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    Solstice Day Gifts (an Emperor's Edge Short Story)
    Solstice Day Gifts (an Emperor's Edge Short Story)
    Solstice Day Gifts (an Emperor's Edge Short Story)
    Ebook49 pages31 minutes

    Solstice Day Gifts (an Emperor's Edge Short Story)

    By Lindsay Buroker

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    After a year full of adventure, intrigue, and tragedy, Sicarius agrees to spend Solstice Day on a tropical island with Amaranthe, resting and relaxing far away from the chaos of the new republic. But there are a couple of problems. First off, the island is riddled with old wanted posters of Sicarius, along with countless people who would like to collect the bounty. Second... Amaranthe is hoping for a Solstice Day gift.

    Sicarius, having never given a gift in his life, finds the second problem far more daunting.

    This holiday-themed short story takes place after Forged in Blood II and before Republic.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLindsay Buroker
    Release dateJun 17, 2014
    ISBN9781310347801
    Solstice Day Gifts (an Emperor's Edge Short Story)
    Author

    Lindsay Buroker

    Lindsay Buroker war Rettungsschwimmerin, Soldatin bei der U.S. Army und hat als IT-Administratorin gearbeitet. Sie hat eine Menge Geschichten zu erzählen. Seit 2011 tut sie das hauptberuflich und veröffentlicht ihre Steampunk-Fantasy-Romane im Self-Publishing. Die erfolgreiche Indie-Autorin und begeisterte Bloggerin lebt in Arizona und hat inzwischen zahlreiche Romanserien und Kurzgeschichten geschrieben. Der erste Band der Emperor’s-Edge-Serie „Die Klinge des Kaisers“ ist jetzt ins Deutsche übersetzt.

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    Reviews for Solstice Day Gifts (an Emperor's Edge Short Story)

    4/5

    22 ratings2 reviews

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    • 4/5
      This is a fun short story. I'll be taking a look at other books from the same writer to learn more about these interesting characters.
    • 3/5
      A very sweet Solstice for Amaranth and Sicarius. And by sweet I mean they get involved in a caper, plan to prank people they love, and then have a wonderful night.

    Book preview

    Solstice Day Gifts (an Emperor's Edge Short Story) - Lindsay Buroker

    Solstice Day Gifts

    by Lindsay Buroker

    Smashwords Edition

    Copyright © 2014 Lindsay Buroker

    Sicarius crouched on the hull of the submarine, the open hatch at his back. He and Amaranthe had already observed the port through the periscope, but he wanted a panoramic view before guiding the craft into the harbor. Ferncrest Isle was a Turgonian holding and trouble should be unlikely here, but he did not know if news of the dissolution of the empire and the creation of the republic had made it to this remote, equatorial outpost yet. Sicarius and Amaranthe had left the day after the inauguration and had stopped only once along the way. They had traveled at a leisurely pace, but still made good time to this island. For all he knew, one of the would-be emperors who had sought to replace Sespian on the throne had mercenaries stationed here, waiting for word to invade the mainland.

    His mind lingered on the thought of his and Amaranthe’s leisure rather than the thought of mercenaries. It still made him smile on the inside. On the outside... Amaranthe informed him that his faint softening of his lips didn’t count. Apparently his conscious attempts to stretch his mouth into a smile lacked an authenticity or, as she said, contained all the joy of someone gritting his teeth as he rode a steam hammer down a cobblestone street.

    How’s it looking from up there? Amaranthe called up from the navigation area at the front of the small submarine.

    A small military outpost sits atop an escarpment to the south, and a village stretches along the harbor, the homes made from mud and thatch. A poor choice to withstand invading fleets or pirate attacks, Sicarius thought, though history proclaimed that the village, full of its simple residents, had been here long before Turgonia had taken charge. Some of the newer buildings are from brick. A few fishing vessels are plying the waters beyond the reef, a mixture of ironclad Turgonian craft and native canoes and catamarans. None have cannons or other obvious weapons. There is nothing else sharing the shallow waters inside the lagoon with us. There are a handful of vessels in port, and if there is a dock master on the look out for new arrivals, he hasn’t come out to greet us yet. Sicarius lifted his spyglass to his eye again. I do not see any enforcers patrolling the streets.

    Thank you... Security Sergeant Sicarius. What I was really wondering is if you saw any lush tropical forests, idyllic palm trees, or sandy beaches with fun little bungalows perched along the water that might be for rent.

    Sicarius did not know what to make of this cavalier response to his straightforward description of the harbor. Surely Amaranthe would not believe they could ignore their pasts completely and trust the locals not to trouble them? And that last comment. He found it perplexing. For what purpose would we need a bungalow rental? The sleeping cabin in the submarine has proven suitable for our needs for the last three weeks.

    Very suitable. One might expect a naval vessel to have cramped accommodations, but President Starcrest had clearly designed the submarine with his six and a half feet of height in mind.

    Amaranthe’s head popped out of the hatchway. She wore her hair in a loose braid, several wisps waving freely about her face in the warm salty breeze. She smiled with pleasure at the bucolic setting, though her gaze seemed to linger on the pale sandy beaches and coconut trees, rather than the military fortification and more practical infrastructure and personnel. She turned the smile upon Sicarius, her brown eyes crinkling at the corners.

    Tomorrow is Solstice Day, she said.

    Sicarius

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