I just grabbed an opening from one of the books.  Things have been chaotic and I keep having trouble choosing excerpts.  Doesn’t help that I’m diving into the next book of the series today and am still wondering how things will go with the December releases.  So much to do and it feels like there’s no time.  Today we have the opening of Curse of the Dark Wind.

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen

The screams of demons are grating to Baron Kernaghan’s ears as he stands on the cliff overlooking the rocky landscape. After all of these centuries, he has yet to get used to the sounds of the creatures that are at his command. He takes a deep breath of the stagnant air and closes his sapphire eyes, reveling in a cool breeze that wafts through the Chaos Void. His senses drift through the murky land, touching on the distant storms that can unleash anything from acidic rain to explosive lightning. An amusing roar causes him to break his trance and focus his attention on a distant Spurge. The stone-winged demon is flailing its four arms at a serpentine Eblem, whose talons scrape at the black stone ground. The Baron scoffs at the public quarrel, the two monsters debating on whose turn it is to watch the squirming brood that screeches inside a nearby cave. For evil creatures, demons always struck him as ridiculously domesticated ever since their adoption of the mortal traditions of marriage and raising children. The only benefit to this strange change in their society has been that he can use the spawn and spouses to manipulate the stronger creatures without resorting to magic. He smirks at the thought of using the Spurge, but decides against it when he watches the demons hug in apology.

Stroking his neatly trimmed beard, Baron Kernaghan walks to the edge of the cliff and peers down at the teeming swarm of minor demons gathered at the base. Scrabbling over each other in the smoky gloom, they sense his presence and hope that he has come to throw them a meal. An ambitious demon squirms up the stone, flakes and pebbles falling into the ravenous chaos below. The limbless creature snarls and bares its circular mouth of rotating teeth as it reaches the top of the cliff. It rears back and hisses at the Baron, who bends down to calmly extend his gloved hand to the beast. It curls around his arm, propping its head on his shoulder and gurgling when he rubs its slimy scalp. The demon hungrily eyes several morose figures dressed in rags, their forms cloaked in shadows that are temporarily driven away by blasts of silver fire streaking across the barren sky. All of the prisoners are weeping, which brings a harsh sneer to the nobleman’s face.

The ancient warlord silently points at a shivering woman and snaps his fingers, the sound echoing throughout the Chaos Void. The worm-like demon on his arm hisses and spits, causing the prisoner to shy away. Her legs give out and she falls to her knees, sharp stones cutting into her skin. With an exasperated sigh, the Baron uncurls the demon from his body and flicks it at the woman. She screams as the monster burrows into her chest, the small teeth having trouble with her breastbone. Emotionally numb and resigned to their doom, the other prisoners watch the demon devour her heart and burst from her back. The creature wraps around the corpse’s neck and slowly drags it to the edge of the cliff where it plummets into the swarm to share its meal.

“I suggest the rest of you follow my request without hesitation,” the Baron politely says, waving his hand over his slime-covered arm. The yellow ooze drifts off his ivory sleeve and dissipates into the air, leaving only a fine mist. “The demons will devour you quickly, so your suffering will be brief. If you are lucky, I may bless you with a numbing spell. After all, it is not entirely your fault that your ship stumbled into my realm.”

A curious spark in his eyes, the warlord examines the trembling group before him. His attention falls on a little girl and a look of distaste washes over his face. She is the only child within the group, but none of the adults are trying to protect her from what is about to happen. In fact, several of the men and women have opted to stand behind the girl in an unsubtle attempt to use her as a human shield. Approaching the dirty child, he waves his hand to the others and they mindlessly sprint for the cliff. The girl attempts to follow, but her arm is tenderly held by the Baron, who watches the crying prisoners leap into the swarm. Their dying screams echo throughout the area as a portal opens behind the nobleman and a short figure steps through.