Hey World of Aden fans… sorry for the delay but I had to wrap things up!
I am absolutely thrilled to share that the first draft of Book Seven is 100% written and officially complete!
This is my best work yet. I would describe Book Seven as the revelation and payoff book of the series. The scale, lore reveals, twists, historical revelations, side-plot investigation, and the payoff of long-running story threads all come together to give this book the feeling of a true convergence novel.
Book Seven is going to be extremely hard to top, with only two books left to wrap up this epic series!
And there’s even more good news. Book Eight is already well underway, with the prologue and five chapters written. Having the full series outline in place has really streamlined the writing process. I have some great new ideas combined with older ones that have been sitting on the drawing board for more than two years, just waiting for Book Eight to begin. Hopefully, they will make this installment just as exciting as Book Seven, if not even more so.
Once the entire series is 100% written, the editing process will begin with Book One, The Curse of the Catalyst, as I prepare it for release.
Writing this installment has been an incredible journey, and I cannot wait to share this epic grimdark series with you. We are now one huge step closer to publication day!
And because you’ve all been so patient, I want to let you in on another little secret.
I also have two novellas and several snippets set in the World of Aden that are completely separate from the main series. Those will actually be released first!
So, for your reading pleasure, I’m going to give you one of these snippets free right here and now.
I hope you enjoy it… please leave a comment and tell me what you think!
A TAVERN TALE – By Justin Arrow
Tennest spotted Captain Aillum shouldering his way into the lamplit pub and lifted a hand in greeting. Months had passed since the two sea captains had last shared a drink.
The older of the two captains cut through the small crowd with what looked like a storm brewing across his face as he strode across the floorboards.
Tennest signaled the barkeep with two raised fingers. Fresh glasses were already being poured by the time Aillum reached him.
The younger captain rose slightly from his stool with a grin. “Captain Aillum… it is so good to see you again. Sit, man, share a drink with me. I trust the year’s treated you well enough.”
Aillum clasped his hand, then dropped heavily onto the stool beside him. “The year, aye. The day, no. A quarter of my fruit shipment from the Isles rotted in the hold. I’ll be lucky to break even, assuming my buyer doesn’t try to shave the price. And of course, it’s Olverten.”
Tennest barked a laugh, though there was no mirth in it. “That miserly eel. No wonder you look ready to throttle someone. Drink’s on me, old friend. Let’s speak of lighter things.”
The brandy arrived with an amber color and carrying an expensive fragrance. They touched glasses, making a sharp ting that merged with the low murmurs of the tavern.
Aillum exhaled after his first swallow. “Bless you for this, Tennest. I needed it. My back’s screaming at me, and to top it off, I was accosted outside by that one-eyed cripple. Damned nuisance. I come to the Upper City taverns to avoid the likes of him. Why isn’t he down in the Lower City where the beggars belong?”
“Ah,” Tennest breathed while swirling his drink. “So you met Malcolm. You truly don’t know his story?”
“I assumed he was some soldier who crossed blades with the Awsool warlords in whatever bloody feud they’re fighting now. I’ve no patience for tragic tales. One of my own hands lost his leg to a shark after going overboard. You don’t see him begging in the streets. He strapped on a peg and went back to work, grateful to be breathing.”
Tennest took a slow sip. “If you don’t know Malcolm’s tale, Aillum, you might want to hear it before you judge the man. He’d have counted himself lucky if a shark had taken that missing arm of his.”
Aillum snorted. “What then? Did he bed the wrong man’s wife?”
“If only,” Tennest murmured, his tone shifting to something weightier. “Malcolm was a treasure hunter, a famous one… one who had cheated death both in the Cynder Waste and again in Nembliss… But then he tried to cheat fate itself.”
Aillum leaned in. “Nembliss? You don’t say… Go on.”
Tennest lowered his voice and leaned in. “He went to see… her.”
Aillum blinked. “You said it wasn’t over a woman... Wait… You don’t mean… Are you saying what I think you are? He did not seek out the Elder Witch? The one down in the Isles?”
“Aye, the devil’s oracle. He went to her cave and tried to bargain with the devils of the Abyss that the old bitch serves, he did.”
“By the dragons’ balls,” Aillum breathed. “Was he mad? Everyone knows the devils never deal in fair trade.”
“Just so. And that’s why he’s no common beggar.”
“So the arm and the eye… that was the price?” Aillum asked, taking another drink.
Tennest nodded. “And in return he asked for gold, more than any man had ever laid eyes on, as the story goes. And the devils granted it, in their way. They burned the location of the treasure into his mind and took their bloody payment in flesh.”
“And?”
“And Malcolm, left Abagaillicah’s cave and the Abyss behind, left her cave with one less arm and one less eye and spent the rest of his fortune to set out and claim what he’d bargained for.”
“Then why beg… Are you saying he did not find it?”
“Oh, he found it,” Tennest said. “Exactly where they said it would be, another cave, far up among the Isles of the Shattered Sea near Nembliss.”
Aillum’s eyes narrowed. “How much chip was in there? Or was the gold fashioned in jewelry? Crowns perhaps?”
Tennest set down his glass. “None of those, Captain. What he found was a hive.”
“A what? A bloody hive?” Aillum blurted, looking confused.
“The largest bee hive in the world, by his telling. And it was full of honey… golden as the sunrise. Just as the Devils promised him… More gold than any man had ever laid eyes on.”
Aillum stare in complete astonishment. “By the King’s ass… those trixsome bastards” He finally breathed.
He drank down the rest of his brandy. He would not let his prejudices cloud his judgment of this particular beggar ever again, in fact, he thought, I’ll be sure to spare a chip for the poor soul on my way out.
###THE END###