midnight on November 8th.

  The first dragon rider in over a hundred years has been born.

  And it’s a girl.

  Never before has a female been chosen to ride a dragon.

  The Elite, a guild comprised exclusively of dragon riders, is dead according to most. No one has seen a rider in decades. The problems they used to fight overwhelm the world. Dragons are thought to be near extinction.

  However, the Elite aren’t dead…

  It’s just that a bunch of crusty, old men who do nothing that benefits the world at large are easy to mistake as useless corpses.

  Sophia Beaufont is about to change all of that.

  When the dragon egg that magnetized to her hatches, it sets Sophia on a new course. The Elite are immediately notified. She’s expected to train. To defend. To fight.

  Sophia is ready to conquer evil, as the dragon riders should have been doing for centuries.

  However, the Elite have been turning a blind eye, allowing the world to be overrun by criminals.

  That’s all about to change.

  S. Beaufont isn’t a girl who will be told to sit down and relax when a war is brewing that only a dragon rider can extinguish.

  Available for pre-order now at Amazon

  Sarah’s Author Notes

  August 29, 2019

  Thank you so much for reading. Seriously! Book 11. I couldn’t be here about to write book 12 if you all weren’t supporting the series. Thank you.

  I’ve been looking for the perfect nickname for Michael for a long time. He has a lot. Yoda. MA. Manderle. But none of those have the right ring to them. I think I’ve got the right one. Read on to find out the name that will stick.

  First off, a huge thank you to Micky for the awesome idea about the carousel of animals that had been spelled. She threw that out in our Facebook group, LMBPN Ladies. If you haven’t, please join it. It’s not just ladies. We have some pretty rad guys in there. It’s just a name. We discuss all sorts of things. Sometimes I rag on a guy I dated or something of the like, but for the most part, it’s just a bunch of awesome readers discussing books and stuff we love.

  And that was me getting completely off topic. Anyway, Micky made this suggestion and I totally ran with it in this book. I loved it! So thanks to the awesome JITer, Micky, for being incredibly supportive and creative.

  Speaking of awesome readers in the LMBPN group, I had one come to me and offer suggestions for one of the books. Veronica is always offering up fun ideas related to the Australian culture, where she lives.

  This time she asked me if I would include her daughter, Cassie, in one of the books. If you’ve read this far, then you know where I included Cassie in book 11. She became none other than one of the Mortal Seven. It was a blast working with Veronica to learn about the Australian bush, culture, geography and quarks/interests of her daughter. At the end of writing those scenes, I felt that including the inspiration from a reader, actually made the books way better than if I would have come up with my own stuff. I would have never thought to have a girl riding a dirt bike in the books.

  Side note, I’ve never ridden a dirt bike, so guess who had to spend half a day watching YouTube videos on the subject? If you guessed me, then you get a billion points. Good job. They are useless and not an official form of currency. Sorry.

  Anyways, as an author, I get a lot of messages from readers. It’s always encouraging and inspiring to hear from readers. I can’t always include ideas that readers send me because the story really does have to come first. And whether you believe it or not, I don’t really control where the story goes most of the time. Actually a ton of the time, I’m surprised by how things turn out. However, when I can include an idea or suggestion, I know that it makes the books that much richer. So join the group, send me your ideas and keep reading. Thank you a ton!

  One last thing before I turn you over to Michael. Playlists are really important to me when writing a series. The songs usually reflect different characters in the books or situations they’ll encounter. If nothing else, then the music should get me in the right mood.

  I listen to the same playlist over and over again, adding to it periodically, while writing the series. Since this is the longest series I’ve written, the playlist is pretty long for Liv and I’ve listened to it a ton. I’ll be sharing that with you in the next book’s author notes.

  However, there is one song in particular that absolutely reflects the essence of Liv better than any other in the playlist. I reference it a tiny bit when Liv fixed up the old jukebox for John and filled it with Beatles’ music. Anyway, the song is Blackbird.

  What do you think? That fits Liv pretty well, huh? “Take these broken wings and learn to fly…All your life. You were only waiting for this moment to be free.”

  I hope you sang those lines. I can’t read them without doing so.

  Okay, without further ado, I turn you over to Michael, aka Bird Killer.

  P.S. After making the Blackbird reference, that nickname is a lot more sinister…

  Leave Liv alone, Bird Killer. :)

  Michael’s Author Notes

  September 5, 2019

  “Birdkiller?” I work with Sarah to produce the ultimate character based on the person who she knows better than ANYONE in the world and in the end, I am condensed down into a short, two word phrase that is an effort to sum up the sum total of my existence…

  I’ll get back to you in a moment, Ms. Noffke.

  To you, our fans, THANK YOU for reading our stories – we could not do what we do without you.

  Now, back to Shamer.

  AKA Liv AKA Noffke, Noffkismet, Noffmeister, … the Sarah. Yeah, you, SN.

  I see what you are, a young woman who likes to hide behind the bluster of life, scared to share with the world who you really are…

  Wait, hold on, I’m not sure I can hold a straight face as I type this stuff. Seriously, who is going to believe you are a soft flower waving in the wind of creativity as the breath of ideas break off your petals to float on the wind of …

  Something.

  You know, I think I’m too tired to fight anymore with Liv…Sorry, Sarah.

 
We have one more wonderful book in the series, and I am admitting defeat in the 11th round. Next book, I’ll make up some incredible lies about Sarah, and she will have to always wonder how I meant them.

  BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

  (Totally not giving up, PSYCHE!)

  Acknowledgments

  Sarah Noffke

  My favorite part of writing any book is creating the acknowledgements page. It reminds me that writing a book is not a solo task. I might sit alone and write, but the finished product is a result of the support and encouragement of a tribe of people.

  Thank you to the readers who buy the books, read them, review and recommend. YOU are the one who keeps us writing. I’m always inspired by the messages I receive from readers. Thank you supporting the books and offering so much richness to my life.

  Thank you to my LBMPN family for all the support. Steve, Michael, Lynne, Moonchild, Jennifer and so many others who help champion the book to publication and beyond.

  Thank you to the beta readers who offered so many valuable insights early on. Thank you to John, Chrisa, Kelly, Martin and Larry.

  Thank you to the JIT team for all the awesome feedback. A new series is always exciting and nerve-wracking. Michael and I thought we had a great idea for a new world, but we don’t really know until we get objective feedback. What would I do without all you awesome readers?

  Thank you to my friends and family. Writing is a strange profession. I work weird hours, talk to myself, have a strange diet, get antsy about deadlines. But the wonderful people in my life continue to show their encouragement and thoughtfulness no matter what. It is never lost on me because I know that I wouldn’t be doing what I love without all you amazing people, cheering me on.

  And as with all my books, the final thank you goes to my muse, Lydia. I wrote my first book so that I could make my daughter proud, and it’s never stopped. I write every book for you, my love.