{"id":1706,"date":"2016-07-08T15:51:31","date_gmt":"2016-07-08T15:51:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.stoneskinpress.com\/?p=1706"},"modified":"2016-06-29T22:57:58","modified_gmt":"2016-06-29T22:57:58","slug":"swords-v-cthulhu-teaser-wendy-n-wagner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.stoneskinpress.com\/index.php\/swords-v-cthulhu-teaser-wendy-n-wagner\/","title":{"rendered":"Swords v. Cthulhu Teaser: Wendy N. Wagner"},"content":{"rendered":"

Swords v. Cthulhu <\/em><\/a>is our newest genre-blending anthology of original fiction, and as it shambles toward its summertime publication we\u2019re going to be posting excerpts from each of the stories. Our next teaser is from Wendy N. Wagner’s \u201cOrdo Virtutum,\u201d which introduces the famous abbess and visionary Hildegard of Bingen to another mystic\u2014one who may seem familiar to certain pilgrims…<\/p>\n

\n

Hildegard leaned on her walking staff and picked her way around a mound of rubble. Mud and heaps of fieldstone covered the whole knoll of Rupertsberg, obliterating the pleasant hill where she\u2019d chosen to build her new priory. The cost of construction, she supposed. At least the monks\u2019 house was completed, its thatched roof and whitewashed walls in proper order, the whole structure cozy and inviting as it sat on its sandstone outcropping above the Rhine. The river\u2019s waters whispered to themselves as they hurdled over their rocky bed, as if the river was still talking about the man it had brought to the Benedictines.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s only a few more steps, Mother Hildegard.\u201d Sister Richardis took Hildegard\u2019s elbow.<\/em><\/p>\n

Hildegard eased free of the girl\u2019s grip. \u201cI am well enough, sister. Do not trouble yourself.\u201d She looked around. The green of the untrammeled ground here at the edge of the construction site compelled her with its peace and viriditas\u2014its lively green energy. She wished she could absorb some of that green to help her shake off the effects of her latest illness. She needed to be strong for her nuns. She had brought them to Rupertsberg to help them focus on the beauty of God\u2019s creation, and now their strange guest threatened her hard work.<\/em><\/p>\n

She took the last few steps toward the monks\u2019 quarters and rapped on the door. It flew open and Marten\u2019s pale, nervous face peered out. He was only nine, and while promised to the service, was not yet a novice. She smiled at the boy. \u201cBless you, my child. Is Brother Arnold or Father Justin available?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

He shook his head hard. \u201cFather Justin was called back to Disibodenberg. And Brother Arnold is resting.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI am awake now,\u201d a reedy voice grumbled. The monk nudged the boy aside and gave Hildegard a solemn bow. He was as much in awe of her as the boy these days. \u201cHoly Hildegard. How may I be of service?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Hildegard waved Richardis inside and then followed her within the humble cottage. The space felt warmer and more homey than their own\u2014but of course, this house was a permanent structure. The nuns\u2019 more expansive quarters were still under construction.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBrother, why did the builders do no work today? I saw them arrive in the morning and their cart is still here, but there is no sign of them.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Brother Arnold took a step backward. \u201cI did ask the man.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Hildegard brought her walking stick down with a thump. \u201cAsked who?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe man from the river,\u201d Marten interjected. He took a quick step behind Brother Arnold, eying Hildegard\u2019s stick.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe man from the river.\u201d Hildegard sank onto the bench beside the fireplace. Yesterday, the workmen had pulled the stranger out of the rapids, tending him as best they could, but they had finally called for Hildegard in the night, and when she walked into the little infirmary, she\u2019d seen something in the stranger\u2019s sharp gray eyes that made her wish she could turn her back on the man. She felt for the rosary on her belt and squeezed its familiar beads. God had warned her that before this place would be her sanctuary, it would first be her greatest test. And now she knew the test was begun…<\/em><\/p>\n

For the rest, get Swords v. Cthulhu <\/em>from Stone Skin Press<\/p>\n

\n

Wendy N. Wagner<\/strong> is a Hugo-award winning short fiction editor as well as a writer. Her short stories have appeared in over thirty venues, including the anthologies\u00a0Cthulhu Fhtagn!<\/em>, She Walks in Shadows,<\/em>\u00a0and The Way of the Wizard<\/em>, and the magazines Farrago’s Wainscot<\/em>\u00a0and Beneath Ceaseless Skies<\/em>. She is also the author of Starspawn<\/em>\u00a0(due out August 2016), the sequel to\u00a0Skinwalkers<\/em>, both Pathfinder Tales novels. She lives with her very understanding family in Portland, Oregon, and you can keep up with her at winniewoohoo.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Swords v. Cthulhu is our newest genre-blending anthology of original fiction, and as it shambles toward its summertime publication we\u2019re going to be posting excerpts from each of the stories. Our next teaser is from Wendy N. Wagner’s \u201cOrdo Virtutum,\u201d…<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more ›<\/a><\/div>\n

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