so spent the last couple months coming up with a new world and book idea – but adhd and the fact that I left Kitsune and Apocrypha apart at the end of the last book has me thinking maybe I should do that sequel before starting a new series
anyway here is like 3 pages for people to tell me what their thoughts are
Elisheva sat at the bar nursing a beer. It was about an hour till her shift, so she couldn’t get drunk, but didn’t really have anywhere else to be.
“You know,” She directed the comment towards green haired bartender whose name she couldn’t remember. “I was around before the magic came back. I remember the time right after emergence day. Everyone was running around saying this was going to solve all the world’s problems. It didn’t. The rich and powerful got more, and the poor got less. The story of the fucking world.”
The Dryad walked over to her. “You want something stronger. We can always get one of the staff mages to cast a sobriety before your shift.”
“Nah, it’s fine. Sorry. It’s just one of those days where you go over all the choices you made and think you’re a fucking idiot. Tomorrow I will wake up and be thankful for the job here at Threshold. It’s not that there are many jobs where you can work at a bar on a different continent every shift.”
“K. I’m going to take care of some other customers, but wave me over if you change your mind.”
Elisheva waved her away and spun on the barstool. Threshold was not very busy. It was about six in the morning London time, and most of the people who were still partying had crossed over to a different time zone.
“FUCK YOU.” A voice cut through all the conversations that were taking place in the pub, and Elisheva’s attention was instantly drawn to a large table near the front door. A huge minotaur had just upended the table and was towering over a young elf in a loose, flowing robe.
“You don’t tell me when I have had enough.”
The elf made a covert gesture and spoke in a soothing voice. “I was just suggesting that you take a break, and when you come back, the first round will be on us.”
Elisheva shook her head. Minotaurs were resistant to most charm magic. This was not going to go well.
“And I said I want another drink.” The minotaur smashed both of his fists down on the elf’s head, and they slumped to the floor.
“damn it. Hey… um.. Green hair girl. Clock me in. “ Elisheva jumped down off her stool and started quickly walking across the room. By the time she got to the minotaur, he had pulled back a hoof to stomp on the unconscious elf.
“Hey, Mr. Cowman.”
The minotaur stopped in mid-motion and turned around to face Elisheva. “I’m not a cow. I’m a minotaur. “
“Okay, sorry, Mr. Cow. I just need you to not stomp on my co-worker because I don’t want to work overtime this week.” Elisheva pulled out a cred-stick. “How about you take this and find someplace else to finish your party.”
“I’m not a cow, and I think I’m going to stay here and stomp you.” The minotaur threw a punch at Elisheva, and she caught it.
“I really would prefer it if you just take the money and leave.”
The minotaur threw a punch with his other hand in response.
“Fine, have it your way.” Elisheva kept her grip on the minotaur’s hands and did a little hop and then smashed her head into the minotaur’s. A wave of pain shot through her, and she stumbled back. Elisheva mentally slapped herself. The head was probably the toughest part of a minotaur.
The minotaur smiled and rushed Elisheva. The attack was too quick to dodge completely, but she managed to avoid his horns. The impact still drove her back several feet. After a moment, she was able to get her feet under her and stop him in his tracks. She wrapped her hands around his horns and, with a great effort, lifted him off his feet. She spun him several times and then released, sending him out the plate glass window that ran across the front of the bar.
She took a deep breath and then slowly walked to the edge of the window. The minotaur was woozily getting back to his feet. She flicked her wrist, and Thorn appeared in her right hand. The blade glittered in the early morning dawn, and she carefully enunciated her next words.
“You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”
The minotaur looked at her, then at the knife, then at her again.
“Fuck this shit. This bar is lame anyway.”
Elisheva flicked her wrist again, and Thorn disappeared.
She turned back and saw that some of the waitresses were helping the elf walk to the back of the bar. He shot her a weak thumbs-up. Elisheva waved back at him.
***
The rest of the shift was pretty quiet. Elisheva spent most of it watching workers putting in a new window. As she approached the bar to clock out for the night, the green-haired girl threw her a cell phone.
“This ain’t mine. I don’t have a phone.”
“It’s the house phone. Crossroads transferred the call and said you want to take it.”
Elisheva’s face contorted. One of the reasons she had taken this job was to be unreachable. But Crossroads was her boss and as close to a friend as she had these days.
“She also said they are going to take the cost of the window out of your paycheck.”
“Fuck.” Close to but not really a friend. She answered the phone. “What!”
“Hey Apocrypha.”
“Roger. You got five seconds to convince me not to hang up.” Roger was an employee of the Word. A worldwide religious organization that was currently hunting her. Beyond that, Elisheva kind of liked the guy. He said one word in response.
“Kitsune.”
“Fuck you. What did you and that fucking bishop of yours do to her?”
“Nothing. Well, nothing direct. She went on an op and hasn’t maintained contact. I thought you might want to go after her.”
“How do I know this isn’t a trick to get me to come back?”
“I swear on my blade. Nobody from the Word will take any aggressive actions toward you.”
“Fuck you.”
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes.”