Friends and Readers (hopefully both). Aside from writing and editing and all the mishigas that goes with it, things are starting to settle back down in the Stember / Møller household here in the Faroe Islands (we are shuffling around who lives where in the house, so there is more room for the grandchildren to grow.)

Who am I?

For any of you new to following me, I’m an expat American. Born in NYC, raised mostly in New Jersey (and Vermont) – early entry to Gen X (mid 60’s). Like my dad before me, I go by my middle name. So, everyone calls me Sam (though I’ve gotten a few “Sammys” from time to time).

I always loved science fiction, fantasy and horror, mostly thanks to my dad (Charles Herbert Stember), who also loved those three as well. I knew who Captain Nemo was before I ever learned about Tom Sawyer.

My love of those genres also led to my online gaming in those genres (I tried it all from World of Warcraft to City of Heros, but I really fell for Star Wars: The Old Republic when it came out.) Turns out, my future wife loved it as well, and that’s where we met online as fellow gamers.

When she first told me she lived in the Faroe Islands, I had to look it up. Oh, OK, a self-governing archipelago that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, cool. Hmm, just south of the Arctic Circle – brrrr, maybe a bit too cool!

Our friendship grew and eventually I flew out here to meet her, then she flew back to New Jersey the following spring. All that was around thirteen years ago and for the last four years now I’ve been living in the Faroe Islands with my wife, Majken, her son Ken and his wife, Siri (yes, that causes all sorts of iPhone mixups), three great dogs and three fantastic grandchildren, Olaf, Boas and Thea.

So, what’s this Newsletter about?

I’ll send you updates from time to time about my author journey and maybe throw a short story or two your way, as well as discussing my current and future books, as well as books and movies I love.

Which leads to:

I currently have an open ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) program running for my sci-fi novel, “Anexena”, which is coming out October 1^st from Rogue Phoenix Press.

To be a part of the ARC and get a free copy of the book (pre-release), you only need to love science fiction/space opera (stuff like Star Wars, Star Trek, BSG, etc.) and be willing to give the book an honest review come launch time on Amazon and/or Goodreads. Goodreads lets you post before launch, but Amazon makes you wait until launch day. Just shoot me an email to nsstember@gmail.com – or go to my author website: https://nsstember.com/contact and I’ll send you the link to join the ARC.

“Anexena” is a prequel story that launches “The Imperial Chronicles” series, so you don’t have to have read any other parts to enjoy it. In truth, “Anexena” is a collection of five separate novellas set inside the worldbuilding of The Imperial Chronicles, giving you all a taste of various storylines out there. It’s not until the sixth story that all the other five come together for a climatic finale.

As for the flavor of the six stories, they range from a light-hearted time travel chase, to deep adventures, alien horrors, romance, betrayal, and even war.

Is there more?

Yes, “Anexena” is “Book Zero” of the series, but “Book One” is already out. “A Question of Evil” - which centers on two of the characters from Anexena” and starts up a few months after “Anexena” ends. Go to https://www.nsstember.com/books to get a link to all the resellers.

OK, but still, is there even more?

Yes – “Book Two” of “The Imperial Chronicles” is completed and with my publisher now and I’ll have more to say about that as it progresses.

That’s all for now folks. Feel free to send feedback about the newsletter – stuff you liked, stuff you didn’t, stuff you’d like to see.

Me on LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/nsstember

Hope you all have a wonderful and mystical week.

Sam

A Question of Evil - Book One of the Imperial Chronicles - is available through the Motivated Savages indie author bookstore. Just click on the link on my webpage. HTTPS://nsstember.com/books or click the Motivated Savages link below.

The next book in the series, Anexena - Book Zero of the Imperial Chronicles - will soon be up there too (Anexena is also currently open for ARC readers).

Cover art by Steve Stambaugh

The other anthology that recently came out was from Dark Holme Publishing. They have monthly micro-horror contests (flash stories that are capped at 500 words). Every month they have a new theme based off a picture, and the top three stories each month get to be in the following year's anthology. I'm proud that I have three micro-horror flash stories in the 2026 volume. This volume has over 100 horror flash stories in it. Enough to satiate any desires for the dark and scary :)
Dark Descent 2026

This story of mine was originally published in the Spirit of the Wolf anthology on November 18, 2025 by WolfSinger Publications. The rights have reverted to me and I’m now presenting it here today for consideration in the 2026 Lunar Awards (S11/R4).

Enjoy :)

Azure Wolf

by Nicholas Samuel Stember

Coki lay on the smooth wet bottom of the canoe and felt the warm sun blazing overhead. He knew he should open his eyes, face the new day, but he was afraid he’d see the same thing he had over the countless days before…only open blue waters without land in sight. At least the ocean felt gentle today, unlike last night when the waves had become quite dangerous. In fact, as Coki lay there, he could feel he was in a few centimeters of water and knew he’d have to fix that. The mysterious current that had caught his canoe, ripping it away from his home island of Borikén, had torn him away from his best friend, Jejen, and everyone he knew. He had tried to call for help, yelling at the top of his lungs, but there was just no one to hear him. He had even tried to call for a spirit guide as he’d seen the village priestess do, but he had never tried before and was sure he had done it wrong for nothing happened. He knew the basics of the canoe and fishing but had never taken part in one of the trading vessels sent by his people to the neighboring islands, and he had foolishly picked a very large canoe…one that could easily hold over twenty of his tribe. It was large and sturdy, carved from a single trunk of a ceiba tree. So, it was coping with the waves of the open ocean, but it was also difficult to handle and clumsy. He knew roughly where the closest islands to his home were, but this current was carrying him away from them, and to the north and west. When he had first awoken from his fall, he had tried to paddle back towards where he thought his island was, but there was simply no getting out of this strangely powerful flow of water. Alone, in a large canoe meant for so many more oars, he realized it was hopeless.

But that was many days ago, so many he had lost count. At one point he was certain he spotted an island to the east of where he was. However, he was so far from home he couldn’t be sure if it was an island of fellow Taíno, the tribes who lived peacefully on his island and a few of the neighboring ones, or the war like Carib tribes of some of the other nearby islands. In the end, courage failed him, and he had let the island pass by.

He had three large wooden bowls that were stored in the canoe, typically to carry the fish they caught; but now he had set them all out to capture any rain that fell and then covered them afterwards so the sea wouldn’t get in. So far, he had been lucky; he had plenty of water, a lot of fish, and the skill to get more.

So why didn’t he open his eyes to face the new day?

“That’s a good question,” a soft voice near him asked.

His eyes shot open, and he sat upright quickly. The canoe was empty in front of him, and there was barely a cloud to be seen as the sun rose high overhead into the clear blue sky. His boat was still speeding along this strange current at a seemingly unnatural speed, as it cut through the crystal turquoise waters.

“About time you got up,” the voice said again, and he realized it was coming from behind him.

Coki jumped in his seat, and quickly pivoted to face the back of the canoe. The sudden action almost tipped the narrow craft over, and he had to swiftly grasp the sides to steady himself and the boat…as he stared and blinked at what he saw. There was an animal of some sort sitting behind him on its hind legs. He’d never seen anything like it before, it was big, graceful and covered with white and grey fur; with tall, pointed ears and a long snout and tail. Its eyes were large and yellow, but there was a gentleness in those eyes and despite the initial fear that gripped Coki’s heart, he suddenly felt at ease.

The animal let out a soft chuckle. “I can see where you get your name, Coki. You jump like a little tree frog.”

He let out a quiet grunt as he glanced around again to be sure there was no land nearby, nor any other canoes or craft. But, even though his boat was the only thing afloat on the water as far as he could see, this animal wasn’t wet at all, leading him to the only explanation that made any sense.

“I must be asleep,” he said as he shook his head and smiled.

The animal cocked her head to the side inquisitively as one of her tall ears went higher than the other, and Coki almost let out a laugh.

“That’s an interesting theory.”

He looked around the long canoe again for a bit and nothing seemed odd or out of place. He still had three large bowls of rainwater left, and enough fish for a day or two, if he paced himself.

“I’ve never met an animal that could speak,” he finally said.

“All animals speak in their own ways,” she said as her large eyes smiled, “but it takes a special gift and an open heart to hear it.”

“Alright, then,” he said as he sized up his strange new companion, “how did you get here? I’m in the middle of the ocean, far from any island that I can see. Did you swim here?”

She slowly shook her head.

“Did another canoe come along while I was asleep and put you here?”

Again, she shook her head. “Coki, you know why I’m here. You just haven’t asked the right question yet.”

Coki adjusted himself to sit on one of the few wooden seats that were in the canoe. Then he looked at the thin layer of water left on the bottom of the boat since the harsher weather of the last two days. Already the warm tropical sun was drying it out, but where this animal’s paws and hind legs met the water, there was no ripple, almost as if the creature wasn’t really there.

“You said that me wondering if I was asleep was an interesting theory, which makes me think that I am, but I don’t feel like I am.”

“You asked to see me, didn’t you?”

Coki blinked a few times, trying to understand, then it hit him. “I asked for a spirit guide to help.”

The animal nodded once, and her long snout seemed to smile.

“I’m on a vision quest?”

“Of a sort,” the strange animal confirmed. “You’ve reached out to me in your sleep many times, and I’ve been watching over you, but now…”

“Now?”

“You’re awake, Coki…and I’m here with you.”

Coki’s eyes narrowed with skepticism, and he reached out tentatively with his right hand, never taking his eyes off the long muzzle filled with sharp teeth and four fair sized fangs.

She made no move to avoid his touch, but when his fingers should have reached her soft fur…she vanished.

Coki let out a gasp and pulled his hand back…and instantly she reappeared.

“I’m your spirit guide, Coki…you can’t touch me.”

He sat back and a scowl formed on his tanned face. “How can you be my spirit guide? The priestess told us when we went on a vision quest, the first animal we saw would be our guide, but I know all the animals on my island and none are like you, not even close to your size. Only the manatees that live in the water are bigger than you. How can I imagine something I’ve never seen?”

“You think your spirit guide is imaginary?” Her eyes twinkled with amusement.

“I…I…I don’t know,” he finally said, bewildered by what was happening. “I’ve been out in the sun for many days away from my people, maybe I’m hallucinating?” He lifted one of the water bowls, removed the lid and looked at the water for a moment, then drank a sip. It was warm, but still fresh. He opened one of the satchels he was keeping the fish in that he had dried himself and tasted some of it. It was still quite good.

“Satisfied you’re not going crazy from lack of food and water?”

“You didn’t answer my question…what kind of imaginary beast are you?”

“Hmm, well, I’m a bit larger than the actual animal I represent,” she confessed, “but I assure you my kind is very real. No, we’ve never come to your islands, but there is a land that is not that far away now where we are as common as blades of grass.”

“What are you called?” Coki asked, still trying to get a grip.

“We’re known by many names; te-me, wa-ya, ba’cho, and so many more…even those I saved you from have names for us like loba, lupa or wolf.

“Why so many different names?”

“Many different peoples,” she admitted. “Some of them are like you and your Taíno, the natives who live on those islands to the south, some are…different, but each have their own name for what I am.”

“What should I call you?”

She shrugged. “You can call me Tala.”

“That’s not one of the names you listed.”

“Those were names the various tribes and peoples call my kind…Tala is my name, like Coki is yours.”

Coki glanced at the piece of dried fish still in his hand and he offered it to Tala, but the large wolf shook her head. “I am spirit, I don’t live like you do, but I do live.”

For a few moments, he just quietly munched on a piece of dried fish, then took another drink of water, as he tried to make sense of it all. Finally, he put the rest of the fish back into the satchel and covered up the water bowl again to keep it from evaporating.

“So…there are many animals on Borikén, why isn’t my spirit guide one of them?”

“How do you think a vision quest finds your spirit guide?”

“Animals I like?” he offered with a shrug, but knew in his heart the answer was wrong.

“The spirits give you the guide you need, not necessarily the one you think you should have. You could have gotten a spider or a bat, your island has many of both. But what you needed was me, so I’m what you got.”

Suddenly a thought struck him, and he folded his arms defiantly as a half-smile crossed his lips. “Wait a moment. You said I called for you, and I did when my canoe got caught in this strange current—”

“Stream.”

“Stream? How is that possible? A stream runs through the land, not the water.”

Tala let out a gentle laugh. “Yes, but in this case, this is a great stream that runs through the ocean not far from your islands and also along the ocean close to my home, then back out into the ocean again.”

“And it’s always this strong?” Then he shook his head, forgetting his question as he realized he had been sidetracked. “I was going to say you mentioned saving me, but I didn’t call for you until I was in this…stream.”

“I’ve been watching over you for far longer than since you set out on this canoe.” She leaned forward and her long snout came up to only a few centimeters from Coki’s nose, such that even though he couldn’t touch her, he could still feel her warm breath on his face. It smelled of pine and maple, both scents that were totally foreign to him, yet filled his heart with enticement. “Spirits are drawn to people just like you can be drawn to us. We were meant to help each other.”

“If you’re helping me, why didn’t you push my canoe back home?”

Tala’s nose came even closer to his. “You don’t remember how you got here, do you? So far from home?”

He shook his head, not sure why he couldn’t remember how he ended up in this large canoe out in the middle of the ocean.

“Well, regardless, I’ve been keeping you safe within the strongest current of this stream for many days. I’ve done my best to sway you from the storms, yet make sure enough rain fell to fill your bowls. I made sure your fish has not spoiled before drying out, nor have you failed to get more. I’ve even made sure the current kept you far from those islands that would do you harm.”

“The Caribs…”

“Them, and others. You call yourselves Taíno, for it means good and noble in your language…but not all the tribes in that island chain feel and act as you do. There are dangers in these waters, and soon there will be much more.”

“Island chain?”

“There are many more islands than you know of, but they are all far to the southeast of us now.”

Coki made a face as he contemplated all Tala had said and he wondered how much of it was true. He rubbed his head where he imagined he had hit it to make him forget so much, as he thought of his village. He had no real family back there; his parents had died in a terrible storm that had winds so fierce the entire village was flattened as well as many trees. Coki had only been ten at the time, and his parents put him in a small shelter only large enough for him and his best friend, Jejen, as they had been playing together when the winds struck. Both his parents had held fast from the outside, protecting the two boys, and ended up sacrificing themselves. Many had died in the village from that storm, but Jejen’s father had survived, and he took Coki under his protection and taught him to hunt and fish alongside his own son. He and Jejen were dear to Coki, but he hadn’t felt like he had family since that day, seven years ago.

Yet he felt a sudden kinship with this spirit wolf he couldn’t explain.

“Alright, so you’ve been helping me…how am I supposed to help you?”

“You will.”

Coki frowned, feeling a little frustrated by this large spirit creature. “How can I know when to help you if I don’t know what I’m supposed to do?”

Tala responded by flicking out her long tongue that seemed to pass over Coki’s nose, sending a tickling tingling sensation along his face and he pulled back sharply, and despite his frustration, he laughed.

“What was that?” he asked, smiling despite himself.

“You may not be able to touch me, but that doesn’t mean I can’t touch you.”

~ * ~

There were still so many questions that flooded Coki’s mind, but for the time he concentrated on the essentials that were to keep him alive. He had set up two fishing lines that were always out and had to be monitored. Tala also helped by drawing fish up to the surface where he could spear them. Then at times her large yellow eyes would seem to almost glow, and a gentle rain would come and Coki would quickly uncover the three large rain bowls to catch as much of the fresh water as he could.

The day waned peacefully on, yet Tala seemed to be growing nervous.

“What is it?” he finally asked.

The wolf looked to the southeast and Coki followed her gaze. Far off in the horizon there was a huge amount of black clouds.

“I didn’t see them before,” he said, a sudden fear coming into his heart as his mind drifted back to the night he lost his parents.

“That’s because a few moments ago it wasn’t there. It’s coming fast.” Tala saw the fear in Coki’s eyes and tried to smile. “It’s not like that terrible night, but it’s still going to be a bad storm, far more than this canoe can handle. We have almost left all the islands in your chain behind, but there is one last one we can reach…”

“What is it?” he asked, sensing the worry in her tone.

“This is not a friendly island and not one I’d have taken us to, but I’m afraid we must risk going there until the storm passes, which should be quick. When it’s safe, we’ll quickly get back onto the water…hopefully before we’re noticed.”

“But you can protect us, right?”

Tala took a deep breath, and her broad chest filled. “We’ll see. But you have your fishing spear, right?”

He nodded, glancing at the long spear made from cane with the tip and barbs made of bone.

“You may need it.”

Coki glanced back at the storm to see the black clouds were much closer to them, but then he also noticed the canoe was out of the strange current and heading eastward against the growing winds.

“I still don’t see land,” he called out as he looked in the direction the narrow boat was speeding along now, but the sun was already starting to set, and it was harder to see far. He glanced behind him and watched the sun dipping down below the waters to the west, realizing it was the first time in days the sun hadn’t set ahead and to the left of the boat.

“There,” Tala said, pointing with a large paw.

He snapped back around and saw that indeed he could barely make out the dark silhouette of a large island ahead, it was much closer than he expected it to be. Still, he reached out over the side with his oar to try to urge the canoe on faster, though he wondered if he was making any difference with the mystical forces Tala seemed to be using to move the craft.

He could feel the winds picking up, pushing against him as the black clouds now completely covered the sky to the east. They were just arriving on the darkened shores as the rain started to hit.

Coki jumped out of the canoe as they closed in and pulled it up onto the sands. At first, he was certain he wouldn’t have been able to do this, as the large canoe was far too big to pull onto land by himself, but he knew that somehow the spirit wolf was making his task easier. Once it was up far enough, he pulled out the food satchels and rain bowls and put them to the side of the boat, then with Tala’s help, flipped the canoe over so it was protecting his supplies, but there was no room for him to get under as well.

“What now?” he asked as he scanned the edge of the sands to the tree lines, watching the palm trees swaying violently with the winds as the tropical storm hit.

“The tribe here must certainly be taking shelter as well,” Tala said, “so they will hopefully leave us alone. Let’s get you under those trees over there until it’s over.”

Just then he noticed, now that it had grown dark, Tala was giving off a very soft blue glow. It didn’t appear suddenly, he just hadn’t noticed it before and it made him think she always had that shimmering aura around her and now that it was dark, he could finally see it.

“Follow me,” the large wolf called to him, as she set off towards the tree line.

For a moment he watched her go, noticing she left no paw prints in the wet sand. It made him wish his own feet weren’t leaving noticeable prints, but it was probably as she said and the natives here were also hopefully hunkered down tight.

Not that far into the deep tropical forest, Tala found a tiny cave Coki surely would have missed in this darkness. Soon they were safely in the small crevice and out of the torrential rains. Inside this small dark hole her glow was even brighter and took on a soft azure hue.

“Do I dare make a fire?” Coki asked, suddenly chilled by his damp skin and the fierce winds that still managed to creep into the small cave.

“I doubt you could in this wind,” she said, but then noticed him shivering and came close to him. She saw he looked confused, but she smiled. “Remember, you can’t touch me, but I can touch you.” And with that, she curled her large body around his shivering form, and he felt that same tingling again. It started where her fur touched his skin, and then swept through him. It surrounded him with warmth and happy thoughts, and for a moment he found himself drifting back to memories of his mother’s hugs when he was small.

And there they sat, young man and spirit wolf together, as the winds howled outside, and the torrential rains poured. It was hours later when almost as quickly as it had arrived, it started to break up, and soon the black clouds and harsh winds were gone, heading west.

Coki reluctantly pulled himself up out of the spirit wolf’s embrace and walked out of the cave and headed back to the beach. Once out from under the thick palm canopy he could see the sky overhead was clear once more and was full of stars and a bright moon…which put plenty of light on the six tribal members who were surrounding their canoe. They were all armed with spears and seemed older and much stronger than Coki.

He felt a chill run along his frame as his muscles cramped in fear. Strangers were rarely accepted on these islands without invitation, and he had no idea what this tribe was like. He was fit and trim and had no problems with the games they played back in his village, and he certainly had beaten Jejen in wrestling more than once, but against six?

“Charge them,” she whispered, her voice cutting into his fear.

“Wait…what?”

“Charge them…don’t strike, just yell a lot and look threatening. When they break and run, quickly turn over the canoe and put the stuff back into it and push off.”

“They aren’t going to run from me,” he protested quietly, his voice shaking.

“They won’t be running from you,” she said as she nudged him strongly from behind. “Go!”

His chest tightened and his breath quickened as he let out a cry and started charging forward. He held the spear in front of him as he yelled the best war whoop he could muster, his feet churning up sand as he sped towards the canoe.

For a moment the six warriors turned towards the yelling, and two started to laugh and the others chuckled as they readied their own spears and prepared to skewer the trespasser.

But as quickly as they formed into a line, their smiles faded and their laughter died. Coki could see an azure light reflected in their six sets of eyes.

Two of them stumbled back, and a third dropped his spear as his mouth fell agape in shock. It was then Coki felt a rush of wind as Tala ran up behind him and leaped over his head. In a flash of light much brighter than she had appeared before, she landed ahead of him and continued to run at the six until she stopped halfway between Coki and the warriors. She then let out a terrific howl, her fur now translucent and alight like an azure ghost blazing with mystical flames.

The other five warriors dropped their spears as well, and soon they were all running back along the beach away from the frightening sight.

Even Coki had been stopped dead in his tracks, his own yelling forgotten as he beheld Tala in all her majestic glory, as she put off more light than a bonfire.

“Stop gaping and turn over the canoe,” she urged, “they won’t be terrified long.” Then she let out another deafening howl as she noticed the six of them hesitating as if unsure if they should keep running or come back.

Coki knew he had no more ability to turn over this large canoe on his own than he had before, but once again it seemed as light as balsa as it flipped over and he quickly put the water bowls and fish satchels back inside, as well as his fishing gear. Then for good measure, he glanced down at the six spears dropped by the natives and quickly picked one up. He was an excellent spear thrower back in his village and had been able to nail a tree from a long distance away. Even in moonlight, he was certain he’d have a fair chance of hitting one of the warriors. For a moment, he almost considered it, then he saw Tala was looking at him, and she cocked her head to the side questioningly and his resolve became clear. Pivoting towards the water, and with all his might, he hurled the spear far out into the ocean. Then he quickly picked up the other five spears and did the same, then tossed his own spear back into the canoe and began to push the long craft out into the water.

This seemed to spark the six of them into action and they began to run back towards them, but one more turn from the azure wolf, who barred her glowing teeth at them and growled angrily made them hesitate. Soon the canoe was in the water and Coki pulled himself up into it. Then with a last deafening howl, Tala leaped into the air and landed on the craft and this action pushed the canoe as if propelled by the energy of her light itself, racing away from the shore as the six warriors ran to the edge of the water, yelling angrily and waving their arms.

~ * ~

It was many hours later and the long canoe was back in the mystical current, same as before but moving faster than ever. Tala’s glow had dimmed back to a softer azure hue as she gazed out into the water, the gentle night winds whipping through her fur as the moonlight reflected in the almost still waters.

Coki just stared at her with an almost boyish grin on his face as he couldn’t help but feel exhilarated by the experience. He really wanted to give Tala a hug, but knew he couldn’t touch her, yet he still got up and slowly approached her and sensing his desire, she backed into him just enough to allow the embrace.

“That’s twice you’ve saved me.”

“Three times actually,” she said with a light laugh, then her face became serene, and her voice became a whisper. “It’s time to remember, Coki.”

He was still hugging her warm fur and reveling in the gentle tingles it gave. He was going to ask what she meant, but his question died in his throat as the fog blocking his memory of what had happened started to lift, and his lost day began to come back to him.

~ * ~

Suddenly in his mind he was back to that day, in shock at what he was seeing. For Coki had never seen anything like it, and he was both curious and terrified by what it could represent. He had no words to describe it, as his life among the peaceful Taíno natives of his island hadn’t prepared him for something like this…

“They are far too big to be the canoes of the Carib,” Jejen said, as the two of them stared at the many large vessels that had suddenly appeared in the waters off their island, with huge, tall masts that had drapes of strange cloth that billowed out with the wind.

“I count as many as on three hands,” Coki said, as he steadied the large canoe he and Jejen had taken out that morning to fish.

“We must warn our leader, our cacique, these strangers may be raiders like the Carib.”

“But we must also know more,” Coki insisted. “We are close to shore, go warn our village and I will get a better look at who these people are.”

Jejen studied him for a long time, knowing his closest friend was hard to dissuade once he made up his mind. With a nod he took a look at all the fish they had caught, though not nearly as much as they had hoped. “We took too large a canoe, and we are barely able to steer it with us both, how will you manage on your own?”

“I’ll go slowly,” Coki said with a confident grin. “I won’t get too close. Just close enough to figure out which tribe they are, then I’ll come back to shore and catch up with you so our village will know what’s coming, and then they can warn the other villages.”

Jejen put his hands on Coki’s shoulders and smiled. “I should stay with you, but you’re right, our village must be told. Don’t get too close!” Then he jumped over the side of the boat into the crystal-clear waters around their home.

Once Coki had seen Jejen was safely on shore and running towards their village, he started to move the canoe towards the strange large vessels. It was very difficult to keep the canoe straight, but he was determined.

Closer and closer he got to them, and the closer he got the more staggered he was at their size. Their tall wooden hulls stretched up out of the water, and the ships were longer than many huts of his village combined. There were men on the decks that he could barely make out. They wore breastplates that gleamed like scales of a fish. Their faces were strangely pale and while some of them had similar armor on their heads, others wore nothing. He could see some had hair as black as the people of his village, while others had hair that was brown as the earth, or yellow as a flower’s…and he was certain they were not any tribe he’d ever seen.

Several of the men on the ship closest to him were beginning to gather and point down at his canoe and they shouted in a strange language as the large ship began to turn towards him.

It was then the current seemed to capture his craft and yank it with such sudden force the large canoe immediately reversed course, toppling him over to slam his head on the solid bottom of the boat.

He barely managed to open his eyes and tried to focus…something was with him in the canoe, looking down on him with soft yellow eyes…and he blacked out…

~ * ~

And he was back in the present, a strange feeling coming over him as he absorbed what he had remembered. He took a step back from the large wolf and rubbed his head where he had hit it.

“What were those large ships, those strange people?”

Tala looked straight at Coki and let out her breath. “They are just people, like you are. But…their ways are quite different from yours, and they seem to feel those they find should be like them... They will take over your island…peacefully at first…but whether by purpose or accident, I’m sorry to say that this is the end of your tribe as you know them.”

Coki felt his chest tighten up again as he thought of Jejen and his father, and all his village. “I have to go back, to warn them.”

But Tala just shook her head. “Nothing you can do will change what is to be there.”

“Then why am I here?” he asked angrily, confused and upset by this memory and what it meant for the people of his home island of Borikén. “How do you know what will happen?”

“This is their first visit to your island, but they also appeared a year ago and visited other islands to the west of yours, and the result was the same…only this time many more ships have come…and they will keep coming, not just to your island but all the islands in that area. One day they will even come to the mainland we are heading to, where my kind live, but not for some years, and won’t be a concern for you until the time of your children’s children.”

Coki blinked a few times, unsure what this was really going to mean to him. “My children’s children?”

“That is why you are here, how you will help me. For long before that time you will have prepared your new tribe to keep moving west when they see the signs.”

“New tribe? I’m no leader.”

“Not yet, but you will become one, and I’ll be there to guide you, and my kind will help as well.”

Coki’s lips parted as he tried to absorb it all.”

But Tala just moved her large face up to his and filled him with her warmth. “Look behind you.”

Coki turned and gasped, for there was now land to the west, more land than he had ever seen in his life. The sun was just starting to come up behind him to the east, and the crimson rays of dawn were stretching out past him, sparkling on the waves as they crashed gently against the long white beaches of the shore.

And there, gathered on the sands, were wolves. Not as big as Tala or glowing, but they were many, a large pack, with little ones as well. They were all watching towards the canoe.

“They are waiting for you, Coki,” Tala assured. “They are going to take you to the tribe you will one day lead, my special tribe…a tribe that lives as one with the wolf.”

“Your tribe?” he asked as he stared at the wolves in amazement.

“They are good people,” she assured. “Very much like your tribe you left back on your island. But they need you…and I’ve chosen you to help them for me.”

“How will I even be able to talk with them?” he wondered, remembering the Carib didn’t speak the same language as the Taíno, and he doubted the tribes in this strange place would either.

“You will learn…they will accept you when you come in with the wolves.”

“And with you as well, right?”

Tala leaned her head gently on his shoulder. “They won’t see me, but they know me. Only you will only be able to see me from time to time…but even when you can’t see me, I’ll always be there with you Coki.”

“Always?”

“I’m your spirit guide, it’s what I do.”

He leaned his head into hers, though he realized she was the one leaning into him, and he gazed at the wolf pack that was patiently waiting for him on the shore of this mysterious new land…and he smiled.

Next is waiting for the publisher to approve what both the editor and I did, and then send me the proofread copy for a final read through.

The book will launch October 1st, exactly a year after the launch of “A Question of Evil” - Book One of the Imperial Chronicles.

See less

But yesterday the in house editor sent me back the first edit, and now the real work begins as I completely re-read the novel, Anexena (which is actually a prequel to my first book, A Question of Evil.)

Lots of her notes to incorporate into the work, but the feedback I got from the editor was very positive, so that was encouraging.

Of all the edits, I find this one (first back from the editor) to be the most challenging. But King Theoden said it best when faced with hoards of Orcs outside Helm’s Deep.

.

“Anti Prime” day is just a way for these indie stores to help make a splash against a very big ocean. If you’re in the market for new read (and like sci-fi) here is my link to my book on bookshop.org. You get to pick the indie bookstore it comes from to support them (I pick one in Rhode Island close to family since I now live in Europe).

To celebrate “Anti Prime” day, Bookshop.org’s has a free Standard Shipping sale occurring from June 23rd through June 26th.

https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-question-of-evil-nicholas-samuel-stember/8e9a272ebc57b0a2

https://bookshop.org

My story has now become a chapter in my dark fantasy novel which is my WIP. It tells the tale of this fallen angel and wraps it in a mystery as she realizes she’s just a pawn in the struggle between the forces of heaven, hell, and the creatures of the world of shadows right here on Earth.

This is the second time I’ve grown a short story into a novel

https://www.kinsmanquarterly.org/product-page/iridescence-the-second-dimension

I had spent a long time building up my vision of the 24th century, and that novel was the culmination of many years of work, and although it was part of my bigger universe, it served as a stand alone tale.

But it wasn’t the first tale. No, I had written a number of novellas that introduced my own galaxy in the 24th century, and had tied those novellas together around a single theme, the Anexena crystal (an ultra rare form of energy). Although not named as such, that same type of crystal played a pivotal role in A Question of Evil.

I wasn’t sure I was ever going to publish those other stories, but I still loved how they introduced the reader to the ‘world building’ (or ‘galaxy building’) I was doing for this universe. In fact, I once thought of splitting them up into their respective novellas and publishing them that way, and indeed, one of them, To Be Hunted Soundly, was picked up by The Pink Hydra online magazine and published in 2024.

With the publication of A Question of Evil last October, and the positive feedback I was getting from it, I realized it had a place as “Book One of the Imperial Chronicles.” So I asked my publisher if he’d like to see the complete prequel stories I had written.

The bundled story was accepted for publication, and now, Anexena - A Prequel Tale will be coming out in four months to take its place as “Book Zero of the Imperial Chronicles”.

A lot of love went into those five separate and unique novellas that take place on various planets and in deep space, which are then all brought together in a sixth climactic tale.

I’m not sure how long this series will be, but I’ve already written the third one, '“Book Two of the Imperial Chronicles” and soon it will be refined enough to submit to my publisher.

I commissioned an artist, Steve Stambaugh, to do the cover, but for that full reveal you’ll have to wait. In the meantime, I’m excited to show this teaser, and I promise as we get closer to launch date, you’ll be hearing more.

"A Question of Evil" on Amazon: https://a.co/d/cGquGtW