Hexmas: A Hexslinger Short Story

by Gemma Files

1875: Seven years after helping hexslinger Chess Pargeter save the world, spiritualist Yancey Colder Kloves and former Pinkerton agent Ed Morrow are finally expecting a baby. But a powerful and deranged new neighbour threatens both the security of their farm, and Yancey's life—Norse hex "Mrs. Daughter," who believes Yancey's unhexacious ability to speak with the dead makes her an enemy who must be done away with. As the New Year approaches, Chess himself arrives for an unexpected visit, only to be drawn headfirst into the conflict just as Yancey goes into labour.

A new story set in the Hexslinger Series universe, set after the events of the final book in Gemma Files's brutal, no-holds-barred Weird West trilogy.

ChiZine Publications (CZP) curates the best of the bizarre, bringing you the most excitingly weird, subtle, dark, and disturbing literary fiction. Look for more titles in the ChiZine short stories collection to build your digital library.

25 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 4, 2014

About the author

Previously best-known as a film critic for Toronto's eye Weekly, teacher and screenwriter, Gemma Files first broke onto the international horror scene when her story "The Emperor's Old Bones" won the 1999 International Horror Guild award for Best Short Fiction. She is the author of two collections of short work (Kissing Carrion and The Worm in Every Heart) and two chapbooks of poetry (Bent Under Night and Dust Radio). Her Hexslinger Series trilogy is now complete: A Book of Tongues, A Rope of Thorns and A Tree of Bones, all available from ChiZine Publications.