Monday Morsel: Prison of Onyx - An Excerpt from Stalking the Demon

Release date is now set firm at 22 September! Barring some dreadful disaster (like being eaten by a dragon) I'm committed to that date. 

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Frowning, Dek struck a spark from the flint and steel and lit the candle wick from a small clump of tinder. He released the burnt-out tinder a fraction of a moment before it scorched his fingers. The burning mote fell and went out. Dek passed the candle through the bars.

The flame wavered then steadied. Alloran tipped the candle slightly, to allow the fire to lick over the nearest streak of onyx. The tides of the inter-dimensional energies became apparent to him, but they washed over his skin like a soap bubble on water. He drank in the energy, but it was hard, slow work. Perspiration beaded on his brow, while hot wax dripped on his fingers.

His breath hissed through his teeth. Don’t think about the pain. Instead, he drew in more energy, dragging at the thin stream like an addict at the dying fumes of his last piece of opium. 

Thanks for dropping by! Don't forget, this draft is pre-edits and as such won't be perfect. If you like what you read, and are so inclined, show your support by leaving a comment. Stalking the Demon is eto be released on 22 September 2014. If you'd like to sample more of my writing, check out the free short stories available on this site.

If this is your first visit to Monday Morsels, find others in the series by clicking on the ‘Monday morsel’ tag, or go to the first installment for Stalking the Demon.

More about Stalking the Demon:

Alloran lost his hand to thwart his renegade friend–but the world is still going to hell.

Six months after Ladanyon's defeat, Gisayne is fading away from a baffling illness. Alloran is desperate for a cure, but he has a secret–the seven circles of hell are unstable. His worst fear is that the terrible mirror spell cast upon Gisayne has wrought some connection between her and the demon dimensions.

As everything Alloran loves races toward destruction, he does the unthinkable and refuses to obey the council of wizards. The only people who can help him are the two research assistants assigned by the council–but he knows he can't trust them.

All the answers are locked away in the last place anyone wants to go: hell.

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