Itropa Preview

 

Here is a short preview of my upcoming "Itropa" novel, which is set in the same universe as Bloodhunters. I think of it as a "fantasy world in a sci-fi universe." The following is excerpt is still from an early draft, so it may change a lot before release.

The Silkleaf Woods were alive with a cacophony of birdcalls and insect chirps. Thin rays of sunshine gleamed down from the canopy above, spattering the forest floor with intermittent droplets of light. The occasional fairy flitted by, carrying pollen from one feyflower to another. A gentle breeze passed through the wooded paths, rustling the fallen leaves.

An elflike young woman skipped between the trees, taking in the sweet smell of ciniblossoms that wafted through the air. Stopping to rest in a clearing, the moonfolk removed her backpack and rummaged through it for a woodapple she’d picked earlier. She was about to take a bite when her pointed ears perked up.

Something had changed. The chitterbugs had stopped keening, and Brynwyn felt like she was being watched. On the far side of the clearing, a mound of grass continued to sway in the breeze, even though the air had become still. Cautiously, Brynwyn dropped the fruit and reached for her bow. Birds continued to chirp in the distance, but Brynwyn could only hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Nocking an arrow, she carefully backed out of the clearing.

With a roar, the mound of grass came alive. The massive turfbear sprang from its hiding pit and bounded toward the young woman, its mouth open wide. Brynwyn fired an arrow, tumbled backward, and fired another. While both arrows hit true, the creature barely seemed to notice. Brynwyn turned and ran.

She could hear it behind her, mere meters away. The crunching of its footfalls against the crisp leaves, the rhythmic huffing of its breath. A million questions raced through her mind. Could turfbears climb trees? Could she make it up a tree before it got her? Wasn’t there a lake around here somewhere? Could turfbears swim? Would her parents find out how she died? Would they care?

Brynwyn attempted to veer left, but she saw one of the monster’s viny appendages out of the corner of her eye. She swerved right instead, then ran straight until she saw another leafy tentacle in her peripheral vision. Veering back to the left, she leaped over a dense patch of foliage between two trees, hoping they were too close together for the creature to follow. Too late, she realized she’d been herded.

She landed on her hands and knees in the turfbear’s pit, having run in a complete circle. She rolled over onto her back, and saw the monster towering over her. Standing on its hind legs, it was more than twice her height. The six-legged bear had grass-like fur over a brown undercoat. Two vinelike tentacles, protruding from the monster’s shoulders, reached toward the young woman. It glared at her with four yellow eyes, and opened its mouth wide, revealing teeth that looked like thick thorns.

Brynwyn fumbled through her side pouch, pulled out her energy pistol, and fired several shots. The monster recoiled as the blue bolts of light hit it in the chest. The weapon had been designed to stun, not kill, and the beast was so large that it took more than ten shots to bring it down. Brynwyn had to roll out of the way as the turfbear fell, to avoid getting trapped under its huge form.

The monstrous bear now lay unconscious, and Brynwyn climbed out of the pit. She retrieved her backpack from the clearing, pocketed her pistol, and skipped away, whistling a happy tune.