Description

Aelfraed breaks under the pressure of his life at university and the heavy handed gaze of his father. Slipping out in the late hours he takes a spur of the moment trip to see his brother, Aethelric. He hopes for just some time to get away from the stress however his luck is severely off. A weekend to clear his head turns into stumbling upon the attempted murder of a baker, the appearance of his father and the worst dinner party of his life.

A Curiosity Piqued

Follow the call of curiosity through a world of magic, science, invention and mystery.

A Curiosity Piqued is a world building and storytelling project exploring an alternate world adjacent to our own. Where magic is everywhere and humans have done what humans do, learn everything they can about it. However there are still unknowns to be discovered.

See the world through the eyes of its people and their stories of mystery, life and love.

Hours later, rain rolled down the glass of the carriage window. It drummed rhythmically off the roof that was far closer to Aelfraed’s head than he would have liked. The space cramped with his height. It was still preferable to the Rune Step. The Step would have been faster, instant even, but he had always found it unpleasant. Even more so over longer distances. He shifted trying to get a bit more comfortable, nothing really helped much. He did manage to stop himself hitting his head off of the ceiling with every bump in the road. Still not enough to find the sleep he half wished he had been able to get before leaving. His eyes were heavy and the bumps were the only thing keeping him from it. Every time he drifted he was shaken harshly out of it.

Behind the dark rain clouds the sky was lightening by the time he clambered out of the carriage, his stiff limbs protesting after hours in the cramped space. He stretched, reaching for the sky feeling the stiffness leave his back before foraging through pockets. His hands found his remaining few coins, a fountain pen and some scribbled notes but not the pocket watch he was looking for. He had forgotten it; he could almost see the watch in his bedside drawer. That was just his luck at the moment. He glanced towards the sky, blinking against the falling rain. He wasn’t sure but if his brother wasn’t awake yet, he would be soon. With how light it was, it couldn’t be that early that it would be an uncomfortable hour at this time of year.

The carriage rolled off behind him as he lifted his hand above his head, muttering a short few words of a spell. Willing a shimmering barrier into existence, like a fountain from his hand. Rain rolled down it and poured off the sides. It took a few steps to shake out the stiffness in his gait. He tried to step carefully to avoid any muddy puddles. The runes carved into the soles of his shoes would keep his feet dry, but he didn’t want to accidentally end up tracking mud into his brother’s house.

A look at the Merch Pack

Interested in getting a little more than just the book, you can also order the Merch Pack. The Pack includes 2 sticker sheets, 2 larger stickers and a bookmark.

Want to see some more teasers first?

Or the Tumblr blog – Masked Emerald on Tumblr – #The Last Straw Novella