The Haunting of Guaritori Diolco, Part 1
Prologue
This and the posts that follow will be a serialization of Book 2 in the World Unbalanced series. It’s designed to be readable as a standalone, but if you want to read the first book, it’s available for free to all paid subscribers. Just subscribe or upgrade and then visit this page to choose your format. (Paid subscribers are entitled to a free ebook copy of my most recent new release and all subsequent new releases, including the book being serialized here.) If you’d rather just buy the first book, you can find a buy link at the bottom of the post.
Two figures cloaked in black stood near each other, darkness concealing them even better than their cloaks. Someone standing right next to them would not have known they were there.
Swirling rainbows of color surrounded the darkness but didn’t penetrate it. What they did was create a distraction for seers. No one would see any part of this meeting in a vision.
They spoke in whispers quiet as still air. No one would hear them, either—not that anyone could have gotten to their location without an epic struggle.
“You have progress to report on the Guaritori Diolco matter?” asked the first.
“As we suspected, he is unique,” said the second. “Aside from the magic with which Hermes infused him, Diolco has within him the Philosopher’s Stone itself.”
“Are you sure?” asked the first. “That is about as likely as having the Holy Grail in his backpack.”
“There can be no doubt. We do not yet know how, but he has literally absorbed it.”
“We must have it!” The first had a unique ability to make even his barely audible words sound insistent.
“And so we shall,” replied the second. “Even if we have to rip it out of him.”
“The trap is set, then?”
“He has been lured with a few of his companions to an area we have convinced them is safe, even though it isn’t. Separated from the bulk of his group, he is vulnerable.”
“Even with all the magic he possesses?”
“Perhaps because of it. Though the Philosopher’s Stone can quickly recharge him, both physically and magically, the magic of Hermes is grafted to his own, much weaker magic. As a result, doing heavy feats of magic is painful for him. If he exerts too much in too short a period, he could incapacitate himself.”
“And his companions?” asked the first.
The second shrugged. “Only three. That’s how well our deception worked.”
“Other forces in the area?”
“Several, but ones hostile to Diolco are much stronger than ones friendly to him. The hostiles will wear his group down and make it even easier prey for us.”
“I will order our troops to execute the capture plans,” said the first.
Despite the darkness that rendered both of them invisible, the second felt as if the first was smiling.
Note: The one drawback to serializing my WIP in this way is that I’ll have to take it down once the book version is published. As mentioned above, you can get a free ebook copy as a paid subscriber.
Meanwhile, for those of you who want to buy the first book, you can get it for $2.99. Click the button below the book cover to preview the book. You can also find a buy link that will work for US readers. International readers can use the books2read link to be directed to the correct regional store.
I read The Strange Case of Guaritori Diolco earlier this year, and I'm excited to start this next book here on Substack. Looks like I have a few chapters to catch up on!
I'm trying serializing, too. It's an interesting exercise for me. Looking forward to your Part 2. If you have time, drop by and tell me what you think of my Curse of Havenwood House.https://cleemckenziebooks.substack.com/p/the-curse-of-havenwood-house-first