The First Steps – 4.07

Previous Chapter “This letter should reach within four days at the standard rate of 10 rials, given the location, guaranteed delivery fee, and the border toll,” said the clerk at the desk after she weighed a letter for Alice, sealed in an envelope, on a scale. I was in the Town Hall at the moment, …

The First Steps – 4.06

Previous Chapter The gate with the emblem of our family peaked in the center before us, arching downwards and then rising again to meet the columns that they were attached to at the hinges. Spellstone lanterns that radiated a somber light topped the column, attached to the stone fence that stretched around the perimeter of …

The First Steps – 4.05

Previous Chapter “I’ll start with the patients and their living situation, so you have full context,” he said. “The one who requested the medicine is Miss Ayleth Bancroft. She has a total of five children with youngest being the patients, two boys at the age of six and three respectively named Charles and Aldwin. Since …

The First Steps – 4.04

Previous Chapter “Oh my. Young people are so forward these days.” The amusement in Elsa’s tone left me wanting to bury my head as Aeria regaled her with the story of the firelight dance.  We were still waiting for Mister Rieth to return but I had run out of things to talk about, so Aeria …

The First Steps – 4.03

Previous Chapter I didn’t want to track any mud or excess water, so I removed my shoes and left them off to the side as I entered. There was a rug in place for that, nestled just beneath an umbrella stand that was lacking said umbrella. Then I took a moment to simply look off …

The First Steps – 4.02

Previous Chapter A few days later, I was struggling to stay awake as the carriage I was in took me to my hometown for the first time in months. Lethargy had seeped into my bones. It stemmed from the amalgamation of the rain beating against the window panes, the constant drawling of the carriage wheels …

The First Steps – 4.01

Previous Book “Another failure for the record.” The admission came with no small amount of frustration as I entered the information into the research log. It had been the twentieth attempt. It had been the twentieth failure. The resources spent. Time lost. Effort made. All of it was splayed out in front of me in …

The Path Ahead – 3.06

Previous Chapter Kowler POV When I woke, I found the guest bed to be devoid of Alice. Since I was not being throttled by her father, I assumed she must’ve gone to her room. Good. As nice as it was when she was next to me, it was for the best we slept separate here. …

The Path Ahead – 3.04

Previous Chapter Kowler POV Alice’s home was a lot bigger than one would expect from a family of middle-class shopkeepers. I had actually asked Alice about it once. She said that her mother and father bought it before she was born. The property was supposedly rundown and riddled with overgrowth, but they had fixed it …

The Path Ahead – 3.02

Previous Chapter Kowler POV I took that it wasn’t a good sign that Alice was unconscious and aflame on my floor. The peculiar golden flames clung to her like fabric in an uplifting breeze, wavering in place without doing any harm. There was no smoke or any radiant heat to classify it as a fire …