The Wizard’s Bones
Dark Deeds and Black Magic Series Book 1
by Luke Ahearn
Genre:
Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery

66 pages

In the tradition of Fritz Leiber and Robert Howard this is a gritty tale
of traditional sword and sorcery. 

A dark twisted youth and his voluptuous lover tackle the one thing they
sought to avoid, responsibility. In the dangerous streets of
Kingspoint they play at thievery, love making, and adventure seeking.
“I imagine a woman in your situation, forced to don tawdry disguises and follow
a mime into a life of thievery, hasn’t much been treated like a lady.” Xanthus sat her at a
finely polished table of dark hardwood. It was carved in the most detailed fashion with
roses and cherubs all about it. He set a glass before her and poured her a dark liquid
from a crystal decanter.
“Fancy you wines from the East? Expert vintners the eastern folk, do you agree?”
She took a long sip, and her eyes closed as she put her head back.
“I don’t know vintners from stray dogs, but by gods that’s delicious. I feel it in my
toes.” And she cracked a luscious smile. “And every point in between.”
“Pray, you sit alone but for a moment.” And Xanthus went to the next room.
Harlequin cracked an eye and listened intently for the telltale scuff of a eunuch’s
barefoot, or the hiss of a blade being drawn, but she only saw the handsome princeling
returning with a cloth-covered board.
“Tis but a light assortment of cheese and meat. Please.” He pulled the cloth
aside, and she chose a light colored cheese to nibble on.
“So, here we are. Victim and victimizer, how cozy.” He sat across from her and
sipped from his own glass.
She giggled. “I should think you’d be fetching the guard to apprehend me, or
tossing me to the stones less a finger or two.”
Xanthus regarded her for a long while as she sipped and nibbled. She likewise
studied him. Their eyes were locked on the other’s as both pondered the familiarity they
each felt. Dangerous mind play they each, in their own fashion, thought, to be so
transfixed, so unguarded. He knowing that Pulcinella could be right that moment
sneaking up behind him with garrote or killing dagger. And she, likewise knowing that
such a large house could easily hide a felt-slippered eunuch behind secret panels. She
was on his turf, and any number of preplanned dooms awaited the likes of her.
And each was curious as to their own behavior, for Xanthus was not one to be
taken in by female charms, and she was immune to the smooth, charming gent. In fact,
warning bells clanged in the head of each when in the past such tactics were used upon
them. Yet here they sat, taken in and charmed to distraction.
She had yet to remove her mask, and he wondered what may lie beneath.
Perhaps her face was a monstrosity or cursed with some hideous malformation, he
thought, but knowing in advance that it was beautiful.


Luke Ahearn was born in New Orleans, LA and now lives in Central
California. He's written several award winning fiction and nonfiction books.

Luke has over 20 years of professional game development experience in lead
positions; designer, producer, and art director.

He’s also authored several best selling nonfiction books on computer game development.




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