Black Crow's Blessing

The Alexander Legacy #2.5

by Sophronia Belle Lyon

Pecos Bill and Sluefoot Sue watch their youngest daughter's honeymoon train leave the station and realize they have never had a honeymoon themselves. They are a little surprised to encounter Edward S. O’Reilly selling his books, and to hear how writers can sometimes come up with odd interpretation of people's lives and adventures. A chance encounter with a horse thief at a hot spring in the Northern California mountains changes their lives forever. Desperation takes them to the village of the People of the Crack, where Sue discovers the people's startling forgotten lore and helps them reclaim their ancient gear and steam technology. A shaman claims only he knows the true identity of the Father of the People and can decide the fate of these strangers. Sue tries to mine the secrets that might set the People of the Crack free from an ancient evil while protecting the innocent child who seems to hold a key to making the People of the Crack remember who they are. But will they claim their true father or once more fall into the shaman's secret power?

70 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 4, 2014

About the author

Sophronia Belle Lyon grew up in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York, reading HG Welles, Jules Verne and other classics. She dressed up and acted out scenes with friends much like Louisa May Alcott's beloved "Little Women," and got to be a cauldron spirit in Macbeth in fourth grade. She traveled to Italy by way of Iceland and Luxembourg. She's taken apart her share of clocks to study the gearworks and feels well-prepared to enter the Steampunk genre. Hundreds of cat friends informed her about Bagheera's attitudes and manners. Oliver Twist's oblivious, eccentric habits came from the Science-absorbed men in her life, and her love for weapons translated into the well-armed members of the Alexander Legacy Company. She travels widely, shoots when she can, collects swords and knives, but is so far too shy to be photographed.

Reviews

[Cynthia Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of this series, and I think this little short might be my favorite I've read yet. I love Sue's point of view, but most of all, I liked the story in this one. I was surprised by the Run's Far story-line, so I didn't find it predictable. If you like this series, don't miss this one!