Dead Heroes

by Thomas Howard Riley

The Sephors are real, and the myths Aaron had heard about their powers did not even scratch the surface of what they can do. Now that the first of them have been found, it won’t be long before others come looking for them. Aaron lost everything he cared about to find the first of them, and he may lose his life trying to hold on to them. He spent his life hunting users, people with incredible powers. Now he has a power all his own, one that no one else has. He can see what no one else can see. He can only keep from looking for so long. Will he be able to embrace it? Or will it drive him mad? Will there be anything left of him when the journey ends?

Corrin now knows that there is more to the boy, Hallan, than he once thought. No one knows what the Children are, or how they came to be, but their power cannot be denied. Forces are moving all across the world, looking for Hallan and others like him. Corrin swore to protect the boy, but even now he cannot possibly know how far they would be willing to go to find him.

Liriella had only ever known how to be a victim before Aaron came to Laman. Now she is a student at a prestigious school, being groomed by Solathas, the kindest, wisest, and most powerful man she has ever known. Under the watchful eyes of Solathas, Laman had been kept safe and free for longer than Liriella had been alive. But a new danger has come to Laman, a danger no one could ever have predicted, and a surprising challenge awaits her, if only she has the courage to meet it.

Sayani has lived her whole life in hiding. From the time she was born she was hunted for what she was. Users like her are abominations, ruthlessly pursued, slaughtered without remorse. Families are torn apart. Lives destroyed. Now she helps to hide others who are like her, guiding them and protecting them from the horrors of the world outside. She always tells herself that she would do anything to keep her students safe. She has no idea how far she will have to go to keep that promise.

The castle at Oldmeadow has stood for more than five hundred years, and the House of Ermagan has always held it, protecting these lands in the name of the High King of Olbaran. Even in the despair of defeat in a costly conflict, the family survived and thrived, but with old tensions and bitter rivalries still simmering since the end of the last terrible war, will they still be able to hold on? Sera is the youngest daughter of Lord Ermagan. She loves her home, but yearns for adventure. She is nothing at all like Benden Caid, her father’s oldest friend, a once great knight who is now more often drunk than he is awake. They may not realize it, but they are at the center of the danger swirling around Oldmeadow. Will either of them be able to survive what is coming?

Unknown Binding

Published January 1, 2017

About the author

Thomas Howard Riley currently resides in the wasteland metropolis, where he reads ancient books, plays ancient games, watches ancient movies, jams on ancient guitars, and writes furiously day and night. He sometimes appears on clear nights when the moon is gibbous, and he has often been seen in the presence of cats.

He always wanted to make up his own worlds, tell his own stories, write his own history, create his own people, honor the truths of life, and explore both the light and the darkness of human nature. With a few swords thrown in for good measure.

And some magick. Awesome magick.

He can be found digitally at THOMASHOWARDRILEY.COM
On Twitter he is @ornithopteryx, where he is sometimes funny, always clever, and never mean.