The Dark Forest

by Sarah Noffke

  Those stories – they started my love affair with characters who do the right thing just because it needs doing – and a sense of wonder and magic. Love that combination! I get it when fans write in and say a story an Oriceran author wrote gave them a place to go for just a day. They gave me the ability to dream and then go after those dreams – like building a universe with Michael Anderle.

  Now, here we are – Sara Noffke and myself - and six other authors (including Magic Mike) helping each other to create an entire world where all those things are possible once again, along with fans who are fast becoming family. I could not have conjured up this dream any better. Thank you to everyone who has taken us into your homes and your hearts and sends us selfies and jokes and ideas and encouragement.

  I am forever grateful.

  Publisher Notes - Michael Anderle

  September 20th, 2017

  First, THANK YOU for not only reading the story but making it all the way to the lonely back of the book where the architect of the Universe and publisher is writing his notes…

  You know, my place.

  Here I get to wax philosophic about Sarah and her fast-as-hell run through the books. (I’m insanely jealous and happy at the same time.) I’m pleased with how Martha has supported our authors in this new Universe, and yet annoyed by being called YET ANOTHER name.

  I mean really people, how many titles do I need? I’ve got Magic Mike by Martha, preceded by Yoda by Ell Leigh Clarke, I can’t even remember the one Craig Martelle bestowed upon me and then “The Author” (which I coined, so I’m completely down with that one) on the Kurtherian Gambit Facebook page.

  However, one name or title I don’t mind is ‘supporter of dreams.’ Right now, through your reading and enjoyment of these stories, I get to see authors realize their dreams as we work to streamline the process of publishing amazingly fun characters that go out and do cool stuff. We stick these stories in that place that USED to be called between-the-covers and now is simply your ebook reader.

  Damn, I just wondered what would happen if I hired about thirty people to ping Sarah Noffke on the Oriceran Facebook page at once?

  Not that I can do it because I know I’d tear my own hair out if it happened to me and I have WAY less than she has, so not fair.

  Now, Martha “give him a name” Carr, on the other hand, I might be willing to tweak a little bit. It would serve her right for trying to get people to start calling me by the title of a movie, or…uh…’dancer’ for the ladies.

  I’ll get her back, just wait and see.

  When you read books you love (by whichever author it is) drop them a review on the book. It helps continue encouraging your favorite authors to keep doing what they are doing and providing YOU with new books to read. These books then satisfy that craving you have, that need to immerse yourself with your favorite characters one more time.

  Today is Wednesday (it slipped past midnight and is now Sept 20th) from when I started writing these publisher notes, and in just a little while we will be at the perfect time to read a book.

  What is the perfect time to read you ask?

  Well, any of the days that end in ‘y,’ of course!

  Ad Aeternitatem,

  Michael Anderle

  Sneak Peek of Mountain of Truth (Soul Stone Mage, Book #3)

  Prologue

  A stony well sat on the Eastern hills of the Kingdom of Virgo. It had never gone dry and was responsible for providing the water for the neighboring crops.

  The sun dried the morning dew from the grass as a bright bulb buzzed over the well. It shot several feet up and then halted in the air. The fairy’s brow crinkled as it spun around to face the water source. Luna wore a tight dress made from blue flower petals. Her silver hair hung over her bare shoulders and her sharp eyes narrowed at the well. She flew down low, landing on the stone walls that bordered the water, only three feet down. Luna sniffed, her pointy nose inhaling the moist air. She gasped, her eyes doubling with shock.

  Kneeling down on her knees, the fairy ducked her head into the well. She immediately yanked her head back up, stumbling. The hills and sky over Virgo spun, the greens and blues ran together. Luna made to push up to a standing position but instead faltered back. Overwhelmed by the chemicals she’d inhaled, she swayed and then passed out.

  ***

  “Where is Luna?” Finnegan asked, tossing his long turquoise beard over his shoulder, so it didn’t brush the plants as he inspected them.

  “She’s probably sleeping. Tonight is a full moon,” Navi remarked, speeding through the air. Tied to her waist was a small satchel full of plant food. She pinched a bit from the sack and sprinkled it as she flew over the mint jelly herbs.

  The old wizard shook his head. “I suppose you think I should let her off on those days?”

  “Each fairy is different. It would be nice if you acknowledged that a bit more,” Navi said.

  “Oh, sure. So you get the spring off. Snow gets to sit on her ass during the winter. And meanwhile I work every damn day.” Finnegan waved his wand in the air over the young seedlings, a scowl on his long face. “Why I have to work with damn fairies, I’ll never know.”

  Navi sped up, circling the wizard’s face. “Oh, you old grump. You know you love us. And who would do all this work if it wasn’t for us?”

  Finnegan eyed the greenhouse where rows upon rows of plants sat, small bright bulbs buzzing over them. “I’m thinking of replacing the lot of you with a fleet of bewitched dragonflies.”

  Navi laughed, diving back low to continue feeding the plants.

  The herb garden had lost the last mint jelly crop and hook-skirt. However, the milk thistle and caralluma fimbriata were ready for harvest. Finnegan’s gaze darkened, a shadow dancing across his turquoise eyes. Half of the potions those herbs were used for couldn’t be made since Virgo had lost Charmsgood, the Potion Master. Where was he even supposed to take the crop of herbs with the potion shop closed? The Queen would need to appoint a new Potion Master soon, however Azure had much demanding her attention.

  “Navi, have the harvest fairies deliver the milk thistle and caralluma fibriata to a stand at the front of the farm.” Finnegan’s dirt stained hands clasped his soul stone pinned on the side of his robes. To say he missed Charmsgood was an understatement. As his twin brother, there was no one he’d known better in the last six centuries. The wizards were born on the second hour of the the second day, of the second month in the year. Great things had been expected of two wizards born under such circumstances. And they’d fulfilled those expectations, but now Charmsgood was gone, leaving Finnegan with a constant feeling of lack.

  Navi halted in the air, her brow furrowing. “Who will sell the herbs though?”

  “I guess you will or Granite or one of the other fairies. Whoever you elect. I don’t care.” Finnegan waved his wand at the pipe that ran overhead, along the length of the greenhouse.

  “You can’t sell the herbs?” Navi asked.

  Usually Charmsgood bought the harvest from the greenhouse. Without him there was a kink missing in the system. No the herbs wouldn’t be ground into different usable forms or turned into ready to use potions, but at least the people of Virgo would have the herbs.

  “I realize that you fairies have an extra hour in your day, but I don’t,” Finnegan said bitterly. “My job is to grow the herbs, not to sell them.”

  The pipe sputtered, but nothing came from the spigots. Finnegan grunted, again waving his wand in the air. Nothing happened.

  “Wait!” a tiny voice rang from his back. Finnegan wheeled around just in time to be assaulted by a fairy to the face.

  “Get off!” Finnegan yelled, swiping at his cheeks.

  Luna rose in the air, just in front of Finnegan’s face, her eyes large and silver hair askew. “Sorry! But you can’t water the herbs today!”

  Finnegan shook his head of long turquoise hair. Fucking fairies were always saying outrageous bullshit like that. “Don’t plant when Mars is retrograde.”
“No working when the sun sleeps.” Or “Only fertilize when spring wings blow.”

  “I do believe if I don’t water herbs then they’ll die, Luna. Is that what you want?” Finnegan said, leaning forward and growling at the fairy. “And where have you been?”

  “The well! There’s something wrong with the water supply!” Luna yelled, her little voice so high pitched it hurt the wizard’s ears.

  “You’ve been smoking too much caterpillar shit.” Finnegan again waved his wand at the sprinkler system. The old pipes needed to be replaced. He’d been complaining to the House of Enchanted about it for a decade, but so much in Virgo needed to be repaired. In time…

  “Hey, Listen!” Luna zipped through the air and landed on the wizard’s shoulder. “I’m serious. I smelled something in the well. You have to believe me. It knocked me out for…well, I don’t know how long.”

  Finnegan lifted his hand up and pressed it under a spigot until a drop landed on his fingertip He sniffed the water and shook his head. “Smells fine, you fucking wanna-be insect.”

  “It’s more concentrated in the well!” Luna stomped her feet on the wizard’s shoulder.

  “Stop that!” Finnegan swatted at the fairy. She nearly hit his hand but darted back down, tugging on his long earlobe.

  “Hey, listen! This is serious! We’ve got to warn Virgo. None of the crops can be watered,” the fairy of the moon’s cycles screamed, her pale face flushing red.

  Finnegan reached over with his opposite hand and pinched the fairy off his shoulder. He held the squirming little figure in front of his nose and blew out a huge breath just as he let her go. She spiraled through the air before her wings broke free of the wind.

  “Maybe you need to listen to Luna,” Navi said, flying up and hovering beside Finnegan’s face.

  “Oh, nonsense. Your lot are paranoid.” Finnegan reached up and cranked the sprinkler faucet, manually turning it on. Water first dripped from the spigots overhead and then it burst, dusting all the herbs below with a gentle mist.

  Turning for the exit, Finnegan strode off, looking forward to enjoying his lunch. He had a date with a meatball sandwich and bottle of honeysuckle mead.

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  Enjoy the new adventure!

  Sarah Noffke and Martha Carr 2017

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  About Sarah Noffke

  Sarah Noffke, an Amazon Best Seller, writes YA and NA sci-fi fantasy, paranormal and urban fantasy. She is the author of the Lucidites, Reverians, Ren, Vagabond Circus, Olento Research and Soul Stone Mage series. Noffke holds a Masters of Management and teaches college business courses. Most of her students have no idea that she toils away her hours crafting fictional characters. Noffke's books are top rated and best-sellers on Kindle. Currently, she has eighteen novels published. Her books are available in paperback, audio and in Spanish, Portuguese and Italian. http://www.sarahnoffke.com

  Check out other work by this author here.

  The Lucidites Series:

  Awoken, #1:

  Around the world humans are hallucinating after sleepless nights.

  In a sterile, underground institute the forecasters keep reporting the same events.

  And in the backwoods of Texas, a sixteen-year-old girl is about to be caught up in a fierce, ethereal battle.

  Meet Roya Stark. She drowns every night in her dreams, spends her hours reading classic literature to avoid her family’s ridicule, and is prone to premonitions—which are becoming more frequent. And now her dreams are filled with strangers offering to reveal what she has always wanted to know: Who is she? That’s the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out. But will Roya live to regret learning the truth?

  Stunned, #2

  Revived, #3

  The Reverians Series:

  Defects, #1:

  In the happy, clean community of Austin Valley, everything appears to be perfect. Seventeen-year-old Em Fuller, however, fears something is askew. Em is one of the new generation of Dream Travelers. For some reason, the gods have not seen fit to gift all of them with their expected special abilities. Em is a Defect—one of the unfortunate Dream Travelers not gifted with a psychic power. Desperate to do whatever it takes to earn her gift, she endures painful daily injections along with commands from her overbearing, loveless father. One of the few bright spots in her life is the return of a friend she had thought dead—but with his return comes the knowledge of a shocking, unforgivable truth. The society Em thought was protecting her has actually been betraying her, but she has no idea how to break away from its authority without hurting everyone she loves.

  Rebels, #2

  Warriors, #3

  Vagabond Circus Series:

  Suspended, #1:

  When a stranger joins the cast of Vagabond Circus—a circus that is run by Dream Travelers and features real magic—mysterious events start happening. The once orderly grounds of the circus become riddled with hidden threats. And the ringmaster realizes not only are his circus and its magic at risk, but also his very life.

  Vagabond Circus caters to the skeptics. Without skeptics, it would close its doors. This is because Vagabond Circus runs for two reasons and only two reasons: first and foremost to provide the lost and lonely Dream Travelers a place to be illustrious. And secondly, to show the nonbelievers that there’s still magic in the world. If they believe, then they care, and if they care, then they don’t destroy. They stop the small abuse that day-by-day breaks down humanity’s spirit. If Vagabond Circus makes one skeptic believe in magic, then they halt the cycle, just a little bit. They allow a little more love into this world. That’s Dr. Dave Raydon’s mission. And that’s why this ringmaster recruits. That’s why he directs. That’s why he puts on a show that makes people question their beliefs. He wants the world to believe in magic once again.

  Paralyzed, #2

  Released, #3

  Ren Series:

  Ren: The Man Behind the Monster, #1:

  Born with the power to control minds, hypnotize others, and read thoughts, Ren Lewis, is certain of one thing: God made a mistake. No one should be born with so much power. A monster awoke in him the same year he received his gifts. At ten years old. A prepubescent boy with the ability to control others might merely abuse his powers, but Ren allowed it to corrupt him. And since he can have and do anything he wants, Ren should be happy. However, his journey teaches him that harboring so much power doesn’t bring happiness, it steals it. Once this realization sets in, Ren makes up his mind to do the one thing that can bring his tortured soul some peace. He must kill the monster.

  *Note* This book is NA and has strong language, violence and sexual references.

  Ren: God’s Little Monster, #2

  Ren: The Monster Inside the Monster, #3

  Ren: The Monster’s Adventure, #3.5

  Ren: The Monster’s Death

  Olento Resear
ch Series:

  Alpha Wolf, #1:

  Twelve men went missing.

  Six months later they awake from drug-induced stupors to find themselves locked in a lab.

  And on the night of a new moon, eleven of those men, possessed by new—and inhuman—powers, break out of their prison and race through the streets of Los Angeles until they disappear one by one into the night.

  Olento Research wants its experiments back. Its CEO, Mika Lenna, will tear every city apart until he has his werewolves imprisoned once again. He didn’t undertake a huge risk just to lose his would-be assassins.

  However, the Lucidite Institute’s main mission is to save the world from injustices. Now, it’s Adelaide’s job to find these mutated men and protect them and society, and fast. Already around the nation, wolflike men are being spotted. Attacks on innocent women are happening. And then, Adelaide realizes what her next step must be: She has to find the alpha wolf first. Only once she’s located him can she stop whoever is behind this experiment to create wild beasts out of human beings.