Okay, we’re inching closer to launch day. It honestly seems to be speeding up! I’m counting days now instead of weeks!

One thing I’ve done with my newsletter (you can sign up here if you haven’t already) is to share some backstories. These are snippets of Jinaari or Thia’s life before the events of ‘Scales and Stingers’. I’ll share some here, ones that already went out in the newsletter, so you can enjoy them as well.

Training Begins

The carriage hit a rut, and Stijyn’s body flew into Jinaari’s. It doesn’t matter, he thought as he pushed his younger brother off of him. I’ll get hit by worse soon.  

“Does the driver have to hit every bump?” Stijyn whined.

Jinaari shrugged, ignoring his brother. Instead, he watched as the gates of Dragonspire disappeared behind them. He couldn’t help the small smile that formed on his face. For the first time in his young life, he was doing something that felt right.

“You don’t have to look so happy about this, Son.”

Jinaari raised his head and looked across the carriage at his parents. Amara sat between them, tears in her eyes. “I know what lies ahead, Father. I intend on being the best paladin that Garret ever trained. Is that not cause for excitement?”

His father snorted, “I understand your reasoning, else we wouldn’t have agreed to this. Avoch needs a strong leader, when the time comes. May the Gods permit your grandfather to rule for decades to come.”

“I could do it,” Stijyn muttered under his breath.

The carriage pulled to a stop. The door opened, and Jinaari waited for his parents and siblings to leave.

The walled compound of the chapterhouse rose in front of him. Along the battlements, guards watched them. Even from here, Jinaari could see the silver medallion they wore. The one telling the world that they were part of Garret’s Paladins.

“Who comes to the gates of this chapterhouse?”

Jinaari’s focus shifted. A large man, clad in a simple tunic and pants, stood in front of the gate. Across his chest, he wore a sash decorated with a gold version of the medallion the man wore. Without hesitation, he walked past his parents. Dropping to his knee before the commander, Jinaari spoke from his soul. “I do humbly submit to the will of Garret and ask to be given the chance to prove myself worthy of being one of his paladins.”

“May Garret guide your soul as your body is molded to his purpose.” The commander paused, then continued. “Rise, initiate, and enter Garret’s service.”

Jinaari rose and walked through the gates. He could hear Amara crying, but he didn’t look back.