RENEGADE, by Alex Marshall: The silence deepened as the boat slipped onward under the trees.  Even the dip and pull of the pilot’s oar made scarcely a noise as the slime-dark hull skimmed the water.  Seated in the prow, Dyer watched the pilot warily.  He was a local man; one of the Char Cutters who […]

DANCE UPON SAND, by Seamus Bayne: I consider how fragile humans are as I bring my axe onto the shield of the cavalrywoman. The blade bites deep, and blood sprays forth. She drops her shield, screaming. Her blood is the coin of my revenge on the sorcerer king, Theisius, who has made me into a […]

ADVENT OF AN APOCALYPSE, by Bethany Powell: They are combing each other’s hair when the end comes. A raven’s poised to land in their linen standard and they do not jump when the horn sounds the finish. Instead, they make mazes of fierce braid and plait, or smooth out thin sheaves of gold hair, before […]

Just in case you’re wondering what to do now that March Madness and the NCAA basketball tournament is coming to a close, we have a suggestion: read something! Better yet, read Heroic Fantasy Quarterly Issue 12. In honor of said madness, we thought we’d offer our own sort of brackets. Well, something balanced at least. […]

CROWN OF SORROWS, by Seamus Bayne: The mistress Paracevia is the only one who knows my real name at the brothel where they find me. Those who’ve come for me think they’re clever — they wait deep into the night when they think I’ll be sotted with drink and worn from the ministrations of the […]