D.D. Ward is Writing

The bat-thing folded its wings and drew out a pair of daggers from sheaths of its belt.  “At last,” Fiona said, shaking glass shards from the backs of her hands, “Something tangible. Something real.” I looked at Fiona. She wore her favorite royal blue evening gown. The dress was sleeveless with a plunging neckline that touched her bellybutton. She wore a cream sash bound with a silver cylindrical clasp. She wasn’t dressed for battle. As I watched, Fiona reached down and clicked a hidden button on the clasp. She drew the concealed dagger from the cylinder. Her sash drifted to the ground like settling fog. I grimaced and did the same with my clasp, identical to her own save for being gold. I wasn’t much of a fighter, but I knew how I could help. “Lover. Fiona. Here, catch.” I threw my dagger.  Fiona caught the dagger in her left hand without looking. She stepped to place herself between her two fiancées and the assassin. Vincent threw an end table into the bat-thing’s face, stag...

Lacking other options, we retired to our room in Castle Wulfling. Monique and Lynn went to their own rooms, but Vincent joined us. We weren’t planning to go to bed yet, and there wasn’t another place we could speak in private. Tapestries telling the history of Clan Wulfling lined the walls. Heavy rugs lay on the floor. Condensation still hung in the air every time I exhaled. Fiona and Vincent sat beside each other, and I noticed that Fiona leaned in to Vincent. Although I don’t think she noticed she had done it. Amy collected her heavy cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders. We settled in and after a moment’s silence, Amy spoke. “So. Dearest.” Amy said. “Was what you told us out there the entire vision?” I smiled and shook my head. “I can’t fool you. No, it wasn’t even close to the whole vision.” “What was necessary to hold back?” Fiona asked. “Well, me confessing to the murder for starters.” The three of them stared at me. Vincent spoke first. “You didn’t though. You were nowhere n...

Chapter Nine: Luckfish "What did you see?" Duke Xander loomed over me. I pushed myself to a sitting position and met the duke's eyes. "I saw a tribunal. Chaos. Diplomats from many nations." "Damn. That is the last thing Hyperborea or his majesty will want." "You can't stop it now. The visions don't lie. All you can do is shape it, respond to it." "Was that all you saw?" Leon asked. "No. I saw more. And I heard more. Somebody said the following: None of you are safe from the Husband Poisoning Society." Duke Xander took a startled step back. "The Husband Poisoning society. What is that?" "I haven't the faintest idea." I answered. "The voice belonged to a woman though. I didn't see the person saying it or a scene of any kind. Only the words. I also saw an immortal of some sort, a man-bat thing. It yelled about how somebody would die for Hyperborea." Leon looked at Duke Xander. ...

Chapter Eight: Accusations "Obviously our new duchess is the culprit." Magnus said. "She was right next to his grace during dinner. Women are serpents, Yssian women doubly so." "We were at your charming outhouse when his grace died." Lynn objected.   "That means nothing. That one said the poison had an alchemical agent to delay its activation." Magnus pointed at Fiona. "That gives her plenty of time." "Why would she kill her new husband? She wouldn't gain power from it. She'd just get married off again." Amy said. "Who knows why women do anything they do?" Magnus shook his head.  Laila smacked Magnus's shoulder. "She gains nothing from this. Women are not insane. His grace has a brother who has already declared himself duke. Obviously Lord Agnar is guilty." "You would accuse your new duke?" Magnus bristled.  "He isn't your duke or mine yet. Right now he's only a murderer....