Like Punxsutawny Phil, the writer slowly sticks her head out of her burrow and looks around. Unlike the thrice-damned ground hog who foretold of more winter to come before hiding back inside his hole, I welcome the sun. The last two months have been interesting, in the not-so-fun sort of way. But I have seen the light at the end of a tunnel — note, I don’t say “the tunnel” because I learned long ago that life consists of a lot of tunnels and then clear areas. And that means I have pulled the lever and have a new title up for pre-order on Amazon.
Plots form, betrayals are planned and war nears.
Cait Hawkener has come to accept she might never remember her life before that terrible morning almost two years ago when she woke in the slavers’ camp. That life is now behind her, thanks to Fallon Mevarel and the Order of Arelion. Now a member of the Order, Cait has pledged her life to making sure no one else falls victim as she did.
But danger once more grows, not only for Cait but to those she calls friends. Evil no longer hides in the shadows and conspirators grow bold as they move against the Order and those who look to it for protection. When Cait accepts the call to go to the aid of one of the Order’s allies, she does not know she is walking into the middle of conspiracy and betrayal, the roots of which might help answer some of the questions about her own past.
Not only is Dagger available for pre-order but I got hit with the opening of Nocturnal Rebellion yesterday as well. When I say “hit”, I mean in the sledgehammer sort of way. My muse has once again proved she is not only evil but that she revels in it. This is very rough it was one of those moments where I had to drop everything to get the general idea down.
***
The bullpen fell silent as the chief of detectives moved to the front of the room. The look on his face mirrored how they each felt. Disbelief, sorrow and anger but mostly anger. Every cop, not to mention every cop’s family, faced this possibility each time they stepped out the door. But that didn’t make it any easier, especially not when it hit this close to home.
“This squad has faced a number of challenges the last two years.” He paused and reached up to rub his eyes with thumb and forefinger. Then he cleared his throat and continued. “Each time, you have risen to the challenge and done what was necessary to carry out your duties as detectives for DPD. I know I’m asking a lot now, but I need you to do so once again.
“The next few days are going to be difficult for the entire force, but especially for you. You lost one of your own the other day. Tomorrow, we will lay your fellow detective to rest. I expect each of you to be there in dress uniform. Show the city that we bleed blue. Then show them that DPD does its job, no matter what. Find the bastards responsible for the ambush and bring them in to face justice.
“It would be easy to seek vengeance. I understand that feeling because I share it. No one, no matter who they are, is allowed to kill one of our own. But we will not lower ourselves or the rest of the force down to those bastards level. Find them and bring them in. We will let the courts deal with them and we will be in the viewing chamber on the day they are brought in for their execution.” He glanced around as detectives, uniformed officers and clerical workers nodded grimly. “Do your lieutenant proud and find those bastards before they manage to kill anyone else.”
As one, everyone present turned to look at the darkened office with its closed door and silence once more fell over the squad room.
