With the completion of Curious Wilds and Fraught Wait, I turned my attention to the final piece of the month for my patrons, a spy story. While espionage isn’t a genre I typically explore, I’ve found myself thoroughly enjoying both this entry and the previous one. The biggest realization that made this genre exciting for me was its simplicity. When I first think of spy stories, my mind immediately jumps to 007. But while you can craft a spy tale with a suave agent like James Bond, you can also take a different approach, one that leans into atmosphere, tension, and the power of subtlety.
For both this installment and the last, I revisited a character I developed in Fortunes and Mounting Tensions, Darvin, the Living Mountain. If you haven’t read those stories, I’ll leave the details of his character for you to discover, but suffice it to say, he isn’t cut from the same mold as Bond. Despite his physical prowess, power isn’t always held by those who are the strongest or the loudest. Sometimes, true strength lies in the shadows, where quiet resolve and careful defiance can shift the balance of power.
So settle in as we step into a world of quiet maneuvering, political tension, and the weight of hidden agendas.
Having received Liam’s summons, Darvin must accept the meeting and determine what the political leader knows…
Rylan grabbed Darvin’s arm and yanked him into the shadows of a small alcove. “Did Liam call you in?”
The living mountain nodded, his expression as unreadable as ever. He rubbed his chin while his eyes flicked toward the corridor beyond Rylan’s shoulder, scanning for potential eavesdroppers. After a few moments, he bit down on his lip and sighed. “Based on the message he sent, our old captain has been seeking a conversation with me for several days.”
Rylan cursed under his breath, shifting his weight anxiously. “Any idea what he’s hoping to discuss?”
“No.”
“We’re so close to the end for him to mess everything up,” Rylan said, his hands flexing with tension as he glanced down the hall. “A single supposition could ruin everything.”
“Liam’s too sharp to fully elude,” Darvin said, his voice low and steady. “However, he won’t find any cracks in our plans. After all, we’ve already had two successful launches. It won’t be long before the final one is gone.”
Rylan exhaled sharply, then ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t like this. He doesn’t summon people without a reason. He doesn’t suspect our flights or the procurements of the planetary defenses, does he?”
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