Book Cover Reveal: Mirror's Fate by Justine Alley Dowsett...

Mirror World Publishing and Sapphyria's Book Promotions present the cover reveal for

Mirror's Fate by Justine Alley Dowsett

About Mirror's Fate:

Balance is Everything

The Mask Tendro picked up after the battle in the Mirror World is more than it seems. When he puts it on he is flooded with all the memories of his previous lives and all the ways his future could play out. Choosing to destroy the Mask instead of giving into the temptation of hiding beneath it, Tendro decides that this time he’s going to do things differently. And that means staying one step ahead of Caralain in his own world and the one that Mirrors it.

Mirena agrees to help Tendro with his plan, even though it will have her facing harsher consequences for her involvement in the attack on the Capital. But in order to break the cycle, they’re both going to have to tread into uncharted territory and face down friends and enemies alike. Alliances shift, fates change, and the past comes back to haunt them as they finally unravel the secrets of the Mirror Worlds and their places in them.

Release Date: 

July 17, 2025

Genres: 

Dark Fantasy, Romance, Fantasy


Meet the Author:

J.A. Dowsett (she/her) writes scifi and fantasy with strong romantic subplots. Her books range from young adult (the Crimson Winter trilogy, Neo Central) to adult fantasy romance (Mirror Worlds, Ismera). She loves superheroes, Dungeons and Dragons, and Star Trek. In her spare time, she owns and operates Mirror World Publishing, an independent Canadian press specializing in Escapism Fiction. She lives in Windsor, Ontario.

Connect with J.A. Dowsett:

Website: 

http://www.mirrorworldpublishing.com

Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/Justine-Alley-Dowsett/e/B004MNQAUA/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4637105.Justine_Alley_Dowsett

Book Tour: Mirror's Despair by Justine Alley Dowsett and Murandy Damodred...

Mirena’s back to claim what’s hers; this time, Tendro is ready for her. 

Welcome to the 1-week book release tour for 

Mirror's Despair

Mirror Worlds, Book 4

Justine Alley Dowsett and Murandy Damodred

About Mirror's Despair:

Following ten tense years of absence, Mirena Calanais suddenly resurfaces as the Avatar of the Destroyer. With Abraxas’ dark army at her back, she’s determined to reclaim what she feels is her due; control over the lands the Panarch’im once ruled.

His political career and his marriage both drying up, Tendro Seynor long suspected this day would come, but what he isn’t prepared for is Mirena’s return to his personal life. There’s more to Mirena than her persona as the Dark Avatar; she’s the mother of the son Tendro hasn’t seen since the day he was born. As her presence in his life grows, Mirena confides in Tendro that she’s being haunted by someone who should be dead. As this vengeful presence closes in on her and the Destroyer’s hand thouches the world once more, they begin to realize their son may be at the center of it all and his innocence hangs in the balance.

Can Tendro and Mirena put aside their rivalry for the sake of their families, or will the bad blood between them finally escalate to the point where it has the power to tear the entire world apart?

Guest Post: Writing as an Escape

By Justine Alley Dowsett

I write what I like to call ‘Escapism fiction.’ Simply put, I like to write stories that transport my readers to far away lands and distant futures; to show them an alternate vision of what life could be. Ultimately, my goal is to provide readers with a vivid world they can escape into for a while, but I’ve found that writing such stories can be a kind of escape for me as well. 

Most of my books are co-written with my sister, Murandy. The two of us invent a world and a host of characters and then we retreat into our writing room to live in our imaginations for the duration of the writing project, which is usually two to three nights a week for anywhere from three to six months at a time. 

Mirror’s Despair was no different in this regard. We started writing the first book in the Mirror Worlds series, Mirror’s Hope, back in 2013 and back then we were both going through some difficult times. Without going into details, at that time in our lives it was a wonderful gift to be able to go into our writing room and shut the door on the real world for a little while each night. It allowed us to focus on something else, feel productive and have something to show for it while spending time together doing what we both love.

And worldbuilding is a big part of that. The setting of this series, the Mirror Worlds, are two realms that exist in a precarious balance. One side worships the Creator and the other fears the return of the Destroyer and in each realm a copy of each person exists, called a ‘Mirror’. Across the four books, the story of a pair of Mirrors are told (one pair chosen by the Creator, and other by the Destroyer) following each of them as they cross back and forth discovering the true nature of their balanced worlds and what threatens it, essentially playing out a massive game of chess at the hands of two primal forces. Oh, and did I mention it’s also a romance story?

Sitting down to work on each book was like travelling to that world and joining the cast of characters on their journey. After a time, the people in the story became like friends to us, and we knew the world we lived in about as well as we know our own. It was hard to say goodbye, but also cathartic to have the story finally come to the conclusion it had been building to for so long. 

In fact, writing this series was such a great escape for us, we’re now working on building another world now that our epic dark fantasy romance is complete. We’re not sure what form it will ultimately take yet, but that’s part of the fun. 

The current state of the world has been a great stress on all of us and Murandy and I are no different. Even if writing is not your thing, I would definitely recommend taking up a project either with someone else, or solo; one that allows you to escape into a world of your own for a time. It can be highly therapeutic and a whole lot of fun besides. 

Book Details:

Page count: 242

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Romance, Fantasy

Publisher: Mirror World Publishing

Publish Date: October 17, 2020

ASIN : B08FF7M8MQ

Purchase Links:

Mirror World Publishing

Ebook 

https://mirror-world-publishing.myshopify.com/products/mirrors-despair-ebook

Paperback 

https://mirror-world-publishing.myshopify.com/products/mirrors-despair-paperback

Amazon

https://amzn.to/3jsJDcy

Meet the Authors:

Justine Alley Dowsett is the author of nine novels and counting, and one of the founders of Mirror World Publishing. Her books, which she often co-writes with her sister, Murandy Damodred, range from young adult science fiction to dark fantasy/romance. She earned a BA in Drama from the University of Windsor, honed her skills as an entrepreneur by tackling video game production, and now she dedicates her time to writing, publishing, and occasionally role-playing with her friends. 

With a background in Drama and Communications from the University of Windsor, Murandy Damodred enjoys fantasy fiction with strong romantic subplots. She is an avid role-player and is happiest when living vicariously through her characters. Though she'd rather think of herself as the heroine of her next novel, in the real world she is a new mom living in Windsor, Ontario, training to become a nurse. 

Connect with: 

Website: http://www.mirrorworldpublishing.com

Author Pages: 

Justine's Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/31FIrMC 

Murandy's Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/32Kj5wK

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4637105.Justine_Alley_Dowsett

Giveaway Information:

ONE entrant will be selected randomly using the Rafflecopter platform to receive choice of 1 of the books from the Mirror Worlds series located here https://amzn.to/3lP3XWN. It is the entrant's responsibility to read about the books and make their selections. Sapphyria's Book Promotions shall be held harmless if winner does not like the content of the book selected as a prize.

This giveaway is open to all U.S. entrants with US mailing addresses/Kindle accounts and who are 18 years of age or older. The giveaway is scheduled for October 16, 2020 through November 20, 2020 and winner will be selected via Rafflecopter. There is no other way to enter this giveaway. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winner notification email from Sapphyria's Book Promotions to claim their prize or a new winner will be selected. Void where prohibited and no purchases are necessary to enter this giveaway. See Rafflectopter for entry options. Sapphyria's Book Promotions reserves the right to not award any books if entrants do not follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter form or the information in the Giveaway Information section.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Mirror's Despair by Justine Alley Dowsett and Murandy Damodred...

Welcome to the cover reveal for 

Mirror's Despair

Mirror Worlds, Book 4

Justine Alley Dowsett and Murandy Damodred

About Mirror's Despair by Justine Alley Dowsett and Murandy Damodred:

Mirena’s back to claim what’s hers; this time, Tendro is ready for her. 

Following ten tense years of absence, Mirena Calanais suddenly resurfaces as the Avatar of the Destroyer. With Abraxas’ dark army at her back, she’s determined to reclaim what she feels is her due; control over the lands the Panarch’im once ruled.

His political career and his marriage both drying up, Tendro Seynor long suspected this day would come, but what he isn’t prepared for is Mirena’s return to his personal life. There’s more to Mirena than her persona as the Dark Avatar; she’s the mother of the son Tendro hasn’t seen since the day he was born. As her presence in his life grows, Mirena confides in Tendro that she’s being haunted by someone who should be dead. As this vengeful presence closes in on her and the Destroyer’s hand thouches the world once more, they begin to realize their son may be at the center of it all and his innocence hangs in the balance.

Can Tendro and Mirena put aside their rivalry for the sake of their families, or will the bad blood between them finally escalate to the point where it has the power to tear the entire world apart?

Book Details:

Page count: 242
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Romance, Fantasy
Publisher: Mirror World Publishing
Publish Date: October 17, 2020
ASIN : B08FF7M8MQ

Pre-Order Link: https://amzn.to/3jsJDcy

Meet the Authors:

Justine Alley Dowsett is the author of nine novels and counting, and one of the founders of Mirror World Publishing. Her books, which she often co-writes with her sister, Murandy Damodred, range from young adult science fiction to dark fantasy/romance. She earned a BA in Drama from the University of Windsor, honed her skills as an entrepreneur by tackling video game production, and now she dedicates her time to writing, publishing, and occasionally role-playing with her friends.

With a background in Drama and Communications from the University of Windsor, Murandy Damodred enjoys fantasy fiction with strong romantic subplots. She is an avid role-player and is happiest when living vicariously through her characters. Though she'd rather think of herself as the heroine of her next novel, in the real world she is a new mom living in Windsor, Ontario, training to become a nurse.

Connect with:

Website: http://www.mirrorworldpublishing.com

Author Pages: 

Justine's Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/31FIrMC 

Murandy's Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/32Kj5wK

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4637105.Justine_Alley_Dowsett

 

Book Tour: Mirror's Deceit by Justine Alley Dowsett and Murandy Damodred...

Mirena Calanais is destined to change the world. 

Her rival has made a desperate flight to the past to stop her.

About the Book:

A gifted student of majik, Mirena is on the verge of graduating from a secret college that will give her a leg up in her political career, when her achievements are overshadowed by the arrival of a mysterious woman with an unknown agenda. Desperate to keep what she sees as her rightful place in the spotlight, Mirena goes to astounding lengths including taking it upon herself to pose as a double agent to investigate a rebel force plotting to destabilize the government. Unfortunately, her actions cost her the trust of those around her, so when she is proclaimed the Dark Avatar of the Destroyer, she finds she has nowhere to turn. 

In a seeming utopia, Mirena is now a pariah with the force of Destroyer behind her and her once bright dreams have darkened, leaving her a threat not only to herself, but to those she cares about. Can she turn her life around, or will someone need to stop her before she goes too far? 

Book Information:

Publisher: Mirror World Publishing; 1 edition

Publication Date: May 17, 2018

ASIN: B07BNY8RVF

Genre(s): Dark Fantasy, Romance, Fantasy

Page count: 240 pages

Read an Exclusive Excerpt:  

“Why?” Caralain demanded, shaking her head in denial even as tears stung the open cuts on her face and raindrops continued to pelt her skin without remorse. “How could you…?”

His response was cold, calculated. “To secure our rule. The people here will one day have the power to destroy everything. Now they can’t. I’m doing this for us.”

Her eyes locked on to the hand he was using to keep her there next to him and she became aware of something she hadn’t seen before. Around his hands swirled a dark kind of energy, unlike the majik she was used to but familiar to her nonetheless. Caralain had read all about the Dark Avatar and the power of the Destroyer; she knew what she was looking at, despite having never seen it in person before.

“You have it too,” she whispered, staring at the darkness crackling around her wrist where he held her. “Just like your mother…”

“It’s my birthright. And through me, it can be yours to command as well. I would do anything for you, you just have to say the word.”

Horror filled Caralain and she stumbled back. This time, for a wonder, Greyson let her go. “I could never…” she began and then she stopped, looking up at him, trying to find some hint of the man she’d fallen in love with. “You’re a monster!”

Having said what she could, and still feeling the island she’d called home for the last decade crumble all around her, Caralain ran for all she was worth.

Greyson whirled after her. “Caralain!”

She ignored him, stopping only to stare back at the school she loved so much. There were people within, friends, mentors. As she watched, fire spurted from yet another window and the ancient stone cracked, splitting the building in two.

Greyson stood between her and the rest of the island. Dark power crackled around him like an aura now, and at every clench of his fist, another tremor shook the now uneven ground. His eyes were on her, but he showed no remorse, no sign of stopping, only a desire to bring her, too, under his control.

She choked back a sob. The Stoa may fall, but I won’t let him have me. I have to hope that the teachers get the students out in time, but my power is nothing compared to his. I can’t stop him… I have to flee. She realized abruptly where she stood, amidst the circle of tall standing stones this school existed primarily to study. She whirled and located the central pillar with her eyes and hands, scanning the symbols there. But where? Where do I go? There isn’t a place in this world beyond his reach.

Her eyes lit on a familiar symbol. It was the one Terrence Lee had been pointing at in the picture of him she’d spent the last hour half-heartedly staring at. It was on a row she didn’t recognize, but that wasn’t strange; there was so little they didn’t know about the Sentinal Stones. She didn’t really know where it would lead, but more than likely Greyson wouldn’t either.

One last look back showed the school almost completely in ruins, along with the livelihood and possibly the lives of all the people she’d known. And before it all was Greyson, on his knees now amidst the ruins. He hadn’t tried to follow her or stop her. Maybe he didn’t realize how serious she was about leaving him. She shook her head, letting the tears fall freely now.

You did this, she thought at him, and it was wrong, but maybe, just maybe there’s a way I can undo it all.

Caralain summoned her majik and poured it into the Stone as she shut her eyes tight against the flood of tears that threatened to overwhelm her and prayed.

Goodbye, Greyson.

Order from Amazon

Order Ebook from Mirror World Publishing
Order Paperback from Mirror World Publishing

Add to Your Shelf on Goodreads

Follow the Tour to Read Reviews, Exclusive Excerpts, and Spotlights:

https://saphsbookpromotions.blogspot.com/2018/05/virtual-book-tour-schedule-mirrors.html

Meet the Authors:

Justine Alley Dowsett is the author of eight novels and one of the founders of Mirror World Publishing. Her books, which she often co-writes with her sister, Murandy Damodred, range from young adult science fiction to dark fantasy/romance. She earned a BA in Drama from the University of Windsor, honed her skills as an entrepreneur by tackling video game production, and now she dedicates her time to writing, publishing, and occasionally roleplaying with her friends. 

With a background in Drama and Communications from the University of Windsor, Murandy Damodred enjoys fantasy fiction with strong romantic subplots. She is an avid role-player and is happiest when living vicariously through her characters. Though she'd rather think of herself as the heroine of her next novel, in the real world she is a new mom living in Windsor, Ontario, ready to embark on a new career as a medical technician. 

Connect with the Authors: 

Website: http://www.mirrorworldpublishing.com

Author Page: 

https://www.amazon.com/Justine-Alley-Dowsett/e/B004MNQAUA/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4637105.Justine_Alley_Dowsett

Cover Reveal: Mirror's Deceit by Justine Alley Dowsett and Murandy Damodred...

Mirena Calanais is destined to change the world. 

Her rival has made a desperate flight to the past to stop her.

About the Book:

A gifted student of majik, Mirena is on the verge of graduating from a secret college that will give her a leg up in her political career, when her achievements are overshadowed by the arrival of a mysterious woman with an unknown agenda. Desperate to keep what she sees as her rightful place in the spotlight, Mirena goes to astounding lengths including taking it upon herself to pose as a double agent to investigate a rebel force plotting to destabilize the government. Unfortunately, her actions cost her the trust of those around her, so when she is proclaimed the Dark Avatar of the Destroyer, she finds she has nowhere to turn. 

In a seeming utopia, Mirena is now a pariah with the force of Destroyer behind her and her once bright dreams have darkened, leaving her a threat not only to herself, but to those she cares about. Can she turn her life around, or will someone need to stop her before she goes too far? 

Book Information:

Publisher: Mirror World Publishing; 1 edition

Publication Date: May 17, 2018

ASIN: B07BNY8RVF

Genre(s): Dark Fantasy, Romance, Fantasy

Page count: 240 pages

Pre-Order from Amazon

Pre-Order from Mirror World Publishing

Add to Your Shelf on Goodreads

Meet the Authors:

Justine Alley Dowsett is the author of eight novels and one of the founders of Mirror World Publishing. Her books, which she often co-writes with her sister, Murandy Damodred, range from young adult science fiction to dark fantasy/romance. She earned a BA in Drama from the University of Windsor, honed her skills as an entrepreneur by tackling video game production, and now she dedicates her time to writing, publishing, and occasionally roleplaying with her friends. 

With a background in Drama and Communications from the University of Windsor, Murandy Damodred enjoys fantasy fiction with strong romantic subplots. She is an avid role-player and is happiest when living vicariously through her characters. Though she'd rather think of herself as the heroine of her next novel, in the real world she is a new mom living in Windsor, Ontario, ready to embark on a new career as a medical technician. 

Connect with: 

Website: http://www.mirrorworldpublishing.com

Author Page: 

https://www.amazon.com/Justine-Alley-Dowsett/e/B004MNQAUA/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4637105.Justine_Alley_Dowsett

Book Tour: Unquiet Dead by Chris Pavesic...

About Unquiet Dead:

In Chiaroscuro it’s important to keep the faith.

When the Temples north of Chiaroscuro are burned and followers of the Sun Goddess are murdered, Catherine, a bard of the Ealdoth Temple, sets out to find those responsible and to bring them to justice. With only the help of a traveling group of minstrels and a retired fae investigator, Catherine must solve the mystery before more people are killed.

So saddle up your clockwork mount, buckle on your electro-dagger, and join Catherine as she finds herself pitted against members of her own Temple, rogues members of the Seelie Court, and a seemingly unstoppable army of undead.

Unquiet Dead

Chiaroscuro Chronicles, Book 1

Chris Pavesic

140 pages

Genres: Steampunk, Mystery, Dark Fantasy

Learn More About Unquiet Dead:

Amazon

Goodreads

Facebook

Follow the virtual tour and visit tours hosts sharing spotlights, excerpts, and reviews. Link to tour schedule:

https://saphsbookpromotions.blogspot.com/2018/03/virtual-book-tour-schedule-unquiet-dead.html

Read an Excerpt:

“I’m glad to see you’re talking again.” Benedict glanced at her, his eyes kind. “Did you work out whatever was bothering you?”

Catherine gave him a wry smile. “No.”

“Want to talk about it? I can be a good listener.”

“No.” She stared down at her shoe as she tapped it against the smooth wooden footrest of the wagon. “Not now,” she added, to take some of the sting out of her reply. “I need to get my thoughts clear before I discuss them with another person. But I appreciate the offer.”

“Suit yourself.” He sighed and dragged a hand through his hair.

“We do not have to stop talking. Just…on a different subject.”

He smiled. “Lady’s choice.”

“Why did you undertake this job?”

“That’s direct. You don’t think it was for the money, then?”

“No, I don’t.”

“It’s an awful lot of money.”

“I don’t know you very well, but I have a feeling that you don’t do much only for the money.” She glanced at the horses, the reality in front of her. “Those animals are proof of that. Clean, well-fed, and happy. With little red ribbons in their hair. Most people would not be so kind.”

Benedict smiled at her comments and then his face grew sober. “A lot of the people who lived in those communities—they were friends. They were murdered, plain and simple, and no one seems to know who it was, who benefits from their deaths. It’s rare someone in my position would be able to do something about it.”

“You want to find the murderer or murderers and bring them to justice?”

His grip tightened inadvertently on the reins. “I want to find out who killed them and bring a reckoning.”

Meet the Author:

Chris Pavesic lives in the Midwestern United States and loves Kona coffee, fairy tales, and all types of speculative fiction. Between writing projects, Chris can most often be found reading, gaming, gardening, working on an endless list of DIY household projects, or hanging out with friends.

Find Chris Pavesic Online:

Website

Amazon Author Page

Facebook Author Page

Twitter Handle @chrispavesic

Cover Reveal and New Book Release: Unquiet Dead by Chris Pavesic...

Unquiet Dead

Chris Pavesic

About the Unquiet Dead: 

In Chiaroscuro it’s important to keep the faith.

When the Temples north of Chiaroscuro are burned and followers of the Sun Goddess are murdered, Catherine, a bard of the Ealdoth Temple, sets out to find those responsible and to bring them to justice. With only the help of a traveling group of minstrels and a retired fae investigator, Catherine must solve the mystery before more people are killed.

So saddle up your clockwork mount, buckle on your electro-dagger, and join Catherine as she finds herself pitted against members of her own Temple, rogues members of the Seelie Court, and a seemingly unstoppable army of undead.

Genres: Steampunk/Mystery/Dark Fantasy 

Length: 140 pages. 

Available in Print and E-Book 

Add to Your Shelf on Goodreads 

Purchase Your Copy from Amazon 

Learn More on Facebook

Excerpt

Services were scheduled to commence in an hour, and Ernest needed to be ready. He struck a match and lit the first gaslight, watching the flame take hold and flare up. The light pushed back the shadows so parishioners were able to find their way to the pews without stumbling. He would extinguish the artificial lights right before the service so the effect of the sunlight illuminating the darkness hit with maximum impact as it flooded through the skylights. 

The parishioners would marvel at how the Temple filled with the Goddess’s Holy Light just in time for the service. Ernest would marvel at the fact that none of them were smart enough to realize he flipped a switch on back of the altar to swing open mechanical shutters. 

There was a religious stirring in Grand Marsh more powerful than anything Ernest had experienced in his ten years as a Sacerd. The services at dawn, noon, and sundown were packed. Few of the farmers went out to the fields. They worked in town on community projects or sat drinking at the tavern. Their wives remained in the town square, full of chatter, instead of staying on their farmsteads. Their thin voices filled the air. The youngest children were kept close while the teens clustered in protective packs far enough away to keep their discussions out of reach of their parents’ ears. But close enough to be in sight at all times. None of them wandered off. 

Three times a day they filled the Temple, ready to hear his words. Faces tilted up to him. Man and woman, young and old. And none of his parishioners would confess why they were so filled with the Holy Spirit that they were neglecting their farms. They were afraid of speaking blasphemy. But he knew the reason, and it caused a lift in his heart that was not due to religious inspiration. They were scared, plain and simple, and it gave him hope. 

Since being assigned to the far parish almost five years ago, a posting he saw as an end to the upward progress of his career in the Temple, he struggled daily to swallow his disappointment. It wouldn’t leave, and it was bitter. Bitter. 

In this remote village, far from the bustle and industry of Chiaroscuro, the quality of his life, the texture of his life, changed. He longed for life in the city. The world seemed to have shifted into two zones. The pace of life for the city dwellers increased while people living in the countryside were being left behind. 

Time’s arrow struck fastest through the densest populations. Sacerds assigned to any of the major cities made more connections and accumulated more power in a single week than he did in a year. Exerting influence was impossible when the spheres of power were spinning outside of his reach, moving too fast for him to see, let alone have an impact. 

The wound to his pride stung the most. The elders had hurt his feelings. To be dismissed so easily, passed along so casually—it was like the swatting of an annoying insect. The Temple elders did not treat him as if he mattered, as if his family ties were consequential. True he was a third son, but of a noble line. And they assigned him to a rustic Temple to attend to common folk far below his station. 

Very little was required of him here. Or, more precisely, very little of what he did here interested him. He burned to return to the central Temple and to be part of the intrigues and power shifts. This attracted him more than caring for the simple souls of farmers and shopkeepers. Power was why he joined the Temple, and what he was now denied. 

But not for long. The thought clanged in his mind with undeniable rightness. Not righteousness. It was an important distinction. Would the Goddess sanction his actions? Probably not, but he was past caring about her approval. During all of the ceremonies, all of the prayer and introspection, he had never felt any divine presence. He had never witnessed any miracles, and doubted their existence. 

But power, oh he had seen the existence of power. Political. Social. Religious. Whatever you called it really didn’t matter. Get enough people to follow you. Enough people to believe in what you were selling. This was the belief that could move the world. 

There was only one woman in his life he needed to please now, and she held no divinity. Merci had offered him a way out of this rural purgatory, and he had accepted. Truth be told, he had grabbed at it like a castaway might grab at a line from a passing airship. If the price were the damnation of his soul, so be it. 

He glanced out the window at the transport coming down the lane. A high quality clockwork carriage with the Temple’s Crest stamped on the doors rattled over the boards strewn across the irrigation ditch and stopped, parking in the speckled light cast by the ornament trees planted along the lane. The carriage blocked traffic, but the driver did not seem to care. Elder members of the clergy, Hlytere, and above, felt they had the right of way. Others had to go around. 

A pale, dark-haired woman emerged and stood for a moment looking around. She pulled the hood of her dark cloak over her hair and walked through the yard toward the Temple. Ernest’s gaze followed her, trying to imagine who this stranger was. 

Her footsteps sounded in the aisle and, when he turned from window, she was almost upon him. Her speed startled him. When he saw her face to face he realized she was younger than he had supposed. Too young to be a Hlytere, but her use of the carriage meant she was favored by the Temple elders. The seed of jealousy radiated through him. He felt it in his chest and the pit of his stomach. He struggled to keep the emotion off his face. “Greetings.” He shook her hand with a firm grasp. Her hands were small and smooth and white. “Will you come in for a moment?” He led her to the small reception room off the main area that contained a round table and several wooden chairs. He lit a cheroot, offered her one, which she declined, and they sat down. 

“Please forgive me for calling on you so close to mid-day Services, Sacerd Ernest.” She paused. “You are Sacerd Ernest, correct? It’s not like me to presume.” 

“Of course. I’m glad you came. I watched you drive up, you know, and I wondered who you were. We don’t get many visitors from the Temple here.” 

“I’m surprised you don’t recognize me, cousin. Of course, I didn’t recognize you. So perhaps it’s not so surprising.” 

“I’m sorry. I …” 

“I’m from the cadet line of our family tree. My father is the elder son of the younger son of our line.” 

His brow creased in thought. “Grace?” 

“Yes,” she said with a smile, reaching out to touch his hand. Her fingers rested there for a moment too long. Lingered. And then she leaned back in the chair and crossed her legs, which were slim and bare beneath her robe. 

Sacerd Ernest regarded his guest, wondering that her physical presence should suddenly dawn upon him so. She was more beautiful than he had thought at first. Her skin was clear and lovely, and her eyes and mouth were made up carefully and well. 

What’s her game? He licked at the perspiration that appeared upon his upper lip. 

“I would like your help in a small matter. And of course I wanted to meet you.” 

“You did?” 

“Our sponsor has spoken of you with such affection.” 

“Our superior?” He used the wrong word to see if she would correct him. 

“Technically, I suppose, she may be yours. I’ve never thought much of the rules of hierarchy in the Temple.” She cocked her head, listening to noises from the other room. Some of his parishioners had started to file in for the service. “It’s such a mercy, isn’t it?’ 

Ah, code words. 

She must think she’s being clever, although he had no idea who could possibly overhear their conversation. It was only just dawning on him why she must be here. In his town. In his Temple. But he didn’t care. All he wanted to do was get out of Grand Marsh. Get back to Chiaroscuro. It didn’t bother him that people, his parishioners, may die, or suffer a fate worse than death. He just wanted to get out. 

It’s not my fault if I’m following orders. 

But that was a poor excuse, wasn’t it? Guilt flared, hot and strong. 

Do you want to stay in Grand Marsh forever? Ministering to the townsfolk? Do you? 

No … but he didn’t want to hurt people. Those conflicting thoughts pulled at him. There was the question of right and wrong. What was right for him might go wrong for others. But that was the way it had to be. 

Thus he banished the guilt. When something inside of him tried to protest again, tried to tell him to think before he did this, he smothered it. 

“When?” He didn’t have any time for nonsense. The quicker it occurred, the quicker he resumed his rightful place. 

“In two days. I have some items in my transport that need to be set up in the Temple, but kept out of view.” She smiled and spoke a little louder so that the earliest arrivals overheard her. “I wish I could stay to help with the Mass, but I am needed back in Chiaroscuro.” She lowered her voice. “Officially I never left the city.” 

“Of course.” He guessed that she had no desire to partake in the service. “I will help you with whatever you need.” Whatever may come of it, he had gone too far to stop now.

 

Meet the Author:

Chris Pavesic lives in the Midwestern United States and loves Kona coffee, fairy tales, and all types of speculative fiction. Between writing projects, Chris can most often be found reading, gaming, gardening, working on an endless list of DIY household projects, or hanging out with friends.

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