Excerpts from SEVENFOLD SWORD and CLOAK GAMES

Editing is going well on SEVENFOLD SWORD: SORCERESS, and I’m on Chapter 11 of 14 of the rough draft of CLOAK GAMES: MAGE FALL. So let’s have some spoiler-free excerpts!

A short excerpt from SEVENFOLD SWORD: SORCERESS:

“Greetings,” said Ridmark, switching to the orcish tongue. “We are simply passing through this land.”

“Human!” barked the toad-creature.

“Yes, that’s right,” said Ridmark. Well, in Third’s case, half-right.

“Humans not come to swamp!” said the toad-thing. “That very sad!”

“Is it, now?” said Ridmark, holding his staff before him.

Something in the creature’s posture made Third reach for the hilts of her swords.

“Yes, very sad,” said the toad-creature. “Do you know why?”

“Why is that?” said Ridmark.

“Humans taste good!” said the toad-creature, and it moved in a blur.

And here’s an excerpt from CLOAK GAMES: MAGE FALL:

“My lord, I have an idea,” said Russell.

Morvilind glared at him. Russell remained calm. Not even the grim attention of the Magebreaker could make Russell’s poise waver.

“Well, we’ve heard from the Shadow Hunter,” said Morvilind. “So why not hear from the youth? Please, Mr. Moran, regale us with your opinion.”

“I think results matter to you more than methods,” said Russell. “I get that, I really do. People can be unreliable. But, if I can make an observation to you, my lord, your methods have left you stuck on Earth for three hundred years. So if one method isn’t working, perhaps it’s time to try another. The result is more important than the intention anyway.”

“How fitting,” said Morvilind, though his tone was less harsh than before. “The fate of Kalvarion and Earth hangs in the balance, and I must stop my work to explain things to my inferiors.”

“If the fate of Earth and Kalvarion are really in the balance,” said Russell, voice quiet, “and you have the chance to save them, I doubt you would flinch from any method. Including explaining your work to your inferiors.”

Morvilind gazed at him without expression for a moment.

“Strange that you are wiser than your sister,” he said.

-JM