A Woman In Orhan

She could hardly remember a time when she could be reasonably described as happy. Occupying a luxurious apartment in a quaint river town, the material circumstances of her life couldn’t be better. The raw, nearly unimaginable suffering occurring just outside her doors hardly touched someone like her, or so you might be tempted to believe.…Read more A Woman In Orhan

Et Lamiis Malleus: Chapter VI

----- Chapter VI ----- The summer was winding down, but Helena hardly noticed its passing. The leaves were changing, the temperature dropping, but she remained warm and consistent, buried in a dreamy state of unbridled joy. Sebastian was gone, and he had been so for nearly the entirety of the season. But unlike in the…Read more Et Lamiis Malleus: Chapter VI

Et Lamiis Malleus: Chapter V

----- Chapter V ----- Bent low in his saddle, the inquisitor felt old - as if the full weight of his 50-some years were collectively bearing down upon his shoulders. Having passed Jenbach a couple of hours ago, he knew they were getting close to Innsbruck. They were winding their way through the final stages…Read more Et Lamiis Malleus: Chapter V

Et Lamiis Malleus: Chapter IV

--- Chapter IV --- Helena first saw the knight at a league's distance. Jörg Spiess was a nobleman from one of the surrounding counties. With his significant holdings, he was well known by many within Innsbruck proper, although Helena had never met him. Astride his smoky mare, Spiess seemed to tower into the mist-filled sky.…Read more Et Lamiis Malleus: Chapter IV

Et Lamiis Malleus: Chapter III

--- Chapter III --- Born in 1430 in the Schlettstadt area, Heinrich had long existed in the orbit of the church, even if he had not originally envisioned it becoming his life's work. As a child he had been introverted and bookish, choosing to study and read while his peers were running wild in the…Read more Et Lamiis Malleus: Chapter III

Et Lamiis Malleus: Chapter I

--- Chapter 1 --- Heinrich Kramer was not an imposing man - at least not physically. Now in his mid-50s, the inquisitor was beginning to show his age, with crows feet snaking their way from the corners of his eyes and bunny lines breaking out across the tops of his cheeks.  Perhaps then it was…Read more Et Lamiis Malleus: Chapter I

Et Lamiis Malleus: Prologue

----- Prologue ----- The reading room of the Munster Cathedral library was deserted; it had been so for weeks. Jan van Leiden, the Anabaptist King of Munster, stalked through the dusty rows of books, his black robes swishing across the fibers of the ornate rug that tied the room together with deep shades of blue,…Read more Et Lamiis Malleus: Prologue

Claw Kassain and the Village of Ulath Kai

Once upon a time, the village of Ulath Kai lay in a valley accessible only through the dangerous Bargath Pass. The story went that for many years the citizens of this hamlet lived in peace, maintaining a harmonious relationship with one another and with the world around them. The expansive fields, bountiful orchards and pastoral…Read more Claw Kassain and the Village of Ulath Kai

The Red Cliffs of Golgamon

Try as he might, Sebastian Mondo couldn't focus on his work. He was numb and disconnected. Content needed to be written, messages needed to be sent, but there was something blocking him, a numbness that couldn't be overcome. All he could do was sit and stare at his computer, sinking deeper into his desk chair.…Read more The Red Cliffs of Golgamon

How One Leaves Orhan

What had she been doing? Flames cracked and popped within the ornate fireplace, casting a gold and orange glow through the small study. Amabel sat reclining in a high-backed chair, her thin legs extending toward the blaze. Yawning, she stretched her arms, brushing past the heavy wood and velvety cushion that composed the chair's back.…Read more How One Leaves Orhan