By Ways Unseen
Page 43
“And after?”
Geoffrey drew a deep breath. “I want to stay with Sarah,” he said with a tight smile. She grinned as well. “We’ll both make it to Rinc Na after we see what can be done in Andelen. We’ll find you there.”
“It’s a big country,” Haydren said.
“We’ll find you somehow.”
“I wouldn’t have made it along without you two,” Haydren said with a quick nod.
“None of us would have, without each other,” Sarah replied.
“You sure we’ll be able to now?”
Sarah and Geoffrey chuckled. “You’ll do well,” Geoffrey said.
Haydren shook Geoffrey’s hand, and Sarah gave him a warm hug. “Get to Rinc Na quickly,” Haydren said as he stepped away.
“You too,” Sarah said with twinkling eyes.
So Haydren rode out of Hewolucs alone, and two days later was aboard a ship departing from Westide, bound for the Clanaso Islands. As the great ship left the harbor, the sailors running up and down the rigging and across the deck with shouts and calls to one another, Haydren stood by the railing watching Burieng fall slowly astern. He glanced up, once, and was sure he had never seen a sky so blue.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
FIRST, I WOULD like to thank the guy on Twitter who helped me realize what a jerk move it would be not to thank those who have supported me over the years. Without him these two pages would not have happened.
As with many stories, especially ones that began 17 years ago, there are almost innumerable people without whom this book would not exist. Forgive me if I forget some of you.
First, I want to thank the tremendous folks of Faerie Word Weavers, back when Yahoo Groups was a thing. I don’t remember all of you, but some stand out – Paul, Chris, Heidi, the woman (girl, I think, back then) I only remember as Nim: you were among the first to believe in me and my story, and those early years of support were invaluable. You may never read this book, or recognize it if you do, but I thank you.
To the guys from the Army days, some of your names still stand in the book, and I thank you for your encouragement and permission. Sorry if you don’t like your character. Travis, you’re just a mountain so you shouldn’t really complain.
Dr. Suhail Hanna, who forced my book on unwilling readers and got me some early tough criticism, and taught me who my audience was.
Dr. Mark Haas, who taught me how to write.
Stick Foster, who pushed me way outside my comfort zone by putting my story in front of people I had no business bothering. Without that, I wouldn’t be brazen enough to offer it to the world now.
Of course, my family and friends for their endless support, encouragement, patience, likes, shares, pitches, hounding for the next version, and etc. that people who actually love you do. I wouldn’t trade anything or anyone for your presence through this. I still wish Tyler would stop giving my book away for free, though.
The whole disparate and crazy-awesome team that has helped take this from a bare manuscript to a finished product, and let the world know it existed – my cover designer, and marketing teams: thank you.
A couple people who have no idea who I am – Phil Collins, for inspiring a few of the parts that rhyme a lot; Nobuo Uematsu, Jeremy Soule, and Jason Hayes for providing a soundtrack to my writing on more than one occasion; and all the authors out there that I know I’ll never be as good as, and a couple that I think I’m better than: every time I read your books, you re-ignite my fire for English and I find myself returning to the manuscript. This is your fault.
Thank you. Thank you all. Thank you each of you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DANIEL DYDEK WAS born in Raccoon Township, PA, where he dreamed of living out west. So far, he’s made it to Ohio, where he lives with his wife. He began writing at age 8, and never really stopped. After three years with the US Army, he went to get his Bachelor’s degree in English Writing from Geneva College of Beaver Falls PA, and is currently finishing up a Master’s degree in Natural Resources from Virginia Tech. Besides writing, he also enjoys mountain biking, reading, coffee shops, book stores, and Durango Colorado.
COPYRIGHT
ORIGINAL COPYRIGHT © 2014 by Daniel Dydek
Cover Design © 2018 by Abigail Westbrook, graphics.asourceofjoy.org
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental
Second Printing: 2018
ISBN-13: 978-1718763340