Exclusive: A Letter from Jackson to his Father - Raven Song (Inoki's Game Book 1) I.A. Ashcroft
Synopsis
A century ago, the world burned. Even now, though rebuilt and defiant, civilization is still choking on the ashes.
Jackson, a smuggler, lives in the shadows, once a boy with no memory, no name, and no future. Ravens followed him, long-extinct birds only he could see, and nightmares flew in their wake. Once, Jackson thought himself to be one of the lucky few touched by magic, a candidate for the Order of Mages. He is a man now, and that dream has died. But, the ravens still follow. The nightmares still whisper in his ear.
Anna’s life was under the sun, her future bright, her scientific work promising. She knew nothing of The Bombings, the poisoned world, or the occult. One day, she went to work, and the next, she awoke in a box over a hundred years in the future, screaming, fighting to breathe, and looking up into the eyes of a smuggler. Anna fears she’s gone crazy, unable to fill the massive hole in her memories, and terrified of the strange abilities she now possesses.
The Coalition government has turned its watchful eyes towards them. The secret factions of the city move to collect them first. And, old gods stir in the darkness, shifting their pawns on the playing field.
If Anna and Jackson wish to stay free, they must learn what they are and why they exist.
Unfortunately, even if they do, it may be too late.
Raven Song is the first of a four book adult-oriented dystopian fantasy series, a story of intrigue, love, violence, and the old spirits in the shadows who wait for us to notice them again. Readers of Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, and Charlie Human will enjoy this dark magic-laced tale rooted on the bones of what our world could become.
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Bonus Scenes
Dear Father,
I wish you could see Anna, see the light in her eyes. I wish you could see that I met someone like me.
This morning they offered me fifty million. Who? Well. You’d disapprove. It was the people you told me to never work for under any circumstances. But… I confess, dad. The company hasn’t been doing so well. I’d like to say it’s not my fault. Maybe it’s not. It’s been a perfect storm of bad business, contracts sniped, costs skyrocketing. It’s something I still feel like you’d know how to fix, but I know you can’t now, and even Frank was on board with this deal. You remember how much Frank hates the Coalition. You know how long he’s hid everything about us from them. But even he said we should take their money.
Don’t worry. I’m not going to let them take a good long look at me.
Unfortunately, they did get a look at her.
I’m afraid they’re going to make her disappear, and there will be nothing I can do about it.
I know you’d say to lay low, that it’s not my business to interfere with whatever might happen to Anna, because you’d want to keep me safe.
But… do you remember when you brought me home? Of course you do. You’ve often said how striking you thought I was. A clever stare on a kid that could barely write. I know Ms. Rosita warned you against adopting me. I know you would have denied she’d said that if I’d asked you, tried to spare my feelings, but she hated me and I knew it. I still don’t know why she didn’t just throw me out… maybe she thought it would make her a bad Christian. Always sent those priests skulking around my dormitory like they were waiting for something bad to happen that they could exorcise.
But you saw through that. You didn’t listen to her. You believed in that dirty street orphan somehow, and you brought me here, gave me… gave me everything in the world. A house that could fit ten children. Food that wasn’t from a ration box. Education. A career. A place. Thank you for that. You used to stop me from thanking you, but you can’t stop me now, so accept it.
The only thing you asked of me was to lay low and be as normal as I could. Be happy, you said.
Dad…
What if I can’t?
What if I want to help someone like you did when you found me?
The dreams are coming back. They’ve been getting worse. I see the ravens again. I see things in my nightmares I can’t explain, things that feel so much more real than they should be. And then… the deal the Coalition offered us. Anna. She ended up being the cargo they wanted me to smuggle back into the city… and there’s so much magic on her, dad. She’s like me. I can feel it. I can see it. I know they can too.
There’s no one to take care of her, teach her to lay low. Except… me.
Gods, I wish you were here, even if you’d try to talk me out of this, ask if I’ve been taking my medicine. You’d know what I could tell Anna. You always knew just what to say to make me believe I’d be alright.
I guess I should go. Frank’s waiting in the car. Client meeting. Can’t keep them waiting… and I still have to burn this letter, send it onto the afterlife, if that really works. I just hope that whatever I decide to do afterwards, you’ll forgive me for not staying to the shadows as much as I should.
Happy birthday, dad. Wherever you are.
~ Jackson