Flameless

By Rebekah Smith

Elvina Hearst's life is the epitome of boring and with temperatures constantly in the high nineties, there aren't many things to keep her engaged. But when she gets caught in a raging inferno at her local bookstore and the owner doesn't categorize exactly as...human, Elvina gets the adventure she had longed for. However, a world without flames harbors many secret and ferocious monsters and lethal elves weren't what she had in mind.

Elvina slightly smiled as her fingers curled around the trigger. Her eyes were trained on the distant pale red target as the sun shone bright in the sky, making her flimsy clothing stick to her like a second skin.

Twang

The familiar recoil of her weapon made her stand up and lower her aim before grabbing another bolt and loading it. Having done it so many times, she loaded it without thinking before squatting and raising her aim once more.

"I see you've gotten better kiddo," a recognizable voice called from behind her. Elvina ignored it and continued to perfect her aim until-

Twang

The bolt landed right next to the original one; impressively centered in the bull's eye. Elvina got up and turned around, lowering her chosen weapon.

"Seems so," she replied, falling in step with her father's retreating figure, "What brings you here? It isn't a common occasion for you to come down here unless something's happened."

Her father chuckled, "Your mother had a case, if you're wondering why she couldn't come down. I just wanted to see how much of a soldier I've raised my daughter to be."

Elvina threw him a challenging grin as they climbed into the jeep, "I'd say I know enough about a crossbow and have had my training grilled into me to fill five books at least."

"Three."

Elvina playfully rolled her eyes.

The hot temperature of Furnace Creek was baking her insides. Even though they were going at a decent forty miles per hour, Elvina felt like she was going to throw up because of the deceivingly hot air slamming her face.

"By the way," her father said, "Thalassa's home and said something about a school fair you were going to?"

"Yeah," she said, "It's on the history of supernatural creatures."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1834407702
• ISBN13: 9781834407708
• Release Date: April 2026
• Publisher: Ottavio Ferrante
• Length: 362 Pages
• Weight: 1.07 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"