Then They Fight You

By Steven D. Brewer

When even the King’s mandate isn’t enough to bring the warring parties to the table, how far will Revin go to pursue peace?

Charged with the King's mandate to negotiate for peace, Revin is thrust suddenly into a world of diplomacy and intrigue. Confronted with dangers on every side, he must keep his wits about him and be prepared to use all of the resources at his disposal to navigate the complex personal and political minefields that surround him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Water Dragon Publishing
• Release date: Mar 24, 2023
• ISBN: 9781959804550

Steven D. Brewer

Steven D. Brewer has been a fan of science fiction and fantasy stories for as long as he can remember. He still remembers getting scolded for not reading chapter books in fourth grade because he was avidly consuming The Hobbit late at night, by flashlight under his covers. And he probably got his copy from his older brother and most important mentor.As an author, Steven identifies diverse obsessions that underlie his writing. His early interest in natural history, life science, and environmentalism he learned from his father, an ecologist and ornithologist. He attributes seeing his mother study German for his abiding passion for languages that led him to major in Spanish (as well as Biology) and subsequently learn Esperanto and use it for international correspondence and travel. His fascination with Japanese culture grew from writing haiku and haibun in Esperanto. And his mania for information technology and the Internet led him back to graduate school where he earned a Masters in Earth Science and a PhD in Science Education.His scattered interests led to an eclectic employment history. He did farm work and food service growing up in southwest Michigan. He has worked as a large-animal caretaker, an archeological faunal analyst, a hunter of the fastest lizards in the world, a gas-station attendant, a bilingual teacher’s aide for a migrant-worker education program, and an edutainer with live animals and a portable planetarium. For the past quarter century, he has served as a non-tenure-system faculty member in higher education.Steven currently teaches scientific writing at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He lives in Amherst, Massachusetts with his extended family.

Book preview

Then They Fight You

Book Six of Revin's Heart

Steven D. Brewer

Copyright © 2023 by Steven D. Brewer

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for the purpose of review and/or reference, without explicit permission in writing from the publisher.

Cover design copyright © 2023 by Niki Lenhart

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Published by Water Dragon Publishing

waterdragonpublishing.com

An imprint of Paper Angel Press

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978-1-959804-55-0 (EPUB)

FIRST EDITION

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Author’s Note

Although born female, Revin chose to begin presenting as male even before our story began. Among the pirates, this decision has always been respected. As has been apparent, however, his efforts to identify as male are not always entirely successful. Still, he has rarely experienced significant push-back. But not everyone respects his decision. When his identity is called into question, how will Revin stay true to himself?

Without warning or preparation, Revin has been pressed into the service of the King to try to negotiate an end to the war between Havelock and Belleriand. Against all counsel, he sees this chance to end the war and leaps at it. But he's in an unfamiliar place, among strangers, and without his usual allies.

When things look darkest, who can Revin count on?

Then They Fight You

Revin stood and watched as the Queen of Belleriand sailed off into the distance. When she had dwindled to a tiny point, he sighed and returned to his coach that carried him back from the aerodrome to the palace. He was all by himself in a strange city.

Will had warned him that he was making a mistake. He had told him that it was pointless to expect the nobles to play by the rules and act according to reason. But with lives on the line, Revin felt that he needed to play the hand he was dealt. He had a chance to end the stupid, ugly war — to stop the fighting. And he was going to take it.

The coach dropped him off in front of the gleaming white palace in the center of the capital of Harway. He was recognized by the guards, who saluted him smartly as he entered the palace. He followed a passageway to the left that eventually led him into a beautiful courtyard surrounded by arched passageways. In the center stood a lovely fountain among orange trees. Revin stood for a moment, reflecting on the vicissitudes of life before climbing the last stairway to his room. He went in, closed the door, and then sat shivering on his bed, petrified with anxiety at the trials to come.

King Reginald the Arbiter had appointed him as Special Envoy to mediate peace talks between Havelock and Belleriand. The ambassador from Havelock claimed that it was a rogue unit that had tried to attack Harway with the Etheric Storm Generator and promised to hunt down the traitors. No one seriously believed him.

Without the Queen and his comrades, Revin felt utterly alone. He got out Momo’s journal and spent several hours writing, pouring all of his fear and uncertainty onto the pages until, finally, he was able to sleep.

•          •          •

The following morning, Revin dressed and presented himself at court. He was asked to relinquish his sword and directed