DYNASTY, by Gary Every, art by Simon Walpole   The queen was pregnant with the king’s heir. She wished to set a good example for the pious peasants and always attended Sunday services at the cathedral. It was noted by almost everyone in the congregation that her royal highness exited early every week just before […]

GERTRA OF THE GRINDSTONE, by Scott T. Hutchison, art by Gary McClusky     Everyone in Rayjbaer delivers their blades to Gertra. No one hones with a finer edge. She has all day to achieve cutting perfection; her axeled sandstone turns like a cart wheel sparking road rocks behind the dash of mad horses. Our […]

SHAFT TOMB, by Ann K. Schwader     In far Saqqara, countless faithful wait Upon their earthly gods who fared ahead As Westerners beyond the judgment gate, Emerging justified. These patient dead Partake unknowing of a power old As moonlight on the desert.  And as cold.   Stacked in like coffined cordwood ages deep, Such […]

HOW THE ROSE PRINCES CAME TO LIFE, by Elizabeth R. McClellan, artwork by Andrea Alamona       Witching is about knowing. Though we keep cats, a mouse with a message has amnesty unquestioned by familiars,   for mice get in everywhere and gossip like ravens, with less crude sniggers. They do not trust us, […]

THE BOWSPRIT MERMAID AND THE STEMHEAD DRAGON, by Katherine Quevedo, artwork by Simon Walpole     From wooden mouths above the deep, From oaken tongues upon the swell, When figureheads arouse from sleep To greet each other’s ships, they tell The tragedy of the bowsprit mermaid and the stemhead dragon.   Two sculptures clad in […]