Mike Carss

The fault of trying too hard to "be good". 😅

This was a major concern I had while writing. It's no secret Brohm has anger issues. Having that aimed at their foes is one thing, but toward Nathan? That's edging dangerously close to an abusive relationship. I've no doubt some would say he'd already gone too far. 😞 If it's any consolation, while Brohm's roughed Nathan up, he'd never outright hit him. And while his anger issues still need to be dealt with, from this point on, they're never aimed at Nathan again.

Nathan woke from a gentle nudge, finding Brohm’s face nearly filling his vision. “Wakey, wakey,” he said in a flat tone. Nathan rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “What time is it?” Brohm, already dressed, stood up. “Dunno. Late? Let’s get some breakfast before we figure out what we’re doing.” The memory of last night slapped Nathan across the face, and he groaned, wanting to forget it all. Downstairs, the common room was empty, much to Nathan’s delight. Edgard still h

@CincyKris and @drsawzall Interesting contemplations. I'll assume @drpaladin is referring to the witch, Morgana, as well. Next chapter, we'll see what Nathan and Brohm consider is the best course of action. And yes, Nathan's carelessness regarding his well-being is a big concern. To quote myself from the previous chapter: "His entire life has always revolved around telling lies and hiding the truth." It's comes automatically, much to his detriment. 😟

They do? 🤯

Thanks, everyone! 😄 And a special thanks to @Cia for the interview and the continued spotlight on my novel. 💗 I'm humbled.

It began with a breeze. Gentle, warm, fragrant. A rush of sound hit his ears. Birdsong, the rustle of long grass in the wind, the rise and fall of distant conversation. He couldn’t determine the words, but their tone was jovial, peppered with laughter. Everything was harsh at first, however after drowning in a sea of silence, the contrast of any sound was painful. With effort, Nathan opened his eyes warily, not wanting to overwhelm his senses any further. He was dumbfounded to find h

That means so much to me. I'm happy you enjoyed it. Thank you! 🥰

Ah, such an intriguing idea. 😄 Unfortunately, she's settled in her cozy cottage.

The universe is trying to tell Nathan something. The question remains: will he heed its advice? His entire life has always revolved around telling lies and hiding the truth. He's trying to change, but it's not easy.

Hah! You know, I was positive Shaw explained the reason for the letter's secrecy in this chapter, but no, it's explained in the next chapter. Thinking back, my reasoning to withhold details was to keep the tension high in Shaw's office scene. At that moment, Shaw explaining their reasons for secrecy wasn't important. Their concern was only to protect Nathan from himself and others. And like Nathan, the reader is left confused. That's by design.

The next morning, while still in bed, Nathan and Brohm discussed the situation with Cormac. To Nathan’s surprise, Brohm was receptive to a meeting. The big man was willing to give Cormac a chance—to seriously consider what the monk could offer them—but couldn’t provide any guarantee he’d follow through with suggestions to change. They appropriated Iain’s office to speak with Cormac privately. After what Leah heard the night before, Nathan didn’t want a repeat of the wrong words heard by the

Haha! Well, it is a reception/waiting room. Maybe "clerk" might've been a less anachronistic word choice. 😅 Thank you. 💗 You'll have to keep reading to understand the beggar's part in the story.

I'll begin by saying: I completely agree with your assessment. However, I feel it's a different kind of "stupid decision" compared to his previous mistakes. Humans are stupid creatures often controlled by fear. I've no doubt you've heard stories of people who don't seek treatment for some random ailment, hoping it'll "go away" on its own. Some of the common reasons? Fear of the truth. Fear of what treatment might entail. Or even fear of being seen as a baby because "the problem" isn't a problem at all. "It's just a bit of pain. Suck it up!" In Nathan's case, worrying Brohm is the deciding factor. And yup, I agree, that's a terrible reason not to seek help. Like fear, love can make people do stupid things, too. This flaw -- his want to shield Brohm from worry and concern -- is a theme that's explored throughout the story, and these decisions do weight heavy on his mind later on. So while he's made a stupid decision now, at least he'll be cognizant of it in the future.

Maybe a bit? We live in a world of intolerance. I wanted to show that in Nathan and Brohm's world, (nearly) no one gives a shit. Hey, it's a fantasy story, after all, right? 😉 In the last scene of chapter two, Laird's discovery that they're a couple isn't disgust. He was just thrown off-guard (and a little embarrassed) by Nathan's blunt statement. 😅

After months of planning, hard work, and travel, Nathan and Brohm now felt antsy having nothing to do. They spent many of those empty days talking about the incident with Tarn, finally allowing Nathan to accept it and move on. He hoped Tarn would be the last person—at least the last innocent person—he’d need to murder. The spare time allowed them to move their belongings from the apartment into the guildhouse, finally calling it home. Brohm spent a great deal of time outside, chopping down

It comes soon. 😉

Given they've been on the run for so many days, I think the prospect of dealing with natural challenges is a welcome alternative.

Nah. Nathan's just being overly dramatic. 😅 I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Thanks. 🧡

There's no question the big guy's patience is near legendary. 😁 But he cares deeply for Nathan, and will try his hardest to steer him in the right direction as best he can. At times, though, it does feel like the blind leading the blind.

Ouch! Harsh! 😅 Yup, but in Nathan's state, he didn't put two and two together. This will no doubt cause some confusion in the future. An interesting hypothesis, but the reason for being an ex-monk will be revealed later.

I think he felt he needed more definitive proof before alerting the authorities, and hoped by pushing the matter, he could get a confession from Nathan. His mistake of allowing Nathan and Brohm to escape in the first book discredited his reputation. He didn't want to appear a fool again.

Late-morning sun shone into the spartan room, hitting Nathan’s pale face. He licked his dry lips and covered his eyes with an arm, groaning. Whenever he drank to excess, he never knew when to stop. Now, he was paying for it. Nathan glanced over to find Brohm already up, eating breakfast on the bed. As usual, he was never affected by too much drink. “Morning. I brought you some bacon, eggs, and toast. Eat up.” Nathan groaned again. “Not hungry.” “We’re riding out. You gotta eat som

Technology. Ain't it grand? 😬 Was it the site itself or are you on your phone?

😏