Jace van Kaathoven
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jacevk.bsky.social
Jace van Kaathoven
@jacevk.bsky.social
85 followers 170 following 140 posts
31, he/him, from Sydney 🐸🖤 cPTSD survivor 🧠⚔️ Funky writer + Creative designer @ Sky Pirate Studios 🎮☠️ I love rainy days the most.

🚫 NO AI 🚫 was used in the making of this flawed human. 🌱
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Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
kiraofthewind.com
#WIPSnips #WriteSky

Near the beginning of the book. Here, Shallot is about to assert her dominance over some drunk bully
Shallot raised her head and saw what the problem was. The man who’d demanded more ale had finished the last tankard permitted to him. Now he was at the bar, hovering over Beans, clearly using his size to bully the poor bartender, a shorter, chubbier man whose beard had never extended beyond two inches. “I told you that was your last one.” Shallot stood, adjusted her bow tie, and strode confidently over to the drunk. She was a full foot shorter, but if this fellow wanted to remain welcome at the Good Thyme Inn, he’d back down. Shallot knew she was the boss here; she walked and spoke with the dignity of a queen in her castle. Just as no queen would tolerate being disrespected in her domain, Shallot would not be bullied in her own inn.
February 3, 2026 at 4:53 PM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
kamikaye.bsky.social
Intro from 'Hunt' which is a shortstory focuing on my character Belle, who also appears in 'Cloudgazer', but later. #WriteSky
"Command we entered the complex through designated airlock 21-B. Breathable Atmosphere confirmed, main systems offline, no net activity." Belle reported dutifully, but not without her usual cheer while Earm and Tolos unloaded the equipment. Type B urban set, consisting all sorts of grappling, hacking, tech and toolage. All carried by a stealthy yet densely packed walker drone. It's red glowing front sensor menacingly glinting in the twilight and bopping under every new package Earm stacked on its racks. Belle looked around the lobby they entered. Arrivals for commuter shuttles, hundreds of dark leather seats and couches in neat rows facing a big crystalicrete window to space. The blue nebula outside and the tiny red specks of the fading emergency floor markers had the place feel just like another part of space. Out in actual space the rounded red hull of their assault shuttle was visible against the blue spacelight, no lights as usual, passive stealth protocol. Belle leaned against a pillar, tugging a strand of her frizzy orange hair behind the clunky headset, while she kept tabs on the entry-phase.
February 3, 2026 at 4:08 PM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
sayaashrah.bsky.social
How about the time when we meet Ikalry, the Mistress of Massacres? 😈

CW for non-descriptive torture and some grotesque choices of accessories.

#ChroniclesOfTheRealms
“Like all mad dogs, their usefulness quickly runs out.” Ashrah and Sareena whirled around and craned their necks to find Ikalry, the devil famous for her bloody moniker, Mistress of Massacres, grinning in a way that was not unlike her creations now agonising on the spikes. “And they fulfilled their purpose by bringing you to me.” “You shall regret it,” Ashrah retorted, not caring to hide her scorn from the vicious killer who stood twice her size and with three arms on each side of her elongated torso, each carrying a weapon large enough to end Ashrah in one blow. The scant and grimy hides she wore did little to conceal the welts and runes spread throughout her vermilion skin, the bloody marks pulsing in rhythm with the two crimson gemstones she carried, one imbued to the golden collar around her long neck, and the other chiselled into her forehead. A wild mass of red hair—wilder than any elbhyr Ashrah had ever met, despite her species being known for such excesses—reached as far as the devil’s knees. Dark plum horns jutted out from her temples and curved outwards. Trinkets hung from strips of viscera tied to each horn: in one, an eye and a fang; in the other, two fingers severed from what Ashrah assumed had been a Nether-Touched.
February 3, 2026 at 3:38 PM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
caseyadamsstark.bsky.social
Here’s a little #WIPSnips confidence
CONFIDENT From what I understand, Bob didn’t say no. He didn’t say yes either, rather he pointed Anne in the right direction to find what she was looking for. Then he made a few calls to people he knew in the County Records department asking them to give Anne access to whatever she needed. Now the County Records offices would normally be out of my realm, if my guardian spirit wasn’t directly tethered to Anne. I note her confident stride as I hover above her, as she makes her way to the main request desk. She announces who she is. "Anne Perry. I was told to ask for Lulu."
February 3, 2026 at 3:50 PM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
jacevk.bsky.social
Hope it is okay to share a recent #WIPSnips of mine! This snippet felt relevantly red, even if I'm still not sure if it's a fire hydrant or not. #WritingPrompt
jacevk.bsky.social Jace van Kaathoven @jacevk.bsky.social · 9d
Good morning!!! finishing my first full week of #WIPSnips with something light and sweet. Today Frogbo has an encounter with a fire hydrant (or not)
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
February 3, 2026 at 2:56 PM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
jacevk.bsky.social
Good morning... I got sick 🤧
I'm still on the mend but that won't stop me from catching up on #WIPSnips, doubling w/ yesterday's "perish" and today's "confident"!
Peppy as she is, Bunibo can't help but worry 🐰💦
(content warning: death)
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #AmWriting #AmSick
Should Frogbo even go on to survive their journey… for what? A place of perishment, long-beyond any saving? Much like Frogbo and much as the World, once bread is toasted into toast is there no turning back to bread. You can't un-toast toast, and you can't toast toast neither—it's just toast, instead. That's how it is. All toast to fall tribute unto the ever-hungry cosmic gullet feeding from below 'til dinner's done. The train of thought made chills run down Bunibo's fuzz. So had Bunibo caught herself wavering, her mind spiralling in tandem with her most auspiciously boxen staircase. No more, snapped Bunibo to her inmost self. She will not sanction sadness at this time. Not now, not yet. She smacked her paws against her cheeks in an effort to rouse her confidence in the plucky Frog. Clap clap clapa! Giving up wasn't in Bunibo's rulebook, after all, so what's the point in an addendum now? Bunibo hoped beyond all hope that hope would not prove hopeless.
February 3, 2026 at 8:48 AM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
keeganpeter.bsky.social
April has to stay the night in a safe room while her apartment gets warded against whatever had been haunting her. She gets to reminisce about the day she found out how supportive her dad really is. Gotta show what a good ally dad looks like.
February 3, 2026 at 2:14 PM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
teisha42.bsky.social
Sharing a bit of my #hopepunk novel for today's #WIPSnips, "confident."

This is far too close to how I feel in real life all the time. 😅
(Except for the tentacle-roots. 🤣)

Ah, the facade of confidence...

#WritingCommunity #WriteSky #scifi #sff #alien #zoo #space #planets #alienzoo #leadership
“Olivia, I was scared too,” I confessed. “In fact, I was terrified.” “But you seemed so confident.” Olivia stared at me, narrowing her dark brown eyes. “Like you just knew what you were doing. So calm and collected.” “I didn’t feel confident. I felt a mess. I just kept… moving. One step at a time. Doing whatever small thing I could. If it weren’t for Damien, I would have been useless.” I thought of him, endangering himself wrestling the tentacle-roots to save the Atlanteans he despised.
February 3, 2026 at 1:40 PM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
pc2000s.bsky.social
Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance (PC release 2003)
February 3, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
5feetofredfury.bsky.social
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #writingprompt

Duels of Blood (Oh, Daisuke 😅)
Daisuke understood the game Ewah wanted to play; really, it wasn’t hard to see through, and perhaps that was also the point. Every interaction with the future Intelligence Master was meant to rattle his confidence, make him question his competence, and deeply doubt everything he knew. It was all part of a concentrated effort to make him resign, which inevitably came with a dishonorable discharge—no stipend, no reputation, nowhere else to turn but indentured servitude, prostitution, or the back alleys to slowly starve to death. Rather than explain, Daisuke simply rolled his eyes and finished pouring off the boiling fangroot. “I’m a bit busy for stupid questions, Second Master. But there’s a reference book on that shelf over there if you think I’m wrong.”
February 3, 2026 at 11:58 AM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
acturek.bsky.social
#fantasy #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #WIPSnips #confident

Just after yesterday’s snip. Virgil contemplates Rushak, Cerel, and his own decisions with a disturbing conclusion - and typical angst.

- From Brother’s Keeper, my fantasy WIP about two brothers bound by a misunderstood power.
With Cerel's approval they followed Rushak to the spot he'd chosen and prepared to bed down. Despite the latter's assurance it was safe, Cerel insisted on keeping watch. But Rush did have a fine nose for places to camp. The grass was buoyant here, the ground yet soft. The little stream's warble soothed Virgil's spirit. And yet he could not sleep. His wakefulness was not from doubt of their safety, for he trusted the Sheltri's senses. Neither was it fear for the Sacred Tor. Nor, as he listened to Rushak's restless tossing, was it the certain knowledge that one would not sleep at all. He'd not said what he'd seen, but whatever it was, it had set in stone what he would be henceforth. Cerel, he understood. Cerel the fierce, the CONFIDENT, the sharp teeth against claw in this war ... but Rushak? He would be the open wound that never heals, the walking reminder of its cost. And not for the first time, Virgil asked himself if it had been wrong to bring him. Brother's Keeper A.C. Turek
February 3, 2026 at 1:16 PM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
adregem.bsky.social
Here's Soryl sizing up Ocer Jion, the man she's about to mind-infiltrate and kidnap. #WIPSnips #WIP #AmWriting #WritingPrompts #Writers #Writing #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #Fantasy #FantasySky #DarkFantasy #Necromancy
His clothes were understated compared to the other people at the table: a dusky white tunic with a belt, unadorned, rich enough for a royal banquet but less ridiculous than what everyone else was wearing. People dress that way when they don’t feel the need to impress anyone, which is its own brand of impressive. His blue eyes were intelligent and shrewd. He was pretty, the kind of pretty that makes men overconfident and reckless.
February 3, 2026 at 1:03 PM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
stevewestenra.bsky.social
#WIPSnips - "Confident"

Look! I wrote something wholesome 🤣

#booksky #indiehorror #queerhorror
Gene strokes his hand over it, as though assessing the roughness of the canvas. “Maybe I’d like something to remember you by. Folks don’t usually come back here.” He pauses. “I know you don’t know us from Adam but having you here’s been like a piece of Virgie coming home.” Tia squeezes my hand at the mention of my mom. For a minute, I let the facade drop, that quipping, deflecting, way-too-confident-to-be-human version of myself that I’ve been falling back on. “Look, man. You don’t want my face on your wall. I talk a big game, but it’s part of marketing myself for gigs. I’m not what my mom was.” And I’m seriously starting to consider returning to school for air conditioning repair. “That thing only exists because Uphill’s an obsessive creep. I’m nobody.” Tia’s hand tightens around mine. “Everybody here is somebody, Tyler.” Gene picks up the print, smiling at it. “And you look like somebody to me.” This is all very after school special, but it feels genuine coming from them. Genuine and me are oil and water.
February 3, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
jimthevampire.bsky.social
Alan just got out of prison, loose on Infinus and in control of the onboard computer. Sadly some bodies need disposal...Alan has ideas

#WIPSnips
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
#WritingPrompts
#sff
#StatuesErode
There was an elevator ahead. As she stepped to it, examining the cage she grimaced her pleasure and spoke aloud, “Rec, activate the One Step Drive!” The clear and crisp response bothered her, “Good afternoon Captain,” it began, all pleasantries and confident, self-assured mechanical glee. “The One Step Drive can only be activated from the Bridge.” “I will be on your precious Bridge very soon. How many humans are there?” “The human crew numbers one thousand two hundred and sixty. Unfortunately I’m sad to report that all but eight are deceased.” She grimaced again. The plan was perfect. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t need them. I only need you.” The Rec voice seemed pleased with this, “Delighted to hear it Captain and absolutely delighted to serve. Shall I have the bodies stored for burial?” “Ahhhh!” “I’m sorry Captain, are you injured?” She grimaced. It would take a long while to retrain this Enhanced AI system. “I was laughing, it makes an ahhhh sound, I’m sure I mentioned it before. Recently.” “My apologies Captain, I have noted in the log the odd way that you laugh and grimace in favour of smiling. As for the bodies?” “Load as many as will fit into torpedoes and fire them at their families homes
February 3, 2026 at 8:36 AM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
sayaashrah.bsky.social
#WIPSnips 3. “Confident”

Mileena isn’t very confident about Earthrealm’s chances in the Crimson Scales tournament. Well, place your bets!

#ChroniclesOfTheRealms #MileenaSuêòng #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #QueerWriters
“I assume this visit comes after you grew tired of beating the Earthrealmers?” Mileena grinned, sharp teeth pressing against her gums. “And Fujin says they’re confident of victory.” “All the talk of finding skilled warriors was mere delusions of a desperate god, then?” “Kung Lao and his stupid razor hat won’t survive a single fight, not even against whatever expandable kytinn the Hive sends this time.” Or whatever expandable tarkatan. Mileena didn’t add that thought. “I bet Johnny will drown himself in alcohol at the sight of Zaterra’s representative. And Kai? He is… odd. A decent fighter, but not enough to beat an Osh-Tekk, let alone Prince Goro.” Shang Tsung wet his quill and started scribbling. Mileena leaned against a column beside the workbench, close to the scent of summer emanating from the sun-singer’s flask. “But… Sonya is good. Very good. She defeated Jade many times. Even beat me once. There’s Grandmaster Bi-Han, too.” “I thought Raiden would’ve punished him after what he did.” “Like he can afford to lose his best warrior after losing three of his fighters.” Mileena shrugged. “And then there’s Liu Kang. They’re already calling him champion,” she said, not with the admiration often directed at the monk. “Do you believe he can win?” “Maybe? He’s young but cultivates well enough. If he keeps his calm, he has… not terrible chances,” she conceded. “I still put my gold on Bi-Han, though.”
February 3, 2026 at 11:26 AM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
mycelialwriter.bsky.social
Ætheren having confidence as he steps on stage for his own performance… 🎪🖤✨ #WIPSnips from TMF subbing “believe” for “confidence”
He stepped onto the stage. His palms sweat but his breathing slowed and he was forever grateful for the cloak obscuring his face. Finn had not loved the cloak, but fortunately, Jaxen and Talyx had said it added to his mystique. Ætheren didn’t think anyone from the Mycellium Forest would be looking for him, nor did he believe they would dare cross the wall. But best to be safe, just in case.
February 3, 2026 at 11:16 AM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
marinestjean.bsky.social
#WIPSnips *confident*
It's not her fault.
#sapphic #lesfic
“No wonder you’re nervous.” Phaedra flashed her own smile, but it always came off as a confident grin – cocky rather than friendly. She didn’t try to flirt with clients, even the pretty ones. Her mouth was just weird like that.
February 3, 2026 at 11:12 AM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
tarasgeir.bsky.social
I rather like a bright eyed future ruler who believes in a meritocracy. It's a pity that Grio wants to murder Anfri. #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
Anfri mentioned something that made the ugly man bristle. "We are not Wall Lickers in the Dip. My family has been here for generations and it was only because of our perseverance that I was raised above it all. That and," Raion licked his lips "Slate has a soft spot for those who are of limited heritage." He said it with such scorn that Grio could feel the poison spilling from Raion's mouth. But Anfri seemed more curious than bothered by it. "Are you saying that Slate puts her confidence in those who are capable in their roles rather than by the name they were born with?" Anfri's bluntness caught Raion off-foot and he spluttered a response. "It's no surprise as she is from a humble background as well." "And it's something I can appreciate." Anfri looked mildly at both Raion and Grio. "Being as you are both close to me and neither are from exalted families. I think I'd like to spend more time with Slate."
February 3, 2026 at 9:50 AM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
theeldervampire.bsky.social
#WIPSnips | Confident
A rare Declan/Mícheil snippet!
After a kiss in the heat of the moment freaked Mícheil out, Declan worries that it was personal, which makes him spiral.
(I like this snippet for the way I describe dysphoria in a fantasy setting)
cw gender dysphoria, internalized transphobia
+
“I trust you.” He shifted a bit closer. “If you think about it, I can see why you’d kiss me.” “I don’t follow.” “Well.” His cheeks were flushed again. “We’ve been stuck in close quarters for a while. We haven’t gone to town in a few months. You’re pent up, I bet. So, you just got a little too excited, huh?” That felt wrong. I looked down, seeing his hand just inches away from mine. “I suppose so. Gets awful lonely out here, not havin’ a way to blow off steam.” As soon as I spoke it, I knew I was lying to myself. “Well, sure,” he snorted, lowering his head. “I get like that too, sometimes. But, well…” He shrugged. “Not many people want a woman pretending to be a man.” I snapped my head right up. “Where in the blazes do you get an idea like that?” “Isn’t that what I am?” He frowned. “Too much of a woman to where the other officers don’t listen to me, but too much of a man to scare away anyone that'd wanna fuck a woman.” There were two modes to Declan, when it came to his manhood. There was the real Declan – confident, strong, and proud of who he was. He held conviction, and he could kick anyone’s arse that dared say he didn’t belong among the rest of us. Then, there was *this* Declan – full of doubt and not daring to look at his own shadow. He sometimes said that when this Declan came out, it was because he could feel another set of skin suffocating him. And he couldn’t take that skin off, so it festered. “That’s just the devil in your head talking,” I grimaced, turning to face him. “Look at me.”
February 3, 2026 at 10:50 AM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
kathyravyn.bsky.social
Moment of vulnerability from Tara.

I feel like I'm sharing too much, but it's draft one, loads of these scenes will change later.

#WIPSnips #Writing #AmWriting #Writesky #WritingCommunity
"How do you do it?" I suddenly asked her. "Do what?" she said. "How are you so confident in yourself? I only ever act like I am, and everyone buys it, but you know how shit it is on the inside." She flickered her eyes. "I'm not always. And it took time, it wasn't instant. You know I struggled so much in high school, right? I was, like, the complete opposite of confident." "I know you didn't exactly enjoy high school, but I don't know, you seem really confident. Like, actually." Untouchable. Tara always seemed so untouchable. She chuckled. "Didn't exactly enjoy high school? That’s the understatement of the fucking year, Sam. God, I felt like I was so ugly and just not worthy of anyone there. I mean, I was fat, my face was covered in acne… Let’s just say that most of the other kids weren’t exactly kind to me. And you know, I was loud and, unlike now, it wasn't treated as a positive thing of me being confident. It was treated like I was a nuisance. So, I made myself smaller. It's not the same, not at all, as what you're going through, I know, but when I see you look at all your... Sylvan features like that, it takes me back. I wished someone told me back then that I was enough." "You're like the prettiest person ever. And you always have been." I wasn't trying to flatter her; it was just the objective truth. "Well, obviously. I know that now."
February 3, 2026 at 10:11 AM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
jundlife.bsky.social
Just trying to score some grass from the weird kid.
From "Hat"
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #WIPSnips
“Look, my parents are reformed hippies. They would smell it a mile away if I brought it home. Would it be ok if I just got it from you there?” “Only if you smoke with me.” Holy shit where did that come from? I must still be riding the wave of confidence from earlier. Is this what it feels like to be in control of a situation for once? I must admit it feels pretty damn good. Her eyes, set with her perfect black eyeliner, narrow. “You’re not going to be weird about it are you?” “Me, weird? No, never.” “Is that a joke?” “I didn’t mean for it to be a joke, but I yeah I get it. I can come off a little weird sometimes.” “A little?” “Ok, a lot. I know what people think about me. I swear it’s overblown.”
February 3, 2026 at 10:11 AM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
A longer snip than some of my recent ones today — the confidence of Xana Nikos (placeholder name) and a description of some of Hal's previous students.

#WIPsnips
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
Whoever had drawn this, Bronwyn knew at once, had known these people well. They had captured their personalities, so much so that she almost felt she was really seeing them. The first of the women was Xana; she was tall, and grinned confidently, arms crossed over her chest, dark hair drawn back from her face in a tight ponytail. Veren was arrogant, his posture relaxed, with one hand on the back of Hal’s chair as though just waiting for the old man to step aside so he could occupy it himself… but under the arrogance of that smirk, he was handsome, and charming. The small woman beside him was Cerid. She had a smile like the warmth of the sun, and curls of pale hair (which might have been blonde or red, if the drawing had colour) cascaded down her shoulders in a way that made Bronwyn wish she could get her unruly mess of curls to do the same.
February 3, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
danfbispo.bsky.social
Intrusion in Extali space for any reason is punishable by immediate destruction. Why would, then, a member of a species that often prefers death to contact with other species, send a distress call?

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
The beautiful emptiness flickered from the main viewscreen, replaced by the twitching visage of an eyeless, many-jawed creature. Near-immobile at first, it lurched forward, each motion leaving behind a trail of visual artifacting, and spoke. “Vessel of Other-space: I am TK’LO’RAV-CONTEMPLATIVE of the all-generous DESPOTATE OF THE ONE PEOPLE, requesting immediate assistance.” Its jittering motions and uneven pulsing of flesh did not even begin to match up with the message. A necessary evil with universal translation devices, but nevertheless unnerving to the still-green Captain of the Trilo. “Station WATCHER-0107 of EXTALI 0424, FEMNO SYSTEM in Other-speak, suffering catastrophic failure of multiple systems,” the prerecorded message continued. “Life support, primary communications, defensive systems severely deteriorated. No response from Command. Long-term survival unlikely. Vessel of Other-space: send immediate assistance to FEMNO SYSTEM.” The viewscreen went black, and the audio cut off. “The situation must be dire indeed,” Diodorus said, “for them to reach out to their despised Other-space.” “I guess if they couldn’t reach out to their Command, we were the only choice left to them.” “Besides an honorable death, untainted by the touch of Other. Which I believe most Extali would much prefer.” “Well, this one clearly didn’t. Or maybe the situation was that desperate,” Rook said. “Captain, what do you make of it?” Yana shook her head, as if the motion would rattle some ideas—or some confidence—loose.
February 3, 2026 at 9:57 AM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
sagecollins.bsky.social
It took a lot of artificial confidence to get from shy, sullen Apollo Eastman to confident, smiling Ace Starr, but his success led to a persona even his own dad couldn’t recognize.

Well, not that that was hard

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
From Hero/Villain 🦹🏼🍎
Black text, green background, “confidence” x2 highlighted pink And so the partnership between Ace Starr and Eastman, Corp. began. He has no clue I was once Apollo. That would've required him to look at his son more than once a month. He makes up for it now, looking at me all the time. He has to. I'm the face of his company. And he loves me, finally. It just took a basket of apples to get him there. It was hard at first, talking to him, hoping he didn't realize who l was, but wishing he would see the Apollo in me, see how successful his son became. In the end, though, it didn't matter who he loved me as, as long as he did. And downing my own bottles of Pure East helped me gain CONFIDENCE in those early days. Now I don't need it to feel that CONFIDENCE bubbling in me. I get that from the knowledge of all I've accomplished. Not to mention the screaming fans. Not that it stops me from drinking it.
February 3, 2026 at 9:55 AM
Reposted by Jace van Kaathoven
cfranciswrites.bsky.social
Ess is a con artist with forbidden magic, able to control minds through touch in a world where skin is taboo. Forced into a plot to infiltrate the forum, she's about to undergo a daunting trial designed to expose magic users.

#WIPSnips
Ess wrapped her arms around her ribs, holding herself close. “Will you be there?” “No, but you won’t be alone. You’ll find a friendly face inside.” For a wild moment, Ess imagined Bryn just beyond the door, tripping over himself to apologise, to beg her forgiveness. Her jaw quivered. Get out, get out, excise him from her memory. But he stayed, the stubborn git, grey eyes as helpless as the day he abandoned her to the guards. What she would do to kick him in the shins. One last time. She heaved a deep sigh. Bryn was gone. No amount of wishing could put him behind that door. Perhaps the majestor, then. Friendly enough, even if his charm came lined with ruthless acts and dead boys. If he was in there, though, if he witnessed her unmasking… Ess pressed her hand to her throat. She didn’t want to see his affection turn to betrayal when this trial exposed what she was, when he realised she had come to seize control of his mind. Would he summon a firing squad at once, or grant her the small pleasure of bringing Galen down first? If she was about to die, she had no intention of doing so alone. A door opened behind them, and a woman called out, “Praetessa Esphyra? We’re ready for you. This way, please.” Ess spun around, smoothing the cream lace of her skirt and summoning her most unflappable persona. This was it, her future balanced on the outcome of the next few minutes. Time for the performance of a lifetime… quite literally. One last glance at Talissa—oh, damned woman. She clung to the balustrade, worry etched into every line of her face. Ess shot her a sharp smile, “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” and strode off.
February 3, 2026 at 9:44 AM