Tomorrow I release my newest novella, The Doorway Prince, to the world. Today, my lucky readers, you get an excerpt from the story to whet your whistle.

 

The Doorway Prince

 A faint, damp smell of rain came through the open window, making Eclipse look up from his desk. The sun still shone brightly in the sky, but he saw the droplets falling outside and could just barely make out the edges of a gray cloud which must be situated above the castle. The large leaves of the trees several yards from his window collected the water and dipped in the breeze. A servant boy pulling a cart full of tools hurried for the nearby livestock sheds. Eclipse couldn’t help his chuckle as the boy walked beneath a branch that tipped its leaves over his head at that moment and drenched him. Some days were just like that.

Eclipse knew his day was coming.

He rose from his desk and crossed the room to his bookshelf. It had been awhile since Eclipse had allowed someone in here to clean; he couldn’t afford to let anyone’s energies conflict with his own while he made the necessary calculations. Dust piled on top of the wooden shelves, except in front of this one book which had a sharp-edged and dirtless track in front of it. Once again, he pulled the compendium smoothly from the shelf to consult with it as he had countless times already.

Eclipse just never liked the answer it kept giving him.

This time would be no different, he was certain. Yet he took it back to his desk and his calculations. He sat in the high-backed wooden chair once more, then put the book down atop his newest notes, lay his hands on the book, and blinked down his third lid. “Novestri ali’ack suventay.”

The book began to vibrate beneath his palms. He held it down, violently willing this attempt to yield the answer he sought.

Rain pelted the window and Eclipse noticed the wind had kicked up. The approaching storm was blowing in earnest now, brewing overhead.

“I know,” he whispered to the energy of the growing tempest. “Send me a good result this time.”

As the book settled, he removed his hands from the leather cover. The text flipped open and rolled through the pages. At first, the paper was blank, but then ink rose to the surface, bleeding through the white surface until it was covered with odd scrolls, lines, and dots. Eclipse knew better than to try to interpret it until it was done. The Humline rarely answered in a linear fashion.

Once the page was filled from top to bottom, Eclipse set to deciphering the writing. The first thing he noticed was the spiral pattern to it. He still wouldn’t get a straight answer. Even the spiral had waves to the lines and some letters and words were written larger than others.

CalcUlations, calcuLATIONS, Eclipse! Be Brave. yoU have the Answer You seek. Why keep asking? Questions, QUESTions, Eclipse. be NOT blind. Let the SON come forth. Do not hide IT behind youR cloak. Let the POWER not be ECLIPSED. Seek in the city and there you shall find HIM. Star 5402, Venric ipSON, DO NOT believe YOUR DOOM.

He slammed the book closed and paused for only a moment while he took a couple angry breaths. Maybe he was getting too old to be listening to the Humline. Then, swiftly, gracefully, he moved the book from atop his notes back to the shelf. Again.

 

To read more, pre-order (or order if it’s after 2/16/17 that you’re reading this) your copy here. Then select the store of your choice.

You can also get a signed copy on my Zibbet store. As a pre-order special, you get it for $1 off the normal price.