What Ever Happened to Charlie?

“God brings beautiful treasures even out of smoke and ashes!” – Corinth

“Duty may not be all there is, Turner. But doing thy duty, doing right, according to God’s rulings, bids thee draw closer to Him, and that draws thee closer to the source of all true joys.” – Arvi

“I don’t know what’s going on, but I know certain that I ain’t handing the prince over to this crazed lady with a knife. I’s scared silly she means what she says. But I’s promised Arvi, and God says a man’s gotta protect those as can’t protect themselves, and Aston needs me now like he ain’t never needed no one, and there ain’t no chance I’s gonna just hand over this baby.”
– Turner

“What of thee, sir? What would thou wish for thy son?”

“A heart devoted to the Savior of all life,” I answered immediately. “A servant’s heart, willing to do his duty well. I would like to wish him whatever trade he chooses in life, but I fear he is doomed to follow my footsteps.” – Charlie

“Bak!” – Aston

The fourth volume of the Dreaded King saga, the penultimate book, has taken an abominably long time getting to you. In my own defense, I actually wrote it twice because I wasn’t satisfied with my first version; I also got married in the interim, and am expecting our first child, which, you know, tends to cut down on time a bit.

But finally! Mark your calendars, people, Heir Raising is coming out September 1^st.

I know, I left you hanging a bit, with Charlie and Corinth, and Arvi and Turner, all crammed into a derelict little house in Hartsom while the country tears itself apart and hunts everywhere for the king. Now it’s time to finish a little more of the story. You finally get to learn if Jornas finds the ring he’s been obsessed with tracking down, and what anonymous and deadly figure holds that sacred heirloom. And what did Charlie find to do while the nobles ranted and raved up at the castle? Corinth certainly has plenty to occupy herself with, what with the new heir, and trying to keep Turner Hitchley from accidentally burning the place down or teaching the prince how to pick a lock. Not that it much matters what they found to do. All of it is swallowed in the sudden desperate quest to stop a madman from unearthing a legendary danger threatening to wipe out everyone on their little globe. Arvi merely has to keep them alive, whatever his companions are doing. But as day follow day, Arvi’s task begins to be difficult, until the morning it becomes plainly impossible. Then Arvi finds himself faced with a choice; do his duty, take the Hartsoms to safety and lose every soul he has ever come to love, or look the other way and keep trying to protect and serve on his own. Either choice leads to a bleak existence. Unless of course he winds up dead from an assassin's bolt before he has to make the choice.

Twists and turns follow the characters you’ve come to know through this series, and the twists begin to writhe into knots by the end of the book, knots that will bring death to someone, and maybe to all. But in the midst of a rocking world, with ancient legends failing, and ancient legends rising, and reality itself seeming to shift under their feet, the Son remains unshaken. God never changes, no matter what planet you may be on, whether you are poisoned, dying of plague, or in deep mourning for a son lost to you.

September 1^st, step back into their world, and follow Charlie and his friends through the laughter and despair of their penultimate volume! My prayer, as I wrote this book and spent countless hours working to make it right, is that you find more than just the characters and the story enthralling. I want you to find the Weaver of the tale, the One weaving your own tapestry of life, thread by thread, and learn to know our Savior a little better than you do now. And perhaps, serve Him with a little more purpose, and a little more heart.

Duty is a precious tool, and deep, abiding love of the proper things can change a world.