Malgrave Wolves

By Sylvan Scott

This story continues the adventures of Anthony Delleroe in the strange, otherworldly land of NeverEarth.

All people, all children, have adventures in fantastic, magical worlds of talking animals, living legends, and myth. But all children, eventually, grow up and forget.

Anthony remembered.

This tale follows “Alabaster Emissaries” and marks Anthony’s return to NeverEarth where an old foe awaits and a dark curse bubbles just beneath the pristine surface.

The world-setting (containing NeverEarth, Kellen, Talismere, the Alabaster Palace, and other landmarks within this story’s context), and the specific contextual characters of Anthony Delleroe, Karl, Queen Allasande, Duchess Malgrave, Wiste, and others, are owned by myself.

The story began in "Christmas in NeverEarth" and continued with free, downloadable publications (in eBook and PDF formats) on Smashwords. I'll be uploading this to Smashwords in the next few weeks, again, for free. Until then, you can read it, here.

Cover art is by Louis Frank.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sylvan Scott
• Release date: Dec 29, 2013
• ISBN: 9781311874412

Sylvan Scott

I wrote about robots. When I was a kid, my first story was about robots that looked like people: the only survivors of a world-wide nuclear war. What can I say? I grew up in the 70's. Since then I've sculpted all manner of stories about all sorts of topics. Science Fiction and Fantasy still remain favorites of mine and, usually, what I can express in speculative fiction I'd rather not express in other formats. I love short stories and am working on making this writing bug that I've harbored for so many years finally work for me. Here goes nothing.

Book preview

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be sold for profit or remuneration. If you would like to share this ebook, please refer people to Smashwords.com and encourage them to download and review this and other stories by the author. Thank you for respecting the hard work that went into creating and distributing this story.

This story continues the adventures of Anthony Delleroe in the strange, otherworldly land of NeverEarth. All people, all children, have adventures in fantastic, magical worlds of talking animals, living legends, and myth. But all children, eventually, grow up and forget. Anthony remembered. This tale follows Alabaster Emissaries and marks Anthony’s return to NeverEarth where an old foe awaits and a dark curse bubbles just beneath the pristine surface. The world-setting (containing NeverEarth, Kellen, Talismere, the Alabaster Palace, and other landmarks within this story’s context), and the specific contextual characters of Anthony Delleroe, Karl, Queen Allasande, Duchess Malgrave, Wiste, and others, are owned by myself.

Malgrave Wolves

Table of Contents

Frontispiece

Beginning

Midpoint

About the Author

Malgrave Wolves

©2013 by Sylvan Scott

Smashwords Edition

Anthony put his foot down both figuratively and literally. He knew it made him look petulant but he was getting frustrated. Karl’s suggestions about how to make their Midwinter holiday more special were getting annoying.

"Look, a camera would just be a … a violation! NeverEarth’s pristine: their most advanced technology is the clock! Seriously, I thought you understood how special the place is; I don’t want to despoil it." He tried not to sound irrational.

For months Karl had been stepping on his psychological toes; breaking in on the private conversation Anthony’s childhood had with NeverEarth. They’d been through a lot together. What had started as nothing more than a few days and one-night-stands had blown up into something … complex. Of all the people in the world, only Karl knew about Anthony’s otherworldly home-away-from-home.

"Yeah, well, I like taking pictures of special places. And it’s not like it’s going to hurt anyone. Cameras don’t really steal souls, you know. Stop being so dramatic."

Anthony grew increasingly steadfast in his refusal. I don’t want my childhood refuge littered with Coke cans, cigarette butts, and tourists. Leave the damn camera behind! His gritted teeth made the pronouncement a bit difficult to understand. Why did Karl have to be so annoying? As he watched, his boyfriend’s expression melted into one of begrudging understanding.

Or perhaps it was just acceptance. It was hard to tell.

His boyfriend was already dressed for a walk in a winter wonderland. Like Anthony, he wore a heavy winter jacket, gloves, boots, a scarf, and a stocking cap. Both had backpacks: Karl’s at his feet and Anthony’s over his shoulder. They had filled them with food and clothing for a week-and-a-half. Not that they’d be gone that long: time flowed differently in NeverEarth. In the nine days they’d spend celebrating Midwinter with Anthony’s childhood friend, Wiste, only three would pass on Earth.

Okay; I’ll leave it behind.

Karl knelt in the middle of Anthony’s dorm room and started rummaging through his pack to remove the offending technology. While he was in there, he also removed four cans of soda. Anthony bit back a biting comment and turned to the closet door. No need to agitate his boyfriend any more than he already had. He’d let the cans slide without comment. They were going on a holiday, after all, and he wanted it to be fun, like his childhood.

He stepped up to the white door and closed his eyes. He conjured images of deep forests, fearsome dragons, and—most of all—the satyr they were going to visit. With the argument confounding his thoughts, he didn’t get it right, immediately. After rapping on the door four times and turning the doorknob counter-clockwise a few times, Anthony had to try again.

...And again.

It was the only way to open a doorway into NeverEarth: find one that had been prepped to go there, focus on your heart’s desires