Shadow of the Eclipse
99 Cents until October 4
The past is written, but the future is an open door.
Cal is stunned. How could a long
dead man 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 with 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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2 comments:
Sounds like a perfect spooky read for this time of year!
After reading the post, I'm glad you gave us the buy link.
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