Autumn was on its way out; of this the troll was certain. ~ Though he was hairy all over, the cold had crept into his bones. He’d heard the change of season in the wind and in the silence of the animals that had moved south or hidden away. The northerly wind rustled through the … More Cozy Flash: “The Sleeping”

If he had found the little cup on his garden wall, next to the lane, he would have shrugged it off as something drunkenly forgotten by Lord Cowdry on the festival night previous. But the cup was left on his thinking bench, right under his own bedroom window and next to his lemon hollyhocks: a … More Cozy Flash: “Cup”

Elias lunged forward with a sword swing that would have left Marcrum short a few ribs if he hadn’t stopped it. Ironblood was more than up to the task, though. The weathered greatsword knocked its smaller cousin aside with sparks and a sharp clang of steel. Marcrum’s parry left his younger foe staggered. The boy—he … More Cozy Flash: “The Sword of Our Fathers”

Keralda trudged through the forest, her back arched under her heavy pack. The faint blue light of the twin moons shone down through the canopy of leafless trees. Her cloak swished behind her and frosted moss tickled her bare toes. All around her the forest was silent, like it was collectively holding its breath, waiting … More Cozy Flash: “The Last Night”

Elody was in love with the Large Animal Lady. Her name was Celie, and she cared for the horses and goats in the Traveling Entertainment Extravaganza. Elody’s stage overlooked the animal pens, and during setup, Elody watched Celie wrestle the goats into their pen, watched her brush and saddle the frisky pony and the ancient … More Cozy Flash: “Fragile”

Esteemed banker, elder, elf, Tobias Everly, hired me to steal the thing. I’d worked for undesirables before, but elder Everly was managing accountant and proprietor of Lordling and Abbot’s Stronghold and Savings. He was a businessman and upstanding gentleman dandy up front—long silver hair, blue eyes, amicable smile to melt the pantaloons off any noble … More Cozy Flash: “The Witch Box”

Dima fumed. Other villagers prepared pendants and banners for the Ancestor Veneration march. No way she’d do that. Bad enough she despised all memory of her late grandmother. Worse, the embroidered silk banner gave her a rash. Instead she found a small pole, attached the dreaded banner and summoned her friends the cockroaches. So many … More Cozy Flash: “Well, Well”

Glorin the dwarf snuck back underground, hoping his absence hadn’t been noticed. He had managed to steal away again to the surface to tend his little garden, but now it was time to return to his family tasks. After all, metal didn’t work itself. But one day soon, Glorin hoped to leave the smithy behind. … More Cozy Flash: “Glorin the Dwarf”

The dragon was dead. The glory and treasure had been won in that trove, thought indomitable. Lucaine and her faithful friends had succeeded in liberating the vale of Vankle. She now traveled back down the road that had led her there, this time alone and on a different quest, a red cloth token her most … More Cozy Flash: “Path to the People”

“I swear to you, this baby is a monster,” Sansavi said as she pushed the pram back and forth across the black bridge of Zairahm. Normally the motion calmed the baby, but this time it didn’t work. The baby just kept on crying, wailing like a doomed soul in the ninth circle of Hell. Sansavi’s … More Cozy Flash: “Demon Child”