Belton awoke suddenly and without movement. It had taken him years to learn the trick of that, He could hear the light breeze through the eaves of the inn, smell the salty brine smell of the bay that permeated everything in the town. It would be nearing dawn. The bed was cold all around him. He slowly opened his eyes to an empty pillow. Preia had ( Read more... )

"Sounds like quite the ambitious score." Preia stated leaning back lazily in the gaudy scarlet armchair. "You know, if you were as competent as you were ambitious, I'd be pretty damned impressed. As it stands..." She trailed off into her tumbler, her eyes mocking Jahn overtop the rim ( Read more... )

Belton Jhan picked his way through the pierced and tattooed beggars in the alley and knocked upon an unmarked reinforced door. After a moment, a peep hole slid open and then shut again and he heard the turn of a tumbler. The door swung open and he was greeted by Karre's wide smile and beckoning wave. “Thanks Karre, how's business tonight?” The ( Read more... )

Toshi smiled his eyes on the distant peaks. They were already dusted with snow, and that icy blanket would soon descend to his valley and close off the passes leaving him trapped. Trapped with close to two hundred mouths to feed, and no real prospect of feeding them until spring. He had been steadily laying in all the dried meats and rice and beans ( Read more... )