by T. C. Edge
Working through the marshes, and around the formations of rock, we gather our pace until, not far away, we spy the spout of water spewing from the cliffside. The lake then comes into view, and we conduct a very quick check, just before stepping towards it, to ensure that no one is around.
I see nothing, no movement at all. Satisfied, we continue our jog, working to the lake’s shore and around it, feet squelching in the soft mud as we approach the western edge and head straight for the rocks and cave in which Cromwell lies.
As we go, I catch Zander stopping in my periphery. I stop too, a pace after him, and turn to find his eyes looking upon the muddy ground with a curious slant set upon his brow.
“What’s up?” I ask casually.
He doesn’t answer immediately. Then I see what he’s looking at.
Prints. Footprints in the mud.
“They’re ours, aren’t they?” I ask, hopefully.
His eyes flick up, but not to me. They look straight at the rocks ahead, and he bursts forward and right past me. I barely have time to see what he’s doing before he’s clambering towards the cave and disappearing. I follow, running to catch up, working my way towards the little cavern…
I’m stopped by the reappearance of my brother, coming out the other way. His eyes are sharp and jaw clenched tight. I know immediately what’s going on.
“He’s gone, isn’t he?” I ask.
He steps out and through the rocks, nodding and looking again at the tracks. They seem to be heading off to the west, disappearing into the scorched forest.
“Yes,” he says. “Cromwell’s gone. Or…he’s been taken.”
He turns to me, eyes gliding across my face and then in the direction of the city. Then they go the other way, back to the tracks. The intimation is clear.
“We’re not heading back to the city yet, are we?” I ask.
He shakes his head, but doesn’t speak.
And in my head, all I can think is that the attack on the camp was a little too easy. Or, that it went a little too well.
In my life, nothing is ever that easy. Nothing ever goes quite that well.
And the fates have played us again.
We have to go after our grandfather.
Next Up - Nemesis
The next book in the series, Book 10, will be the last! It’s all brewing and coming to an end, and Book 10 - NEMESIS - will tie things up.
Right now, it’s set to release sometime in August, though there’s no specific release date yet. The pre-order will be available a couple of weeks prior to release, so keep an eye out for that.
If you want to know EXACTLY when any new book I release comes out, feel free to sign up to my newsletter by clicking here.
By doing so, you’ll also get access to the first book in The Watchers Series (The Watchers of Eden) completely free of charge, as well as a short story that’s only available to those who join my list.
Thanks for reading!
Toby
Author Notes
Written 11th July
As always, a mighty thank you for getting this far. We’re so close to the end I can almost taste it. I hope you’ve been enjoying the ride.
Book ten will call an end to this yarn. After that, I’m not so sure. As an author, writing in the same ‘universe’ for some time can be both a great pleasure and something of a burden. The continuity allows me to release books quickly, and yet I have so many ideas for other worlds and stories that it can be tricky not veering off script.
If you’ve read Kira’s spinoff – The Warrior Race – you’ll know that I tried something different. I thoroughly enjoyed the third person, past tense narrative and the freedom that gave me, and loved being able to build and explore a new world across the ocean. Moving back to Brie’s present tense perspective was a little challenging at first, and it took me a little while to warm back up into her perspective.
I’ve heard how a lot of authors like to work on various different projects at once. They will write a number of series, moving between them to keep things fresh. With The Warrior Race, I’ve started doing the same, I suppose, and as yet the jury is out as to whether it suits me!
The trouble, as mentioned, is working with two distinct narrative styles. When I first started writing this book, it was a little jarring going back to present tense, and only seeing the world through Brie’s eyes. I got back into the swing of things easy enough, but it certainly felt odd at the start.
That is no bad thing, of course, unless it should affect my productivity and the way in which I tell the story. Mostly, I feel it’s good to challenge myself, and broadening my horizons as an author and storyteller can only be a positive.
I will certainly be continuing with The Warrior Race, which got a good reception regarding reviews, if not a great one regarding sales. I had hoped for it to be another entry point into the world of The Enhanced, but perhaps people don’t see it that way given how different it is.
In the end, it might only be for the truest of fans, and those who have read right through the series to the point where Kira was taken (book 7, I believe). If that’s the case, it’s fine by me. I’ll get working on the second book in that series soon enough, though I’m not sure yet whether book ten will come before it or not.
Aside from book ten, and The Warrior Race 2, I haven’t yet decided just where I’m headed. I know that a lot of my readership want more from this world, but if I decide to start working on a new one, I hope you’ll be just as excited to join me on that journey.
As I said before, I’m always thinking up new ideas, and though I love this particular world, I do have a very serious itch to begin working on another. I suppose you’ll just have to watch this space, and keep an eye out for updates on that. Once I’ve released book ten, then I’m sure I’ll have a much better idea as to which direction I’ll seek to travel.
Anyway, at the time of writing this, I’m getting ready for a trip to Greece (the book officially releases the day I return – July 20). So far this year, I’ve been working almost non-stop, and am in dire need of a break and a bit of RnR! I like to think of my little jaunt as a ‘research trip’, if only in so far as it refills the creative tanks and resets my perspective on things.
Being a writer can give one a significant case of tunnel vision, and for more than six months now I’ve been focused on little more than my work. In that state of mind, you tend to forget that there are other things in life. And as much as I adore my work (and I do) I rather enjoy travelling as well. Finding that work-life balance is something that I’m always working on. Recently, it’s been a little too heavily slanted over to the ‘work’ side of things. That balance needs to be somewhat redressed.
However, fear not. I will come back full of steam and ready to crack on again. The second half of this year will hopefully be just as productive as the first, and who knows what other adventures we’ll have together!
Long may they continue, as far as I’m concerned :)
With love,
Toby