Though the throne room is grand — high-ceilinged and ornate — it gives a curious sense of intimacy. A whisper in any corner can be heard throughout with uncanny clarity. Inglorion walks down the aisle, between the rows of empty stone benches. As usual, Philomela sits on a low stone dais. Before her, there is […]
When Inglorion wakes the following morning, it’s already hot and muggy. He cleans up as well as he can, but the washbasin and pitcher are unequal to weeks of accumulated dirt from playing cowboys and Indians in the North Mountains. By alternating charm with pathos, he persuades a parlor maid to send up a hip […]
The penultimate episode of Man Raised by Spiders, the coming-of-age story of Valentine Shelawn. Once the house is ready, Valentine invites Inglorion to stay in the guest suite until the heat is off, not really expecting him to accept. Inglorion cocks his head, considers. “It’s not out of the question. It might be better to […]
Several detachments of gray elvish troops are deployed to the North Mountains, lending intrigue to Inglorion’s return trip. They appear to be engineering units with infantry attached, sent to destroy any underground structures they can find. Inglorion is no great woodsman, but gray elvish soldiers don’t even pretend to understand the environment. They travel only in […]
Another episode of Man Raised by Spiders, the coming-of-age story of Valentine Shelawn. A masked assassin bursts through the doorway. There are three more behind him, all armed with daggers. They must have been counting on some combination of surprise and weight of numbers to overcome their victims. Inglorion disarms his opponent with the first […]
Another episode of Man Raised by Spiders, the coming-of-age story of Valentine Shelawn. A gypsy child walks up to Valentine on the street, tugs on his sleeve. “Sir, a word with you.” “What, child?” “Listen carefully.” He bends down, fixes his gaze on her face. “This evening you will travel one mile down the highway. […]
He enters carrying a tray with a branch of lit candles and a jar of the viscous, violet-scented liquid. He’s quiet, but there’s a sense of barely restrained excitement about him. He feeds her quickly, and leaves her arms and neck strapped to the cot, the feeding tube taped in place. He watches her for […]
