A sneak peek at book 3 in the Gates of Thread and Stone series. As such, there will be spoilers. Also, this is an early draft and subject to change.
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The Infinite lived in a world of shadows and monsters. Angry storm clouds thrashed against a colorless sky, although there was no sign of rain.
"Now I get why so many Infinite prefer the human world." I paused to find my footing on the uneven ground. Deep fissures fractured the barren landscape, leaving the earth sunken in places and raised in others. The air left a bitter taste in my mouth that made my tongue want to recoil into my throat.
Kronos, my father and the Keeper of Time, brushed past me. His feet moved with purpose, as if he'd passed through here before and knew just where to step. Likely because he had.
"This is merely the Between," he said. "Every Infinite rules over his or her own domain. This is the place between realms, where the edges blur."
I looked over my shoulder at the mouth of the tunnel from which we'd just surfaced to where I stood now in the chaotic Between. Shadows, constantly shifting, skittered over the broken landscape. To my left, the horizon wavered, like a curtain disturbed by a draft. For a moment, I saw what lay beyond it—white trees thick with silvery leaves and vibrant fruit that dripped red onto the pale branches. The hazy borders to another curious world.
I trailed Kronos, taking care to follow his steps. An hour ago, I'd been in the records hall, looking over the archived maps. Kahl Miraya wanted me to help create an updated map of the lands north of the Outlands, particularly Lanathrill, our neighboring country and newfound enemy. It had been idle work. Sentinels, including my brother Reev, had already been sent to scout the land and learn the terrain.
The threads had shivered, reacting as they always did to Kronos's arrival. It had been a week since he first offered me a glimpse at what my future as a full Infinite could hold, and now the time had come—the Gathering was at hand.
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Gates of Thread and Stone: EXTRAS
Teen FictionI'll be posting extras, behind-the-scenes notes, and whatever other tidbits I think might be interesting about my YA fantasy GATES OF THREAD AND STONE (which is available now!).
