Seasons of Sorcery

Elemental Assassin Short Stories

E-Novella #17.5

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Type: E-Book, E-Novella, Print Book

Release Date: Nov. 13, 2018

Seasons of Sorcery fantasy anthology — Nov. 13, 2018

Winter’s Web, an Elemental Assassin novella, will appear in the Seasons of Sorcery fantasy anthology. The anthology also features novellas by Amanda Bouchet, Grace Draven, and Jeffe Kennedy.

SEASONS OF SORCERY DESCRIPTION:

WINTER’S WEB BY JENNIFER ESTEP
An assassin at a renaissance faire. What could possibly go wrong? Everything, if you’re Gin Blanco. This Spider is trapped in someone else’s icy web—and it seems like they don’t want her to leave the faire alive . . .

A CURSE FOR SPRING BY AMANDA BOUCHET
A malevolent spell strangles the kingdom of Leathen in catastrophic drought. Prince Daric must break the curse before his people starve. A once-mighty goddess trapped in a human body might be the key—but saving his kingdom could mean losing all that he loves.

THE DRAGONS OF SUMMER BY JEFFE KENNEDY
As unofficial consort to the High Queen, former mercenary Harlan Konyngrr faces a challenge worse than looming war and fearsome dragons. His long-held secrets threaten what he loves most—and he must make a choice between vows to two women.

A WILDERNESS OF GLASS BY GRACE DRAVEN
The stretch of sea known as The Gray rules the lives of those in the village of Ancilar, including widow Brida Gazi. In the aftermath of an autumn storm, Brida discovers one of the sea’s secrets cast onto the shore—a discovery that will change her world, mend her soul, and put her in the greatest danger she’s ever faced.

MORE ABOUT THE SEASONS OF SORCERY ANTHOLOGY

Note #1: There will NOT be an audiobook version of the anthology.

Note #2: Winter’s Web is Elemental Assassin #17.5, so it takes place after the events of Venom in the Veins, book #17.

Note #3: I will be releasing Winter’s Web as an individual ebook later on, but I hope that folks will check out the anthology. I think readers will enjoy the fantasy novellas by all the authors.

WINTER’S WEB DESCRIPTION:

An assassin at a renaissance faire. What could possibly go wrong? Everything, if you’re the Spider . . .

I might be Gin Blanco, aka the assassin the Spider, but even I need a break from the bad guys every now and then. So when Owen Grayson, my significant other, suggests a trip to the Winter’s Web Renaissance Faire, it sounds like a perfect distraction from all my problems.

The faire starts off innocently enough, but something seems slightly off about the cheery atmosphere and costumed characters. Maybe I’m being paranoid, but I can’t help but feel like I’m trapped in someone else’s icy web—and that they don’t want me to leave the faire alive . . .

Note: Winter’s Web is a 27,000-word novella that takes place after the events of Venom in the Veins, book 17 in the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series. Winter’s Web first appeared in the Seasons of Sorcery anthology in 2018.

SEASONS OF SORCERY EBOOK:

Amazon Kindle B&N Nook Apple Books Google Play Kobo Smashwords

SEASONS OF SORCERY PRINT BOOK:

Amazon print Barnes & Noble print

Read Excerpt

CHAPTER ONE

“I look ridiculous.”

I stared at my reflection in the mirror above the long counter that ran along the wall. Even though I had been peering at myself for the better part of a minute, I still couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

Normally, my wardrobe could best be described as functional. Black boots, dark jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt, a fleece jacket if the weather was cold. I never invested a lot of time or money in my clothes, since they had an annoying tendency to get ripped, torn, and covered with other people’s blood.

But today I had left functional behind for flamboyant.

A royal-blue silk blouse with ruffles running down the front stretched across my chest. As if the color wasn’t bright and bold enough, the entire garment was also covered with shiny thread, glittering sequins, and tiny feathers, all in black. I looked like I’d killed a couple of crows and was proudly wearing their fluttering feathers as some sort of macabre trophy. Plus, the sequins caught the light with every breath I took, and they winked at me in the mirror like dozens of little evil eyes.

But that was only the beginning of my unfortunate ensemble.

In addition to the dead-bird blouse, I was also wearing a black leather lace-up corset covered with even more black feathers and sequins. The tight corset pushed my breasts up to new and impressive heights, and my sudden abundance of cleavage was on display for all to see, thanks to the blouse’s deep scooped neckline.

The plunging neckline also showed off the silverstone pendant resting in the hollow of my throat—a small circle surrounded by eight thin rays. A spider rune, my rune, and the symbol for patience. A matching ring stamped with my spider rune gleamed on my right index finger, and the same symbol was branded into each of my palms.

Tight black leather pants and knee-high black leather boots, both trimmed with royal-blue thread and even more black sequins and feathers, completed my outrageous outfit.

Normally, royal blue was one of my favorite colors, but this outfit screamed Look at me! in all the wrong ways. The only good thing about the atrocious ensemble was that the abundance of thread, sequins, feathers, and flounces hid the two silverstone knives I had up my sleeves. Another knife was tucked in the small of my back underneath the horrible corset, and two more rested in the sides of my boots.

“Well, I think you look great,” a bright voice chirped, interrupting my dark musings. “Really in the spirit of the season.”

A man stepped up beside me and checked his own reflection in the mirror. His long-sleeved shirt and pants were both made of bright green velvet trimmed with even brighter purple silk stripes, making him look like an oddly flavored candy cane. A matching green-and-purple-striped velvet hat with three long, pointed, floppy ends topped his head, while the toes of his green velvet slippers curled up to form soft purple triangles.

Finnegan Lane, my foster brother, reached up and carefully adjusted one of the shiny silver bells on the end of his hat. All that velvet made his eyes seem greener than usual, although the ridiculous hat hid most of his walnut-brown hair.

“What are you supposed to be again?” I asked.

Finn lifted his chin with pride. “I am a court jester, ready to entertain the masses with my charming wit, amazing skills, and dashing good looks.”

“Really? Because I think all that green velvet makes you look like one of Santa’s elves who couldn’t find his way back to the North Pole.”

Finn glared at me, but the other people in the room snickered at my joke.

“Forget about you.” I held my arms out wide. “I don’t even know what character I’m supposed to be.”

Finn grinned and opened his mouth, but I stabbed my finger at him in warning.

“If you say serving wench, then I am going to make you eat that jester’s hat, velvet, bells, and all,” I growled.

He cleared his throat, changing course. “Well, I was going to say pirate queen, but why don’t we just go with assassin? After all, that is your usual nighttime occupation.”

I made a face, but he was right. During the day, to most normal people, I was Gin Blanco, owner of the Pork Pit barbecue restaurant in downtown Ashland. But at night, to the shady folks on the wrong side of the law, I was the Spider, a deadly assassin and the supposed queen of the city’s underworld.

“Well, pirate queen, assassin, or whatever else you want to call me, I still look ridiculous,” I grumbled. “Fletcher would roll over in his grave if he saw me dressed like this.”

Fletcher Lane had been Finn’s dad and my assassin mentor. And just like me, Fletcher had always been far more comfortable in his old blue work clothes than anything else.

“Nah,” Finn said. “He’d laugh his ass off, then make us pose for pictures.”

SEASONS OF SORCERY EBOOK:

Amazon Kindle / Barnes & Noble Nook / Apple Books / Google Play / Kobo / Smashwords

SEASONS OF SORCERY PRINT BOOK:

Amazon print / Barnes & Noble print

Other Books in Series

E-novella #17.5
E-Novella #15.5
E-Novella #14.5
E-Novella #8.5
E-Story #8.25
E-Story #8.25
E-Novella #5.5
E-Story #4.5

Jennifer Estep

Urban Fantasy Author

Seasons of Sorcery

Elemental Assassin Short Stories

E-Novella #17.5

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Type: E-Book, E-Novella, Print Book

Release Date: Nov. 13, 2018

Seasons of Sorcery fantasy anthology — Nov. 13, 2018

Purchase Book

Follow Me

Newsletter

What I’m Reading

Search

Book Series

Short Stories