A Thread in the Tangle (78 page)

“We’re going to walk through a Gateway based on a nymph’s whim?” Lucas asked as the party gathered around the shimmering portal.

“I won’t laugh if you piss your pants,” Oenghus chuckled.

“It’s remarkable where a single step can take you,” Marsais whispered, staring at the Gateway with wide, wondrous eyes.

“Oh, shut up, you dandy bastard,” Oenghus growled.
 
With a forceful, unexpected hand, he shoved the Seer through the portal.
 
Marsais vanished as silently as a wraith.

“Is he still alive, Sprite?”

The nymph gawked at Oenghus.

“I’m guessing that’s a yes,” the barbarian grunted.
 
He tossed his daughter over a broad shoulder and hefted his war hammer.
 
“Into the bloody unknown, and all that.”

Oenghus Saevaldr stepped through, leaving the paladins and an Imp to follow or not.
 
And as it turned out, they did follow, a moment before the door burst open, spewing out a flood of treacherous Wise Ones and soldiers who rushed into an empty cavern with no exit, save forty-nine Gateways leading to realms unknown.

Coming Soon

King’s Folly

Legends of Fyrsta: Volume Two

If you enjoyed A Thread in the Tangle and are eager to read the next installment, feel free to follow and befriend me on Facebook for updates on the release date:

www.facebook.com/SH.Flynn

Acknowledgments

W
RITING
IS
A
solitary venture, one I do for my own enjoyment, but producing a novel is a group effort.
 
Without the help and encouragement of my friends, I would have never published A Thread in the Tangle.

To all my friends (and enemies) at Dragonrealms, the nerdy text RPG where I dumped Marsais and let him live and breathe for a number of years.
 
Thanks for loving and hating him (and me).

To Justin, who believed in me and made me believe in myself.
 
I wish you could have read the final version.

And to Paula, the amazing owl catcher by day and wolfman by night, thanks for your years of support, friendship, and encouragement.
 
Not only have you stuck with me through the entire publishing process, but you also slogged through the first draft—no easy feat.

For a number of years, I lost interest in reading, due to life and a string of predictable books about people I didn’t care for, and then I came across Laurie R. King’s
The Beekeeper’s Apprentice
, a book that rekindled my love of reading, gave me someone to cheer for, and led me to a group of wonderful people.
 
A huge thanks to all my friends at Letters_of_Mary Yahoo group.
 
You guys made me think that there might be something to my writing after all.
 
And helped a fledgling writer grow.

To Sonja Lodder, who wanted to read something of my own.
 
Without her tremendous amount of editing help, this book would have never made it off my computer.
 
Where ever you are…thank you.

To Merrily Taylor, who has spent an unbelievable amount of her time editing and working with me on my various writing projects.
 
She taught me the importance of grammar and how to string a proper sentence together, or attempted to, and still is at any rate.
 
Your patience is amazing.

To Alice Wright, who taught me to slow down, accept criticism, and only accept my very best.
 
I hope I’ve done you proud with this book.

To Annelie Wendeberg, author of
The Devil’s Grin
, who I firmly believe can accomplish anything she puts her mind to.
 
You are a whirlwind of creativity and I could not have done this without your encouragement and enthusiasm.
 
Thanks for kicking me in the arse—repeatedly, and shoving me towards Indie-publishing.

To my husband, my knight in shining armor and everything wonderful.
 
And to my children: I owe you a story.

And finally, thank you to all my readers.
 
I hope that I managed to spin a tolerable tale, and hope you will join me for many more.

About the Author

S
ABRINA
LIVES
IN
perpetual fog and sunshine with a rock troll and two crazy imps.
 
She spent her youth trailing after insanity, jumping off bridges, climbing towers, and riding down waterfalls in barrels.
 
After spending fifteen years wrestling giant hounds and battling pint-sized tigers, she now travels everywhere via watery portals leading to anywhere.