Havok Publishing

Fantasy

Night-Blooming Azaleas

Strike a blow against a tyrant and impress a girl at the same time? The opportunity was too good to miss.
Ashdar landed softly in the garden, wrenching his staff free of the vines he’d grown to climb the wall. He checked the runic instructions carved along the length of his staff.

Read it now

True Blue

Come on, try one.” Sal popped a blue strawberry into his mouth.
Jane examined one. “They’re blue. Strawberries are supposed to be red.”
“I know, but my second… no, third cousin Fragar likes to experiment.” Sal took the upcoming exit. “Be adventurous.”
Jane dropped the fruit back into the basket. “I’m not eating

Read it now

The Transformation

“Come now. You cannot be serious.”
“Oh, but I am. Your colleagues speak most highly of your collection, professor. I’m certain that a few quotes and some pictures would do wonders for my book.”
The old man eyed his visitor. She was pretty and young, with a hint of some exotic heritage

Read it now

Perfectly Executed

I stared at the ax on the table in front of me. Its clean blade gleamed like onyx, the jewel-like embellishments on its worn handle as twisted as my thoughts. Using it made me sick.
The only thing keeping my sanity intact was knowing that the queen’s power, not mine, was what drove

Read it now

Royal Blues

“What will you wear to Flower Fest, Trudy?”
Amelia, my best friend and fairy godmother, flew into the room so fast I sidestepped to keep her from crashing into me. She did that a lot. I had colorful bruises to prove it.
“What will I wear? Clothes. A dress since we still haven’t

Read it now

Memories from the Past

This town is weird. Everywhere I go feels… familiar. The coffee house on Alexander Street. The library on Main. Even the dingy auto shop on the outskirts of town seems like I’ve lived here my whole life.
Only, that isn’t possible. Is it?
You see, I’m not sure where I came from.

Read it now

Edge of a Knife

She will not listen to you. The sea witch’s warning rings in my mind as I ride a wave up to the ship floating like an empty snail shell. They’ve dropped anchor, and the royal vessel crests wave after gentle wave. Ornate sconces cast a warm, cheery glow across the bright blue streamers

Read it now

The Gaze of the Ocean

The balmy April evening was fast becoming a frosty spring night. The full moon lay hidden behind a wintry haze. Amelia rubbed her arms vigorously as she hugged herself.
He strode through the mist, with a tip of his hat and gleaming cobalt eyes. The gentleman cut a dashing figure in his classic blue-grey

Read it now

The Blue Zinger

“Ohmigod, there’s a tarantula in your grapes!” My chair legs screeched back from the table, and I dropped the grape I had just plucked from the fruit bowl.
“That’s just Ernie. Don’t worry; he won’t bite.” Granny glanced over from her spot at the stove where she’d been churning a bubbling concoction for

Read it now

The Ocean’s Wrath

The siren swam upward, gaze fixed on the ship hull ploughing through the ocean surface. No sunlight pierced the waves. No fish followed the stern. All had escaped the storm. All save the ship.
Alessia smiled as she imagined the frantic sailors struggling to fight nature’s fury. Struggling and failing. “Drag them down.

Read it now

Sea Claim

Galia stared down at the cold waves tickling her bare toes and clutched Odessi’s hand. They stood alone on the beach, waiting. Finally, after fifteen years, the Change approached—they would trade their human legs and lives for tails and near-immortality.
Lightning crackled through the dark-blue sky. The fine hairs on Galia’s arms rose.

Read it now

Mood Swings

Oh, schni—!
An explosion rattled the keep. Smoke slammed into the stone walls and bounced back in scrolling curls, blocking out the daylight peeking through the windows. Coughing, Athelbert heaved open the iron-studded door of the wizard’s study and stumbled into the corridor.
The smoke poured out after him, filling the air

Read it now