Avenger: Book Eight in the Enhanced Series

by T. C. Edge

  He smiles, and I scan the crowd again, relief flooding me.

  “I have a friend called Drum. He’s just 16, but he’s got Brute blood. Big boy. Have you seen him?”

  Magnus strokes his meaty chin with equally meaty fingers.

  “Yes, that rings a bell. The biggest boy among the troop. He’s a soldier now, if I’m not mistaken.”

  “Yeah, he is.”

  “Right, well he might have been assigned a new post, I’m not sure. Perhaps Rycard will know? Ah, there he is…”

  I follow the direction of his eyes and see Rycard issuing commands, marching here and there like a commandant. I leave Magnus among a trail of dust and swiftly appear before the half-Hawk.

  The suppressed joy and relief on his face is probably something most would miss. He does, after all, have work to do. Yet to me it’s clear enough, and I know just why.

  I give him a hug before I even utter a word.

  “Have you just returned?” he asks. “We were expecting you a little earlier.”

  “We ran into a bit of trouble actually…”

  In the recent rush I seem to have forgotten about my brother. I turn and search for him. He’s nowhere to be seen. I can only assume he’s gone to update Lady Orlando on what we discovered.

  “Trouble, what kind of trouble?”

  “Tribal kind,” I say, without elaborating. “I heard everyone got back OK. Where’s Soph?”

  The mention of her name dismisses any pretence of keeping his cool. Despite his position of authority here, a smile wraps itself around his lips and his good eye crinkles with relief.

  “She’s around and about, helping arrange things. You know what she’s like.”

  “And she’s all…OK? Healthy?”

  Last time I saw her, she’d developed a bit of a cough that I attributed to the poisonous fog. According to Rhoth, a lot of people will have ingested a fatal amount on the way to the mines, leading to a slow and steady death. I was concerned that Sophie might be one of them.

  Rycard allays those fears.

  “She’s just fine,” he says, smiling.

  “And Maddox too?”

  “Of course. Strong boy, takes after his father you know.”

  He drops a wink, then straightens his face out.

  “Actually, several did pass away in the mines,” he tells me. “Mostly the elderly, but a couple of children too. I’m told it was the fog.”

  “I thought as much.”

  We take a moment to think of those who lost their lives. Only a moment though. Were we to attribute the same to all the departed, neither of us would ever utter another word.

  “So, I’ve got a friend, Drum. He’s 16, a big boy…” I begin, until Rycard cuts me off.

  “Yes, I’ve heard all about Drum from Sophie. Wonderful boy by all accounts. Steady head, generous with his time. If you’re looking for him, I believe he’s in Compton’s Hall, catching up with some old friends.”

  “Thanks, Rycard. By the way, Cromwell was telling the truth,” I say. “There’s a massive force gathering in the west, a hundred or so miles away. They started marching this way this afternoon.”

  His eyes show little surprise.

  “Then I guess Lady Orlando has some decisions to make.”

  “I guess she does.”

  I hurry off, heading straight for Compton’s Hall a little way up the street. I rush inside and my eyes stretch to the rear. The place is busy, but not busy enough to conceal the oversized boy, surrounded by children like planets circling a star.

  And a star Drum has become. From the shy young boy who left the academy, taken after the tragedy that changed him, he’s returned a man. The kids gaze up with a hundred questions in their eyes, and Drum turns from one to the next with a grand smile on his lips, smooth and thick as grass snakes.

  The crowd part as I move towards him, and I’m drawn into his massive arms. I reach as I always do, my hands barely able to tickle around to his back, but he holds me in a manner I’ve never felt: firmer, less self-conscious, the embrace of a man and not a boy.

  Tess and Brenda, standing to one side, smile at the sight. The kids gaze at us both, Abby’s eyes brightest of all and filled with the wonder and innocence of youth. I glance at her with a wink, and can almost see the thoughts play out behind her sparkling eyes, see her creative little mind already working to include Drum within her comic.

  Then I’m pulled away, the kids’ voices starting to chatter again, and the questions beginning to tumble. Even Brandon, so often Drum’s tormentor, hovers around, staring at the giant young man in a manner he never has before. No longer is Drum to be a figure of ridicule. He is now a soldier, a warrior, a hero. And everyone’s glad to have him back.

  As the kids swallow him up, I withdraw into a shadowy corner, and Tess and Brenda come with me.

  “What’s been going on?” my old guardian asks, her eyes firm. “We’ve heard rumours that there’s a new attack coming? I thought this ceasefire was going to last…”

  “It’s Director Cromwell, isn’t it?” asks Tess. “He’s planning a new attack?”

  “No, it can’t be,” says Brenda. “It was his Stalkers who helped the people back from the mines. Why would he…”

  “A trick, like I say,” cuts in Tess. “Are we safe, Brie? Will this peace last?”

  It’s obvious they’ve been debating this all afternoon. In Outer Haven, rumour was always a valuable currency. Clearly, it’s been brought here now too.

  They stare at me, requiring answers. I’ve been told to stay silent, but can’t. Within a matter of days, the truth is going to come out anyway. There’s no need for subterfuge now.

  “This peace won’t last,” I say solemnly.

  “I knew it! Cromwell should know when he’s beaten…”

  “It’s not him, Tess,” I say. I draw a breath. “I told you Zander and I were going to the outerlands, up into the mountains in the northwest. We went to confirm something Cromwell told us.”

  “What?” breathes Tess.

  “That there’s a new player in this war. They’re coming from the west and will be here soon. I’m not meant to be telling you this, but I care about you both, and have had enough of lying to you. Keep it to yourselves. We’re trying to avoid a panic.”

  They stare at each other, then back at me, as if this is something neither of them considered. And much, much worse.

  “I’m sure you’ll be safe here,” I go on, filling the short silence. “It’s probably just barbarians who’ll have no chance of getting into the city. We’ll stop them before they get here.”

  They don’t seem convinced. Probably because I’m not either. It’s hard to present a credible argument when you don’t believe in it yourself.

  I reiterate the need for secrecy, forcing them both to nod and give me verbal confirmation that they understand. Only once I’ve got it do I slip away from the church, move down the street, and head back into the City Guard HQ.

  Minutes later, I’m moving down the corridor towards Lady Orlando’s office, stepping inside, and finding my brother in mid-flow. I shut the door silently and see that an impromptu meeting has been formed, with Beckett, Freya, and Adryan also present.

  “…they’ll be here within a week at the latest,” Zander is saying. He doesn’t stop and turn to the door like everyone else. His eyes remain fixed on Lady Orlando. “I couldn’t gauge numbers with any firm accuracy, but I’d say we’re looking at at least five thousand, and perhaps many more. What capabilities they have, we can’t possibly know. But, we have to assume that they have powerful hybrids and regular Enhanced with them. I deduce that they have been scouting the city from the shadows, and will know just what they’re up against. They began gathering just as war broke out, and have probably got wind that a ceasefire is in effect. This is their time to strike.”

  He begins pacing around the room as he speaks, the soft sound of footsteps marching to the beat of his words.

  “Our walls will keep them out,” sa
ys Freya confidently. My brother glances at her, quick as a rattlesnake’s bite.

  “Maybe so,” he says. “But, as I say, they know full well what defences this city holds. We have to operate under the assumption that they have means of breaching them, and getting inside. Otherwise an attack would be folly.”

  “Perhaps it is,” grunts Freya. “These are barbarians. They know nothing about battle tactics. They have no powerful weaponry. We will slaughter them like fish in a barrel. Why do you all look so concerned?”

  “Because, Freya,” says Zander slowly, as if talking to an idiot, “to underestimate an opponent is to court death. Cromwell clearly took these threats seriously, and if he did, then we need to as well. We can’t with any real accuracy determine what sort of weaponry they have, and what we’re dealing with here.” He turns to Lady Orlando, and addresses her alone. “We have our confirmation,” he says. “Director Cromwell was speaking the truth. We need to meet with him immediately and discover what else he might know. We need to form this alliance, Lady Orlando.”

  My grandmother’s eyes stay passive and cool. I glance at Beckett, expecting to see some sort of dissention, but see nothing of the sort. It appears that he’s been won over by the facts.

  Lady Orlando begins to nod.

  “We will speak with Artemis immediately. So far, he has met our terms, returning Leyton to us mostly unscathed and bringing our people from the mines in much the same state. As much as it appals me to say it,” she says, glancing at me, “we need him as much as he needs us.”

  I look at the gathering, and hate the eyes that I see. They’re eyes of agreement, eyes that show me this is really happening. That we’re going to make a pact with the devil, and lose a little of our souls in the process.

  But beyond the eyes of assent I see and hate, I hate one pair the most – my own. I hate them because I know what lies behind. I know that everything being said in this room is right. I know that we have no choice but to set aside our differences and stand against this force as one.

  But there’s one other thing I know.

  I know that I don’t trust my grandfather, and never will. I know that, behind this arrangement, he’ll be forming some other plot. I know that, whatever he says, and whatever face he presents to us, he harbours the desire for revenge just as much as we do, as I do.

  So I need to be smarter. I need to be shrewder. I need to think like the snake and stay one step ahead.

  Because before this war is done, I’m going to look upon that man’s corpse.

  If it’s the last thing I do in this world, I’m going to watch him die.

  The Enhanced will continue in Book Nine…

  Next Up - Defender

  Hey!

  The next book in the series, Book 9, will be titled DEFENDER. At the time of release of this book, there is no pre-order yet in place.

  However, the wait will not be long. Book 9 will drop at the beginning of July - tentatively set for Thurs 6th.

  The pre-order for DEFENDER will be available a couple of weeks before then, sometime in the middle of June. Keep a lookout for that.

  You can continue onto the author notes for some more details on what exactly is coming next, and when.

  OR…

  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!

  Author Notes

  Written 22nd May

  Before I begin my brief ramble, I’d first like to say a warm and hearty thank you, from the bottom of my being, for those of you who have got this far. The fact that you’re reading these words right now suggest you’re still with me, and for that I am eternally grateful that you’re still interested in this story.

  For those of you who have read my previous notes, and who know a little about me, you’ll be aware that I don’t tend to plot my books particularly thoroughly. Sometimes, in fact, I don’t plot them out at all.

  Due to this, I’m never quite sure when any particular book is going to end, which can lead to these cliffhangers that, even if you’re still with me, you may not like. I apologise if that’s the case, and while I do tend to release new parts of the story every few weeks, it can still be aggravating, and I get it.

  Now, a fair warning: it might be slightly worse after this one, if you’re currently reading the story as I write it.

  You see, the next book I release is going to be a spinoff, meaning that Book 9 in this series – DEFENDER – is likely to take a little longer to release. Not much, mind you, but perhaps another couple of weeks. As of right now, I don’t have a firm release date, but I’m assuming it will be during the first week of July. The pre-order for that title will be available a couple of weeks prior, so keep an eye out for that.

  You will, of course, get the spinoff in the meantime, wedged in between and, hopefully, releasing towards the end of June. I’ve spoken about this before, and am excited to bring it to you.

  Now, here’s the official word on the spinoff, just to give you a taste:

  It’s about…Kira.

  OK, a lot of you probably worked that out already, given her mysterious abduction in Book 7, but I’m making it official right now. It will tell her story, picking up from when she was taken, and unravelling the reasons why, while opening up the world in a whole new way.

  And, drum roll…the title is….

  THE WARRIOR RACE.

  Yep, read into that what you will!

  It will also be written in a different narrative style. So far, all my work has been first person, present tense. So, you’ve seen this entire story play out from Brie’s perspective, and hers alone. Now, this can be both restrictive and liberating. Restrictive in so far as it’s a single viewpoint, but liberating in the way you can really get inside a character’s head and display their feelings and emotions. Ideally, this helps the reader connect with said character in a deeper way.

  However, I wish to challenge myself, and free myself up a little with a new narrative style, so will be writing Kira’s story in third person, past tense. This is what I tend to read most, so I thought I’d have a crack at it too. I really hope you join me for the ride, and I’ll really look forward to seeing how you take to it! Exciting times ahead!

  Anyway, back to the main series…

  So, as I said, I don’t plot much, and aside from the cliffhangers, this can also lead to a general sense of not really knowing when the story will wrap up. I’ve been asked this many times before and my answer has mostly been: “If people are still enjoying it, I’ll keep writing it.”

  However, I feel that the main story arc is drawing to a close, and so the main series will probably end with Book 10, tentatively titled: NEMESIS.

  Whether I continue the story from then on remains to be seen, but if I do, it’ll essentially be like starting a new ‘season’. Books 1-10 could be considered season 1. If I continue, we’ll kick off with season 2…

  The Kira spinoff will, of course, continue after Book 1, assuming you like it. And, if there’s a call for it, other characters might well have their day. Personally, I thoroughly enjoy playing around with the outerlands, and love writing about the tribes. Introducing the Roosters and Kervan, and continuing to include Rhoth and West was enjoyable, and there’s plenty more story to mine from that area if I want it.

  Zander might also deserve his own telling, who knows. This might be another series or short stories. Right now, I’m not sure. Then, I might kick off something completely new, either in this world or another brand new one.

  Confession: I love fantasy, and would love to write a fantasy series. My favourite movies of all time are the Lord of the Rings films. My favourite TV show is Game of Thrones. Some of my favourite books are also fantasy titles. So, yeah, I guess
there’s a longing in me to throw my hat into that particular ring.

  In certain ways, my work already includes a lot of fantasy elements, and so it wouldn’t be such a leap to jump onto the fantasy wagon and create a whole new world to play around in. If (and hopefully when!) that happens, I really hope you’ll take a look and come along for the ride with me.

  So, tentatively, the immediate future looks a little like this:

  *brackets refer to possible release dates, although might be subject to minor delays

  End of June (27th): The Warrior Race, Book 1 (Kira spinoff)

  Early/Mid July (6th): The Enhanced, Book 9 – Defender.

  End of July (27th): The Warrior Race, Book 2

  Early/Mid August (10th): The Enhanced, Book 10 – Nemesis

  As I say, that’s the current loose release schedule, though things may shift around a little bit depending on certain things. Beyond those, if things are going well I assume The Warrior Race 3 will follow in late August, and from then on, I’m not entirely sure.

  As always, each new release will be up for pre-order two or so weeks early, so keep a look out for those and I’ll be in touch via email. I’ll also keep you informed in these notes at the end of each book.

  I think, for now, that is a sufficient ramble. Hope you’re as excited about what’s coming up as I am!

  Thanks for reading :)

  With love,

  Toby