A Spice Most Demanding

By Robert Jeschonek

Most guests at The Unicorn's Egg in downtown Philadelphia come seeking shots of magic—just one more belt to satisfy their addictions to spells and sorcery. Newcomer Oliver Box breaks the mold, though, coming to the pub to help others—bringing old-timers to warlock bartender Homan Teatree to restore ruined memories in minds burned by dementia. But when those memories connect to each other and an ancient mystery in unlikely ways, Teatree suspects a game's afoot, and he's a loser in the making. Layers of lies peel away to reveal secrets undreamt of, as Oliver's shocking true agenda points to the miraculous restoration of a flavor of the world long thought lost...and a piece of his heart lost and found along with it.

Don't miss this surprising story by award-winning writer Robert Jeschonek, a master of unique and unexpected fantasy that really packs a punch.

Contents
Short story plus novel preview

Reviews

"Robert Jeschonek is the literary love child of Tim Burton and Neil Gaiman." – Adrian Phoenix, critically acclaimed author of The Maker's Song series and Black Dust Mambo

"Robert Jeschonek is a towering talent." – Mike Resnick, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author

"Jeschonek ́s stories are delightfully insane, a pleasure to read." – Fabio Fernandes, Fantasy Book Critic

About the Author
Robert Jeschonek is an award-winning, envelope-pushing author whose fiction and comics have been published around the world. His urban fantasy novel, Earthshaker, features an edgy heroine with the power to control the substance of the Earth itself. His young adult fantasy, My Favorite Band Does Not Exist, was named a Top Ten First Novel for Youth by Booklist magazine. Robert’s work has appeared in Fiction River, PodCastle, Pulp Literature, Galaxy’s Edge, and other publications, and he was nominated for a British Fantasy Award. He has written official Doctor Who fiction, as well as comics for DC Comics and others. Robert has also won an International Book Award and a Scribe Award for Best Original Novel from the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers. Visit him online at www.robertjeschonek.com. You can also find him on Facebook and follow him as @TheFictioneer on Twitter.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert Jeschonek
• Release date: Feb 6, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463557686

Book preview

A Spice Most Demanding

A SPICE MOST DEMANDING

Uncollected Anthology: Warlocks

ROBERT JESCHONEK

Blastoff Books

CONTENTS

Also by Robert Jeschonek

A SPICE MOST DEMANDING

Other Stories in the Uncollected Anthology

About the Author

Special Preview: Heaven Bent

A SPICE MOST DEMANDING

Copyright © 2023 by Robert Jeschonek

http://bobscribe.com/

Cover Art Copyright © 2023 by Ben Baldwin

www.benbaldwin.co.uk

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved by the author.

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Published by Blastoff Books

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www.piepresspublishing.com

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ALSO BY ROBERT JESCHONEK

A Pinstriped Finger’s My Only Friend

Bloodliner

Dolphin Knight

Heaven Bent

Six Fantasy Stories Volume One

Six Superhero Stories Volume One

The Return of Alice

A SPICE MOST DEMANDING

One more, please, Homan.

The middle-aged, overweight man at the corner of the bar slides another hundred-dollar bill across the polished mahogany, then follows it with two more.

It's five minutes till closing time, but I figure what the hell. I'll give him another shot of what he needs.

Another of the same, then, Ron? I smile as I walk the length of the bar, straightening my button-down black shirt. He's one of my best customers, and a very decent man; there's no need to make him feel bad about his addiction.

The desperate look in his slightly bulging eyes tells me he suffers more than enough because of those appetites of his. Make it a double, Homan.

A double it is. Turning, I admire my face in the mirror behind the shelves – wavy salt-and-pepper hair, smoldering dark eyes, angular cheekbones. As vices go, vanity isn't so bad; I like the way I look, so sue me. The confidence helps me handle the customers here at my place, The Unicorn's Egg in downtown Philadelphia. It helps me, as I serve them, to give them a little show, which frankly is a big part of what I deliver.

Done checking myself in the mirror, I grab what I need from the shelf and turn back to Ron, who is watching my every move. A fine sweat appears on his forehead, and he wipes it dry – but then presto chango, it moves to his upper lip.

I put the item I’ve retrieved on the bar and wave my hands over it – a candle that lights with nothing more than a few whispered words from my lips. Some more choice words, and the candle flame flares brightly, forcing Ron to shield his eyes with one thick arm.

When the light fades, the bar is alive with what he really wants – magic.

This time, it comes in the form of tiny dancing girls in diaphanous silk costumes, gyrating across the mahogany. There are a dozen of them, double what I conjured for Ron fifteen minutes ago...and every one of them is stunningly beautiful behind her rippling veils.

P-perfect. Ron's voice quivers as he speaks. His glittering eyes never budge from the undulating beauties before him. "Homan, you have outdone yourself!"

Good to hear it, Ron. Part of me is happy about his praise; after all, magic is