The moment I finished Runed Talismans, my attention whipped to the second story for my patrons, a historical fiction. Once again, when this genre comes up, I’m usually spinning a fresh tale for Samuel and his dragon. Given the recent series I’ve been crafting, I’m pleased to introduce the next installment in the series detailing their search for Tobias. Having secured enough intel from Maddock, they head toward the Black Rock Expanse, hoping to finally catch up with him.
That place isn’t the sort of place you simply stumble across. It’s a scarred wasteland, baked by a relentless heat. It’s the kind of land that seems to whisper warnings through its jagged stones. Few people ever go there willingly. And even fewer leave the disfigured landscape unchanged. And yet, it’s their recent destination in their manhunt for Tobias and the dark intentions he’s chasing.
From the moment Pearl’s wings cut across the sky, it’s clear the Expanse won’t make their task easy. The very ground feels hostile, brittle underfoot and shimmering in the haze of a furnace-like sun. But this is no idle journey; the air hums with tension, the kind born when the hunters know they might soon become the hunted. What follows isn’t a quiet exploration, it’s a clash of survival and intent. Every step through the ash feels like an invitation of danger.
Find a comfortable chair and join me as Samuel and Anna reach the next leg of their hunt.
When Samuel and Anna reach the Black Rock Expanse, they continue their search for Tobias…
As Pearl and Bruce soared over the Black Rock Expanse, the landscape stretched below like a jagged scar across the earth. Samuel patted Pearl’s neck and signaled Anna, jabbing two fingers toward the scarred feature below. A moment later, Anna pushed her dragon toward the marred surface. With a lopsided grin, Samuel guided Pearl to follow.
Despite the jagged stones jutting from the ash-choked soil and the heat pressing down like a smothering furnace, the dragons found a safe place to land. Once the riders slid off the dragons’ backs, the beasts leapt back into the sky and circled overhead.
Samuel laid his weapon over his shoulder as he surveyed the sprawling land. He rubbed his chest before tugging at his collar. “Even knowing what to expect, it’s hotter than I imagined.”
“Hot? It’s practically smoldering.” Anna stepped beside Samuel, her boots crunching on the brittle ground. With a grin, she tapped his ammo belt. “What ammunition did Randall inscribe for you that would help us with a potential ambush?”
“I’m glad you recognize that too.” The horseshoe-shaped ridge ahead radiated with enough heat to shimmer in the smoldering light. With a wry chuckle, Samuel withdrew three rounds from his belt and swapped them with the first three rounds from his Winchester. He tapped his pistol and winked as he turned to face the ridge. “Tobias didn’t choose this place for the potential privacy…
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