Bards and Sages Quarterly (January 2014)

By Bards and Sages Publishing

Since 2009, the Bards and Sages Quarterly has brought fans of speculative fiction an amazing variety of short stories from both new and established authors. Each issue sets out to introduce readers to the wealth of talent found in the horror, fantasy and science fiction genres. Our authors have included Nebula, Hugo, and Pushcart winners and nominees.

In this issue:

A wizard gets more than he bargained for when he sends his imp on a simple task in "Christmas Decorations"

A thief sets out to return a unfinished stolen manuscript in order to find out how it ends in "An Ending to Die For."

A cancer patient gambles with fate in "You Pay Your Money and You Take Your Chance."

A warlock gets asked to help an old business associate who thinks her sister is possessed in "Possession is 9/10th of the Law."

A struggling writer looking for his big break learns too late there are no short cuts in "The Wish-Stone."

Death reminisces about how he came into his powers in "Death's Heir."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bards and Sages Publishing
• Release date: Jan 26, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310065699

Bards and Sages Publishing

Established in 2002, Bards and Sages Publishing is a micro-press that publishes speculative fiction and roleplaying games. To find our line of RPG products in digital format, please visit Drivethrurpg.

Book preview

Bards and Sages Quarterly

Volume VI, Issue I

January 2014

Editor-in-Chief

Julie Ann Dawson

Editorial Assistant

Jaime Kaiser

Cover Art by

Ron Sanders

Print ISSN 1944-4699

©2014 Bards and Sages Publishing

Stories are © their original authors and republished here with permission

Smashwords Digital Edition

License Statement

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Contents

Christmas Decoration by Simon Kewin

An Ending to Die For by Michael Bondies

You Pay Your Money and You Take Your Chances

by Michelle Ann King

Book Announcements

Possession is 9/10th of the Law by Julie Ann Dawson

The Wish-Stone by Ellen Denton

Death’s Heir by Alva J. Roberts

Christmas Decorations

By Simon Kewin

Infernus was memorizing the wording of a chthonic summoning spell when Vade, his imp familiar, came crashing through the window. Again. Why couldn’t the stupid creature just use the door?

Master! I have it!

Infernus quickly rubbed out the chalk circle he’d drawn. When Vade was around, accidents happened. And any accident with that particular spell would be very bad.

You have what, imp?

The fairy you instructed me to fetch. For the top of the tree.

Infernus frowned. He’d hoped the task would keep the imp busy longer. As a boy he’d always had a silver fairy on top of his Christmas tree and it was a tradition he liked to keep up. Even necromancers could make a bit of an effort this time of year, couldn’t they? Mind you, the streamers he’d arrayed around his room were probably a bit … visceral for some. And most people probably wouldn’t go for the baubles he’d used. But he liked the way they continued to watch you as you moved about the room; occasionally winking.

Very well, he said. Put it on the tree and leave me in peace.

But, master. It’s going to get very angry if I do that. The imp heaved an iron cage onto the desk with a clump.

Why would a doll get angry? Infernus asked. But cold dread surged through his veins as he spoke.

Not a doll, master. Something much better. A real fairy. I captured it up on Widdershins Way. Angry little thing it is, too. Keeps spitting curses at me and claiming to be a High Ancient. Course, it can’t harm us when it’s surrounded by iron, can it, eh?"

The imp’s green eyes glittered in the candlelight. It looked very pleased with itself. Infernus turned from it to the cage. The bars were beginning to glow as the trapped faerie worked some magic. If it was one of the High Ancients, iron wouldn’t keep it held for long. And when it escaped …

Infernus began to redraw his chalk circle. Not to keep something inside, this time. This time it was to keep something out. He nearly had it complete when, with a shrill scream of fury, the faerie flew free. The bolt of flame it hurled hit Infernus even as he stepped into the chalk circle.

Thrown to the floor, his last sight was of the Christmas tree and the baubles that gazed down at him in