I was lying in bed that evening thinking about the conversation I'd had earlier with Sophia. It's all I've been able to think about since returning to the castle.

"No, that's not possible" I'd argued when she'd dangled the idea in front of me that I become her sister-in-law.

"Everything's possible, dear" she'd replied, "You only need the power to make it happen. And power is something I find at my disposal lately"

Mediation isn't court, but the consequence could be as binding if the negotiations went south. Brad's choice of who he sees personally is on the line and it could come down to fancy lawyering by his friend Lance or show one of the smarter attendees at the mediation is their daughter Jenny.

Hope's Light

Chapter 26

by Erisian

Book 6

Chapter Twenty-Six - Threats

Cassiel was helping Turiel to his feet when Krux’s military force finally swarmed the cavern, his soldiers bursting through the steel doors or clambering over the broken stones of the walls. Seeing three angels as the only ones moving, they didn’t know what to do. Deciding it was safer to simply leave us alone, they spread out to check the numerous cultists unconscious or dead splayed messily across the cracked tiles.

International Student

A Short Story for Yoyo

By Maryanne Peters

I, my good friend Paul, a couple passing acquaintances, and several other people who were complete strangers to me were convinced by various of our friends to help them run one of those interactive entertainment events. We didn’t know our friends were associated with such a thing, nor had we ever heard of this one. We were invited to a free run-through of the event so that we would know how it was supposed to work.

Happy New Year everyone. I hope that it isn't as bad as a lot of people think it will be, as I have plenty to post this 2025.
Marianne

Chapter 1

Have you ever had that feeling that you were being watched? I was out of the office getting lunch at my favourite kebab outlet when I had that feeling, like someone had walked over my grave.

©2025 SammyC

Destiny's Serendipity

Episode Six: Observer Versus Interpreter

A Thriller - Romance - Transgender Serial

By Jo Dora Webster

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Will Bart's investigation of Regalia's mysteries bridge the gap to the region beyond the barrier and save all on their planet?

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Akari, driven by her unyielding determination and the dragon’s hearthstone in her possession, was acutely aware that her journey was far from its conclusion. The next phase in her quest to craft the divine artifact was to locate the rare pyresteel, a metal forged in the most scorching of volcanoes. She foresaw this leg of the journey to be as treacherous as the previous ones, but her resolve remained steadfast.

Chapter Five: Back to Normal—Almost

David settled onto the living room couch, the controller fitting comfortably into his hands. The new game his sister, Kelly, had gotten him sat in the console, its startup screen glowing brightly on the TV. He took a deep breath, the familiar sounds and sights of the game pulling him back into a sense of normalcy.

Cameron is back in command and it might be going easier than she expected - even with some tiny bumps along the way. Easy can become difficult in a flash and that might just happen with her ships smuggling client. She may have a vision after all these weeks away from the Exhibit Housing, question is was it purposely planted in her?

Karan was a typical college student at Zenith College in Aurangabad—spirited, easygoing, and known for his unusually long hair that fell below his chest. Having maintained it for years, he was proud of his thick, dark locks. Often, when strolling through the Aurangabad East area or riding his bike past Skylark Towers, he would tie his hair up in a low ponytail or simply let it flow behind him. His friends—Neha, Anjali, and Sanya—had teased him about his hair many times, but their playful jabs were never anything he took seriously. Until one day, their teasing took a sudden turn.