by Nazri Noor
“See, that’s what you get for not believing in me,” I said, guffawing. “You just gotta trust in – ”
But dad and Gil had already turned their attention back to their cooler, and to their shared range of grills and outdoor cookware that, I had to admit, confused me even more than the intricacies of the arcane. Ah, screw them. I made a fireball, and launched it all by myself. I mean I thought I was already at peak handsome, but I just got even hotter. Literally.
Like Herald once told me, like Hecate herself had once suggested, a step at a time. With practice and effort, I could still grow in power. Months ago I could barely create an ember. Who knew what waited next? Who knew what other possibilities lingered in my future? I almost wasn’t bothered by the fact that I still owed a demon prince a favor. Almost.
But I didn’t have the answers. As I looked around myself, as I breathed in the scent of the ocean and let the wind’s fingers tousle my hair, I realized that I didn’t need any answers at all. I chuckled to myself, somewhere deep in my chest. The waves crashed, and crested, and fell, echoing my laughter.
The men of the Boneyard drank blood, howled at the moon, raised the dead, and insane as it sounds, it finally felt like I belonged. I finally had what I wanted all along. I had brothers, my father, a family. And even for the space of just one evening, family was more than enough.
END
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About the Author
Hi, I’m Nazri, a Filipino-Malaysian author based in California. I’m trilingual, but I really only write in English. I can also speak just enough Sindarin and Valyrian to impress absolutely no one. My urban fantasy novels focus on heroes who use wits, style, and their wildly unpredictable magic to save the day. Think sass and class, while kicking ass.
My influences come from horror and fantasy: HP Lovecraft, Anne Rice, George R.R. Martin, Chuck Palahniuk, Terry Pratchett, and Neil Gaiman. Growing up I was shaped by the Blood Sword, Fighting Fantasy, Lone Wolf, and Grey Star game book universes. I’m also inspired by video games, specifically the Castlevania, Final Fantasy, and Persona series.
Long story short, I’m a huge nerd, and the thrill of imagining wizards and monsters and worlds into existence is what makes me feel most alive. Writing, to me, is magic. If you enjoyed my work, please do consider leaving a review on Amazon. Reviews help readers like you decide whether they’d like my books, and they help indie authors like me with better visibility and credibility.
Thank you for reading, and thank you for supporting independent authors everywhere.