Call of the Wyl

By Heather Wohl, Aurora Alba and Rusty Ogre Publishing

How much coin would it take to send your own kin to the dungeons?

 

With a bounty dangling over his sibling's head, Brutus must bring his ever-elusive brother, Otis, to justice for some much-needed reward money. On his mysterious pursuit, he finds himself thrust in the middle of Wyl Isle's Brute Fest, a violent festival where black eyes and vicious brawls are revered and celebrated. He soon becomes enraptured by a stunning beauty, Violet. Captivated by the wild world around him, and Violet's unusual talents, Brutus must soon make an impossible choice between love, money, and family.

 

Sure to quench your thirst for adventure, Call of the Wyl is a brand new fantasy standalone novella (with a hint of paranormal romance) set in the Isle of Destoria. Brought to you by the author of From Ashes and Desdemona in Embers (the first two novels of the acclaimed Illuminator Saga) and co-written by romance author, Aurora Alba (Author of the Man Maid contemporary romance series)

Note: You do not have to read the other books of the series to enjoy Call of the Wyl, however, if you have, you will find a treasure trove of hidden references and backstory to some existing characters you've come to know and enjoy.

*** This book includes a SNEAK PEEK chapter from Aurora Alba's brand new romance novel, Maid in Heaven: Book One of the Man Maid Series, releasing in mid 2024 and the first chapter of Heather Wohl's book From Ashes: Book One of the Illuminator Saga, published August 17, 2023, both by Rusty Ogre Publishing.***

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rusty Ogre Publishing
• Release date: Jan 23, 2024
• ISBN: 9781962854054

Book preview

Call of the Wyl

A Destorian Standalone Mystery Novella

Heather Wohl and Aurora Alba

Rusty Ogre Publishing

Copyright © 2023 by Heather Wohl and Aurora Alba.

Published by Rusty Ogre Publishing.

West Haven, Connecticut

Cover Art by Erica Summers.

All rights reserved. Any likenesses to real people are purely coincidental.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

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Trigger Warnings

Profanity, talk of death, & moderate violence

Contents

Creature Glossary

. Chapter

Chapter

1.Chapter 1

2.Chapter 2

3.Chapter 3

4.Chapter 4

5.Chapter 5

6.Chapter 6

7.Chapter 7

8.Chapter 8

9.Epilogue

About the Authors

Chapter

Sneak Peek of Maid in Heaven

Bonus Chapter of From Ashes

COMING SOON

10.More From Rusty Ogre

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Creature Glossary

A Guide to the Beings of Destoria

Crolt: (Kruhlt) Two-headed giant. Barely able to fit through doorways, these creatures have two functioning heads that work independently of one another. Their shared body is massive and muscular, making these giants a solid protective force. However, their intelligence is one step above that of a symph.

Dwarf: Dwarves are typically three feet tall with red hair. Both men and women of this species grow beards. They are typically ornery in nature.

Eaflic: (Ee-flick) Hippo-human hybrid. With gray skin and a massive snout, these creatures are docile until threatened. With rounded ears and a flicking tail, these creatures are undeniably lovable.

Elf: Elves have the features of a human, but typically have a yellow tint to their skin and pointed ears. Adept at magic, elves are typically upper class.

Ewanaian: (You-way-nee-an) Frog people. These creatures are a blend of humans and frogs. With slick, green skin and a tacky tongue, these creatures walk and talk like human beings. When startled, their response is to faint and pass gas as a biologically-programmed deterrent.

Quichyrd: (Kw-itch-urd) A generic bird-human hybrid. Unarmored feathers and no proclivity toward magic. These creatures have a varied appearance, but always with a beak and taloned hands.

Landigo: (Lahn-dig-oh) Leopard-human hybrid. Equipped with a graceful tale and fur-covered forms, these spotted beings are known for their quick temper. With a leopard face, these creatures seem to be a welcome addition to the colorful creature variations of Destoria.

Wyl: (Wy-uhl) A fox human hybrid, often known for thievery, superior lovemaking skills and are a staple of Destoria. While most wyl’s spend their time on Wyl Isle, others lie, cheat and steal their way across the rest of Destoria. They come in a variety of colors. Their hallmark fox-like face and pointed ears make them easy to spot. 

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A NOTE FROM RUSTY OGRE PUBLISHING:

Even though this book was proofread thoroughly by professionals, mistakes happen. We want our readers to have the best experience possible. If you spot any spelling, grammatical, or formatting errors, please let us know so we can rectify them immediately. You can reach out to us at:  [e-mail]

Screenshots are lovely, but if unavailable, the entire sentence, page number, and format type will suffice! We always appreciate your feedback.

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REVIEWS:

If you could take the time to leave an honest review after you’ve read this book, we would greatly appreciate it. We respect your time and promise it doesn’t have to be long and eloquent. Even a few words or a star rating will do! As a small publishing house, every review allows us to better ourselves. It also helps others determine if this book is right for them. It dramatically helps our ranking and algorithms on those platforms, even if it isn’t five stars.

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Wyl: (Wy-uhl)

A fox human hybrid, often known for thievery, superior lovemaking skills and are a staple of Destoria. While most wyl’s spend their time on Wyl Isle, others lie, cheat and steal their way across the rest of Destoria. They come in a variety of colors. Their hallmark fox-like face and pointed ears make them easy to spot. 

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Bark Side Tavern, Wyl Isle

What happened? Brutus asked from his rickety bar stool as he readjusted on his tail. I thought you were gonna get those bar stools with the tail cut-outs? 

Hank, a droopy-eyed wyl, puffed air through his jowls. The raven-black fur of his neck stood on end as he wiped another glass clean and slammed it on the bar. "Stools cost coin. I ain’t got no coin ’cause assholes like you never pay their tab." 

"Asssssshole? Brutus slurred. He puffed up his chest and flexed his angular ears. The ginger hair on the back of his neck rose. Who’re you callin’ asshole, dickhead?" 

"You, ya son-of-a-bitch!" Hank snarled. Brutus lowered his head, baring his teeth and hunching his shoulders. They fiercely growled at each other. The empty, timeworn tavern was filled with tension and deadly silence. 

Hank broke first. 

Damn good, young kit. Damn good. I think you might pass as a half-decent interrogator. 

Yeah? Brutus asked, sitting up straight, slurping the last of his beer from his mug. The wyl’s tired eyes sagged with the late hour, his exhausted face stippled with the odd white hair. "You’d better hope so if you ever want me to pay." 

Hank licked the next mug clean and wiped the glass down with a filthy cheesecloth. "A good place to start earnin’ a little coin is that new wanted