Beneath the gleaming skyscrapers and picturesque facade of
the City of Redemption lies another city; a community of dark and ancient magic
populated by creatures of the night. Dark Redemption is a shared-world
novel based on an online role-playing game by James Crowther.
Strephon MacKenzie, a semi-immortal half-fae, has been commissioned by the Queen of Faerie to investigate fae activity in the city. He has quarreled with Cassandra True, a mortal who is unaware of his true nature and whom he finds himself increasingly drawn toward.
Strephon MacKenzie, a semi-immortal half-fae, has been commissioned by the Queen of Faerie to investigate fae activity in the city. He has quarreled with Cassandra True, a mortal who is unaware of his true nature and whom he finds himself increasingly drawn toward.
Strephon sighed as he lowered himself into the warm, soothing
water of his bathtub. Had he a mortal pair of lungs and upper respiratory
system he would probably had developed pneumonia by now. As it was, his ancient
legs ached and made him doubly grateful for the blessed warmth of the tub.
Some of the steam from the tub wafted away from the tub and began to curl into a recognizable shape. Strephon frowned. "Devon?"
The mist resolved itself into a human shape. "I hope this isn't a bad time," Devon said.
"Do you mind? Can't a man expect a bit of privacy in his own bath?"
Devon rolled his eyes cielingward. Then he made a theatrical show of covering his eyes and turning his back to Strephon. "There. Are you happy now?"
"Hardly. What do you want, Devon?"
"What do I ever want? The Queen is asking for progress. What have you learned? Or have you been able to pry yourself from your busy social life."
"My social life, as you call it, is none of your business. If you must know, Miss True has decided to end our acquaintance, so you shan't have to worry about her distracting me."
"Ah." Devon shifted his feet uncomfortably. "I'm sorry to hear that."
Strephon snorted.
"No, I really am."
Strephon ignored him. "Miss Cooper turned out to be a blind alley. She knows little of the current political situation in the city. She did, however, confirm that the Reavers wolf pack is acquiring fae artifacts from some unknown source."
"Melchior."
"Not Melchior. Lord Melchior has his own dark designs to be sure, but the wolf packs are only incidental to them. I believe someone else is dealing with the Reavers, someone who wishes to upset the balance between the wolf packs."
Some of the steam from the tub wafted away from the tub and began to curl into a recognizable shape. Strephon frowned. "Devon?"
The mist resolved itself into a human shape. "I hope this isn't a bad time," Devon said.
"Do you mind? Can't a man expect a bit of privacy in his own bath?"
Devon rolled his eyes cielingward. Then he made a theatrical show of covering his eyes and turning his back to Strephon. "There. Are you happy now?"
"Hardly. What do you want, Devon?"
"What do I ever want? The Queen is asking for progress. What have you learned? Or have you been able to pry yourself from your busy social life."
"My social life, as you call it, is none of your business. If you must know, Miss True has decided to end our acquaintance, so you shan't have to worry about her distracting me."
"Ah." Devon shifted his feet uncomfortably. "I'm sorry to hear that."
Strephon snorted.
"No, I really am."
Strephon ignored him. "Miss Cooper turned out to be a blind alley. She knows little of the current political situation in the city. She did, however, confirm that the Reavers wolf pack is acquiring fae artifacts from some unknown source."
"Melchior."
"Not Melchior. Lord Melchior has his own dark designs to be sure, but the wolf packs are only incidental to them. I believe someone else is dealing with the Reavers, someone who wishes to upset the balance between the wolf packs."
Devon adjusted his sunglasses and scratched his nose.
"Why would a fae care about the wolf packs?"
"Because some of the pack leaders are on the Council. Change the balance of power among the packs and you affect the Council. Get a foothold in the Council and you can control the city."
"Perhaps," Devon conceded. "But it's still a city of mortals."
"No, it is a city of magic. A city of werewolves and vampires, ghosts and demons; and yes, of humans too. It is a city of dreams and nightmares; and that, my cousin, is a currency the fae appreciate.
"Because some of the pack leaders are on the Council. Change the balance of power among the packs and you affect the Council. Get a foothold in the Council and you can control the city."
"Perhaps," Devon conceded. "But it's still a city of mortals."
"No, it is a city of magic. A city of werewolves and vampires, ghosts and demons; and yes, of humans too. It is a city of dreams and nightmares; and that, my cousin, is a currency the fae appreciate.
NEXT: New Girl on the Features Desk
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