The Blood on the Snow

By J.L. MacLaren

The Blood on the Snow is a short story from the Adlergeist series. It takes place 20 years prior to A Bitter Victory.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.L. MacLaren
• Release date: May 19, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301943289

J.L. MacLaren

J.L. MacLaren is the author of the Adlergeist Series. Book 1: A Bitter Victory is available now. Her website will have extras for the series such as maps and character profile. She writes fantasy, sci-fiction, and contemporary fiction. J.L. is working on a group of essays on Creating Creatures. She has a B.S. in biology with a focus on Ecology and decade of experience in scientific research. The essays examine the use of biological characteristics and physiology of animals to create original and realistic monsters, humanoids and other organisms that could exist in nature. J.L. has lived in many states including Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, Florida, and New York. She is currently living in Tennessee north of Memphis. She loves to travel with her daughter. When she is not writing she enjoys embroidery, weaving and trying to teach herself German. “I love to hear from my readers.”

Book preview

The Blood on the Snow

By J. L. MacLaren

Copyright © 2013 J. L. MacLaren

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 9781301943289

Publishing at Smashwords

The man’s blood hardened on the top of the crisp day old snow. The trail led to a blood covered tool shack. Vernon, one of the oldest miners at the Oberstein camp, stood on the edge of it staring at Lord Arnhelm expectantly. He pointed to the shack as he pulled his cloak around him tightly.

He’s in there. He said, shivering as he spoke. I found him this morning.

The tools that were stored in the shack had been thrown about on the ground. Bloody hand prints covered the wall, the left hand, only the left. One set of foot prints led to the door and away toward the Arnhelm manor. It was Vernon’s footprints. There were no others in the snow.

Do you know who it is? Arnhelm said bracing himself for the answer.

Vernon shook his head as he sheepishly stared at the ground. I only saw his leg before I came to get you.

Arnhelm sighed but he could not find fault with Vernon for being squeamish. When the last two murders occurred, they found the men butchered and mutilated like a sacrificial animal. They had been tortured by the cultists of Toln in a brutal ritual. Arnhelm had spent many years dealing with random attacks from these cultists who lived somewhere deep in the mountains. These demons would hide out in the forest and shoot poison darts at his guards and huntsmen. The poison killed them within a matter of hours. He had lost two miners and one huntsman this way. The recent attacks were unlike anything he had ever seen before.

Arnhelm moved toward the shack trying to avoid the blood. He would have to walk through it if he was to get to the door. He turned to Vernon before trudging over to the shack.

Is anyone missing? Arnhelm said.

Yes, sir. Vernon frowned. Stokot was not in his bed last night. He lowered his head, saddened by the thought of his friend in the shack.

There were times when men would abandon the mine without giving a proper word of leave. The work was hard and the pay was meager. Men came from all over Achenheim when they were in dire straits, when their crops and shops failed, or when they were unable to pay their debts. Those men would work for a few months or even a few years sending money home to their families. Once