The Crystal Crux Series tale unfolds in ten days over five books.
Betrayal
Blue Grotto
Cold Knight
Shimmer
Beautiful

Today, August 21, 2026
is exactly 828 years after the Ninth day in my book series.
The year was 1198.

I decided early on to begin each day of the series with a scripture I felt sort of captured the essence of something major happening in the story on that day.

On DAY NINE, Francis Whitehall makes it back to Capua and has the English break through the fortified gate. The castle has been abandoned but once inside he finds one living person – Pero.
Cambio has agreed to bring Rugerius back to Parthenope although he seems to be on his death bed.
And Viridian returns to Parthenope eager suddenly to be intimate with Sinibaldus. She’s willing to be his queen when a few days earlier she spurned him and refused to have anything to do with him.
Sinibaldus is pretty sure Viridian is possessed but he’s used to being around possessed people and doesn’t feel threatened by her strange behavior.

I am counting down all ten days in a row this week and offering up one of my favorite passages from each day.

The excerpt below is Francis entering Capua for the first time since the siege.

As Francis entered with a cloth draped over his nose, he surveyed the courtyard. His blood froze. Standing there among the dead was a ghoulish figure. It was in the center of the courtyard, armed with a shovel.
“Who are you?”” Francis demanded to know, not near enough to make out the stranger’s face. “Identify yourself, demon!” One by one, a few more knights entered the keep through the hole, unsheathing their swords, and taking up a defensive stance on either side of Francis.
“Tell your men to lower their arms, Francis.” the stranger said, sounding parched and tired.
“How do you know me?”
“I am your brother and the Lord of this keep.”
Francis squinted as hope sparked. “It can’t be,” Francis whispered. “Can it?”
Excerpt from Beautiful

I’ll be back to post something about DAY TEN, the final day of the adventure tomorrow.
Until then, stay inspired and keep reading!

DAY EIGHT – DAY EIGHT

DAY SEVEN – DAY SEVEN

In other news – The Second Novella in the Shades of Myth series, Kiss of Death, went live today. As of today, 8/21/26, the paperback and Kindle versions are available. Click the link below to learn more.
An audiobook will be forthcoming.
Stay tuned.