D.D. Ward is Writing

We approached the longhouse from the rear. Laila slipped inside to check that the way was clear. A moment later she returned to the door.  “It’s only mother. Get in here.” We slipped in to find ourselves facing Ada.  “Laila, what is going on? There’s a general alarm. And now the foreigners.” “Somebody is trying to frame the foreigners for the murders. Which means the real murderer is still free.” “They are trying to frame you?” Ada stared at me. Vincent nodded. “They’re afraid the killer is Hyperborean. They’re terrified of the potential scandal. And they think they can use this to their advantage.”  “They want. Want to frame me.” I managed, I had started shivering.  “You didn’t kill his grace though. We were together the whole time. We were drinking.” I nodded. “Ada is your alibi.” Amy exclaimed.  “Which puts her in danger too.” Fiona said. “Oh dear, it does. Doesn’t it?” “Indeed. But we still need the real killer. We have assaulted a duke and killed royal guar...

Fiona took her two flintlock pistols, now reloaded, and fired both together. The giant’s knees popped like crushed tomatoes, and the monster collapsed in a pile of limbs. She tossed the pistols to Vincent, who set about reloading both without a word. Fiona retrieved the spear that Vincent had acquired earlier. She walked across the carriage and dropped off the back to face the giant.  “Get out of the vehicle and unhitch the horses. If this battle reaches the carriage I do not want anyone going over the edge.” Fiona said as she approached the giant.  The giant rose to its knees. It tried to stand, but its knees wouldn’t support it.  “It’s still dangerous.” Laila called as we exited the carriage. “So is she.” Vincent said as he unhitched the horses, pistols held in the crooks of his arms.  As soon as Vincent freed the horses from the harness, they bolted. The horses disappeared into the night. We turned to face Fiona and the giant. Fiona circled the giant, trying to ge...

“Where are Fiona and Vincent?” I asked the two panicked women in front of me. “Out there. Protecting us.” Amy answered.  I listened. I heard the scream of animals and the sound of enormous bodies crashing. Fiona grunted and then roared back at one of the barghests. “Spear.” Vincent said outside the nook. “Spear.” Fiona responded.  “On your left.” Vincent again. “Duck.” Fiona.  And then the barghest got a grip on the board Amy and Laila were holding. The beast ripped it backwards, dragging both women from the hole where we had huddled.  “Amy!” I yelled and scrambled from the hole. I wasn’t moving fast. But I’d be damned if I was leaving Amy alone against a dog the size of a truck. The barghest grabbed Laila by the arm and shook her. She screamed and struggled in the thing’s mouth. Amy stood and released the clasp on her concealed dagger. I did the same with my clasp dagger. Amy shook for a moment and then her face hardened. She charged the barghest and rammed the dagg...

I stared at the monsters in their cages. Three barghests lay sleeping, horse sized black dogs which could turn invisible. Across the room a manticore watched us from its cell. The monster was a rhino sized lion with bat wings and a human-like head sporting rows of shark teeth. We didn’t move for a minute. I waited as Fiona and Vincent surveyed the situation.  “All the cells are locked. And I see no guards or keepers. We should be able to slip through unnoticed.” A roar echoed from a wide tunnel ahead of us. I flinched. It sounded almost, but not quite, human. “Maybe we should hurry?” Amy said.  “Indeed. Laila, which way?” Fiona asked.  Laila pointed to the wide tunnel that the roar had come from. “That leads straight outside. Any other route is much longer.” “Much longer will have to do.” Vincent said. “I know that roar. That’s a giant. I don’t want to fight a giant.” A moment later the giant stepped out of the shadows of the tunnel. It lumbered into the patchwork torchli...