Mutiny

By Artist Arthur

What did I do to end up in this nightmare?

One minute Franklin Bryant is a normal teenager in school with his girlfriend, Krystal. The next, a reaper leaves him in Trance, the place between worlds where his destiny will be decided. Franklin has been summoned by the demon Charon to help destroy the Mystyx, a group of classmates including Krystal, with supernatural powers that can defeat Charon.

Franklin loves Krystal, but he faces an impossible choice: join Charon and be rewarded with powers beyond his dreams, or refuse and die....

A Mystyx series novella.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
• Release date: Sep 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781488737756

Artist Arthur

Artist C. Arthur was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland where she currently resides with her husband and three children. Determined to bring a new edge to romance, she continues to develop intriguing plots, sensual love scenes, racy characters and fresh dialogue; thus keeping the readers on their toes! Artist loves to hear from her readers and can be reached through her contact form or via email at [e-mail]

Book preview

Chapter One

You are here…

I’m looking down at the ground, which isn’t really the ground at all. It’s some sort of shiny black surface that feels squishy under my sneakers. At first I thought it was quicksand, but since I’m still standing and not sinking into some gooey substance I guess that assumption was wrong.

Anyway, this is a different place than the cold dark den where I was before. A reaper grabbed me without saying a word, and dropped me off here just as casually as he did when he’d snatched me. Of course his people skills sucked!

I’m not going to move from this spot, because I don’t know where I am or what I’m doing here. Logic says this is not earth, but my fear and heart palpitations say maybe I shouldn’t be standing still but running instead. But running where? I’m not sure.

You are here

Those three words, like the red arrow on the shopping mall directory that tells you where you are in the maze of department stores and food courts, keep resonating in my head. Well, I don’t see a red arrow anywhere, but I feel like I am here.

But where is here? That’s the million-dollar question I’m waiting for an answer to.

You are not dead, if that is what you mean, says a deep voice from out of nowhere.

I turn around slowly, but I’m not prepared for what I see. If I thought the reaper was freakin’ weird, this thing is totally off the charts. It’s just a huge black cloak that hovers above the ground. No hands, no feet, no face, just the cloak. Behind the cloak is a big plume of black smoke that makes my bladder weak. The cloak moves and floats kind of like it has a body, a physical form, but it has no features, like ears, eyes, a nose or a mouth, that would make me think it’s a living, breathing thing.

What did I do to end up in this nightmare?

Where am I? I ask, since that seems like the most reasonable question.

You are in Trance, says the voice.

I’m guessing that’s not in Connecticut, huh.

It is the realm where you await your final fate, he continues. Some are sent to Hades—the land of the dead.

"Whoa, did you say Hades?

Hades is for the dead, the disembodied voice says. Trance is where you wait until your destiny is decided.

I nod. I get it, I say, trying to mask my fear. I’m, like, in between worlds. Of course I don’t get it. What the hell? Why am I here? I think to myself.

So why am I here in Trance?

You have been chosen to help me in my quest to fulfill my destiny, is the ominous reply from the cloaked specter.

Is this thing…serious? No, none of this is serious. It’s gotta be a dream, and my alarm clock is going to ring and wake me up in a few seconds—hopefully.

Let me get this straight, you chose me to come here, I ask, using my arms to indicate the large expanse of nothing that surrounds me, to help you find your destiny?

Do I sound incredulous? Probably, since I cannot believe this is really happening