Din

Khari collapsed backward. She had just enough strength left to turn her fall into something that resembled lying down intentionally, if dramatically. She breathed, great, heaving, inhalations and exhalations that warped her entire torso with their strength. The cool night air flowed through her. She pictured it fighting against the fire within, and losing. … Continue reading Din →

The Shape of a Soul

Tara dropped back onto the bed, finally allowing herself to relax. Her eyes, with lids as surely weighted as though they had stones tied to them, closed. She knew she had been lucky that the birth had lasted only three hours. Her sister’s first child had taken nearly twelve to come into the world. Still, … Continue reading The Shape of a Soul →

To Bring Silence

Today's story can be enjoyed on its own, but several elements will be easier to understand if Everything Has a Cost is read first. “Hivara’s breath,” Evran swore. He thrust his sheets from his body and twisted around in bed so that he could reach the window. He reopened it just so he could slam … Continue reading To Bring Silence →

White Marble

Cyrène bounced her foot impatiently. The motion sent ripples across the hem of her dress. Cyrène felt a distinct hatred for the garment and its enforced, blatant femininity. She leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest in direct defiance of the way a proper lady would be expected to sit … Continue reading White Marble →

Mother Earth and Father Ceiling

There was a time, they say, when Mother Earth and Father Ceiling held each other in a tight embrace. They loved each other so that they stayed pressed together, face to face, with only the smallest space between them. Times were hard, then, for our ancestors. They crawled on their bellies between Mother and Father. … Continue reading Mother Earth and Father Ceiling →

The Yew, Part 2

The Yew, Part 1 “Where did that come from?” Rae whispered, too chilled to scream. “I don’t know,” Loren said. “There’s not as much as I thought, at first.” “It sure looks like a lot,” Rae said. She refused to pass the border into the room. Loren, however, approached the branch. “No, it’s just … Continue reading The Yew, Part 2 →

In the Glade

“Where are we going?” Ora asked. Raj detected a hint of curiosity in her voice alongside another, stronger tone, one that said, I think I know the answer to this question, but I’m not certain enough to say it out loud. “You’ll see,” Raj said. He knew she had to have guessed. They had not … Continue reading In the Glade →

Trapped, Part 3

Trapped, Part 1 Trapped, Part 2 Bastian spared a glance back at Celia as he moved. Her frustration was clear, not just upon her face, but by the agitated movements of her hair. It buzzed about her head like a nest of swarming bees. He felt glad she hadn’t given up. He was grateful, … Continue reading Trapped, Part 3 →

Trapped, Part 2

Trapped, Part 1 Some of the arenas gave the illusion that they had once served other purposes. One was designed to look like an abandoned village, complete with houses full of items that made it seem as though someone had once lived there. One arena appeared to be the inside of an improbably large castle. … Continue reading Trapped, Part 2 →

Yusun and the Hunters

With a quick, twisting motion of his hands and a rapid succession of words, Yusun finally managed to bind the creature with his spell. A joyful shout burst from the mouths of his companions as the creature froze in place, its eyes wide with panic. Yusun breathed a sigh of relief. He steadied his hands … Continue reading Yusun and the Hunters →