The Curse of Sangrook Manor (5 page)

This was his son.  Cursed blood coursed through his veins, but this was his son.

His gaze drifted back to the wraith, who spun blissfully at the news of another descendant.  In that moment, he understood her.  Darvik would raise this boy, watch over him, teach him everything he knew.  He thought of the man who had threatened him earlier that day, pictured a gang coming for him, coming for his son.

No more running.  No more denying himself all emotion.  Darvik nodded to the wraith. “Go,” he whispered.  “Protect our family.”

The wraith grinned with her sharp, rotten teeth.  The Sangrooks lived on.

Author's Note

Normally, this is the part where I plug my other books.  We'll get to that soon enough.  “The Curse of Sangrook Manor” was an unusual project for me.  I first wrote it as a submission to a dark fantasy anthology.  I normally stick to epic and comic fantasy, but I was intrigued by the concept of the anthology and wanted to try my hand at something darker.  For this story, I drew largely from my experiences playing the Dark Souls video games, with their lonely exploration and opaque lore.

If you enjoyed it, please be sure to write a review.  There is plenty more to tell of the Sangrook family saga, and your feedback is part of how I choose which project to focus on next.

If you're in the mood for something lighter, check out my Klondaeg series of comic fantasy stories.  Klondaeg is an overzealous Dwarf monster hunter armed with a talking battle-axe with a split personality.  Together, they team up with other eccentric heroes for zany adventures.  They're a lot of fun.

Thanks for reading!

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