Here be Magic

HERE BE NEWS for Monday August 10, 2026

2026-08-10T03:00:00.000-04:00

Monday August 10, 2026
Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:
So, today is another Stuff Your E-Reader Day! For one day only (maybe two--it depends on the venders) you can download over 1200 romance ebooks for FREE!
https://www.romancebookworms.com

HERE BE NEWS for Monday August 3, 2026

2026-08-03T03:00:00.000-04:00

Monday August 03, 2026
Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/xofy3ssvv7

Touch Of A Vanished Hand
Oberon Book 5.0
PG Forte

Sinead Quinn has always been something of a drifter. But now, with her ex-husband trying to blackmail her, and her ex-boyfriend's widow trying to put her in jail, she has no choice but to go to ground. What better place to hide than with your family? After all, what are sisters for? Especially when you're a twin.

But the first rule of hiding out, is to keep a low profile. And that does not mean kissing your sister's boyfriend (even if he can't tell the two of you apart); rescuing a troubled teen; or taking a highly visible job as hostess of Oberon's most celebrated new inn.

Adam Sasso has always dreamed big. But big dreams beget big complications. First, his goal to turn the vineyard he inherited from his grandfather into a world-class winery is threatened by a mysterious saboteur. Next, his plan to run the finest bed & breakfast Oberon has ever seen, is broadsided by a hostess who wants to run him. Finally, it seems his fondest wish, of finding love-everlasting with the soul mate of his dreams, is about to go up in smoke when he can't convince her that they're destined to be together.

This summer, it's going to take all the wizardry in Oberon to craft a happy ending for the drifter and the dreamer.

THE CONDEMNED - Book 1, Rowen, a Sci-Fi/Time Travel Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapter 7, Wanted

2026-07-28T04:30:00.000-04:00

THE CONDEMNED

Book 1 – Rowen

*Note: For purposes of this blog, the content here will be kept to PG standards. However, upon publication, the full novel will include more adult content.

Chapter 7
Wanted

“After you buckle it and put the end through this right here, you cinch it up nice and firm, but not too tight. Now go ahead. You do it.”

Zwick stepped back to observe Rowen’s attempt at hitching a horse up to a buggy. When he finished, Rowen looked up at the man. “What did I miss?”

The stable owner puckered his lips. “As far as I can tell, nothing.” Bending over, Zwick stuck two fingers underneath the straps. “A smidge tight. Might need to move back a notch, but otherwise you did good. All right, let’s get the bridle on him, and you’re done.”

They were in the middle of slipping the bit into the gelding’s mouth when a familiar voice interrupted them.

“Oh, good! He’s almost ready!”

Rowen jerked his head up to meet Postill’s surprised expression. “Hi, Doc! We’re almost finished.”

“You’re working here now, Mr. Taylor? Or helping out?”

“I am legitimately employed,” he told her with a grin. “For the time being, anyway, until Mr. Zwick figures out whether or not he wants to keep me or send me on my way.” He eyed her as she strolled up to pat the horse on the neck. This time she wore a short brown coat over a blue dress, along with her usual bonnet perched on top of her head, and a pair of dark brown gloves. It was clear by the way the horse was giving her its full attention that the animal was enamored of her.

“Hello, Blaze. How’s my boy doing?” She handed the creature a carrot, which it eagerly took and consumed.

Zwick gave Rowen a nudge with his elbow. “Finish ‘er up. You’re not done yet. You need to bring the reins over to the buckboard, and then you can call it. But first…” The man pointed off to the side. “Fetch that stepstool and help the doc up into the wagon.”

Rowen nodded and retrieved the short steps, setting them on the ground next to the wheel. Postill handed him her medical box before taking his other hand to steady herself as she lifted her skirt. She easily mounted the wagon and settled on the seat, then reached for her kit. Rowen handed it to her, along with the reins.

“Thank you, Mr. Taylor. By the way, Mr. Zwick, if anyone comes looking for me, tell them I’m heading out to the Weatherly place.”

“Is Irene still doing poorly?” Zwick inquired.

“I hope not. I’ll find out when I get there.” She turned to Rowen. “Thank you for getting my wagon ready. I expect you to still be employed when I return,” she quipped with a smile. Not waiting for an answer, she lightly slapped the reins over the horse’s back and clicked her tongue twice. The gelding obediently moved forward, and they exited the stables.

Rowen walked up to the open doors and continued to watch her until she took a left at the end of the road and vanished from sight. When he finally turned around, he discovered Zwick holding a shovel out to him.

“Now show me how well you can clean the stalls,” the man ordered with a partial grin lifting one side of his mouth.

Sighing, Rowen took the shovel. “Is there a bucket or something I can dump the shit in?”

Zwick pointed behind him. “Outside, against the back wall, is a wheelbarrow.”

“Where do I dump it when it gets full?”

“At the far end of the paddock, by that open field. People come by regularly to get what they need for their gardens and such, so I don’t have to worry about it piling up too high.”

“Hamp! Hamp!” A man Rowen didn’t recognize ran into the stables. He was almost out of breath, and his face was pale with apprehension. “Sheriff needs you armed and out front right now!”

Zwick didn’t question the man, who ran out. Instead, he turned to Rowen. “Can you handle a gun?”

“I can learn!”

The man gave a quick nod and hurried into his office, emerging seconds later with two rifles. He handed one to Rowen. “Act like you know what you’re doing, and no one’ll suspect. Go by my lead. Now let’s go see what the emergency is.”

They rushed out of the stables to find Sheriff Melfry and two other men Rowen didn’t know. They had their firearms trained on four men on horseback who’d stopped in the middle of the street.

“You’d make things a whole lot easier for all of us if you fellas just turned around and went back to where you came from,” Melfry informed the strangers.

The man in the lead leaned over and crossed his arms over the saddle horn. “Sheriff, let me make one thing clear. We’re not here to cause trouble. We just want a drink and bite to eat, and then we’ll be on our way.”

“You can keep going the way you’re headed,” Melfry intoned, his voice as stoic and all-business as his demeanor. “Chamberlain is about ten miles up the road. They’re a bigger town than us. They’ll have everything you need.”

“But we don’t wanna wait that long,” the man next to the leader remarked.

“We’re thirsty now,” the leader continued. “We’ve been traveling a long distance, and we’re parched.”

“And we don’t have anything here to offer you ‘cept a drink from a cold spring,” Melfry countered. He motioned with his head. “I strongly suggest you circumvent our town and head that way if you’re determined to have anything stronger than that.”

Rowen stared at the man’s face. There was arrogance there. And cruelty. The guy was up to no good, and Rowen would bet anything that those four had something planned. Worse, the man’s countenance was ringing a bell in the back of his mind.

Straightening, the leader eyed the five men with guns pointed at him, barring his way. A sick grin stretched the corners of his mouth. “Very well. If you’re going to be inhospitable about it, I guess we don’t have any other choice. But, trust me, Sheriff, I ain’t gonna forget this little incident.”

Melfry didn’t respond. After another moment or two, the leader turned his horse around, and the foursome left the way they’d come. Rowen and the others remained where they stood until the strangers took the corner at the farthest end to skirt the town.

“Barkley, Myerson, cut past the general store and watch to make sure they don’t try to backtrack,” the sheriff ordered. He glanced over at Rowen and Zwick. “You men, watch the pasture. Let me know if that bunch gets back on the road leading out of town.”

Zwick nodded once. “Sure thing, Sheriff. Come on, Rowen.”

They hustled back to the livery, but instead of going inside they hurried past it and went around the building to where the pasture was located. Taking a stance where the strangers would be able to see them clearly, they waited for the riders to appear.

“Hey, Mr. Zwick.”

“If you’re going to stick around, might as well call me Hamp like the rest of the folks do,” the man drolly stated.

“Okay. Hamp, if something happens here that’s too big for the sheriff to handle…” Rowen began.

“Someone hightails it up to Chamberlain to fetch Marshal Loving.” Hamp looked over at him. “Why do you ask?”

“The one who’s the leader. I think I’ve seen that guy before. I don’t know where or when, but I’m almost dead certain I’ve seen his face…somewhere. Do you know who that man is?”

Hamp shook his head. “Nope, and I don’t reckon I want to. Besides, I don’t trust a bunch of strangers riding into town. One or two, we can handle.” He eyed Rowen to make a point. “But four big, burly men armed to the teeth…” He suddenly pointed in front of them. “There they are. Hold your rifle up, son. Let ‘em know we mean business.”

Rowen held the weapon the way Zwick held his as the strangers casually continued past. When the group finally returned to the main road leading away from town, they moved on, never once checking behind them to see if they were still being watched.

Rowen felt the knot in his stomach begin to loosen. “Those men, if they meant to do us harm or cause trouble, they probably could have killed us back there where we stopped them.”

“Yep. They could have. But they didn’t know how many of us there were. There could’ve been more armed men hiding inside the shops.”

The man’s tone made him pause. “Were there?” Rowen queried.

Hamp’s answer included a smile. “What do you think? All right. I can’t see ‘em anymore. Guess it’s safe now to stand down.” Reaching over, he plucked the rifle from Rowen’s hands. “You get back to work while I go tell Sheriff Melfry they’re gone.”

Rowen took one last look down the road when it suddenly hit him. The realization stunned him enough to where Zwick noticed his shocked expression.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“I remember now where I’ve seen that man. I mean, not the man himself, but his picture,” Rowen declared. “That guy is Ossie Chapman. A drawing of his face is on a wanted dead or alive poster hanging inside the sheriff’s office!”

TO BE CONTINUED

Linda's Website

New! Q138, a Sci-Fi Romance by Linda Mooney

2026-07-23T10:51:54.392-04:00

New!

Q138
Sci-Fi Romance
By Linda Mooney
Word Count: 41.1K
$3.99 e / $10.99 p

Cobalt Balski has been serving his sentence alone on the prison moon for over two years. Starved for human contact, aside from his supply drop every 38 days, he spends his days checking for activity from the one source of communication he has—a radio. Bored, he starts scanning through the channels and calling out, desperate for signs of life, when he gets a response.

Anyone caught speaking out against the Coalition was made an example of and punished, and since Valerie Shimmins is one of the leaders of the CAC, the anti-coalition group, it’s no surprise she also ended up sentenced to one of the prison moons. She's shocked to hear another prisoner calling out on the radio. During their frequent communications, the two begin noticing too many similarities in their circumstances, and questions arise. Could they be closer than they thought?

When the supply drops start getting further apart, the news they receive about Earth is also concerning. The Coalition is in hiding, and Cobalt and Val figure it’s only a matter of time before the shipments stop altogether.

The CAC needs leaders for a revolution, to prove the Coalition are liars and manipulators, and to take down the oppressors once and for all. Cobalt and Val are willing to put their lives on the line for that cause.

But first they have to find their way off the moon before they’re forgotten and left for dead.

Warning! Contains peach cobbler, a geographical screw-up, skin-shredding storms, a giant lemon cough drop, a chair leg, viable theories, a life prison sentence, baby nightlights, and two people determined to reclaim their lives and their hope for a future with each other.

Excerpt and Buy Links: https://lindamooney.com/Q138.htm

HERE BE NEWS: New Release from PG Forte: Nice Day for a Wine Wedding

2026-06-29T03:00:00.000-04:00

Nice Day for a Wine Wedding: A Pour Decisions Romance

PG Forte

books2read.com/WineWedding

There are a lot of reasons people choose to elope. We’ve already figured out most of them.

Clay

How hard could it be to plan a simple wedding? If recent experience has taught me anything, the answer is very. Once Legs’ Uncle Geno got involved things started spiraling out of control. We really should’ve eloped.

Allegra

I’m not saying Clay’s wrong about Geno, but it was his family who turned our rehearsal dinner into a circus. But we’re not eloping. We’re going to work out the problems and have the wedding of our dreams. Assuming we both show up for it.

Nice Day for a Wine Wedding released this week and I'm in a wedding-y mood. So, I've decided to offer Going to the Chapel for FREE! But only until Thursday! Enjoy!

Going To The Chapel

Oberon/LA Love Lessons Crossover Book 1.0

In Waiting For The Big One, Gabby and Derek went from being friends to being lovers. Now, they're waiting for their "big day". But will it be the wedding of their dreams? Or a bride's worst nightmare?

A quick trip to Gabby's hometown turns into the wedding from hell when Gabby and Derek are plagued by hailstorms, lost reservations, voracious goats, angry bees and enough family drama to fill a barn.

Guess it's true what they say, "The course of true love never did run smooth." But can the happy couple hold it all together, or will their Big Day turn into a Big Mess?

***A different version of this book was previously released as part of the Sapphire Falls Kindle World program.***

https://books2read.com/GoingChapel

THE CONDEMNED - Book 1, Rowen, a Sci-Fi/Time Travel Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapter 6, Settling In

2026-06-23T05:30:00.000-04:00

THE CONDEMNED

Book 1 – Rowen

*Note: For purposes of this blog, the content here will be kept to PG standards. However, upon publication, the full novel will include more adult content.

Chapter 6
Settling In

The stables were situated on the very edge of town and directly across the dirt street from the Mayflower Inn. Sheriff Melfry led Rowen inside the wood structure and over to a small enclosed area that had been sectioned off. Rowen noticed that the box-like structure had window-like openings that faced the entrance and inner portion of the building. He surmised that way Mr. Zwick could see whenever someone entered the place, and continue to watch them and the horses.

Hampton Zwick was a tall, gangly man with a long beard. Both beard and Mr. Zwick’s mustache were streaked with gray, although the man’s head didn’t have a hair on it. Seeing Rowen and the sheriff walk into his establishment, the guy got up from his chair and came over to greet them.

“Hamp.” Melfry touched a hand to the brim of his hat in greeting.

“Sam.” The owner’s eyes locked on Rowen as he waited for the reason for their visit.

The sheriff pointed to Rowen. “This here’s Mr. Rowen Taylor. He’s hoping you’ll hire him to work in your stables.”

Zwick’s gaze never left him. “This the guy who’s been your guest for the past couple of weeks?”

“Only until Miss Postill could clear him of having any dangerous diseases,” Melfry explained. “I also checked with Marshall Loving, and he says there are no active warrants or reward offers out for Mr. Taylor.”

“None, eh? Why are you here in the first place?” Zwick asked Rowen directly.

He met the man’s eyes. “The Assembly said I was guilty of theft, so I was banished from my town.”

“What kind of theft?”

“I stole food.”

The admission got a reaction from the man, although Rowen couldn’t tell what kind.

“What’s the name of that town?”

“Corinth City.”

“Never heard of it, and I know most every city within a hundred miles of here.” Zwick crossed his arms over his chest as if to challenge him.

Rowen called his bluff. “I walked for days. I have no recollection of how I got here. All I know is I have nowhere else to go. I have no family. The few friends I had are probably incarcerated or have been condemned the same way I was, since we were all working together. I figure this place is as good as any to set down roots. I’m a hard worker, although I will admit I’m not accustomed to physical labor. But if you’ll give me a chance, I promise I won’t let you down.”

“Are you familiar with working around horses?” Zwick inquired.

Rowen shook his head. “Absolutely nothing, but I’m a quick learner.”

The owner studied him for another moment or two. Sheriff Melfry spoke up.

“Give him a chance, Hampton. If you’re not satisfied by the end of the week, pay him what you think he’s owed and send him on his way. What have you got to lose? You’re always complaining about needing more help. Well, here he is.”

“You’re willing to back him?” Zwick asked the sheriff.

Melfry didn’t hesitate. “Yep.”

The big man sighed heavily. “Awright. You’re officially on two-weeks' probation. If at any time I have a beef with you, you’re out of here. Got that?”

“Yes, sir,” Rowen quickly replied.

“At this time, I’ll pay you five dollars a week. If at the end of two weeks I decide to keep you on, I’ll raise it to six.” He stuck out a hand. “Do we got a deal?”

Rowen took the man’s hand. It was calloused, the grip strong. “We have a deal. Thank you, Mr. Zwick. When do you want me to start?”

“How about right now?”

Melfry stepped in. “How about I first take Mr. Taylor over to the inn and see if Maisie has a room she can let to him?”

“I promise to return as soon as possible,” Rowen added.

Zwick stroked his beard. “Awright. Be back as soon as you can. Doc is needing me to get her wagon ready. I can show you how to hitch up a horse.”

Nodding, Rowen threw in a smile and held out his hand again. “Thank you, Mr. Zwick. I’ll be right back.”

He waited until they were heading across the street toward the inn before he brought up the subject. “Mr. Zwick mentioned a doctor. I thought this place didn’t have a medical doctor.”

“He meant Miss Postill. People around here call her Doc. She may not have all the right and proper credentials, but from what we can tell, she’s damn good at what she does, and she’s earned everyone’s trust. We might as well give her that title.” He threw a grin at Rowen. “Let’s just keep that little secret between us, if you don’t mind. No sense letting the whole countryside know.”

Rowen nodded in agreement.

The Mayflower Inn was a small two-story, white-washed structure. It had a simplistic, welcoming appeal. They went up the short steps to the porch, and Melfry knocked on the door. Rowen eyed the WELCOME sign posted on the side. A portly, diminutive woman answered. Her face instantly brightened when she saw the sheriff.

“Why, hello, Sam! What brings you here?”

“May we come in?” Melfry replied.

Her smile dropped at the sheriff’s all-business-like tone. “Yes. Yes, of course. Come in.”

Rowen caught her curiously eyeing him. They only took a few steps inside and stopped as she closed the door behind them. He barely had the chance to take in the interior when she approached them.

Melfry gestured to Rowen. “Maisie, this is Mr. Rowen Taylor. Rowen, this is Mrs. Maisie Mayflower. She runs this inn. Maisie, Rowen’s new in town. Hamp just hired him to work in the livery, but he’s going to need a place to rest his head. Would you be able to accommodate him?”

Rowen noticed the woman wrinkling her nose and knew why. “Pardon my smell, ma’am. I’m needing a bath in the worst way.”

“You’ll get no argument from me there,” the innkeeper agreed. She turned back to the sheriff. “He’ll be working at the livery, you say?”

Rowen answered. “Yes, ma’am. Eventually, I’d like to make this town my permanent residence, but until I can afford to do that, I’m going to need a place to stay.”

The woman gave him a bemused smile. “Your permanent residence? You sure have a way with words, Mr. Taylor.”

“Please call me Rowen.”

“All right. Rowen. Considering the fact that you’ll be smelling to high heaven every evening, I can’t have you off-putting any of my other lodgers. I do have one bedroom on the first floor in the back, near the rear exit. It ain’t fancy, but the sheets are clean, and there’s a nice breeze coming through the window at night. I charge two dollars a week.”

“Now, Maisie,” Melfry interrupted her. “You know I don’t dabble in your business, but Mr. Taylor here barely got his feet under him. We both know you mostly use that back bedroom for storage. Why don’t you cut him a break? Hampton’s hired him on for two weeks, just to try him out. If he’s satisfied with Mr. Taylor’s work, he’s willing to keep him on and also give him a little raise. The least you can do is give him a chance to save some of that money so he can buy himself some new clothes.”

The woman finally noticed Rowen wasn’t carrying any luggage, and she peered more closely at him. “Is what you’re wearing all you got to your name?”

Rowen nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

She sighed and turned to Melfry. “A buck fifty a week, and that’s as low as I can go.”

“And that includes all his meals, right?” the sheriff noted.

Mrs. Mayflower threw Rowen a cautious look. “Would you have a problem taking some of your meals outside so as not to offend my other patrons?”

Rowen bit his lower lip to keep from smiling. “I’ll do whatever you feel is necessary, ma’am.”

That admission pleased her. “All right, Sam. We got a deal.”

“Great. Now, I have to take Mr. Taylor back to the stables to get started working, but he’ll be returning for dinner. That should give you plenty of time to clear and air out his room.”

“Fine with me. Thanks, Sam. Oh, Mr. Taylor. ‘Scuse me, Rowen. Breakfast is at seven, dinner’s at one, and supper’s at seven. We change out your bedding every Saturday, but you empty your own slop jar. Got that?”

Smiling, Rowen agreed. “I appreciate this, Mrs. Mayflower. Thank you.”

The woman tried to hide the blush rising into her cheeks. “Just don’t be a pain, and we’ll get along fine. Good luck with your new job, and welcome to Callistown.”

As they left the inn to return to the livery, Rowen thanked the sheriff for his help. “I’d probably be dead right now if you and Mr. Goodall hadn’t come to my rescue.”

“Thank the Doc, too, while you’re at it. She’s the one who argued for us to show a little mercy.”

Rowen made a mental note. “By the way, can I ask you one last question before you have to return to the jail?”

“Shoot.”

“What’s a slop jar?”

TO BE CONTINUED

Linda's Website

New! WOLFED, Smexy Fairy Tales, Book 1, a Sensuous Fantasy/Paranormal Romance by Linda Mooney writing as Carolyn Gregg

2026-06-10T06:59:00.000-04:00

New!

WOLFED
Smexy Fairy Tales,
Book 1
Sensuous Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
by Linda Mooney writing as Carolyn Gregg
Word Count: 19.5K
$2.99 e / $7.99 p

Once upon a time, deep within the Enchanted Forest, there existed a place covered in candy, cookies, and other beloved sweets. Known by the locals as The Gingerbread House, it was where, for a price, one could taste the most delectable delights.

Al is going there on a dare, although he doesn't expect the girls to be any different than the ones he's visited elsewhere. But he's been promised the one named Red is unlike any woman he's ever had.

He never should have taken that bet.

Excerpt and Buy Links: https://lindamooney.com/SmexyFairyTales.htm

New! Ynna, a Sci-Fi Romance by Linda Mooney

2026-05-27T03:41:00.000-04:00

New!

Ynna
Sci-Fi Romance
By Linda Mooney
Word Count: 36.9K
$2.99 e / $10.99 p

The ongoing battle between the people of Kur and the Scwurm is escalating, and the Enso of Kur is not sure how much longer they can continue and survive as a planet. It seems the neighboring planet, Luxon, doesn’t have the same problem, but why? Kur needs help before they are taken out completely, and an alliance with Luxon may be just what they need.

Ynna is next in line to lead Luxon. When she learns that her parents have made an arraignment with the Enso of Kur for her to be his family’s guest for a solar month without conferring with her first, she’s upset. The two leaders hope that her being on Kur will stave off any further attacks. However, she’s always wanted to see that planet’s oceans and lush beauty. Hoping the deal may not be as bad as it sounds, she agrees to their plan.

Bron isn’t going to be the next Enso of Kur. That honor will go to his older brother, Ko. However, he’s intrigued as to why they’re going to host Ynna. He suspects there’s more to this so-called agreement than they’re being told. Fortunately, he and the young woman quickly form a mutual friendship.

As the fate of two planets rests in her hands, Ynna soon finds herself at odds when the Scwurm suddenly attack Kur despite her presence there. Before she knows it, she’s at risk of revealing her true self to Bron and the others. And worse, losing that tenuous connection with the young man she’s starting to grow fond of.

Her decision unexpectedly becomes one she can’t avoid when she’s forced to execute the one thing she was born to do.

Warning: Contains an alliance, a walking house, veils, an "I knew it!" moment, stories about an ancient alien race, and two people going against command in order to remain together.

Excerpt and Buy Links: https://lindamooney.com/Ynna.htm

THE CONDEMNED - Book 1, Rowen, a Sci-Fi/Time Travel Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapter 5, Second Chance

2026-05-26T07:33:00.000-04:00

THE CONDEMNED

Book 1 – Rowen

*Note: For purposes of this blog, the content here will be kept to PG standards. However, upon publication, the full novel will include more adult content.

Chapter 5
Second Chance

“Let me see if I got this straight. You and this group you belong to took it upon yourselves to go out and buy food for those who were too poor, or too old, or too ill, and you got busted and punished because you didn’t get the approval of the town council?”

Initially, Rowen thought that his days of being incarcerated would bore him out of his mind, stuck inside this one small cell. It turned out to be just the opposite. He even struck up a good relationship with the sheriff. What started out as the man being out of his office most of the day gradually evolved to where he’d hang out with Rowen instead. Rowen used that time to find out as much about the town and its people as possible, and vice versa. After all, what did he have to lose?

“Yeah. We knew we were breaking the law,” he admitted. “But most of us had family who were suffering. Also, the food and medical supplies and such weren’t just for them. We shared what we could with others.”

“And your town council objected to that? Why?” Melfry made no effort to hide his disdain.

“The council has their own sellers who offer goods and services at discounted prices. They were upset we were undercutting them.”

“But…” The sheriff thought on it. “Let me see if I understand this correctly. You’re buying the goods at their regular price, and the authorities are mad because they believe you’re undercutting them? It makes no sense.”

Rowen snorted. “The way it was explained to us, their families should be buying their own goods, instead of us sharing what we’ve bought.”

“In other words, you buy for you and they buy for themselves.”

“Precisely. Because I and my friends had a little more money, we were able to purchase more and thus share it. The council decided that wasn’t allowed.”

“And you got arrested for it?” Melfry clarified.

“Me and my friends, yes. We were in the middle of dividing up our most recent haul when the authorities broke in and arrested us.”

“What did they do with the food?”

Rowen couldn’t help but let out a derisive bark of laughter. “I have no idea, but I wouldn’t be the least surprised if they took it all for themselves.”

“And they punished you by banishing you?”

Rowen nodded. He’d had no choice but to change several small details to explain how he’d ended up here, but keep enough truth to the story so that no one would sense he was lying or being evasive. “Yeah, since it was a lesser offense. If I’d killed someone, or done something of that caliber, I would’ve gotten the death penalty.”

“How does your town handle that?”

Rowen cast the man a confused look. “How what?”

“How do they kill a man? You said you might have gotten the death penalty if the offense had merited it. What would that entail? Hanging?”

“By lethal injection.”

It was Melfry’s turn to look confused. “By what? Lethal…”

“Injection.” Rowen pointed to his arm and held a forefinger there, using his thumb to mimic inserting the needle.

“What do they inject you with?”

“A fast-acting poison. I don’t know what kind.”

The man nodded. “It would save ammunition, going that route instead of a firing squad. And it’s probably more reliable than a hanging. Too many times I’ve seen someone strung up and later pronounced dead, only to find out they’re still alive. And then what? They cart your body off to the pauper’s grave? Or hand it over to your relatives?”

“There is no pauper’s grave.” Rowen bowed his head. “They cremate the body and dump the ashes in one of the landfill sites.”

“What’s a landfill site?”

“A place where all the collected garbage is thrown. It starts out as a hole in the ground. When it gets filled up, it’s covered over with dirt, and the town starts using the next hole they’d been digging while the last one is being used.”

“They don’t burn the refuse?”

“No. That’s illegal.”

The sheriff grunted. “Sounds like everything over there is illegal. So what happens to the land after it’s filled up?”

“Sometimes the land is sold for builders to build houses or other buildings on. Sometimes it’s sold for other various reasons.”

“Is it ever used as farmland? Or to graze cattle or horses?”

Rowen managed a wry grin. “Only if the town council approves it.”

The sheriff frowned. “Why wouldn’t they approve it?”

“Oh, they do. Eventually. It depends on who greases their palms the best. And, of course, the town council has full authority over what’s planted.”

Melfry grunted again. “I wouldn’t be surprised to learn they also get a good cut of the profits, as well.”

Rowen didn’t respond to the remark. They both knew the sheriff was right.

“And that’s why you and your friends were busted for buying food. Let me guess. You didn’t buy it from one of the councilmen’s cronies, or from one of their farmers.”

“Nope. Got it elsewhere, and don’t ask me where. I don’t want you in any way implicated if I’m recaptured.”

The man narrowed his eyes at him as he took a sip of coffee. The sheriff always kept a pot going on the small cast iron wood-burning stove sitting on the opposite side of the jail. He’d offered some to Rowen, but the taste was too bitter. Since then, Rowen had stuck to drinking water.

“Do you believe they may try to recapture you?”

“No, but I’ve never been banished before, and I’ve never met someone who’s been punished that way. So I don’t know what they might try to do.”

“But you were captured, convicted, and banished. Have I got that right?”

“Yes.”

“What happened to your other friends? Do you know?”

Rowen chewed on his lips. “No, I don’t know. I’m hoping they got the same punishment. At least they’d have a chance of survival.”

There were several more times when he and the sheriff conversed during his two-week incarceration. During that time, Miss Postill was as good as her word, and came by daily to check him for any signs of disease or infection. During one of her visits, he apologized for his lack of hygiene.

“I probably smell like a week-old carcass.”

She softly laughed as she wrinkled up her nose. “More like a month-old one. Doesn’t Sheriff Melfry provide you with any soap and water to wash with?” Not waiting for Rowen to answer, she checked over her shoulder and asked the lawman directly. “I know it’s been a while since you had anyone spend any length of time here, but the least you can do is let him have a chance to bathe like a normal human being.”

Melfry waved a hand to indicate everything around them. “Does this look like an inn to you?”

“You know what I mean,” she shot back. They conversation was cordial, verging on teasing. Yet Rowen could tell her point was getting across.

Rising to her feet, she let out a sigh and addressed the sheriff directly. “It’s been two weeks, Sheriff. I declare this man to be free of disease, and I give him a clean bill of health. Have you received any news that he’s a wanted man?”

“No, ma’am, I haven’t.”

“So when are you going to release him?”

Melfry looked at Rowen. “I can set you free right now, Mr. Taylor. If I do, what’s going to be your next plan of action?”

Rowen stood. “Frankly, I was hoping I might be able to stay here in Callistown. I was going to ask you if you knew anyone who could use a strong back in exchange for room and board?”

The sheriff rubbed his stubbly chin. “What about that town council? Any chance they might be looking for you?”

Rowen was aware of Luka Postill giving him a curious eye. She probably had a slew of questions she wanted to ask him, but she was trying to retain a more professional attitude and not appear to be a gossipy busybody. At least, that’s what he surmised.

“No. Once they banished me, they basically wrote me off.”

“What if you tried to sneak back into town? Or would you even attempt it?”

Rowen threw him a wry grin. “That would been an automatic death sentence.”

“They’d give you one of those lethal injections for reentering?” He seemed incredulous.

“Oh, no. They’d shoot me on the spot and leave my body for the wild animals to feast on.”

She could no longer hold her tongue. “Why were you banished, Mr. Taylor? Why would they try to kill you?”

“I was convicted of theft.” He held up a hand. “It’s a long story.”

“And I’m interested in hearing it. Sheriff? As for Mr. Taylor’s quest for a job, what about Hampton Zwick?”

Melfry’s face lit up. “Good idea! Mr. Taylor, I can take you over to the livery stable and introduce you to Mr. Zwick. You did say you weren’t picky about what kind of job it was, correct?”

A livery stable. Rowen guessed the job would consist of mucking out stalls, as well as feeding and watering the horses. “Not as long as I get fairly compensated.”

“All right.” Walking up to the cell, he unlocked the door and swung it open, stepping aside to let Miss Postill exit first. Staring at Taylor, he waved to him. “What are you waiting for? Let’s go see if Hamp’s willing to give you a fair shake.”

“Mr. Taylor.”

He turned around to face her.

“You realize we’re putting a lot of trust in you, especially now that we know you were convicted of theft.” Her tone had changed, including her attitude. If he could guess, he’d say she was angry at him. Almost disappointed.

It baffled him.

He was about say something in his defense when Melfry spoke up.

“Hold off on the accusation, Miss Postill. It’s not quite as serious as you might be thinking it is.”

She whirled on the man. “He was banished from his town! He said he’d be killed if he tried to go back. That’s not serious?”

“The man’s paid his dues,” Melfry shot back. “He’s trying to rebuild his reputation. Hell, he’s lost everything, and he almost lost his life. I’ve heard his story, and I believe him. I’m willing to give him a second chance. If he screws this one up, I assure you I’ll have no second thoughts about locking him up again and notifying the marshal over in Buckner County to come and haul his ass out of my jail. Will that suit you, Miss Postill?”

Rowen caught the way the woman studied him for a few moments before nodding.

“All right. I’ll keep any further opinions to myself. But Mr. Taylor, I strongly advise you do not disappoint us. Sheriff Melfry is not someone to trifle with, and neither am I. We mean what we say.”

“I’m sure you do,” Rowen solemnly replied.

She threw him one final look, then let herself out. Rowen watched her leave.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything about your conviction,” Melfry commented. “I mean, a man who wants to atone for his sins should be allowed to do so without prejudice. Not unless it’s earned.” He eyed Rowen. “You do realize I’m putting a lot of faith in you, son, don’t you?”

“Yes, sir. And I appreciate it more than you’ll ever know.”

“All right, then.” The man nodded. “Let’s go see if Mr. Zwick has a job he can offer you.”

Rowen noticed the sheriff’s reaction as he walked past him.

“One thing’s for certain,” Melfry quipped. “You’ll blend right in with the animals.”

It was difficult to tell if the man was teasing or not. Either way, Rowen made it a point to find out where the nearest tub of bathwater was and dunk himself, clothes and all, into it.

It would at least be a start.

TO BE CONTINUED

Linda's Website

THE CONDEMNED - Book 1, Rowen, a Sci-Fi/Time Travel Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapter 4, Questions

2026-04-28T04:53:00.012-04:00

THE CONDEMNED
Book 1 – Rowen

*Note: For purposes of this blog, the content here will be kept to PG standards. However, upon publication, the full novel will include more adult content.

Chapter 4
Questions

Rowan silently tolerated Miss Postill’s examinations, which she performed with what he conceded was skill and knowledge. It was evident she’d done such inspections before.

What he had difficulty with was her lack of what he considered basic hygiene. In short, she didn’t wash her hands or in any way use some sort of sterilization process. She wore no gloves, and he eyed the instruments she used with more than a bit of trepidation.

It didn’t go unnoticed.

Shoving his t-shirt up to his neck, she checked the scrapes and bruises on his skin. When her fingers lightly brushed across his abs, she left a path of goosebumps in their wake. He couldn’t help sucking in his breath at her touch, earning him an amused glance from those soft brown eyes.

At one point, while she investigated his ear canals, then used the same small tube to peer up his nose, she paused to give him another curious stare. “Is something the matter, Mr. Taylor? You have been acting strangely the entire time I’ve been examining you.”

“I was just wondering who the last person was that you used that thing on,” he admitted.

“What would it matter?”

He could tell she was honestly curious as to his comment. If this was 1884, then she should be aware of procedures like sterilization, right?

He mentally cursed his lack of knowledge for not knowing when those measures became protocol at hospitals and all. On the other hand, he knew he shouldn’t be too hard on himself. It’s not like it was an issue in my line of work. Sadly, yet amusingly, he realized he couldn’t research the subject on his phone, either, as he would have done in the past. Or rather, in the future.

However, he did have an “out,” so to speak—letting her think it was the norm back where he was from.

“I thought all medical equipment had to be sanitized between uses.” His eyes dropped to her hands. “And doctors had to wash their hands frequently to prevent the transfer of germs.”

The woman continued to stare at him for a few seconds, then resumed her check of his nasal cavities before dropping the tube back inside her box of medical paraphernalia. Closing the lid, she got to her feet.

“As far as I can tell, you’re as healthy as a horse, Mr. Taylor. Other than the fact that you’re dehydrated and malnourished, and you’ve been roughed up a bit, you should be back on your feet in no time. When was the last time you ate anything substantial?”

Rowen made a face. “I have no idea.” It was the honest truth.

“That’s what I thought. Sheriff Melfry, I’m finished here.” She turned around. The hem of her skirt swished across his legs, sending a small shockwave through him.

Rowen never took his eyes off her as the sheriff unlocked the cell door to let her out. She stopped beside his desk to tie her bonnet back on her head while the man relocked the door and hung the key on a nail on the wall.

“He needs to be fed as soon as possible if you don’t want a dead prisoner come morning,” she brusquely told him.

“I’ll see to it he gets something to eat when we’re done here,” Melfry promised. “What about diseases?”

“He’s clean,” Postill pronounced, adding a small smile. “Trust me, I wouldn’t have been so casual about leaving him in your care if I felt he might be a danger to others health-wise.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“How long do you plan on keeping him in custody?” the woman inquired.

If Rowen didn’t know any better, he’d swear the sheriff looked uncomfortable being asked that question. “I’m not sure.”

“What crime has he committed that made you lock him up, other than you think he might be carrying a sickness?”

“He hasn’t, as far as we know.”

“So, because he’s a stranger to our town, that automatically calls for his detainment?”

A flush came over the lawman’s face. “Actually, it’s for the town’s own good. How long he’ll stay in my custody depends on whether or not he’s a wanted man elsewhere.”

The woman stared at him. Rowen recognized that look. He’d been on the other end of it not too long ago.

“How long will that take?” she bluntly requested.

“I don’t know, ma’am. It depends.”

“What if you don’t receive any information about him? Will you continue to hold him? Or will you let him go? Or perhaps you would rather drive him out of town and be done with him for good?”

By now, the sheriff was getting peeved at the woman. “Frankly, Miss Postill, that’s none of your business.”

“I’m afraid you’re wrong about that, Sheriff. You requested me here to look after this man. Some diseases can take as long as a couple of weeks before they start manifesting symptoms. For now, I don’t see anything wrong with this man that some food and rest won’t cure, but that doesn’t mean he’s completely in the clear.” She gave a nod in Rowen’s direction. “I’m sure you understand now why I need to know how long you’ll be holding him.”

Melfry visibly relaxed. “Let’s count on Mr. Taylor remaining a guest here for two weeks, under quarantine, of course. At the end of that time, hopefully you’ll have cleared him medically, and we’ll have received some definitive answers as to whether or not he’s a wanted or escaped criminal.” The man walked over to the door and opened it. “I’m heading over to the telegraph office right now. Since your office is along the way, may I escort you there?”

She smiled at the man, but Rowen could tell it was more for show than an honest reaction. “Thank you, Sheriff. I appreciate the gesture. Mr. Taylor?” She looked over at where he was still lying. “I’ll be back later to make sure you received something to eat.” Giving the sheriff one final all-knowing look, she exited out the door with Melfry right behind her.

Left alone for the first time, Rowen struggled to roll onto his side. Once he accomplished that, he managed to sit up, bracing his back against the rough stone wall for support. Now he was able to get a better look at the place, knowing it was going to be his temporary home for the next two weeks, at least.

There were only two windows in this place that allowed light and air inside. One of them was directly above his head. Barely twelve by nine inches in size, it was much too small to crawl through. The other one, a much larger one, was next to the door and across from where the sheriff’s desk was parked. That way Melfry could see whoever was approaching the place. If Rowen was standing, he’d be able to peer through, but right now, his current view consisted of the clear blue sky and an overhanging tree branch.

He surveyed the small jail again. “These people mustn’t have a lot of crime since there’s just this one cell. Wonder what would happen if Melfry had two or more people that needed to be incarcerated?”

Tilting his head back, Rowen slowly rotated it from side to side to ease the tension. “All right. I got two weeks, and then Melfry will have to release me because there won’t be anything he can hold me on, right?” Rowen shook his head. “Let’s hope he won’t fabricate any charges. And let’s hope I don’t suddenly come down with something that this day and age can’t handle. But if I’m cleared, what can I do next? Where can I go? What can I do? I need to find employment, a place to stay…”

He lifted his knees and rested his arms on them. “All I know, all I’ve been trained to do, none of it exists, and won’t exist for another hundred years. What’s left for me, other than manual labor? And even that isn’t guaranteed. I don’t know how things were done in this time period. I know nothing about raising crops, or caring for horses, or any of that.” He took a deep breath. “But I can learn.” Rowen stared at his hands, flexing his fingers. “I’m strong and healthy. If I need to put my back into learning a new trade, I’m capable.”

A chuckle came over him, and he glanced back up at the big window. “I could leave this town once I’m freed, but what would be the sense of it?”

A dozen questions continued to plague him. A hundred possibilities jostled for position in his mind. However, one thing, one person seemed to be calling to him above all his indecisions and fears.

“Maybe, just maybe, if I stay here, will I get the chance to see you again in a less formal situation, Miss Postill?”

She’d promised to be back to check on him. For the first time since his incarceration, he wasn’t dreading what the next two weeks would bring.

TO BE CONTINUED

Linda's Website

New! NO BATTLE LORD'S CHOICE, Book 12 of The Battle Lord Saga, a Sci-Fi/Futuristic/Post-Apocalyptic Romance By Linda Mooney

2026-04-24T04:30:00.002-04:00

New!

NO BATTLE LORD'S CHOICE
Book 12 of The Battle Lord Saga
Sci-Fi/Futuristic/Post-Apocalyptic Romance
By Linda Mooney
Word Count: 67.3K
$3.99 e / $10.99 p

The Alta Novis compound is readying for the big D’Jacques birthday celebration, and people from days away are coming in for the occasion, Normal and Mutah alike. Yulen and Atty are stretched thin, especially with Yulen’s second, Cole Mastin, being gone for a month to visit his in-laws. Is it too much to hope the celebration goes off without a hitch? Maybe Cole shouldn’t have mentioned how quiet it had been lately.

But when Cole doesn’t return as promised, Yulen makes the decision to take a few of his most trusted men to go in search of the missing group. What they find along the way is devastating. Paas’ entire village has been decimated, and almost every member of the Lanta tribe slaughtered, but there are no signs of the second or his family. Determined to find them, dead or alive, Yulen and Atty keep going.

It seems the Bloods are learning, evolving, and becoming more advanced than what everyone has experienced in the past. But the Bloods aren’t the only enemies the D’Jacques have to watch out for. Can they find Cole and the rest before it’s too late? Or will Yulen and Atty meet their end along the way?

Warning! Contains horseless wagons, a birthday celebration, a debt owed, decimation, foreshadowing, connecting the dots, trusting with his life, buying time, and a bond of love that is deeper than the heart.

Excerpt and Buy Links: https://lindamooney.com/BattleLord.htm

Now Available as an Audiobook! I MARRIED A GOOBIE, a Humorous Smexy Sci-Fi Romance by Linda Mooney Writing as Carolyn Gregg

2026-04-09T04:00:00.001-04:00

Now Available as an Audiobook!

I MARRIED A GOOBIE
Humorous Smexy Sci-Fi Romance
By Linda Mooney Writing as Carolyn Gregg

Word Count: 22.8K
$2.99 e / $7.99 p / $6.95 a

Narrated by Linda Mooney
Length: 2 hrs, 26 min
Hear a Sample: https://amzn.to/4skr25o

Let me tell you about the night I was on the most perfect date of my life when I got attacked by a pair of enormous alien chopsticks, which then shoveled me into a giant plastic straw that Hoovered me up into their alien spacecraft. When I got there, I had to pleasure an oversized green donut with custard cream filling. And when all was said and done...

Well, that's when the you-know-what hit the fan, and everything just got real.

And it was only the beginning!

Excerpt and Buy Links: https://lindamooney.com/IMarriedaGoobie.htm

THE CONDEMNED - Book 1, Rowen, a Sci-Fi/Time Travel Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapter 3, Jailed

2026-03-24T12:36:00.035-04:00

THE CONDEMNED
Book 1 – Rowen

*Note: For purposes of this blog, the content here will be kept to PG standards. However, upon publication, the full novel will include more adult content.

Chapter 3
Jailed

Rowen was aware of being carried. Two people had him by the arms, one on either side of him, and they were dragging him backwards somewhere. He could feel his heels dragging the ground. His head lolled chin down on his chest, enabling him to take a peek between his lashes to see where they were going, but he didn’t dare open them all the way for fear there might be a third person trailing behind.

His intuition proved correct when he heard someone near his feet speak out.

“Do we know where he’s from? I don’t recall ever seeing someone dressed the way he’s dressed.”

“Which is why we must assume the worst until proven otherwise,” the man on his right mentioned.

“If he’s an enemy, why isn’t he armed?” the man to his left inquired. The guy sounded younger. Hence, inexperienced.

“I say he’s an escaped prisoner,” the man following proclaimed.

Rowen whimsically gave the guy credit for that assessment before drifting off again.

It was when he was laid flat on the ground that he reawakened. This time, he opened his eyes to find a canopy of leaves overhead. Although he could no longer smell the sea, he thought he faintly heard waves crashing in the distance.

“He’s awake,” a voice declared. Something nudged his right shoulder. Turning his head, Rowen stared up into a roughhewn face burnt tan and leathery from years in the sun, despite the wide-brimmed hat the man wore. Thankfully, the brim also blocked the sun from blinding him.

Rowen started to lift a hand when he realized his wrists were tied with a thick rope. Although he didn’t check, he wouldn’t have been surprised to find his ankles similarly bound.

“Wa-ter.” It was agony to speak, but the man standing over him heard and understood.

“Faith, bring this man some water.” The guy peered back down at him. “Guess we’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out who you are and what you’re doing here.”

Judging by the tone, Rowen couldn’t tell if the man was making a jest, but for the moment he decided it would be safer if he took everything as potentially life-threatening. He was already grateful that these people hadn’t killed him on sight.

A tin cup was handed to the man, but he waved it off, gesturing to Rowen. A figure knelt down on his other side. Lifting his head with one hand, a woman held the cup to his lips. He tried to gulp the contents but she admonished him.

“Drink slowly, or else your body will reject it.”

Rowen forced himself to sip the cool water despite the raging need to swig it down. She only allowed him half the cup when she withdrew it and rested his head back on the ground. That was the signal for the man to get down on one knee to peer closer at him.

“Can you speak now?”

He cleared his throat. “I can…try.” His voice sounded stronger, but not by much.

“Who are you? What is your name?”

Rowen swallowed again. “My name’s Rowen Taylor.”

“Where are you from?”

Rowen eyed the man’s attire. He recognized the style, or hoped he did, although he’d only seen that type of clothing in history books.

“Corinth City.”

The man frowned. “Corinth City? I’m not aware of the place. Is it far from here?”

“Yeah. Very far.” Maybe not in distance, but when it came to time, Rowen hadn’t lied. He knew he had to come up with a plausible story soon to explain his being here. There was no way he could tell the man the whole truth.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m lost. I was looking for shelter. Food. Water.”

A second, younger man came up behind the first. “Did you ask him if there was anyone else with him?” Rowen recognized the voice as the one who’d held his left arm.

The first man eyed Rowen. “You heard him. Is there anyone else with you?”

“No. I’m…” He swallowed hard. “Alone.”

The man continued to study him. Rowen wondered if he was trying to figure out if Rowen was a potential threat. He took the lull to ask the stranger, “What is your name, sir?”

“I am Obediah Goodall.” He threw a finger at the young man beside him. “This is my son, Abraham. You have already met my wife, Faith.”

“Thank you for saving me.”

“How long have you been wandering around out there?” Goodall questioned.

Closing his eyes, Rowen shook his head. “I don’t know. I’ve lost track of time.” He took a deep breath. “May I please have some more water?” When he opened his eyes, he noticed Goodall giving his silent approval to his wife. Lifting his head a second time, she let him have the rest of what was in the cup. As she set his head back down, he thanked her. She gave him a quick smile then got to her feet and left.

“When was the last time you ate, Mr. Taylor?” Goodall continued.

“Days.” It was as honest an answer as he could muster. His head was beginning to swim. The water had helped, but now that he’d been given that meager amount, it had reawakened his body to more of its needs.

“Obediah.”

Someone behind Rowen was approaching them. He was unable to see who it was, but he could hear their conversation.

“What have you learned?” It was a man, and he spoke with authority.

“His name is Rowen Taylor. He’s from a place called Corinth City. He’s been traveling for several days, and he’s alone and unarmed.”

“And you believe him?”

“So far, I feel I have no reason not to.”

Rowen didn’t know why Goodall was defending him, but apparently the man’s word carried weight.

“We’re taking him to the jail house,” the son, Abraham, added.

The strange man, whom Rowen mentally labeled as an alderman or someone of equal status, apparently agreed with that decision. “Good. Have someone fetch the doctor to check him out. We can’t take the chance of him carrying a disease that could make us all sick.”

There wasn’t a verbal answer, but Rowen knew there was agreement.

The other man left, and Goodall returned.

“Help me take him to the jail,” he ordered his son, and the two men grabbed Rowen under the arms again to drag him the rest of the way. This time he was able to get a look at his feet. As he’d suspected, they were bound at the ankles.

Since they knew he was awake, Rowen took in his surroundings. At the sight of the simple wood-frame buildings, none of which were over a story tall, and especially the sod houses that lined the muddy road. A few people watched from their doorways or along the lane as he was half-carried to their destination. Rowen also noted there were no automobiles. Just wagons and the occasional horse. This place was barely a township, but he knew in a few hundred years it would prosper and grow to become a major metropolitan center.

The jail turned out to be a small wooden building. Inside was a table, a chair, a few wanted posters, and a single cell with a pallet on the floor. Rowen was dumped on the pallet but the ropes binding him remained intact.

Goodall was closing the cell door when a tall, lanky man with a handlebar mustache strode into the building. A silver medallion glittered on his vest.

“Obediah? I understand I have a guest?”

“Abraham found him wandering around by the seashore.”

“At first, I thought he was under the influence of drink,” Abraham spoke up. “When he keeled over before I could find out who he was, I ran to fetch my pa.”

The lawman gave a nod as he glanced at Rowen. “What have you found out, if anything?”

“He calls himself Rowen Taylor,” Goodall informed him. “He says he’s from a place I’ve never heard of. A place called Corinth City. Are you familiar with the name?”

The lawman’s face screwed up in thought. “Can’t say that I am, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”

“I asked Alderman Latham to fetch Doc to check him over,” Goodall mentioned. “Make sure he doesn’t have any kind of disease that could endanger us.”

“Good call. Thanks. Anything else you want to add before I question the prisoner myself? Was he carrying any weapons?”

“No. None that we could find. Just this.”

Rowen stared in surprise when Goodall produced his cell phone from his pants pocket. He’d forgotten he had it on him.

Fat lot it’ll do me now.

The lawman shook it, which brought up the sign-in screen, but not knowing what the numbered buttons were for, the man made a rude noise and held up the phone for Rowen to see.

“What is this? Some kind of weapon?”

Rowen opened his mouth, hoping to come up with a plausible explanation, when it hit him.

Play dumb.

“I found it on the beach. I don’t know what it is, but I figured someone might be willing to trade for it in exchange for something to eat.”

The lawman grunted as he shook it again. Giving up for the moment, he tossed it onto the desk with a clatter. “If that’s all he had on him, he doesn’t have possession of it now.”

The door behind him opened, and a young woman came inside. Facing the two men, she glanced from one to the other, settling on the lawman. “Sheriff Melfry? You sent for me?”

Goodall gestured toward Rowen. “We found this man on the seashore, passed out. He’s already been relieved of anything we feel might be a weapon, but we need for him to be checked to make sure he’s not carrying any diseases that might infect us.”

The woman nodded and approached the cell. Rowen watched as she came inside and set a small wooden box she’d been carrying on the floor beside his pallet. Getting down on her knees, she bent over him and placed a cool hand on the side of his neck.

“Are you the doctor?” Rowan croaked, unable to tear his eyes away. She was young. Not exactly beautiful, but her face was arresting, especially her large blue eyes.

“I’m the closest thing this town has to one,” she replied and sat back on her heels. “You don’t seem to have a fever. What do I call you?”

“My name’s Rowen Taylor.”

“Hello, Mr. Taylor. My name’s Luka Postill. Welcome to Callistown. Now tell me, how do you feel? Do you hurt anywhere?”

Rowen remained staring at her, but now his brain was sending up fireworks as he vaguely recalled his history lessons when he’d been a kid in school.

Callistown was the name of Corinth City before it was taken over by The Assembly and renamed.

“Mrs. Post— Excuse me, Dr. Postill?”

She smiled down at him as she removed her bonnet and set it aside. “Miss Postill will do. I have neither a marriage certificate nor a medical license.”

“Miss Postill, what year is this?”

The pleasant expression on her face went from surprise, to curiosity, to concern. “You want to know what year this is?” she repeated. Behind her, the sheriff and Goodall wore identical expressions.

“Yes. Please.”

“It’s the year of our Lord, eighteen eighty-four. You didn’t know that?”

1884. He’d gone back more than three hundred years.

And he was condemned to this time period for the rest of his life.

TO BE CONTINUED

Linda's Website

Now Available as a Box Set! NOIR FAIRY TALES, Books 1 – 3, Fantasy/Paranormal Romance by Linda Mooney

2026-03-07T07:53:00.030-05:00

Now Available as a Box Set!

NOIR FAIRY TALES, Books 1 – 3
Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
By Linda Mooney
Word Count: 116K
$6.99 e

Available for a Short Time ON KINDLE UNLIMITED!

The 1940s. Life in Grimm City can be just as fabulous as it is dangerous. But it's not a place that can be found on any map. Welcome to a world of gun-toting, hard-drinking, cigarette-smoking fairies, elves, dwarfs, shifters, and witches, as well as human beings.

Welcome to Noir Fairy Tales.

Included are:

THE CASE OF THE TORMENTED TROLL
Noir Fairy Tales, Book 1
(Based on "Beauty and the Beast")

Aura and Beldon are partners. He’s an ex-cop who was framed for something he didn’t do and kicked off the force. Soon after hanging out the shingle of his detective agency, he found Aura homeless in the streets after the death of her father. Something about the young woman touched him deep inside, and he took her in and trained her how to be a gumshoe.

MALEVOLENT INTENT
Noir Fairy Tales, Book 2
(Based on "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs")

Rose White has had a string of bad luck, and it doesn’t seem to be ending any time soon. When two fairies are found dead in her nightclub, her livelihood is shut down until further notice. With no income coming in, and her employees left hanging, she’s forced to look for other alternatives.

THE GOLDEN HEIST
Noir Fairy Tales, Book 3
(Based on "Goldilocks and the 3 Bears")

Looking for a quick buck to help feed her addiction, Cressa “Goldie” Locke helps herself to a nice looking house, hoping to score some jewelry to pawn. She’s perfected the art of small-time crime to keep from getting busted, but this time she may have gotten a little more than she bargained for. She picked the wrong house...or maybe it was just right.

Excerpts and Buy Links: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ2T5QM3

THE CONDEMNED - Book 1, Rowen, a Sci-Fi/Time Travel Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapter 2, 8:43 pm

2026-02-24T05:23:00.020-05:00

THE CONDEMNED
Book 1 – Rowen

*Note: For purposes of this blog, the content here will be kept to PG standards. However, upon publication, the full novel will include more adult content.

Chapter 2
8:43 pm

To the traveler, transporting to a new time period felt as if it took several minutes, when in fact it was instantaneous. Rowen kept his eyes closed until he felt his body stabilize, letting him know the transfer was complete. The sensation was similar to whenever an elevator reached its designated floor, and there was that brief moment of weightlessness before it settled.

It had been nighttime when he was ejected back into the past. It would still be nighttime, at almost the exact moment he’d left to when he arrived at whenever he was.

A hot wind blew over him. Opening his eyes, he found himself standing alone and completely surrounded by…

Nothing. No buildings. No streets. No people or traffic. No anything. He was in the middle of a barren field with only the stars and a three-quarter moon overhead to light his way.

“But at least it’s not cold,” he whispered. “No freezing to death. No storm to deal with. I’m still alive, Campanelli. I don’t know what you thought would happen when you sent me back here, but I’m still alive.”

He took several deep breaths to steady himself and try to figure out what to do next. Gazing around him, he studied the horizons, trying to spot a light or something that might indicate dwellings. Habitations and humanity. Hell, even a passing vehicle in the distance would be welcome.

Rowen checked his watch. It was a rare and valuable antique, handed down to him via several generations. It was not automatically synched to technology. It didn’t light up because the numbers and hands on the face were made of a luminescent material that glowed in the dark. And the best part of it was that he had to wind it every day or so to keep it running. No batteries were needed. No charging of any kind was required. It was perfect for whenever it was his turn to travel back because he never had to worry about losing all track of time—especially when it was imperative he know he was approaching the end of his hour and he finish his business before the conduit jerked him back to his present.

8:43 pm.

Sighing, Rowen stood straight and faced forward in the same direction he had on the platform. He knew he faced due south. He knew he was still in the city, or what would become the city in the decades or eons to come. He also knew that if he started walking and remained on a southerly course, he’d eventually reach the ocean. Hopefully there’d be settlers there. If not…

“I’m screwed.” He shrugged as he took off walking. “Well, I always wanted to learn how to fish.”

He kept an eye on his watch to see how far he’d gone. Doing some basic math calculations based how many steps per minute he took and the approximate length of each step, he figured he was clocking around three, maybe three and a half miles an hour. It was a mental struggle not to break into a run, but he was beginning to wonder if he was truly alone out here in the middle of nowhere. There were wild animals to take into consideration. Hungry wild animals, not to mention creatures like snakes and insects.

“Remain calm and keep it steady,” he told himself. “If you try to go faster, you could attract the attention of something you don’t want stalking you. You’ll also wear yourself out faster, and the last thing you need is to collapse out here where you’ll be vulnerable to who knows what.”

He searched the semi-darkness for some sign of trees or anything that broke the horizon. By now he knew he hadn’t gone back a few years or a few decades. He’d been sent hundreds of years into the past.

At one point, he had to stop to briefly rest. He took the chance and sat on the ground to give his legs a break. As he strained to hear anything unusual coming from the surrounding landscape, he placed his hand on the dirt. It was dry and packed, but not sandy.

“That’s good,” he murmured. “The only sandy soil I want to feel is a beach, not a desert.” He sniffed his fingers. “This place is untouched. There’s been no farming or tilling. It’s almost barren wasteland.”

He checked his watch again. 11:16 pm.

“Get up and get moving, Taylor. You gotta find shelter before you try to get a couple hours’ of sleep.”

As he plodded along, he tried to remember the history of this part of the country. When had it been founded? Who had colonized it? More importantly, when had it been colonized? Unfortunately, exhaustion was catching up to him. He wasn’t moving as swiftly as he had earlier, and he knew why. For one thing, he hadn’t eaten since…when?

“A little over twelve hours ago,” he reminded himself. And that had been just a small bowl of bean soup he’d taken with him to work to have for lunch. Right after he’d gotten off his shift and gotten paid, he’d gone to the dispensary to get his mother’s medicine and took it straight to the apartment they shared with his younger sibling. Then he’d headed for the labs, hoping there’d be a few food items waiting for him.

He recalled the bag sitting in his locker, and the heaviness he’d been fighting wrapped around his heart. The crushing pain became too much, and he was forced to stop. Bending over, he placed his hands on his thighs as his new reality rose up, along with hot tears, and he wept.

He’d never see his mother and sister again. They’d never get the food he’d been bringing home almost on a regular basis. Worse, it took both his and Gretchen’s meager pay to afford their apartment, pay the bills, and get their mother the care and treatment she needed. Without him there to no longer help provide his half of their support…

Rowen shook his head as hard and heavy sobs continued to wrack his body. He ended up collapsing on the ground until he finally managed to pull himself together. Using the bottom of his shirt, he wiped his eyes and blew his nose before getting back to his feet and pushing on.

By 1:29 a.m., weariness threatened to overtake him. He was fighting dizziness, and he desperately needed something to drink. Giving himself another couple of minutes to rest, he stopped as something caught his attention in the distance.

A light, or several lights dimly shone, but they appeared to be moving. Shimmering. In addition, was it his imagination, or could he hear the surf hitting the beach? Rowen sniffed, hoping to catch the smell of the sea. No such luck. Worse, the dry heat was getting to him, sapping every drop of moisture from his body.

“It’s not far, old man,” he promised himself. “You’re almost there. Keep pushing just a little farther. You can do this. You got this!”

It took effort to stand up again. Walking now was more of an exercise in trying to keep from falling, but he knew that if he didn’t force himself, there was the chance he may never wake up come daylight. And the last thing he wanted was for Assemblyman General Campanelli’s fervent wish for his death to come true.

He had no idea how far he’d gone when the ground gently sloped upward. He had to crawl on hands and knees to climb it. Once he topped the rise, he paused to watch the waves lapping the shoreline ahead of him. Now he could smell the salty tang. And the lights he’d observed shimmering were the stars reflecting on the water.

He’d reached the bay and the other side of the city that had yet to be built.

Rowen didn’t care if his shoes got wet as he slowly waded into the water. The cool waves gently splashed his ankles and calves, and he gratefully fell onto the moist sand. Lying on his back, he gazed up at the panorama of stars in the clear sky. The moon was nowhere to be seen, but it didn’t matter.

“You gotta get up, Rowen,” he told himself. “You can’t stay here as much as you want to. There are crabs and other critters who’d love to nibble on you. Get up. There’s bound to be something around here safe where you can rest. Just not here. Not here. But that water feels so damn good.”

He was on the verge of passing out. Half of him wanted to succumb. The other half was yelling at him not to.

The need to survive won out.

Rolling over, he somehow got back on his feet and began following the beach to wherever it led. There had to be habitation somewhere. He prayed he’d find a small settlement or village.

He was about to round a set of dunes when something pointed was shoved in his back.

“Stop right there,” a deep voice demanded. “Who are you, and what are you doing here?”

Rowen never got the chance to answer. His knees buckled, pitching his body sideways into the dune, hitting the soft sand, and he slid unconscious down to the water’s edge.

TO BE CONTINUED

Linda's Website

Now Available as an Audiobook! ILLUSTRA, an Apocalyptic Contemporary Sci-Fi Romance, Written and Narrated by Linda Mooney

2026-02-19T07:10:00.005-05:00

Now Available as an Audiobook!

ILLUSTRA
Apocalyptic Contemporary Sci-Fi Romance
Word Count: 24.2K
$2.99 e / $7.99 p / $6.95 a

Written and Narrated by Linda Mooney
Length: 2 hrs, 28 min

Hear a Sample: https://www.audible.com/pd/B0GP2JMDQY

After driving through the night, Cecily Mars is ready to get settled in her new town when she arrives, but first she needs to crash for a few hours. When she awakens, she decides to grab dinner at the local diner, and is met with rude comments about an obviously pregnant server. She’s curious as to why, and doesn’t feel it’s fair to judge, so she requests that server. She wasn’t expecting the remarks she heard regarding the sweet waitress, or for the locals to treat her so badly. But even Cecily has to admit, the story they claim the woman's telling about the baby’s father does seem a little…out there.

When Cecily returns the next night for dinner and learns that the pregnant waitress, Eva, has been let go, she feels sorry for the girl and comes up with a possible solution. She offers the woman a job at the store where she is working. Regardless of the rumors flying, Cecily wants to give the mother-to-be a chance.

Still, she wonders how Eva could be so adamant and sound so truthful? No one in town believes her, but Cecily wants to find out more. Eva’s story pulls at her heartstrings, as well as piques her curiosity. Whether it’s true or not, it's evident Eva will need help with the coming birth, and she could also use a friend.

It doesn’t take Eva long to make Cecily a believer.

Illustra is an out-of-this-world tale of love, kindness, compassion, acceptance, and rescue from a doomed planet.

Warning! Contains eating an apple—stem, seeds, core, and all—small town gossip, a harrowing rescue, and the consequences resulting from a simple act of compassion.

Excerpt and Buy Links: https://lindamooney.com/Illustra.htm

Happy Lunar New Year!

2026-02-17T03:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Lunar New Year 2026!

May this Fire Horse year ignite your dreams and fuel your passions.

https://jlcards.com/so7Rw9

I'd like to offer a small gift on this holiday. And yes, it's the wrong year, but what can you do?

It was the year of the rabbit, and someone had the brilliant idea to get a bunch of authors together and have them write rabbit-themed short stories in celebration of the event. Everyone who signed up to participate received a randomly generated set of three characters; three adjectives with which to describe said characters; a setting; an opening line; and a line of dialogue that had to be worked into the story somewhere.

My characters were Doc, a drunk veterinarian; Jim, an anxious bounty hunter; and Candy, a picky stripper. My setting was a Hollywood Premier party. And my line of dialogue was, “Why don’t you take off your shirt?”

This was the result…

https://tinyurl.com/Yr-of-the-Rabbit

New! JUSTISS, a Sci-Fi Romance by Linda Mooney

2026-02-13T08:55:00.000-05:00

New!

JUSTISS
Sci-Fi Romance
By Linda Mooney
Word Count: 58.6K
$4.99 e/ $10.99 p

Available for a Short Time ON KINDLE UNLIMITED!

With only a couple minutes’ warning, an alien attack on Justiss Kaye’s home planet leaves her being the lone survivor and plagued with nightmares. Somehow she is rescued, but she has no memory of who or how. Joining the planetary military, her plan is to rise in the ranks and get revenge on those that attacked her, destroyed her home, and killed everyone she knew.

She dreams of becoming a Legionnaire, an elite class of warriors, but she keeps getting passed over for promotions at her own base regardless of how good her numbers are. She’s one of the best and she knows it. When she’s passed over for a third time, she demands to know why, knowing her superiors don’t like being questioned. There’s more than her job on the line, it’s her life.

Little does she know that she’s been watched for a while and her dream is about to come true. After being rescued yet again, she’s put to the test and finds herself being invited to become the third in a Legionnaire triad. And then the fun really begins. They find evidence of the fleet that attacked her planet and many others, and it’s now their mission to save as many other planets as they can.

Justiss is her name for a reason, and she won’t rest until she’s served up her own brand of retribution.

Warning! Contains a trick of the eyes, broken but not destroyed, grunting, an asteroid field that isn’t, crystalline lines, and a woman finding infinite healing with the man who wants the chance to heal her.

Excerpt and buy link: https://lindamooney.com/Justiss.htm

Now Available as a Box Set! The 8th Species, Books 1 – 3, Contemporary Sci-Fi Romances by Linda Mooney

2026-02-03T22:56:00.000-05:00

Now Available as a Box Set!

The 8^th Species,
Books 1 – 3
Contemporary Sci-Fi Romance
By Linda Mooney
Word Count: 140K
$6.99 e

Available for a Short Time ONLY ON KINDLE UNLIMITED!

Includes:

Born with special abilities, N8 and the rest of “the children” have lived underground their entire lives, where they’ve been led to believe there was a nuclear war that left the Earth’s surface uninhabitable. The scientists chose what information they were given, what TV shows and movies they could watch, as well as what they were allowed to eat. It was only a matter of time before he and the others started questioning their very existence.

When a fire at Docenti Labs sent everyone running, Ingrid Shyne was told to wipe the computers and get out, but she couldn’t leave the babies behind. How could anyone? She escapes with them, hiding out at her parents’ place, but she knows she can’t keep the infants forever. They’re Chimeras, created in a lab like the other “children” who escaped, and they need to be with those who understand them. When she reaches out, she’s welcomed with open arms, especially by one in particular.

When K8 is approached by a publisher to tell the Childrens’ story, she’s hesitant to trust the guy, but she likes the idea. She’s always loved writing, and she’s been wanting to get back into it. Plus the extra money from book sales would definitely help. But is their story worth sharing?

Adam has been working with K8 at the diner for a while now, and his feelings for her keep growing. He’s leery of the publisher, fearing the man is someone looking to take advantage of the Childrens’ innocence, and he takes it upon himself to protect K8. As he earns her trust, he’s hoping he'll also gain her affection.

Blurbs and Excerpts: https://lindamooney.com/8thSpecies.htm

THE CONDEMNED - Book 1, Rowen, a Sci-Fi/Time Travel Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapter 1, Discovered

2026-01-27T05:48:00.035-05:00

THE CONDEMNED
Book 1 – Rowen

*Note: For purposes of this blog, the content here will be kept to PG standards. However, upon publication, the full novel will include more adult content.

Chapter 1
Discovered

The downpour blanketed everything in dull shadows, for which Rowen was grateful. Keeping his head bowed inside his slicker, he was able to hide beneath the veil of heavy rain pounding him across his shoulders.

It was very dark on this side of town. One lone streetlamp was barely visible where it shone a block over. The High Assembly was very stingy about the use of electricity around the city. Fortunately, this section was not having to undergo a temporary blackout tonight.

He slipped inside the building that had once been a grocery store many decades ago. If anyone from the AP caught sight of him, they wouldn’t find it odd. Nearly all of the buildings in this area of town had been converted to public housing ages ago and were mostly inhabited by vagrants and the ultra-poor, which consisted of the vast majority of the population now. This building, however, only had tenants from the first floor up. Not in the basement. That entire below-ground level was where he was heading.

Removing his raincoat, he shook it over the rug someone had placed inside the front door. Bypassing the elevator, he instead took the stairs. The elevator had been “fixed” to prevent anyone from accidentally descending to the subbasement. Same for anyone who might use the stairs. They had to have the security code in order to get past the blast door. As such, the tenants of 1123 Cooper Drive had no knowledge what existed beneath their feet.

Reaching the steel-reinforced door, Rowen quickly punched in the code. There was a loud click, and he easily pulled it open on well-oiled hinges. Here, the outer room looked no different than the slums upstairs, but it had been intentionally left that way. He bypassed the central hallway to enter a smaller room where he slid open a closet door—and nearly collided with Jade.

The woman gave a little shriek of surprise, then laughed in relief. “Row, we really need to have some sort of window or peephole or something to let us know when there’s someone on the other side.”

Rowen snorted. “A window in a closet door might make someone curious enough to check out why, and we both know we can’t afford the smallest crack in our defense.” He eyed the loaded bags she carried across both shoulders. “Wow. That looks like quite a haul.”

“Thanks. It was.”

“When did you go?”

“October, nineteen sixty-five.”

He nodded, eyeing her unusual outfit. It was regulation that they dress for whenever they were to travel to so they wouldn’t draw undue attention to themselves. The early to mid-twentieth century was a favorite locale. Plus they had plenty of usable currency for that era. “Where are you taking the spoils?”

She tilted her head to the west. “Over to Donegal Street.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Rowen confessed. “I argued with Rob the other day that we needed to start concentrating on that area of town.”

She hitched the bags up more comfortably over her shoulders. “Well, they’re going to eat well tonight. I’d love to talk further with you, but I gotta run.” She eyed his drenched appearance. “I hope the rain keeps up. Makes it easier to move around undetected.”

He held out his slicker to her. “Here. You’re gonna need this.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll pass. I left mine by the outer door.”

He stepped aside to let her pass. “Take care out there.”

Jade flashed him a smile and hurried away.

Going through the door, he entered the auxiliary room adjacent to what he and the handful of people who worked here referred to as Teleport Central. Rutger was the first to spot him and called out a greeting. “Hey, Row! Glad to see you didn’t float away in this rainstorm!”

Rowen chuckled. “It tried to, believe me.”

Going over to a locker bearing his name, he opened it but hung the sodden garment on the edge so that the water dripped onto the floor and not inside the locker. It was a good thing, too. A bag sat on the bottom shelf. His share for the day. The travelers, as they called themselves, always “paid” themselves first after every haul. They felt no remorse or guilt about it since they put their lives on the line every time they went “out” to retrieve what they could. Whatever was left was distributed among those who needed it most—the infirmed, the elderly, then to families. Rowen resisted the impulse to see what had been reserved for him. It didn’t matter. Most of it would go to his mother and sister anyway.

He strode into the next room, the heart of their endeavors. As he always did whenever he entered, he stepped to the side and simply stood there, gazing at the teleportation device. The conduit. Teleport Central. The culmination of years of work done in secret and constant fear of being discovered. He noticed the machine was in wait mode. The platform continued to glow, prepared to either send or receive. Spotting Reo over by the controls, he called out to him.

“Reo! Anyone still out there?”

“Nope. Jade was our last traveler for today, and she got back about half an hour ago,” the man replied. “I was just about to power down. This rainstorm is playing havoc with the system. I don’t dare send anyone else out until it blows through.”

Rowen gave a nod. “Yeah. The weather tends to do that. Nothing we can do about it, either.” He glanced around at the reinforced walls, knowing that behind them was only concrete and brick. “How’s she running, Reo?”

“The system’s doing fine. Other than the occasional hiccup, which is an outside issue, she’s purring along as smooth as silk. Oh, just wait until you get the new numbers.”

“Oh?” Curious, he strode over to the control panel and checked the weight. In fact, he checked twice. “Holy cow!”

Reo chuckled. “Yeah. We brought back a record amount of food and medical supplies this past month.”

Rowen triple-checked the number. “Imagine what that number could have been if we’d been able to bring back refrigerated goods.”

“Yeah. Maybe one day you’ll figure out how to remedy that,” the man suggested.

A scream came from the direction of the front room. Both men froze in place. Rowen stared in shock as the door flung open and two men dressed in black raincoats and carrying rifles burst inside. Behind them, another half dozen armed men swarmed through the door and quickly surrounded the teleportation device.

One officer marched up to Rowen and shoved the barrel of his gun in his face. “Don’t move, or I won’t hesitate to add an extra hole between your eyes.” Seeing that Rowen wasn’t going to give him an excuse to follow through with his threat, he chuckled. “Good boy.”

Rowen resisted the impulse to glance over at Reo, fearing the soldier would make good on his word. From where he stood, he could see another handful of soldiers rush into the room, and behind them one man entered holding Jade in a stranglehold. As soon as they were inside, he shoved her down to the floor.

Jade’s wide eyes pleaded with him, but Rowen wasn’t able to decipher what she needed. He wanted to tell her he was as helpless as she was, but he was afraid Sergeant Itchy Trigger Finger might not want him to speak, either.

He wasn’t aware that several of the soldiers had vanished into the adjacent room until they reemerged with the other three members of the team. Huck, Rutger, and Rob were also forced to get on their knees on the floor and put their hands behind their backs where they were quickly placed in immobilization cuffs.

The room suddenly hushed, and the group of soldiers near the main exit parted. A short, thin man in a dark blue uniform entered. Rowen instantly identified the guy, and his soul wilted. He tried to keep a calm face as the Assemblyman General came straight toward him and halted on the other side of the console.

“Dr. Taylor.”

“General Campanelli.” Rowen silently cursed himself to hear how his voice shook.

The Assemblyman General didn’t miss it, either and got right to the point, gazing around the room. “Well, I’ll be damned. It really does exist. Do you know how long the High Assembly has been searching for you? Looking for you and proof that your little…” He glanced over at the glowing platform. “…contraption wasn’t some big fairy tale?” He turned to face Rowen again. “When we learned people had been receiving food and aid these past few months, we knew the High Assembly hadn’t authorized the distribution. That was also about the time we started hearing about a group of, well, people said they called themselves ‘travelers.’ People claimed these travelers could go back in time and get all kinds of food and other provisions. Then the travelers would bring the stuff back here and give it away. Give it away. For free. Without proper authorization!” Campanelli gruffly chuckled as he raised a hand to snap his fingers. One of the soldiers carrying a black bag hurried over to him. Rowen recognized it as one of the bags Jade had been carrying and realized how the men had gotten inside. They had to have ambushed her when she emerged onto the street.

Campanelli waited for the soldier to dip a hand into the bag and withdraw an object, which he handed to the Assemblyman General. Campanelli stared at it for a few seconds, then held it up for everyone to see. “Green beans! This is a can of green beans! When was the last time you ever saw a real can of green beans?”

The soldiers looked at one another. A few shook their heads. Canned goods hadn’t been available for nearly a decade.

Campanelli tossed the can to Rowen without warning. Fortunately, he was able to catch it before it struck the console. He watched as the Assemblyman General casually moved over to the platform and stopped short of stepping onto it. The man swiveled his head to look at Rowen.

“We had the power company start monitoring each block around the city, looking for more than ordinary usage.”

Rowen stifled a groan. Now he knew how they’d been detected, even though they’d gone to great pains to keep the surges undetected. Campanelli must have seen the disappointment on his face as a triumphant smile lifted his nearly nonexistent lips.

“Once we were able to target this block, we tried to enter. That’s how we located the security door in the basement. Since we couldn’t blow up the door for fear we might accidentally destroy this…contraption, we put a twenty-four-hour watch on the place, hoping for a chance to catch one of those travelers red-handed.” He motioned behind him. “Thanks to that little lady, when she walked out of the building with those bags, we suspected we’d hit the jackpot.” He chuckled. “I was right.”

“Now that you’ve found us, what do you plan to do with us?” Huck snapped.

“I thought you would have figured that out by now,” Campanelli replied. “I have been given the authority by the High Assembly to pass judgment on any or all participants using and taking advantage of the illegal activities brought on by this…contraption. You there!”

Rowen was aware of Reo jerking, startled by having the spotlight unexpectedly shine on him. Campanelli strode up to the console and walked around to stand beside the man. The Assemblyman General pointed to the controls. “Tell me how this works.”

“W-well, uhhh…” The engineer touched the date display dial. “This regulates where in time we send back the…the traveler. This is the send button. This—”

Campanelli interrupted him. “Send back the traveler?”

“Yes, sir. Back in time.”

“Why not forward? Into the future?”

“We’ve tried, sir, but so far we haven’t been successful in that aspect.”

Campanelli chewed over that fact. “Where is the button that brings them back from wherever they’ve gone?”

“There isn’t one,” Reo explained. “The machine is locked onto whoever is sent. After one hour, it automatically brings them back.”

The Assemblyman General narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

“Why?”

“You heard me. Why one hour? What if the person isn’t ready to come back?”

“It’s a failsafe built into the machine,” Rowen broke in. “In the event the person is injured or in a dangerous situation, the conduit will retrieve them.”

“How does it do that? What if it accidentally locks onto the wrong person?”

Rowen shook his head. “Won’t happen. The conduit scans the person’s cellular structure and commits that to memory. That way it will always target the right person.”

Campanelli seemed to study the console. “Is there a way to prevent this contraption from getting that person back?”

A darkness began to boil in the pit of Rowen’s stomach. When he didn’t answer quickly enough, the Assemblyman General whirled on Reo. “Well? Tell me. Is there a way to prevent this machine from bringing that person back?”

“Yes, sir. There is,” the engineer softly replied.

“How?” The man rotated the numbers on the dial. “This way?”

“That’s only sets the date for the destination,” Rowen told him. “Once the person is sent, it no longer affects them.”

“Then how would you keep that person from coming back?” Campanelli repeated. It was clear he was becoming agitated from having to repeat himself. “Well?” Impatient, the man gave a nod to the soldier who still had his gun trained on Rowen’s head.

“You cut off the power to the machine,” Rob called from across the room.

Campanelli looked surprised. “That’s it? That’s all you have to do?”

Reo cast Rowen an apologetic eye. “Turning off the conduit essentially reboots the system.”

“What about the data it collected before sending out the traveler? Isn’t that still contained within its memory banks?”

“The memory hold is temporary. It’s not a permanent store.”

A sick smile came over the Assemblyman General. “So turning it off causes the machine to purge that cellular data, correct?”

Reo slowly nodded.

Rowen watched with growing horror as Campanelli rubbed his chin, then glance over at his four prisoners sitting on the floor a few feet away. It was almost as if he could read the guy’s mind.

The Assemblyman General was deciding who to condemn first.

The man finally pointed to Reo. “Who built this thing?”

“We all did,” Reo admitted.

“Then who came up with it in the first place? Whose idea was it to defy the High Assembly and break our laws?”

Reo turned to Rowen, his face a sickening shade of white. “I’m so-sorry, Row. I’m—”

“It’s okay, Reo. I understand,” Rowen gently assured him.

Campanelli walked over until he was within inches of Rowen. Staring up at him, the man whispered, “Was it your idea?”

“Yes, sir. All of it.” Rowen indicated the others with a nod. “They helped me to build it, but the idea, the specs, all of it is my brainchild.”

“Why didn’t you approach the High Assembly and ask their permission to build this thing?”

Rowen refused to back down. “Because I knew they wouldn’t grant it.”

“You know what this means, don’t you, Dr. Taylor?” The guy seemed almost giddy with what he had planned. Whirling around, Campanelli lifted his arms. “You heard him! He’s confessed! He’s responsible for this!” Turning back to Rowen, the Assemblyman General took a step back. “And so, therefore, by the authority given to me by the High Assembly, I pronounce judgment on you. Dr. Rowen Taylor, you are hereby sentenced to death for the crime of insurrection and treason against the High Assembly.” The man paused to wait for the cries coming from Rowen’s teammates to subside before continuing.

Campanelli faced Rowen directly. “Said sentence will be carried out immediately.”

Rowen felt the blood freezing in his veins as he eyed the nearby soldier with the rifle. He wasn’t prepared to hear the Assemblyman General chuckle in amusement.

“Oh, no, Dr. Taylor. You won’t be facing a firing squad. No, your method of execution will be the very machine you created. Now, go prepare yourself before I order you to be dragged over there.”

Trying to remain resolute, Rowen walked over to the conduit and stood in the center of the platform, directly above the glowing disk. Overhead, the transfer disk that would scan him lightly pulsed in preparation.

He cast his friends and fellow workers one final glance and a weak smile. He had a vague idea what the Assemblyman General had planned, but he wouldn’t know for certain until the man carried it out.

Campanelli shoved Reo away from the controls and had a soldier place the engineer in cuffs before making him join his cohorts on the floor. Going up to the console, the man began playing with the settings, rolling the date display dials around like they were some sort of child’s toy. Twirling them with glee as he even chanted an old nursery rhyme.

“Round and round and round she goes. Where she stops, nobody knows!”

Then he slammed his hand on the palm-sized SEND button.

Rowen felt the familiar humming deep within his bones. The bright particle beam appeared from overhead and pierced through him, sinking deep into the receptors beneath his feet. As the beam widened and grew stronger, he gave the room one last look, memorizing what would be his last moment.

And as everything around him started to fade from sight, he heard Campanelli order, “Shut down this machine. Now.”

TO BE CONTINUED

Linda's Website

2026-01-07T08:05:00.000-05:00

New!

Now Available for a Short Time ONLY ON KINDLE UNLIMITED!

THE IMMORTAL
Sweet Contemporary Fantasy Romance
By Linda Mooney
Word Count: 26K
$3.99 e / $7.99 p

Jonah Cobb has lived for more than two centuries. He's survived wars, starvation, and plagues. He's been near death countless times, but he hasn't died because he can't. For some reason he's never been able to discover, he's immortal.

He's accepted the fact that he's doomed to roam the earth alone, perhaps for all eternity. But during one brutal winter he encounters Clea Hatch. She and her son Joey live on a farm on the outskirts of a small town. She helps him recover and feeds him in exchange for him working around the farm.

Jonah has had his share of women in his long past, but none of them have touched his heart the way Clea does. He knows nothing will come of it, and eventually she'll grow old and die, and he'll have to go on living without her. Regardless, he wants to be part of her short lifetime. But will she accept his request now that she knows what he is?

Warning! Contains a gold coin, a bell, deceit, theft by omission, and a man who'd given up on ever finding love and absolute contentment.

Excerpt and Buy Link: https://lindamooney.com/TheImmortal.htm

HERE BE NEWS for Monday January 5, 2026

2026-01-05T03:00:00.009-05:00

Monday January 5, 2026

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:

Now Available as a Box Set!

The RUNNER'S MOON Series
Books 1-3
Sensuous Sci-Fi Romances
by Linda Mooney
Word Count: 193K
$7.99 e

Now Available for a Short Time ONLY ON KINDLE UNLIMITED!

Nearly six years ago they landed on Earth--thirty-one aliens, fugitives from a lifetime of slavery and cruelty. Now they were dispersed among the populace, unidentifiable because of their shape-shifting abilities.

Includes:

RUNNER’S MOON: JEBARAL

Jebaral had hoped for a life. A chance to be free after escaping years of slavery and cruelty. But when he met Hannah Pitt, there was no way he could turn away from her or from the feelings she evoked in him. But neither could he accept her offer of a future filled with laughter and promise. After all, she was human; he was nothing remotely human.

RUNNER’S MOON: TIRON

Tiron had found sanctuary in Crescent City as “Roni.” But her own self-hatred, beaten into her at the hands of the Arra, had her earning her living as a common street prostitute.

Lieutenant Thom DeGrassi worked vice for the police department. He had busted prostitutes in the past, but nothing had prepared him for what he felt when he met Roni.

RUNNER’S MOON: SIMOLIF

Simolif knew when his brother Jebaral found his life's mate. The blood lines in his arm had increased by one. And the sight of it had thrilled him like nothing else could...unless he, too, could find someone who could accept him for what he was, and who would not scream in fright to see his true self.

He never expected to find Professor Sarah Drumman. As an astronomer, she suspected there were creatures from another galaxy now walking the Earth. More than anything, she wanted to prove her theory to the world.

Excerpts and Buy Links: https://lindamooney.com/BoxSets.htm

Now Available as a Box Set! The RUNNER'S MOON Series, Books 1-3, Sensuous Sci-Fi Romances by Linda Mooney

2026-01-02T04:00:00.002-05:00

Now Available as a Box Set!

The RUNNER'S MOON Series
Books 1-3
Sensuous Sci-Fi Romances
by Linda Mooney
Word Count: 193K
$7.99 e

Now Available for a Short Time ONLY ON KINDLE UNLIMITED!

Includes:

RUNNER’S MOON: JEBARAL

RUNNER’S MOON: TIRON

Tiron had found sanctuary in Crescent City as “Roni.” But her own self-hatred, beaten into her at the hands of the Arra, had her earning her living as a common street prostitute.

Lieutenant Thom DeGrassi worked vice for the police department. He had busted prostitutes in the past, but nothing had prepared him for what he felt when he met Roni.

RUNNER’S MOON: SIMOLIF

Excerpts and Buy Links: https://lindamooney.com/BoxSets.htm

HERE BE NEWS for Monday December 29, 2025

2025-12-29T03:00:00.068-05:00

Monday December 15, 2025

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:

Tuesday December 23, 2025: Linda Mooney treats us to the final chapters of her fantasy romance, The Immortal.

You only have a few days left to get PG Forte's FREE holiday story collection, Santa Paws is Coming to Town. Three complete novellas.

https://tinyurl.com/2025SantaPaws

Christmasing With You

The sweater was just the beginning…

Mike's been a very good boy this year and

Santa Claire has the perfect present picked

out for him—one that's both naughty and nice!

One more disaster could be the end…

Mike and Claire were hoping their first Christmas

together would be unforgettable. But when their sexy, adult-film-

themed weekend abruptly veers into low-budget,

chiller-diller territory, they’re left to worry that this

Christmas will turn out to be memorable in all the worst

ways.

An isolated cabin, a winter storm, a hungry cougar—

what could possibly go wrong? In a word: everything.

This Ugly Christmas Sweater short story features

the characters Mike and Claire from

Let Me Count the Ways (LA Love Lessons, book 3).

Spicy Nick

It’s beginning to look a lot like NIX-mas!

Nick Greco is getting worried. His wife has

never been a big fan of the holiday season,

but this year she seems more distant than ever

before. In fact, the last time that he can remember

seeing her this distracted was right before their

wedding—when she tried to back out of marrying him.

Can you get cold feet after the fact? Is Scout feeling overwhelmed

by the holidays? Or underwhelmed by…gulp…him?

Whatever the cause, Nick has a plan. He’s going to spice up their

marriage and put the heat back in the holidays. And when he’s done,

Scout won’t be saying, “Bah Humbug!” She’ll be saying, “ho, ho…OH!”

(And check out If Only in My Dreams for Scout’s story!)

Not Just for Christmas

You've read the sisters' stories

(in WE'RE DREAMING

OF A WINE CHRISTMAS--

which is also available as a

free download!).

Now read Clay's version of what REALLY

happened Christmas Day!

THE IMMORTAL, a Fantasy Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapters 12 and 13

2025-12-23T04:30:00.027-05:00

THE IMMORTAL
Chapter 12 - The Truth

Jonah reacted instinctively. His first thought was of Clea and Joey’s safety.

Popping outside, he stared in horror as flames raced up the side of the barn. Nearly invisible smoke poured up into the night sky. So far, the house appeared to be untouched, but he knew that wouldn’t last long. He had to awaken Clea and the boy and get them out of there. Grabbing the rope handle, he fiercely rang the bell as he yelled for them to wake up.

“Fire! Fire! Wake up and get out of the house! Clea! Joey! Fire in the barn! Clea! Joey!”

Within seconds, Clea exited the house with Joey in tow, the both of them blinking in sleepy wonderment. The instant she saw the burning barn, she gasped in shock.

Jonah waved for them to distance themselves from the structure. Although the barn was set back a ways from the house, that didn’t mean an ember couldn’t float over and land on the roof, setting the home ablaze.

“Stay back!”

He heard her call out to him as he headed back into the barn, but he couldn’t go over and find out what she’d said. Every second was precious, and he couldn’t waste any of it.

He went straight to the stalls. Daisy was pressed against the wall, as far away from the encroaching flames as she could get. The bovine was terrified, and panicked when Jonah threw a rope around her neck. It tried to headbutt him, but Jonah jumped out of range.

“Come on, old girl! We gotta get out of here!”

It took some effort and a few whacks on the animal’s hindquarters before the cow took off, out of the barn. Next, he went to get Muffin, their other cow, which was easier to persuade to leave. He followed the creature out of the barn to make sure it was safe when Clea ran up to him.

“I called emergency! The fire department’s on its way!”

“Good! Grab the garden hose and begin spraying the roof and side of the house with water. Keep an eye open for sparks and embers, in case some land on the roof of the house!”

He turned to go back inside the barn, but she grabbed his arm.

“Where are you going?”

“I must retrieve my backpack.”

“No! The whole barn is aflame! You’ll be trapped inside!”

It was then he realized she was right. By now the old barn with its aged wooden frame was almost fully engulfed, but the southernmost end of the building hadn’t been breached. There was a chance he could make it.

Jerking his arm from her grasp, he dashed inside. Flames licked his boots, and he was forced to hold his breath to keep from breathing in the roiling black smoke. The place was a tinderbox, ripe for combustion, making him doubt the fire department would be able to save it.

When he reached the far stall he’d enclosed to be his private quarters, he snatched up the few items of clothing he’d placed on a wooden crate, grabbed his boots, and threw his backpack over one shoulder. Using the clothing as a mask, he turned to leave when a wall of fire breached the doorway, blocking his way. Holding his belongings tightly against his chest, he disappeared from the barn’s interior and reappeared next to the bell.

Dropping his things on the ground, Jonah bent over, hands on his thighs, and breathed in huge gulps of fresh air. Clea and Joey quickly joined him and embraced him.

He couldn’t help but chuckle. “This is one of those times I’m glad I’m able to do what I can do.”

“Why did you run into the barn? Why didn’t you just vanish inside?” Clea asked. “Wouldn’t it have been faster?”

“Because it wasn’t safe. I had no idea how far the fire had spread. It was too great a risk. I could have appeared in the middle of a blaze.” He coughed again, then straightened. Taking one of her hands in his, he kissed it. “I have to leave you for a while, my dearest.”

“Why?”

He temporarily ignored her question as he pulled on a pair of jeans over his boxers and slid his feet into his boots. “Did you also call the sheriff?”

“Yes. He’s on his way, too,” Clea confirmed.

“When he arrives, tell him I’ve gone to confront Vince Barnes. Tell him to come there immediately.”

In the glow cast by the fire, her face was unusually pale. She understood what he was implying, but she had to ask anyway. “Why?”

“I saw his truck leaving when I first ran out of the barn. After the cows woke me up and I smelled smoke.” Releasing her hand, he stepped away when she planted herself in front of him.

“Why do you have to leave?” she demanded. “Why can’t you wait until he gets here?”

“I have to confront him before he has the chance to hide the evidence. Before he can wash the smell of gasoline from his hands and change clothes.”

She opened her mouth either to protest or beg him not to go, but he had no other choice. Stepping back, he vanished.

To be on the safe side, he didn’t appear directly in front of the Barnes farmhouse. There was too great a chance a car could be parked there. Instead, he chose the front drive and hoped he wouldn’t get run over.

That was always the danger of “jumping,” as he personally called it. For some strange reason, whenever his body jumped on its own accord, he always managed to appear in a clear area. Sometimes he was bumped into, or nearly struck by something or someone passing by, but never actually placed directly in harm’s way.

Or maybe I’ve just been lucky so far.

But when he initiated it himself, that guarantee didn’t apply, and there had been a couple of times when he’d nearly been killed. After the second event, he’d sworn to himself that he would take greater caution, which was why he’d mentally and visibly targeted a particular spot in Barnes’ front yard when he and Clea had gone to confront the man earlier.

The one security light atop a pole was the only illumination in the area this time of night. The house itself was dark save for one light coming from a window at the rear. The truck he’d seen driving away from the Hatch house was parked near the barn a few yards away.

Rushing over to it, he laid a hand on the hood. It was warm, proving he hadn’t imagined seeing it. A check inside the truck bed revealed two ten-gallon cans of gasoline, which he bet if he hefted them, he’d find them empty. He turned toward the house when a harsh voice called out.

“Halt! Whoever’s there, stop right where you are! I got a gun trained on you!”

Jonah raised his hands. “It’s Jonah Cobb, Barnes! And I’m warning you that the sheriff is on his way here to find out why you set fire to Mrs. Hatch’s barn!” He made no effort to hide his anger.

“Cobb?” The man sounded confused. “What in hell are you talking about? Get out here where I can see you!”

Steeling himself, Jonah stepped out of the shadows surrounding the truck and into the brightness cast by the security light. He kept his eyes on the rifle the man was holding. If at any time the guy looked as if he was going to fire it, Jonah would instantly disappear.

Barnes glared at him. “What the hell are you doing here? Especially this time of night?”

“You know exactly why I’m here! You set fire to Mrs. Hatch’s barn! Would you have set fire to the house, too, if I hadn’t shown up? What else would you have vandalized if I hadn’t woken up when I did? Before you saw me and took off in your truck?”

Barnes shook his head. “You’re crazy, you know that? Accusing me of something I didn’t do!”

“I saw you take off in your truck!” Jonah yelled. “I didn’t imagine it! Right now, that barn is a goner. You better pray that house is still standing come morning.”

Jonah studied the man’s expression. Something about the man’s demeanor didn’t sit well with him. It was like the guy was telling him the truth, yet at the same time was hiding something.

Barnes seemed to come to a conclusion. “You’re lying through your teeth. I haven’t been to her place tonight. What’s the real reason why you’re here, skulking about in the middle of the night?”

“You can lie all you want, Barnes, but I will testify that I saw you leave in your truck right after you set fire to the barn. Why did you do it? Because you’re mad Mrs. Hatch discovered you were skimming off the top? That you were cheating her of her rightful share of the profits?”

“We done discussed this, Cobb! It ain’t none of your business anyway what kind of dealings go on between me and Mrs. Hatch!”

“It will definitely be my business when Mrs. Hatch and I say our vows in front the Justice of the Peace,” Jonah informed him. “Then you’ll have to deal with me. And, believe me, I’m not as trusting a person as she is.”

Oddly enough, Barnes laughed at the comment. “So you are shacking up with her. The gossip floating around town is true.”

The distant sound of sirens alerted them that the emergency crews were coming down the small county road. The instant Barnes turned his head to look in that direction, Jonah vanished from where he stood and reappeared on the step next to the man. Before the guy could react, he grabbed the rifle from the man’s hands, but not before Barnes managed to fire off a shot into the air.

Taking a few steps back, Jonah quickly emptied the weapon of its bullets and threw the gun into the grass several yards away. Almost immediately following, Mrs. Barnes appeared at the back door.

“Vince! Vince, what happened? I heard a gunshot!”

Barnes didn’t get the chance to respond. The sheriff’s cruiser with lights flashing came tearing up the caliche driveway. It slid to a stop and the driver’s side door opened. Lowden took partial cover behind his door as he aimed his service pistol at the two men.

“Both of you! Freeze right where you are! Nobody move!”

Behind him, a second car with red and blue lights pulled up next to the cruiser, and a deputy took the same position behind his car door.

Not seeing another approaching vehicle, Jonah slowly turned to face the sheriff and raised his hands. “It’s all right, Sheriff. Neither of us are armed.”

Unexpectedly, Mrs. Barnes stepped outside and pointed an accusing finger in Jonah’s direction. “He fired at my husband! He shot at my husband!”

Jonah shook his head. “It was Barnes who fired. Not me. I was able to disarm him, and the rifle was fired by mistake.” He pointed over his shoulder. “I emptied the ammunition from it and tossed it over there.”

Sheriff Lowden glanced down at the objects lying at Jonah’s feet. He slowly stood but kept his own gun trained on both men. “Armmin, you take Barnes. I got Cobb.”

He waited until the deputy had cuffed Barnes before approaching Jonah. Silently, Jonah allowed himself to be placed in handcuffs. Lowden turned him around to face him when he was done.

“Mrs. Hatch said you saw Mr. Barnes set fire to her barn, then drive away.”

Jonah gave a nod. “I came here to ask Barnes why he’d done it.”

“I didn’t do it!” Barnes hollered.

Jonah threw him a dark scowl. “Your truck is still warm.” Turning to the sheriff, he noted, “Go touch the hood of that truck. And check what’s in the bed. Find out for yourself.”

“I haven’t left this house since I got home earlier this evening!” Barnes declared.

Something in the man’s tone sounded truthful. Jonah stared at him, when he noticed something. The guy was still in t-shirt and jeans. He turned to Lowden. “Go smell him.”

The sheriff’s eyes widened. “Why?”

“If he set the barn on fire, he should smell of kerosine or gasoline. I smelled the accelerant when the fire broke out. He might also smell of smoke.”

Barnes gave a bark of laughter. “How do we know you didn’t set the barn on fire?”

Jonah had to give the man credit for the comeback. “Smell me, Sheriff. Yes, I smell of smoke because I was inside the barn at the time. I rushed back inside the structure to get the cows out to safety, but I don’t smell of gasoline.”

Bending closer to him, Lowden sniffed Jonah’s shoulder. He also sniffed Jonah’s hands and arms. “You’re right. I smell smoke, but not gasoline.”

“Go check Barnes,” Jonah insisted. He was starting to doubt himself, and that wasn’t a good thing. But he was certain it had been Barnes’ truck he’d seen leaving the farm. Plus there was the still warm engine, and the gasoline cans in the bed.

He watched the sheriff saunter up to Barnes and sniff him over, including where the man’s arms were cuffed behind his back. When the lawman looked back at him and shook his head, Jonah gritted his teeth. He didn’t expect Lowden to gesture to Mrs. Barnes, who was still watching from behind the kitchen door. “Mrs. Barnes? May I have a word with you, please?”

“What for?”

“Just come out here and answer a few questions, please. It won’t take long. You have my word.”

The woman, dressed in her bathrobe, opened the screen door and stepped outside. Lowden stood his ground, forcing her to come up to him. When she was close enough, he smiled at her.

“Looks like you just bathed,” he calmly remarked. “And you washed your hair. Do you often take a bath this late at night?”

“I was watching a movie,” she replied, unable to control the thread of nervousness in her voice.

Without warning, the sheriff took her by the arm. Mrs. Barnes tried to wrench it away from him, but his grip was too strong. A look of uneasiness came over her face as Lowden lifted her hand to his face.

“You know, there’s an odd thing about gasoline. It doesn’t matter how much you try to scrub off the scent, a trace of it still clings to you until it fades on its own. Armmin, go inside the house and find Mrs. Barnes’ clothes.”

“Yes, sir.”

As the deputy turned to obey, Mrs. Barnes burst into tears. “I just wanted to scare her! I didn’t mean no harm!”

“Brigit, shut up!” Barnes snapped.

Lowden nodded. “I strongly suggest you listen to your husband and wait until I read you your rights.”

“Are you arresting her?” Barnes demanded.

“Yes, sir,” the sheriff calmly answered as he applied handcuffs to the older woman’s wrists.

“What for?”

“For starters, arson. Destruction of property.” Lowden cast an eye at Jonah. “And attempted murder. There’ll be others, but that’s enough for now.”

Barnes spluttered. “Attempted murder?”

“I didn’t try to kill anyone!” Mrs. Barnes objected.

Jonah turned to her. “I was sleeping in the barn when you doused it with gasoline and set fire to it. If the cows hadn’t awakened me, I could have been trapped inside and burned to death.”

Mrs. Barnes stared at him for a handful of seconds before turning to her husband. “You told me the two of them were shacking up together!”

Sheriff Lowden grabbed the woman by the upper arm and forced her to look at him. “Before we go any further with this, shut up and listen. You have the right to remain silent.”

As the sheriff read the woman her Miranda rights, Jonah waited for the deputy to uncuff him. He wanted to leave now and go back to let Clea know what had happened, but he knew it was best if he remained here and got a ride back to the farmhouse.

In the distance, he saw a pale glow on the horizon. Not knowing what time of night it was, it could either be the first rays of dawn or the light from the fire engulfing the barn.

He prayed it was the former, but he didn’t hold out much hope for that to be the case.

THE IMMORTAL
Chapter 13 - The Morning

Jonah dropped onto the sofa with a loud grunt and a sigh. Clea was sitting near the fireplace where she’d waited for him. Seeing her defeated posture, he made an attempt to be lighthearted. “I do believe a hot bath at the end of a long day is on the list of the top five pleasures afforded to man,” he proclaimed. When she didn’t respond or move, he cast her an apologetic look. “I’m sorry for the barn,” he said in a more somber tone.

“Don’t be. It’s not your fault. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine for going after Mr. Barnes for what he’d done.”

“Whoa there.” He held up a hand. “It’s not your fault, period, and I don’t ever want to hear you say that again. Barnes was in the wrong for cheating you. Just because his wife went off the deep end and decided to torch the barn as a way to get even is not and never will be your problem.”

Rather than comment, Clea pointed to the end table by his elbow. “There’s some water if you want it.”

He thanked her and took several long swallows before setting the glass back down on its coaster.

“Jonah, do you really think it was all Mrs. Barnes’ idea? What if Mr. Barnes told his wife to come down here and take revenge?”

“Personally? No. I think she did it on her own. But after she got back to the farmhouse, I’m guessing he must have been suspicious of where she’d been and had her confess to him. That’s why he tried to cover for her when I showed up. To give her time to finish bathing.” He snickered. “That was a nice move by Sheriff Lowden, making her think he could go inside and confiscate the clothes she’d been wearing.”

Clea tilted her head slightly. “How so?”

“I believe that technically he couldn’t have done that without a warrant, if my feeble grasp of the law is correct.”

“But Mrs. Barnes didn’t know that,” Clea continued with a soft laugh. A silent moment passed before she spoke again. “Do we know why she did it? I mean, other than to get back at me?”

“Sheriff Lowden and I had a short discussion about that when I told him about Barnes stiffing you. Maybe they’re desperate for money. Hopefully we’ll find out more later on.”

“But why did she try to kill you?”

“She didn’t.”

Seeing her confusion, he couldn’t help but snicker. “The gossip in town says we’re shacking up together, so she assumed I was in the house. It was a good thing I wasn’t, or else we could have lost the cows. Or worse, the fire could have spread to the house.”

She bowed her head again. “The barn is a total loss. The chickens… The garden…” Her voice was soft, but he could tell she had yet to absorb the full extent of what they’d been through. And how close they’d come to losing everything.

Reaching out to her, Jonah silently invited her into his arms. Clea got up from her chair to take her place beside him, tucking her legs behind her and resting her head on his shoulder as he embraced her. He kissed her hair. “We will get more chickens, and the garden can be replanted. Although it will take a while to rebuild the barn, hopefully we can have enough of it finished to house the cows before winter sets in. We have lost nothing that cannot be replaced.”

She lifted her head to look up at him. “Then why did you run back to get your clothes? Or your backpack? Why did you risk your life for those things?”

Jonah smiled down at her. “Because of a certain coin I have stashed in the side pocket.”

“That gold coin?”

“Yes. If I’d left it in the barn, the heat from the fire would have melted it.”

“That coin, it’s that important to you that you’d risk your life for it?”

“That coin has saved my life more times than you guess,” he confessed. “There have been countless times when I was starving. Cold. Lost. Sometimes injured. That coin paid for food and lodging and medicine, and once I used it to purchase my fare on a ship.”

As he’d expected, she shook her head, confusion clouding her face. “But if you spent it…” Then it dawned on her, and she began to laugh. “You went back later to retrieve it!”

Jonah nodded, grinning. “If ever I needed something desperately enough, it gave me the chance to go on. It has never let me down. I wasn’t about to abandon it to a measly fire.”

“Speaking of… Jonah, I’ve been wanting to ask you something about your…power.”

“My ability to transport myself?”

“Yes. When you leave or come back, are you able to do that time-wise?”

“Time-wise? You mean, can I go back in time into the past or forward into the future?”

“Yes.”

“No. I cannot do that. At least, if I can, I haven’t discovered it yet. No, I can go from one place to another only if I have been there before. All in present time.”

“But not to someplace you’ve never been?”

“No.”

“Hmmm. You said you’ve sailed on a boat? Could you go back to that boat?”

He chuckled. “I probably could, but I don’t dare try. I don’t know if I’d end up wherever the boat is located at this time, or in the middle of the ocean.”

“What if the boat sank? Could you transport yourself from the ocean back to someplace you’d been to save yourself?”

He gave her a loving squeeze. “Funny you should ask that.”

“Why?”

“Because an incident exactly like that is how I discovered what I could do.”

“Oh? That was going to be my next question.”

“How did I discover my ability?” He hugged her again. “That story will have to wait for another day.” He checked the clock on the fireplace mantel. “It will be daylight in a couple of hours. Joey will be awakening soon to get ready for school, and we have yet to get any decent rest.”

When he looked back at her, he saw her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. Her expression was one of trust. She believed in him and needed him as much as he needed her.

They kissed, softly and sweetly, their lips briefly lingering before he released her. When she stood, she turned to him with a tender smile and held out a hand to him. He stared at it. If she was implying what he wished she was suggesting…

“Clea.”

“Come to bed, Jonah. With me. You have nowhere to go since the barn’s destroyed.” She chuckled. “Besides, if the townsfolk already believe we’re sharing a bed, what harm is there?”

“Are you sure, Clea? I can sleep right here on the couch until we say our vows.”

“And you’re an idiot if you think I’m going to let you sleep there.”

“But, the boy. What will Joey think if he learns we’re sleeping together?”

“He won’t think anything about it. To him, you belong here…with him and me.” She waved her hand at him. Grasping it, Jonah got to his feet and let her lead him into the master bedroom. Now their bedroom. Now his home. His home and family.

The practical side of him said it wouldn’t last forever. But in his heart, he promised himself to make every moment, every day, and every year count. Because this time with her would become the dreams and memories he’d cherish for the rest of his days.

However long that may be.

THE END

Linda Website

Here be Magic

HERE BE NEWS for Monday August 10, 2026

HERE BE NEWS for Monday August 3, 2026

Monday August 03, 2026Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:https://dl.bookfunnel.com/xofy3ssvv7Touch Of A Vanished HandOberon Book 5.0PG Forte

THE CONDEMNED - Book 1, Rowen, a Sci-Fi/Time Travel Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapter 7, Wanted

New! Q138, a Sci-Fi Romance by Linda Mooney

HERE BE NEWS: New Release from PG Forte: Nice Day for a Wine Wedding

Nice Day for a Wine Wedding: A Pour Decisions Romance

Nice Day for a Wine Wedding released this week and I'm in a wedding-y mood. So, I've decided to offer Going to the Chapel for FREE! But only until Thursday! Enjoy!

Going To The Chapel

Oberon/LA Love Lessons Crossover Book 1.0

THE CONDEMNED - Book 1, Rowen, a Sci-Fi/Time Travel Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapter 6, Settling In

New! WOLFED, Smexy Fairy Tales, Book 1, a Sensuous Fantasy/Paranormal Romance by Linda Mooney writing as Carolyn Gregg

New! Ynna, a Sci-Fi Romance by Linda Mooney

THE CONDEMNED - Book 1, Rowen, a Sci-Fi/Time Travel Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapter 5, Second Chance

THE CONDEMNED - Book 1, Rowen, a Sci-Fi/Time Travel Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapter 4, Questions

New! NO BATTLE LORD'S CHOICE, Book 12 of The Battle Lord Saga, a Sci-Fi/Futuristic/Post-Apocalyptic Romance By Linda Mooney

Now Available as an Audiobook! I MARRIED A GOOBIE, a Humorous Smexy Sci-Fi Romance by Linda Mooney Writing as Carolyn Gregg

THE CONDEMNED - Book 1, Rowen, a Sci-Fi/Time Travel Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapter 3, Jailed

Now Available as a Box Set! NOIR FAIRY TALES, Books 1 – 3, Fantasy/Paranormal Romance by Linda Mooney

THE CONDEMNED - Book 1, Rowen, a Sci-Fi/Time Travel Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapter 2, 8:43 pm

Now Available as an Audiobook! ILLUSTRA, an Apocalyptic Contemporary Sci-Fi Romance, Written and Narrated by Linda Mooney

Happy Lunar New Year!

New! JUSTISS, a Sci-Fi Romance by Linda Mooney

Now Available as a Box Set! The 8th Species, Books 1 – 3, Contemporary Sci-Fi Romances by Linda Mooney

THE CONDEMNED - Book 1, Rowen, a Sci-Fi/Time Travel Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapter 1, Discovered

HERE BE NEWS for Monday January 5, 2026

Now Available as a Box Set! The RUNNER'S MOON Series, Books 1-3, Sensuous Sci-Fi Romances by Linda Mooney

HERE BE NEWS for Monday December 29, 2025

THE IMMORTAL, a Fantasy Romance by Linda Mooney - Chapters 12 and 13

Monday August 03, 2026
Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/xofy3ssvv7

Touch Of A Vanished Hand
Oberon Book 5.0
PG Forte