Book update 4/12/25

Pyrel quickly glanced around to ensure no one else was in earshot. Satisfied they were clear, he turned back to the prince.

“I’m compiling a list of all the nobles and where I believe their allegiances will lie should a confrontation between you and your father occur. Of course Sir Kyre, Pion, and Ryan are all with us. Sir Smythe should be on your side.”

“Good, and those who would be on my father’s side?” Drayke asked.

“Well, Sir Gale and Sir Gavin for starters. The Royal Doctor and Stonemason as well. Then there are several who are on the line. The Royal Chef and some others are weak. I believe they could be pressured into supporting you.”

“I see. And what of Sir Dirk?”

Pyrel frowned. While Drayke was in charge of the Secret Corps, Sir Dirk was the second-in-command, carrying out most of the missions and training the new recruits. Pyrel could see why he was chosen, as he was very competent and skilled.

“I am not sure,” he said slowly. He liked Dirk, and didn’t want to endanger him. But if Drayke’s plan was going to work, he needed to be forthright. “He is loyal to Byrinth and our laws first and foremost. If you can convince him that what you are trying to do is legal and that the throne is your birthright, then I think we can count on him. Otherwise, I believe he will side with your father.”

“My thoughts exactly, which is why I have not yet told him of our plan.” Drayke put a hand on Pyrel’s shoulder. “He is still my commander for the Secret Corps for now, but you are the one I trust with this plan. Do not fail me.”

“I will not. You can trust me,” assured Pyrel. He had gone too far now to turn back.

Hello, everyone! I hope you enjoyed that short snippet of Book 2. Editing is going slower than I had hoped. I'm still trying to fit it in with my work schedule and other projects and stuff I have going on. I don't think I will make my goal of the end of April, but we shall see.

I've already made several notes as to bigger changes I need to make. The timeline at the beginning is hard to follow, so I need to fix that, along with redoing a scene or two. One minor event I had going on I plan to remove entirely. Such is the life of the rough draft, which is why it is key not to spend too much time on it nor try to make it perfect. A lot is going to change or get thrown out the window.

If you have any questions about the book or my writing process that you would like me to address in one of these updates, please send me a message or comment on my facebook post!