99 Cent Sale March 11-25
Ancient evil prowls the shadow of the eclipse, but the key to saving the present can only be found in the past.
Excitement brews in Crossroads for everyone but lawyer, Callum MacGregor. This year, the town harvest festival coincides with a total eclipse. With a recent breakup, Cal has no desire to attend until a visit from his old law partner, Isaac Bingham, drops a bombshell. Twenty years before Cal’s birth, his grandfather, Phillip Bingham, extracted a promise. Isaac must get Cal to the harvest festival or the world would face unparalleled disaster.
Cal is stunned.
How could Phillip know Cal would be born and live in Crossroads? Why this
nonsensical warning? The mystery deepens when Isaac tells him he’s not the only
one to receive a mysterious summons.
Accountant Meg Adler’s day started badly when her boss fired
her for refusing to cook the books, but then a letter arrives from a man named
Bingham. It contains a lucrative job offer—details to follow. All she has to do
is attend the Crossroads Harvest Festival on opening day and meet his
representative to discuss details. Meg
is leery, but it’s not the end of
the world if this doesn’t pan out. Right?
Ancient evil prowls the shadow of the eclipse, but the key
to saving the present can only be found in the past. In a time-traveling
adventure, Cal and Meg enter a mystic maze and journey to Babylon, the Dark
Ages, and 1906 San Francisco hot on the trail of two magic artifacts lost in
the recesses of time. Can they dodge demonic forces, fulfill a dead man’s mission,
and discover a new future with each other?
Excerpt
A job? An uneasy sensation settled in his gut. “I’ve no
idea. I thought you knew why we were here.”
“Me?” Meg pulled back her hand and color rose to her cheeks.
“What is this? Some kind of sick joke? Who does this Phillip Bingham think he
is, anyway?”
Cal gaped at her. “Phillip Bingham contacted you? Not
Isaac?”
“I got a letter from him with a vague employment offer from
the Lux Foundation along with an invitation to attend the Crossroads Harvest
Festival.” She wrinkled her brow. “It was a funny kind of letter on really old
paper. The room at the inn was paid for by a man named Isaac Bingham, and I
needed a job, so I figured what the hell. The instructions said a person would
find me here to discuss the details. I assume that is you.” Her voice tightened
in anger. “Is Phillip Bingham the town lunatic?”
“No, but I’m sorry to tell you he’s very much dead.” Cal
gave her a recap of his meeting with Isaac.
As Meg listened, her eyes widened in astonishment. “Phillip
Bingham died decades ago? How could he know I’d lose my job this week and be desperate
enough to jump at this crazy offer?”
Cal ran a hand through his hair. “How did he know either of
us would even be born?”
Meg took a wary step back. “I’m not sure I believe you.”
“I’m not sure I believe it myself. Listen, do you want to go
somewhere and talk? Try to figure this out? I’ll call Isaac, tell him we found
each other, and demand an explanation.”
Meg cocked her head toward the entrance of the corn maze.
“Do you hear that? Someone called for help.”
“Probably lost in the maze. George made it extra challenging
this year.”
“No, it’s different.” She sucked in a breath. “M-my name—I
swear I heard my name.”
A gust of wind rippled the stalks. They bent toward the
entrance, fluttery hands beckoning them inside. Cal strained to hear past the
whispery rustle of the leaves.
Almost as if they were voices…
“I’ll check it out,” he said. “Maybe someone fell and got
hurt. Wait here—”
“Not a chance.” Meg bolted into the maze, and Cal ran after
her. They came to the first intersection, and she skidded to a halt. “Which
way?”
“Left,” Cal said without hesitation.
They dashed deeper into the field, now left, now right, now
straight ahead. With each step, Cal’s path became surer as if something pulled
him with an invisible cord.
Meg puffed beside him. “How do you know which way to go?”
“I-I can’t explain it.” With every breath, the air around
Cal became hotter and more oppressive, pressing on his shoulders like a
stifling blanket. Humidity dropped to nothing. Beads of sweat on his brow
evaporated. Cal licked his dry, cracked lips and grimaced at the gritty feel of
sand on his tongue.
Sand in a corn maze?
They turned a corner and stumbled into a clearing. In the
center was an arbor that arched over a circle of flagstones on the ground. A
glowing flame hovered above the stones, suspended in midair. Meg and Cal
exchanged dumbfounded looks and stepped forward. The clarion note of a distant
horn sounded a soldier’s call to action. A surge of adrenaline flooded Cal’s
veins. He hadn’t felt like this since his days on patrol with the Army.
Unconsciously, Cal’s hand went to his hip, reaching for the sword. He stared at
his empty hand. Sword?
The flame grew larger and brighter, shooting through the
arbor into the heavens.
“Cal!” Meg’s voice sounded very far away.
“I’m here!” Cal reached for her, but the flame blinded him,
blotting out the maze, blotting out the sun, blotting out the world.
Nothing remained but the roar of the cheering crowd.
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4 comments:
Sounds like an intriguing read. Best of luck with your sale!
Ooh great sale!
Wow! You pulled me right into their confusion and peril. Sounds like a great read! AND a sale!
Sounds intriguing. Best wishes!
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