Glimpses: A Collection of Nightrunner Short Stories Read online

  Glimpses

  A collection of Nightrunner tales

  By Lynn Flewelling

  Publisher: Three Crow Press

  Editor and Owner: Reece Notley

  www.threecrowpress.com

  Cover art by Anne Cain © 2010

  First Published September 2010

  The Collection: Glimpses contains the following:

  Misfit © Lynn Flewelling

  The Wild © Lynn Flewelling

  By The River © Lynn Flewelling (previously published)

  The Bond © Lynn Flewelling

  Summer Players [Excerpt] © Lynn Flewelling

  All illustrations included in this collection were donated for use by the original artist who retains copyright. Any duplications or reproductions are expressively forbidden without prior consent of the artist.

  The moral rights of the author and artists have been asserted.

  All those characters in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any forms by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recoding or any information retrieval system, without prior permission, in writing, from the author or contributing artist.

  The book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Acknowledgements

  Thanks first to Madame Editor, Reece Notley of Three Crow Press. Without her enthusiasm and expertise, this little book would not exist. Thanks also to my son Tim, for his editorial help, and to author Betty Blue for her advice on the naughty bits.

  Table Of Contents

  Foreword by Laura Anne Gilman

  A Few Words by Lynn Flewelling

  Misfit

  The Wild

  By The River

  The Bond

  The Summer Players (working title)

  Image Gallery

  Contributing Artists

  Illustrations provided by

  MBP: Front Piece

  Glynnis Koike: Acknowledgements

  Kristen Evans: Table of Contents

  Laurel Graham: Foreword

  Ovsanna: Front Piece

  Casey Beck: Front Piece

  Misfit

  Anna Sommerer

  Ovsanna

  Rabby

  Bettina Körner

  Kristin McKenna

  Rabby

  Linda Stelinski

  Tove Brandberg

  Stela Topolcic

  The Wild

  Melissa Pritchard

  Anna Davidson

  Ovsanna

  Karl Engracia

  Adriane Zonker

  Stela Topolcic

  Bernadette Joseco

  By The River

  Olivia Faliph

  Angela Sopo

  Lindsay Mathers

  DragonLadyC

  Ovsanna

  Tata

  The Bond

  Linnea Jefferson

  Franzsika Riedel

  Ovsanna

  Capucine

  Ovsanna

  Sarah Borchart

  Tata

  The Summer Players

  Tata

  Image Gallery

  Karena Kliefoth: Editor's Note

  Anna Sommerer: Artists' Page

  Anna Davidson: Gallery

  Kracken: Gallery

  Capucine: Gallery

  Anna Sommerer: Gallery

  Kimberly White: Gallery

  Sara Lilja: Gallery

  Linda Stelinski: Gallery

  Karl Engracia: Gallery

  Doug Flewelling: Author Photo

  Praise for Lynn Flewelling

  “Glimpses is full of treasures like Lynn Flewelling’s deceptively easy and addictive storytelling, her vivid and engaging characters, and the amazing and heartfelt illustrations. I found it fascinating to see a younger, less outwardly confident Seregil in both ‘Misfit’ and ‘By the River’, and then to meet him in his much more worldly persona in the snippet of ‘The Summer Players’, the next Nightrunner novel. ‘The Wild’ is a poignant, brutal and uplifting tale of Alec’s parents and his early childhood. While the deepening of Seregil and Alec’s relationship in ‘The Bond’ is beautifully handled and is as emotionally satisfying for the reader as it is for the two friends and lovers. This book is a must have for fans of Lynn’s Nightrunner books, and if you haven’t started the series yet, then Glimpses will leave you eager to discover more about Seregil and Alec, their adventures and the unique and fantastical world that the pair inhabit.”

  —Suzanne McLeod, author of the Spellcrackers.com urban fantasy series

  “It's hard to imagine a lovelier gift to fans than this exquisite collection of gorgeously illustrated short stories. Flewelling indulges her loyal readers with these graceful glimpses ‘between the lines’ of the long-running and immensely popular Nightrunner series.”

  —Josh Lanyon, author of the Adrien English Mysteries and the Holmes & Moriarity Mysteries

  “An unmissable short story collection from Flewelling. Set in the Nightrunner universe Glimpses captures Flewelling’s characters at formative moments in their various timelines. Some of the stories fill in details that I've been waiting on for years, others tell stories that I didn't know I wanted to know until I read them. And who can resist the story of how Seregil first met Micum Cavish, beloved if never a lover, or a glimpse at the young Phoria - before she turned so bitter. Illustrated by fans of the series it is fun to see how other readers envisage the characters.”

  —T.A. Moore, award-winning author of the Even Series

  “Glimpses is a terrific collection, lovingly illustrated, a gift to all of us who love the Nightrunners. This rocks.”

  —Patricia Briggs, New York Times Best-selling Author of the Mercy Thompson Series

  “Magnificent, impressive … capture[s] some of the same flavor found in T. H. White’s classic, The Once and Future King, as well as in Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea books. Factor in some essence of Mervyn Peake, and you have a winning combination.”

  —Realms of Fantasy

  “Flewelling’s Nightrunner books are popular among fantasy fans for a very simple reason—they’re good.”

  —Monroe (LA) News-Star

  “An intensely poignant tale that asks the question—how far should one go to change destiny? Lynn Flewelling delivers a tightly crafted narrative with vivid characters and a detailed background that quickly pulls the reader into her world.”

  —Romantic Times

  “Memorable characters, an enthralling plot, and truly daunting evil.... The characters spring forth from the page not as well-crafted creations but as people.... The magic is refreshingly difficult, mysterious, and unpredictable. Lynn Flewelling has eschewed the easy shortcuts of clichéd minor characte
rs and cookie-cutter backdrops to present a unique world.... I commend this one to your attention.”

  —Robin Hobb, award-winning author of the The Realm

  of the Elderlings series and the Soldier Son Trilogy

  “A splendid read, filled with magic, mystery, adventure, and taut suspense. Lynn Flewelling, bravo! Nicely done.”

  —Dennis L. McKiernan

  Foreword by Laura Anne Gilman

  Many years ago, when I was still editing the Roc SF imprint, I cornered an agent friend of mine, waving a book in her face. “Why didn’t you send me this author, when you were submitting it?”

  She blanched a little. “Oh, but you already had [author redacted] on your list, so I thought it would be too similar.”

  “Argh,” I growled. “I would have made room!”

  So I lost out on my chance to be Lynn Flewelling’s editor. But instead, I got to be her fan.

  And that’s a word I don’t use easily: I’ve worked with many writers over the years, and I enjoy their work, I often love their work, but I don’t often consider myself a fan So why Lynn Flewelling? Because when I start one of her stories, I know that I’ll lose the rest of the day to anything else. Period. She writes of people I care about, adventures that I can lose myself in, and, underneath it all she writes about things that matter. About love and friendship. Loyalty and fear. The many layers of faith, and the equal layers of betrayal. And she does it without losing sight of the most important, cannot-be-underestimated elements of writing: Make It Fun. Even if you’re tearing your readers’ hearts out, make them enjoy it.

  Lynn is heterosexual. In case anyone was wondering. So the fact that her main characters in the Nightrunner series are gay could have backfired, could have been seen as a ploy to ride a particular subgenre bandwagon, except for the fact that Seregil and Alec are characters formed by their experiences, rather than formed to BE their experiences. When Lynn writes about gender issues, ostracism and the difficulties of knowing and accepting not only who you are, but who you love, readers—no matter what their self-identifications, can find their own emotions and personal conflicts there.

  That’s a gift. That’s storytelling.

  I’ve been doubly fortunate, since that first encounter with Luck In The Shadows, to also be able to claim Lynn as a friend. For those of you who know that her totem animal is the otter, I can confirm, that yes, she shares many traits with that animal—she’s friendly, open, inquisitive, and cracks shells open with rocks.

  Oh no, wait...

  There are many stories I could tell, from the years of rooming together at conventions, of sitting long over drinks, and of sharing tea—one of Lynn’s obsessions, as she tries to wean me from my beloved coffee—but then she would probably and rightfully kill me.

  So I will say only that it has been my pleasure, for the past fourteen years, to watch Lynn’s readership grow, from those of us who knew early on, to people discovering her work only now. And it is my great pleasure to introduce you to this collection, which brings us into the heart of her world and her characters, and does what Lynn does best: makes us care.

  Laura Anne Gilman

  September, 2010

  A Few Words by Lynn Flewelling

  Dear Reader, what you hold in your hands is a small collection of stories that fill in a few gaps in the Nightrunner world’s history, little glimpses people have asked for over the years.

  This all began in 2001 when, for reasons I don’t recall, I wrote a short story called “By the River,” in which Seregil and Micum Cavish meet for the first time, many years before the Nightrunner Series begins. It was fun; I’d never really considered the details before. I wrote it for my own amusement, then shared it online with several fan groups.

  Since then, readers have requested other stories, most particularly an account of Seregil and Alec’s first night as lovers. That appears here as “The Bond,” the first Nightrunner erotica I have ever written. It takes place at the end of Stalking Darkness, the summer after the death of Seregil’s beloved mentor, the wizard Nysander and opens just after Seregil, wracked with guilt, tries to leave everyone behind.

  “Misfit” is two stories in one: the events leading up to Seregil becoming Nysander’s apprentice soon after his exile from Aurënen, his native country, and his first Skalan sexual liaison. This story also contains homoerotic scenes.

  “The Wild,” also a two-in-one, reveals a bit of Alec’s early childhood with his father, Amasa, and how his parents met.

  Finally, a snippet from my forthcoming Nightrunner novel, The Summer Players. At least that’s what it’s called at the moment. Look for it in 2011 from Spectra.

  You will also find illustrations with each story. Since the earliest days of the Nightrunner series, people have sent me artwork inspired by my stories. I treasure every one of them, as I know each is a labor of love. After all these years, it still thrills me that people do things like that. So it only seemed right that this book be illustrated by fans.

  I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I do. I received many more than I could possibly use, and it was very difficult narrowing the choices down to the few that fit here, but as I said, every one I received is appreciated.

  I hope you enjoy these little glimpses.

  Lynn Flewelling

  Redlands, California

  September, 2010

  Misfit

  Nysander hummed softly to himself as he walked through the gloomy palace corridors. A few of the courtiers he passed cast him a questioning glance, but most gave him a smile or respectful nod, used to his quirks. His little tricks at the royal banquet last night—making rings from gold coins, casting a rain of flowers, and sending empty platters floating back to the kitchen—had gone over well, as usual. People tended to assume that this was why the queen favored him. That suited the old wizard just fine.

  He was well acquainted with Idrilain’s suite of rooms, having visited four queens before her here. He’d known Idrilain from birth and both loved and respected the warrior ruler she’d become.

  It was a pleasant autumn day and he found her and her women sitting in her sunny courtyard, together with her second daughter, young Aralain. The sun glittered on pale blonde hair as she and her mother looked up and smiled at Nysander.

  “Ah, here you are, my friend! Welcome back.” The queen rose to take his hands. “Four months is too long not to see you. How was your journey?”

  “Very pleasant, my dear.” They dispensed with titles in private. “The island is very nice this time of year.”

  “I miss it,” Idrilain said with a sigh. “I want to hear all about it, and how Rabinis is faring, but first there’s someone I’d like you to meet. Kallia, summon Seregil.”

  One of the younger ladies-in-waiting went inside.

  “Seregil?” asked Nysander. “An Aurënfaie?”

  “Yes. A distant kinsman of mine. He arrived just after you left. I’ve recently placed him with Emidas.”

  “Indeed?” Emidas was the queen’s chief scribe. While it was an honorable post, it seemed an odd choice for a kinsman.

  “I’m afraid he’s having trouble adjusting to court life. I made him a page first, but he was a bit old, and wasn’t really suited to the position.”

  “How so?”

  Idrilain gave him a wry look. “He had a habit of not being where he was supposed to.”

  Nysander chuckled at that. “Ah, I see.”

  “But he’s well educated and writes with a very fine hand. Emidas has been happy with him so far. Well, mostly. Seregil is a bit headstrong, and apparently gets bored easily.”

  Nysander could well imagine, having traveled in Aurënen. The ‘faie had no royalty, and nothing so formal as the Skalan court.

  The young woman soon returned with a pretty youth. His ink-stained fingers and short green robe marked him as a junior scribe. He had the fine features of a pure ‘faie, framed by long dark brown hair loose over his shoulders. His grey eyes betrayed a deep sadness even as
he gave Nysander a stiff bow and a forced smile. He looked to be about eighteen in human years.

  Nysander took all that in at a glance, but it wasn’t what most caught his attention; the young ‘faie had magic in him. Nysander could just make out the faint aura of it around him. It was a shame to waste him as a minor functionary. If he’d been here when the young man had arrived he might have requested him for the Orëska.

  “Nysander, this is my kinsman Seregil,” said Idrilain. “Seregil, this is Lord Nysander í Azusthra, one of the chief wizards of the Orëska House and a great friend of mine.”

  “My lord, I am very honored to meet you,” said Seregil. His Skalan was cultured and carried the lilt of a western clan. Oddly, Idrilain hadn’t used Seregil’s formal name, with its string of patronymics and clan.

  “Can Seregil take tea with us, Mother?” asked Aralain, and Nysander guessed that she was a bit smitten with the young man.

  Idrilain smiled. “I’m sure his master can spare him for a little while.”

  Seregil bowed again and joined the them at a small tea table by the fountain.

  “Well, you are a long way from home, my boy,” said Nysander. “How are you enjoying Rhíminee so far?”

  “I haven’t seen much beyond the palace, my lord. But it’s very pleasant here.”

  Nysander could tell he didn’t mean a word of it. Though he still smiled politely, it was clear that Seregil wasn’t here by his own choice. As much as Nysander wanted to ask him more about himself, he sensed that it wouldn’t be welcome and to brush his thoughts would be rude.