
We were in the War Room, a round chamber where a root of the inn emerged in a round platform, allowing for a tighter connection to Gertrude Hunt. Innkeepers and our inns existed in symbiosis, always aware of each other but distinct and separate. Linking with the root merged us into one.
Screens lined the walls, some physical, some holographic projections. The one to my left was wrapped in thin tendrils of wood pulsing with pale light at regular intervals as the inn untangled the feed from Wilmos’ shop, crunching through the werewolf’s encryption. I asked Sean if Wilmos usually encrypted his surveillance footage and he said yes. Apparently, the old werewolf was touchy about random people knowing his business. It was taking so long that I formed a couple of chairs for us. I sat in mine, but Sean stalked around the room, his steps measured, his face unreadable.
In front of us, on a huge screen, Karron hung like the ominous orb of some cosmic magician.
A large planet, almost twice the size of Earth, Karron floated in an envelope of green atmosphere. It wasn’t a cheerful grass green that hinted at plant growth or the blueish green of shallow oceans and life-giving water. No, it was a deep sickly shade of green, the kind of color one could find associated with undeath in a video game. Beneath the green, the outlines of rust-colored continents curved around the planet interrupted at the poles by vast placid seas.
“Tell me again,” Sean asked.
“It’s a cold hell made of methane, electricity, and dust. Methane liquifies at -260 F. Those polar seas are -300 F. There is no oxygen or phosphorus. The atmosphere is soup, dense and nitrogen rich. The snow is electric and made up of hydrocarbon particles.”
I zoomed in on one of the continents near the equator and the uniform rust broke into individual swirls and ridges as if some enormous being had left a fingerprint on the planet’s surface.
“The dunes of Karron are born of electrified sand and methane winds. The wind blows east, but the dunes point to the west. That’s because the electricity makes the hydrocarbon particles of the sand stick together. At the equator the dunes are over 100 meters deep. A craft attempting to land there will be swallowed whole. The static electricity of the sand will fry circuitry and wiring, and most of the typical ship drives will stop functioning.”
“Buried alive, blind, deaf, and unable to move,” he said.
“Yes. Even if the craft hovers in the atmosphere without landing, it would be like flying through a sandstorm except that the sand is electrified and sticky and would immediately clump to the hull. Within minutes, the craft would become a ball of sand with a hefty charge. If the weight didn’t bring it down, the havoc that the dust would play with all the systems would.”
“What about the oceans?”
“The file on Karron,” I told the inn.
The screen blinked. A dark ocean spread in front of us, a deep greyish green. Something rippled under the surface. The liquid bulged, and a mass of flesh emerged, formless but solid, like a microscopic organism somehow enlarged to a gargantuan size. The pallid flesh slid and slithered, pulsating, twisting, a Lovecraftian nightmare… It turned and vanished into the frigid depths.
“I thought you said no oxygen or phosphorus,” Sean said, his face grim.
“It’s cyanide-based life. Vinyl cyanide membranes instead of lipid ones. That’s about all we know about the Karr. They live in the oceans, they destroy anything that tries to intrude into their domain, they do not trade, and they do not communicate. They never leave the planet.”
“What do they eat?” Sean wondered.
I spread my arms. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
Sean’s eyes were dark. I knew exactly what he was thinking. There was no way in. We would never make it to the surface, let alone land safely.
A tendril brushed my arm. Gertrude Hunt had sensed my anxiety. I patted the tendril gently.
A soft pulse of magic told us the recording was ready. Sean waved it onto the central screen.
The shop lay empty except for Gorvar dozing on a padded pillow on the floor. I fast forwarded. Hours flashed by in minutes. Occasionally Gorvar rose to stretch or drink some water.
More footage.
Finally the door slid open and Wilmos strode into the shop, carrying a huge bag with odd bulges that looked suspiciously like weapon barrels stretching the fabric from the inside. Gorvar jumped up and bounded over like an overgrown puppy. Every time I saw Gorvar, he was either menacing or aloof and indifferent. Now he was spinning around in circles at Wilmos’ feet. If I wasn’t watching it, I wouldn’t have believed it in a million years.
Wilmos put the bag down and crouched. Gorvar licked his face. The grizzled werewolf hugged his pet. “This was a long one, wasn’t it? I’m getting too old for this shit. Hang on, I brought you something.”
He reached for his bag.
The doors behind him snapped open. A creature surged into the shop. It was eight feet tall and clad in a tattered dark robe with a deep hood and wide sleeves.
Wilmos spun around, planted one knee on the floor, leveled an energy hand cannon at the intruder, and fired. A glowing packet of energy left the barrel with a tell-tale zing like loose change shaken in a coke can sizzling with electricity.
The robed figure dashed sideways. Wilmos’ burst missed, hitting the shelves instead. Weapons went flying.
The creature zigzagged, as if weightless. Wilmos kept firing, each burst chewing through the carefully arranged merchandise on the walls.
The intruder jerked its arms up, and for a second, I saw its hands, pallid, bony, with too-long fingers tipped with yellow claws. Wilmos sighted and fired. The energy spark hit the creature dead on. The air in front of it rippled, and the burst died, absorbed. Wilmos tossed the cannon on the ground and yanked another firearm from the bag.
A ball of orange lightning tore out of the intruder’s claws and streaked toward Wilmos. He lunged to the side, but the lightning chased him and splashed over his body. Wilmos convulsed, drumming the ground with his heels.
Gorvar shot forward at the intruder. The robed figure caught the huge wolf by his throat and clawed him, once, twice, almost impatient. Gorvar flailed, his eyes full of rage. The creature stabbed his stomach with his claws and ripped them upward, tearing through fur and muscle. The light dimmed in Gorvar’s eyes. It tossed the wolf aside, almost contemptuously, as if he were a discarded wrapper, and moved over to Wilmos.
The big werewolf wasn’t moving.
The robed figure picked him up by his belt. A shimmering grey bubble streaked with red veins formed around the two of them, lifting the intruder above the ground. The bubble flew toward the door and out into Baha-char. The doors of the shop slid closed.
I motioned to the inn, rewinding the recording to the spot where the creature raised its arms, and paused it at the precise moment the ball of orange lightning broke free of its fingertips. The tattered robe, the bony hands that could have belonged to a corpse, the yellow claws, and finally the lightning. There was no doubt. Whatever it was, it was just like Michael. I looked at Sean and saw the confirmation in his eyes. He remembered the fight as well as I did.
“He was targeted because of us,” I said.
“It’s too early to tell,” Sean said. “Wilmos has his fingers in a lot of pies.”
I pointed at the screen. “A corrupted ad-hal, Sean?”
He didn’t say anything.
“If Wilmos even suspected a corrupted ad-hal was around, he would’ve come to us immediately. He fought Michael with us. He knows what they’re capable of. And it didn’t kill him. It took him.”
Wilmos was bait. We both knew it.
“If Wilmos is bait, and this is a trap,” Sean said, “then we’re meant to follow. The trap only works if we walk into it.” He looked at Karron still looming above us. “How are we supposed to follow it there?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it expects us to die trying.”
“Why?” Sean frowned. “Seems too elaborate. Why is it even targeting us in the first place? Does it want revenge for Michael?”
“I don’t know.”
“It’s chancy. If it was me, I would just wait and ambush us at the shop. We fought one of these assholes and it almost kicked our asses. Two or three could finish us. Why not take Wilmos out of the equation, wait for us to show up, and then.” He hit his left palm with his right fist.
“I don’t know.” I got up. I was tired of not knowing. “Give me a communication screen.”
The inn helpfully sprouted one for me on the wall.
“Who are you calling?”
“Someone who knows more about Karron than I do.”
“Another innkeeper?” Sean frowned.
“No.” Innkeepers didn’t care about Karron. There was absolutely no chance that one of its residents would ever make a stop at the inn. No, I needed someone with an in-depth understanding of the galaxy. I knew just the person.
Now we just had to figure out what it would cost us.
#
The galaxy was full of nations. Some were republics, some were empires, others were democracies, anocracies, autocracies and other forms of government not found in human dictionaries. At any given time, many of them were in conflict with each other. Interstellar battles were expensive and required a prohibitive amount of resources, and most nations recognized the need for peaceful adjudication, which was where the Arbitrators came in. They tried to resolve disputes between cosmic powers before they flared into devastating wars.
The Office of Arbitration was an ancient and mysterious entity, and the Arbitrators themselves were beings of unprecedented power, carefully chosen from a variety of species. They possessed encyclopedic knowledge of the galaxy and commanded great respect, and they were to be treated with the utmost courtesy at all times.
“You look like one of your corpses,” I said.
On the huge screen George dragged his hand over his face. Normally he resembled one of Tolkien’s elven princes, tall, lean, golden haired, and elegant in an ethereal way. He liked when people underestimated him, so he often pretended to have a limp and walked with a cane. I had it on very good authority that he was a superb swordman. He was an even better necromancer. That I had witnessed personally. Seeing thousands of undead claw their way out of the barren soil of Nexus was something I would never forget.
The George I saw today was entirely different. His long blond hair had broken free of his ponytail and hung around his face in greasy strands. Dark bags clutched at his eyes. He looked haggard, and his silk doublet, which must have been as white as fresh snow at some point now resembled snow after a week had passed and most of it melted into mud.
He stared at me, his blue eyes distracted. “Hello.”
“When was the last time you slept?”
The Arbitrator pondered the question. “Some time ago.”
He didn’t seem like he was altogether there. He must’ve been extremely sleep deprived. Judging by the blue tint in the white of his eyes, he had taken a lot of boosters to keep himself awake, probably one after another. Whatever the problem he was facing, he’d smashed his computer-like brain against it, and it left him stumped.
“You should shower, George. And then sleep.”
He raised his finger. “Not yet.”
“Why?”
He thought about it. It was almost as if his brain was on a five second delay. “Valkkinians.”
Ah. Valkkinians were exceptionally difficult.
“Light or dark?”
“Dark.”
That man had the best luck. “They refuse to see you?”
“Yes.”
“You offered fire?”
“Yes.”
“And rubies?”
“Yes.”
“Record what I’m about to say so you will remember.”
He obediently waved his fingers at the display.
“You’re going to take a shower. You must be clean. Don’t use anything with perfume in it. Don’t tie your hair, don’t shave. Then you are going to land near Oharak Mountain, by a stone stele. It’s three hundred meters tall, you can’t miss it. You are going to take your shoes off and walk barefoot up the mountain path. Every 67 steps you will stop and kneel. Do this five times, then wait. An elderly Valkkinian will come to see you. Tell him you are my friend. He will help you.”
George struggled with it for a few seconds. “How do you know him?”
“He stayed at the inn.”
“Valkkinians have never stayed at Gertrude Hunt. I checked.”
“Not my inn. My parents’ inn.”
George frowned. “That can’t be right.”
“Why not?”
“Because I asked your brother, and he said your parents never hosted them.”
My heart made a valiant effort to leap out of my chest. Klaus was alive.
I kept my expression calm. “Klaus didn’t encounter them. It was right after he and Michael turned twenty-one. They went on a month-long trip to Japan. Michael was a Toyotomi Hideyoshi fan, and he really wanted to see Osaka Castle.”
George stared at me.
“George! Shower. Stone stele. Lots of walking. Call me when you’re done. I need your help with Karron.”
I would tell him to sleep first but it would be pointless.
George scrambled to his feet and stumbled away, puling his shirt off his back. I aborted the connection.
Sean tilted his head at me. “Your brother is alive.”
“And he is an Arbitrator.”
That explained everything. Whatever George was working on had to be vital and secret. Arbitrators were extremely close-mouthed. They wouldn’t go to just anyone for information, but George and I had a prior professional relationship. I was trustworthy.
There was no reason George would seek Klaus out when he knew where to find me. The only way it made sense was if Klaus was in. If he was an Arbitrator and therefore cleared for all classified information. And it also meant that Klaus was either on equal footing with George or his senior.
That’s why Klaus went off the grid. I was afraid he’d died.
I leaned back in my chair. When I got a hold of my brother, I would pitch a fit. He had no idea what was coming to him.
No idea.
“Do you think he’ll get back to us?” Sean asked.
“He will. As soon as he can.”
George had many flaws, but he always paid his debts.
First?
Yes! Well done!
Yay, thank you! Also, poor Klaus, so much trouble!
Just wow
Even more wow on re-reading. Ha- Dinas fit will be epic.
As will be Karron, no doubt.
First?
Not even close, sorry 😅. You have to get up early on Sweep of the Heart days
Unlike me, who completely forgot the purpose of Fridays! I didn’t read this until hours after it was posted. Argggh! And I say again, argggh!
Argggh!
For Maud’s sake, I hope this is happening at the same time that Klaus is visiting her, because if not and she held this from Dina, she’s gonna be in trouble.
Nope, not done. Argggh!
Oops, just saw Mod R’s response on another thread. Maud is gonna get it!
Not first but in the top five?
I don’t count, so YES! Congrats!
Now go get the goodies 😊
Not true, you totally count! Rock on with your mod self. 😛
Wow! Love the enhanced description of Karron!
Sounds like it’s standard Arbitrator practice to have that 20 years no-contact with home once recruited, and not just a one-off for George.
Timeline wise we’re currently overlapping with Sweep of the Blade aren’t we?
Nope 🙂 . You will see references to it being summer in the first chapter. Sweep of the Blade takes place right after One Fell Sweep :), where we have Christmas scenes.
This happens after Sweep of the Blade, Maud and Klaus have already met. DUM-DUM-DUUUUUUUUUMMMMM 😈
Thanks – that was the question I was really dying to answer but wasn’t sure if it was going to trigger a River Song answer!
Ditto!
Oh my, thank you for point that out! If Maud and Klaus have already met, that means Dina is the last to find out – as the youngest child. Uh oh. And Maud didn’t/couldn’t tell her? Double uh oh.
The sibling dynamics have always been one of my favorite parts of meeting Maud, can’t wait to meet Klaus!
Methane, cyanide and Klaus. Wow, just wow!
First and an Ooops for George since he will never admit it.
Not first 😉
Saw that after I posted but first ten was nice.
This plot is thickening faster than my caramel! Love it!
*goes back to stirring the pot for another hour*
Been there! Hope it tastes good enough to justify the stirring! 🙂
It does, thanks! But it’s also a reminder of why I only make it once a year. 🙂
Just so good…but I now want to go directly to next Friday!!
Woo! Super exciting!
this is just what I needed. A trap on Karron and finding out about Klaus all in one go.
So good 🤤
Woo Hoo!, George again.
+1!
I really like George, from way back when he was a kid in On the Edge!
Yes!! Currently rereading the edge books an I just love seeing the man he became in these series 😊
Hmm, The last we heard of Klaus he was visiting Maude; I wonder if we will see Arland, Maud, Helen and Klaus in this one? That would be awesome, well it is already an awesome story.
I really hope so. That would be some Interesting dynamics. Bwaaa-Haaa
Amazing as always! Thanks for giving us snippets and chapters like this! It always makes my day.
Just so excited! Thank you! Good luck with the edits!
Yes! Can not wait for the rest, then to buy it and read it again.
Siblings are constantly saying that they will commit murder. I don’t agree. Murder is too quick. Complete and utter annihilation of there dignity is for more my thing.😈
Thanks for the chappy!!!😋
+1
Thank you for posting story
first, really? can’t be.
this was awesome.
It’s not. Are people not seeing comments? :O
Hmmm, let me check something.
The comments don’t update unless you refresh the page. So if there are zero comments when you load it, but you stop and read the story before you actually comment, chances are you won’t know you’ve missed being first until your comment goes in and the page refreshes. There have been times when there were 20 comments when I started reading, and over 100 by the time I refreshed.
Yes, that can be one of the reasons 🙂
So freakin good!
So dang exciting.
My brain just went: !!!!!!!!!!!!! I freaking love HA and I freaking love this series, and I freaking LOVE George. Dina finally has a connection to Klaus. Eeee!
So enjoying every Friday! Thanks for each and every section. Just keeps getting better and better. Love your imaginations and thank you for your efforts. You are both so appreciated. Your writing makes the world a little happier.
Let’s not tie off too many loose ends or there will not be another book!
Love it ❤️
Its an Inn there is always guests coming and going , there will always be some sort of story going down
Plus , Dina and Sean, will have a kid or dozen, and just think of all the high jinx they will get up to.
s i g h I’ve missed these guys
Thank you…I needed that!
George doesn’t realize it yet, but he’s just been adopted into Dina’s family.
Every week is so busy that I keep forgetting about the gem coming my way every Friday. Today I saw the Twitter notification and I, an adult female with a certain amount of gravitas, went SQUEE!!!.
House Andrews rules.
Great – Thank you
know they now that her brother life.
this snippet was juicy and short….but chhhhiiiiii! anyway!
Oh gosh, Ooooh gosh, a new and gleefully lethal world that needs to be scrutinized, George being alive is finally revealed to his sibling. Poor Wilmos being used as bait in that buzz kill (for all those going to it) planet…oh fun indeed.
Thank you 🤓
Klaus 😊 . George’s sibling is with him, I’m waiting for his lynx bum to make an appearance 😀
+1 for Jack!
One of them 😆!!
and this is why I read the comments – to get little teasers of future possibilities 🙂
Thank you HA for Innkeeper Fridays!
Yippee. Friday, feeling happy. Thank you. 💪🏼
Wow! George in a bind…and Dina helped him out! Klaus…oohhh…I can’t wait to read what happens when Dina meets him….and when Maud meets him….so exciting!
Sooooooo Gooood!!!
Oooh, I love this chapter! 👏
Happy Friday to us all at the BDH.
I am loving this and I can’t wait to also buy it as a novella
Nah, HA knows, we always push for novel, despite their best efforts!!
Gosh, I love you guys. All my favorites are showing up.
Thank you so much for your generosity.
+1!!!!
Yay! More on George and Klaus! Thank you!
Just curious, how is your process different for serial versus release date novels? I know the initial teaser about Karron came out a while back, so obviously you’ve been working on it. Do you have a rough copy of this one finished, and you polish/edit it as you release each part? Or do you write as you go, with an outline as guide? Or is it totally finished, and you are just releasing it serially – same writing process as other novels, just different release type?
My curiosity about this was piqued by your post about Ruby Fever copy edits – it’s not released into the wild, so you can still wipe out the 3,000 word ooze battlefield and none of us the wiser unless you tell us :). If you are writing serially though, it seems like it would be much harder to do something like that.
I’m also remembering that you removed the original first chapters of Julie’s story when you decided to publish it differently. I missed out on the first Innkeeper as serial, purchased it later, so forgive me if this is asked and answered.
Thanks again for writing. I really enjoy reading your work.
+1
The serial sometimes does not work when it goes to a book, so a bit gets rewritten. That is why I like to read both. (This is in addition to the sheer joy of watching a story unfold) And the speculations in the comments 🙂
This was amazing. I wailed at the end because my poor heart doesn’t want to wait an ENTIRE week for the next installment. I’m spoiled and I know it. Thank you sooooo much!!
George!!! AuthorLords, you took Friday happiness and just multiplied it!!!
This is why I love Dina as a character. She has such depth and the way you write is a joy to read. Thank you.
Love the conversation with George!
George! Klaus! Strange and deadly planets! Impending Sibling Wrath! What a delightful Friday this is.
+1
Excellent! Thank you again.
Does anyone know how I can time travel to next Friday? I want to know what happens next!
Time travel to the future is not really a problem. It‘s coming back that is hard. There are multiple ways!to go one week into the future:
A) place yourself in suspended animation. Unfortunately, nobody has figured out how to wake the sleepers yet.
B) fly a spaceship with nearly lightspeed for a while to shorten the waiting time due to general relativity theory. Be careful not to overdo it, or humanity might have gone extinct when you return
C) this one is the easiest way: to travel seven days into the future, you justv*drumroll* wait seven days!
Sorry, could not resist. 😉
Whoa! That was so cool! So many possibilities coming together! Thank you so much for an awesome chapter!! Can’t wait to reread again and again!!
When I grow up I want to be able to pack that much information into a chapter and have it feel that natural and unrushed.
i know what you mean. i once read a story that was 87 pages long and i felt like i’d read an entire book. it didn’t leave questions, and it felt complete it was very well done. it’s amazing when an author can do that.
Thank you! At least Dina knows Klaus is alive. Can’t wait to read about Dina’s explosion when she finally sees her brother.
George unkempt, and Dina helped him out. Oh boy. I realize Dina needs information about Karron. However I don’t think she’s forgotten about the Nexus treaty either.
The plot thickens. Tune in next week. Same time, same blog. 😎
Ummm. She already extracted revenge for the Nexus treaty talks…that’s why there is a separate price for Karron info. And George acknowledged his debt then, with the commendation of Gertrude Hunt…
George! Yeah!
As an adult female, also with a certain gravitas, I’m bouncing up and down in my recliner. The dog is concerned. Thank you, House Andrews.
Aaand you goosebumped me!
Wowwowwoow!
George AND Klaus!!!
HA really know how to do fan service, and they do it so beautifully – seamless and spot on for the characters.
Can’t wait to see what George comes back with 🙂
I love George in the Innkeeper World. I’m so glad he’s making an appearance again.
Yea George!! Even Better, Klaus!!
Dina finally knows that he’s alive!
Now I wonder… Does Klaus know what happened to his parents and can’t tell his sisters until his time as an Arbitrator is done?????
hmm that’s an interesting thought.
Or, I’m guessing, he accepted the Arbitrator gig in order to access a greater database of information to help extend his search! Along with the excitement related to the job he told George about in his recruiter speech!
+1
Ahhhh. You are the best….
Love, love, loved it!!!
I like getting glimpses of George… Where is his brother Jack?
I like you :D. You ask the important questions!
George!! And I am SO glad she finally knows why and what has kept Klaus incommunicado. I wonder if she’ll contact Maud to let her know*.
*No doubt she’ll be even more angry if she finds out that Maud already knew (from Sweep of the Blade cliffhanger) and didn’t tell her.
Elder siblings don’t always tell the baby sib things, for a variety of reasons. I speak from experience as an eldest.
Oh Klaus…..such a world of sibling related pain and suffering he will walk into with Dina, and how she will make Maud suffer once she finds out that Maud has already spoken to Klaus…….. it will be quite the adventure to find out and then defeat whatever is corrupting the ad hal not to mention save Wilmos.
Can we please have an update of Gorvar? I need to know he is up and around. One of our furbabies is currently driving me nuts,post hip surgery. She thinks she can run and jump and play but surgery was last week…so momma said nope time for more sedatives.
It’s clearly a trap.
Admiral Ackbar, there you are!
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Ohhhh. That is a really good thought. Maybe that’s how they got Klaus to become a Arbritrator. Since he is asking to talk to Maud in vamp world….Humm. this is epic stuff happening.
My heart had a shiver seeing George!! Thank you!!!!!!
No!!! I have to wait a week to get another fix???!!! Man, y’all can draw in the reader so well!
Yay Georgie ! Now we just need his partners in crime to show up too. Maybe we’ll find out what Klaus is up to with out waiting for Maude’s next book. Not that I don’t want to read Maude’s next book too.
Yay! George! and probably Jack! maybe Gaston? (I like his sense of humor.)
One assumes we will finally get actually acquainted with Klaus – the little bit at the beginning of “Sweep in Peace” really doesn’t give us much to work with.
I am already having great fun with this book and it looks like so much more to love is coming.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Awesome installment! *rubs hands together and sips more tea*
Thank you! 🙂 I love hearing about George.
Tasty treat want more please.. and thank you
That was just so so satisfying! And old home week, George and news about Klaus. Thank you so much for this, I’m enjoying it more than I can express.
Love The George! Thanks, bunches. Hope all is well with House Andrews
Thank you 💜
when dina figures out that maude already knew, she’s REALLY going to pitch a fit.
oh 1000% xD
I can understand Dina exactly because I too, would punch my older brother if he did this to me. Honestly, I… can’t even imagine haha. Guess Klaus is more law-abiding than George though, since George cheated… guess it’s the Weird in him xD
Can I just say I am very happy to see George again.
Also The description about the hell planet got me curious and found this interesting link… https://futurism.com/a-day-swimming-in-the-methane-lakes-of-titan
With a disclaimer that House Andrews have made it very clear before that this is not a Titan-based planet 🙂 https://ilona-andrews.com/2021/lets-be-pedantic/
oh sure, I was just curious what polar seas made of methane would be like
Mod R, do you have that picture framed and on your wall? We should totally do that for you!! It rocks!!!
I love the science stuff that IA and the BDH shares!! It’s great for me cause I’m really interested and excited to read it but can’t retain it for longer than 5 minutes. So when it gets re-posted in the form of a link – mind blown once again.
This is why I love this blog. You guys are the best.
Hi,
I join everyone else in the joy that is this serial blog (along with everything HA writes).
I’m savoring by rereading each chapter and continually struck by the tidbits from each. I love these two sentences from Chapter 1 – ‘But then he walked out into the Great Beyond. The Universe bathed him in its breath.’, As a retired NASA person, my heart responds to that vision!
I love the Dina/Sean relationship. It reminds me of what Ilona and Gordon each bring to us. True partnership, friendship, love, perseverance, joy, knowledge, etc…. Just the very best team!
Thank you; hope your back is better; the ‘oozes’ are dealt with and you get to enjoy a weekend…
Love this and that your doing this, it is the highlight of my Friday 😻
Oh wow. Every week it’s better and better. I know you are both swamped in edits, so remember to be kind to yourselves. Thank you for posting an update while you’re so busy.
Happy Friday!
George. Great to see you again.
Love the connections this story brings back.
Thanks HA
Looking forward to the next one
Does anyone else pretend to be Orro peeling a perfect hard boiled egg when making breakfast for their children? No? Just me?
I gave up. Apparently the perfect egg is like Atlantis, it may exist, but I haven’t seen it 🙂
You probably know this, but after the eggs finished boiling, it helps to deposit them with a slotted spoon into icy/cold water. It will make them easier to peel. 🙂
I just plunge the strainer that has the hot eggs into a big bowl of ice water. It’s nice to use the strainer since all the cold water drains off the eggs when lifting it out of the bowl. The added bonus is you don’t have to play find the eggs in the ice water. 😁
What really changed the game for me was peeling them under running water. It’s so easy now! The water gets between the shell and the egg and it just comes off basically in one piece. Even with fresh eggs!
Also, I like the hint I read from Martha Stewart (I think it was originally a Julia Child hint.) First, don’t use eggs you just bought if you can avoid it. (Older eggs have more air inside the shell, which helps when you go to peel them.)Next, start with cold water just covering the eggs in a sauce pan. When the water starts boiling, turn the fire off. Time for 12 minutes, then plunge the eggs in ice water. Before peeling, put the eggs in the now empty pot with the lid on and shake vigorously to crack the shells. Finally, peel under running water. This always works for me…good luck! 😁
I got this one from my sister only two months ago but so far the eggs have been perfect every time. Steam them.
An inch of water, a steamer basket, for me-12 minutes then use the steamer basket to lift them out and into a bowl of cold water or just stop cooking a minute early and let them cool in the pan. Time will vary depending on the size of the eggs, how many are in the pan, altitude, your preference on doneness, etc, so experiment, but they have always peeled perfectly for me. Even the one that cracked during cooking stayed in the shell and peeled easily.
no but this is going to be a regular part of my morning now… its just difficult because I usually eat soft boiled eggs and I dont have an ice machine xD
George!!!! And I love that Dina knew how to help when he was completely stumped 😀
😀 Thank you! It’s been a rough week, but at least I have no reason to go to Karron. And George! 😀 Thank you!
Aww yeah!
So much awesome! I am ridiculously excited about this book. I’m thrilled to see all the pieces of this story come together. Thank you for this installment and good luck with all the editing things!
Groovy. Thanks!
Keep ‘‘em coming. I live to read the next.
Yes!!!! But why didn’t Maud tell Dina she’d seen Klaus? Clearly it’s been some span of time since Sweep with Me, as they talked about “last year we hosted a Drifen…” in chapter 3 or 2, and I can’t imagine Maud not calling Dina on a regular basis! (Not questioning in any way accusatory, more curiosity 😆) So many questions! But glad Dina at least knows now!
Maybe Klaus swore her to secrecy?
Dina doesn’t say “last year we hosted a Drifen” in either Chapter 2 or 3, could you please link to where you found that?
It has not been that long between Sweep with Me and Sweep of the Heart.
I. Love. This. Karron, the lifeform, Klaus, all the threads and all the mystery. Just awesome!
So if Dina wants any answers, all she has to do is wait until George is exhausted and then get in there before he can regroup. Sneaky-like. Good Innkeeper!!!
Seems to me that Corrupt-hals are worried about Dina and Sean. Interesting.
Waiting to see how to deal with Karron.
I do love how she sneakied that into the conversation from George!
I think its because they don’t want anyone at the inn when the door finishes connecting. So they are trying to get Dina and Sean out of it.
This is seriously good stuff…
Kid woke me at 2 AM and I checked for the latest chapter. And again at 4, then 5:30, and 7, and then every hour until it posted.
Thanks for giving me something to distract me.
We are all hopeless.
What I find strange is that Dina makes friends with guests, and they are willing to help her, and even tell her how to see them…not saying that it is weird she made friends, just wonder what she did to get the last part. I understand with the guests she has had here so far at her inn, that have been written about. More wondering if what happens, in her inn is also normal things in her parents inn or all inns Not complaining if it works this way in all Inns just curious, was thinking Inns as hotels lots check in few become well known. Sorry trying to clarify in my head.
This is where my mind went also.
Given that Dina would have been a teen-ager when the elderly Valkkinian stayed at the Inn, how did they become such good friends that he would help someone she sent after decades?
I’m going to have fun this week thinking of scenarios!
Part of it may be the nature of Innkeepers. She puts a lot of thought into understanding her guests and making rooms that match the individual as well as the species. Acts of kindness can leave a positive impression, and some people have a talent for making connections and building networks. I don’t have that skill, but there are a few people I know who do. It is a skill/interest/ability I can admire in others with the complete understanding that I would never be able to replicate it.
Dina is around 25. She wasn’t a teenager “decades” ago heh.
Again wasn’t complaining, was listening to audio, just before reading this, so the part of why her father was highly respected, was still very fresh. I know they (sibs) got training and using the war room, plus stuff like…take care, escape tunnel. So know things happened, was just wondering if it happened more often in her parents inn, it was a rare 5 star, was wondering if their Inn was actually more a speciality elite inn, then earth Holiday Inn where stuff can happen but has many witnesses. That was really what I was asking, I think.
Thank you.
Thank you for continuing on with the Innkeeper Chronicles. I quite enjoyed all the Kate Daniels books but the Innkeeper Chronicles are my favorites 🤗
This was a lovely bit of sunshine after I just dropped my husband off at the airport so that he could go investigate the Pittsburgh Bridge collapse.
Now hopefully the incoming weather doesn’t turn out to be anything and I’ll be as happy as I can while he is away.
Hope he stays safe. From what I heard Pennsylvania will get snow and wind, but it may not be quite as bad as near and along the coastal areas.
Very interesting 🤔….
The suspense,
waiting for each Friday’s drop,
is Torture…
But I love 💕 it.
Innkeeper away!!!!!
Eeeeeeeeeeee!!!!! Cannot articulate!!!!!
I just listened to Clean Sweep on Graphic Audio, and I want to do it again, and again, and again. That was so good!!! I want all the books like this now, I’m so spoiled. I have a new addiction.
What a treat this is! Thank you HA and Mod R – it was a long week here and this made my day. Always such wonderfully inventive writing.
I played no part in this, it’s all House Andrews magic 🪄. But I will happily convey 😍
Did Sean and Dina attend Maud and Arland’s wedding? It makes me sad to think no.
Rani, please link to the where it’s stated that Maud and Arland’s wedding already took place?
Oooo. I made an assumption based on your post above. If sweep the bald took place after Christmas, and the wedding was supposed to happen a month after that book, I extrapolated to be March or April/May. Since this takes place in Summer I made what it sounds like is a faulty assumption. But this means I can be happy again!
I can’t wait to see Dina pitch a fit at Klaus (dancing on spot clapping in anticipation)
Wow, Krause,alive and in trouble!,
Thank you for another great chapter, I am really looking forward to next Friday
She is going to rip into Klaus…..
Another showdown. Can’t wait.
Oh goody — George, and Klaus, and maybe the set-up for a family reunion sometime in the future. And a fit to be pitched.
I love Fridays for just this reason.
I truly enjoy your work. The worlds you create are wonderful. I think one of the great tragedies of our time is the overwhelming percentage of people that are alliterate. They literally don’t know what they are missing.
I miss some series that have been completed, but that’s life. Things move on and change. Then you look forward to a new book or series.
I don’t believe in criticizing someone’s work ( unless it’s requested ). I refuse to add to the negativity that is so abundant.
I know that deadlines are important, but please stop and smell the roses, enjoy your loved ones for they are the most important things you have.
My best wishes to you and those you care for.
Sincerely, Roger Lyons
Looking forward to more chapters. Wondering when the Mukama will show up?
Wow, from Space Chickens to Death planet and finally Klaus. Great story, can’t wait to next Friday. Thank you so much!
Aieeeee!!! More incredibly good bits! George! Klaus! Ooooh!!! Incoherent with joy and profound delight—Ilona and Gordon, thank you! You’ve outdone yourselves— and the BDH is grateful—💜
Thank you!
Oh thank you! I was so worried about you guys after your post about Ruby Fever yesterday. I didn’t think you’d be able to get us a chapter, so what a wonderful surpirse!
I love that Dina now knows about Klaus and he’s in trouuuubbbllle! LOL!
Please forgive me for what I’m about to say, I already had my chamomile tea and it makes me loopy so there is only way my brain wants to phrase it:
There’s always a little “cushing for the pushing” 😉. Instalments are written a little bit in advance so on weeks when Something Happens ™ there will be something to post.
Thank you for looking out for House Andrews 🥰
Such an exciting update, so much to unpack! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Loved it!
Glad Klaus’ fate has been sussed out. He is in so much trouble…lol!
Ahhh Klaus, there will be rippercushions!
Ha! Wish I’d thought to say that!
That was perfect.
BAd-hal shows up, get to see a messy George (looking forward to seeing the other 3 from his team), Dina finds out about Klaus after Maud (she’s gonna be in trouble!) and… no oozes?? 😄
Thanks for another awesome chapter!
The Oozefest is in another castle 😅
Hopefully it’s Hugh’s castle! I don’t think this is what the poisoning reference is, but wouldn’t it be fun if Savannah’s threatening to poison him again…
Sorry, it’s an expression for “look elsewhere” 🙂. Your princess is in another castle.
The oozes are currently in Hidden Legacy https://www.ilona-andrews.com/2022/ha-update-coming-up-for-air/
Dear Mod. R,
You are awesome! 😍
So glad you have joined HA.
Okay, so it’s Hugh’s ooze?
Nope! Not Hughes ooze!
Aaaaaaa!! George! And Klause! George!!
Yah. Good news for Dina. Klaus is in for a major reaming when she finally sees him.
Sorry to hear Ruby Fever is still causing you body aches and teeth gnashing. Maybe a dearly wished for “carrot” dangling on the wall above your computer to keep you slogging along. A beautiful beach, a shut off alarm clock, five days of peace and quiet, anything to strive for that puts a smile on your face.
I’m off to clean the bathrooms at work. It seems the janitors ignored my note. Yuck. People can be disgusting. TGIF!
Thank you so much; this story is riveting!
Now we all have to hang on for the next installment.
… only seven more days until Friday 😉
Thank you! Also, wtf! What the heck is going on in Karron? And poor Wilmos and Gorvar! Hopefully, Dina will be able to see Klaus soon so she can pitch a fit. And I wonder what info George can provide that will help? Hmm…
Cool! Love all the different threads Dina can pull together to get a thing done. Also like the reappearance of George. Should be amazing when all the threads are pulled together.
Thank you so very much! This makes my Fridays happy.
Happy dance!! So awesome!!!
Shall we get to see if Klaus is any good in a fight?
George! And maybe Jack, Gaston, Sophie?! Klaus! Maybe a chance of seeing Maud, Arland and Helen again!
I so love Innkeeper! Thank you so much, House Andrew!
Yeah, another great chapter and HA is turning up the heat
Love it, can’t wait for more
Love this. Everything about it. 💗 it also makes me wonder about how the Inn is branching .. so much mystery!
Thank you so much This was wonderful. The way you write is magical.
Are we going to get a family reunion with ALL 3 of them! ?!
Yippee! Klaus, I’ve been waiting for this moment, I can’t wait to see where this goes.
Sorry to hear of the Ruby grind, sending you positive vibes on the rest of the edits!
Wow, just wow.
Wow so exciting I love it I probably keep repeating myself but so amazing and so descriptive can’t wait to see what you have in store with the planet and Sean and dina I never want it to end thank you both so much
Thank you for a wonderful journey through the Innkeeper´s World. I love it and all the characters and cultures you so amazingly describe. One question, though. At the end of Book three, Sean and Dina find a mysterious name in the cat´s collar. I was expecting it would lead her on her quest for her parents´ whereabouts, but book 4 and 5 came along, and now this one and the cat´s message is still “mysterious”. Or maybe I missed some part? Just curious, you know. Hope you recover well and thank you again.
Hi Norma,
Sean and Dina don’t find a name on the cat’s collar 🙂.
Olasard’s collar has two letters, “SN”. There is no link between the cat and the search for the parents, other than the remote possibility that Dina muses over with Sebastien North, which is a passing thought.
A reminder that Dina has been on the search for her parents for years before we joined the Innkeeper adventures 🙂. Even with a random clue from the Archivarius, it’s still slim pickings.
Hope this helps 🙂
I’ve been trying to hold off for an even rainier day, but I’m just going to have to dive into a Innkeeper Chronicles reread.
Maud is going to be in so much trouble …
Oooooooo the excitement of having various characters across the books come together !!! Hanging onto my seat every Saturday morning for the instalment. 😆
Thank you! Loving the story – it is so much fun 😁
Wow. And the plot thickens. Thank you.
Saved this for the end of the workday/week. Thank you for the story joy!
I’m so happy she knows her brother is alive !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😁😁😁😁😁😁
Thank you very much for the chapter 🥰
Thank you so very, very much. I am absolutely mad to own this book!
This series makes me so happy, no matter what else is going on when I read a little Innkeeper my spirits lift, and I can’t believe it just keeps getting better and better, but it does.
Love the story. It is very exciting. Can’t wait for the next chapter.
Wow
Can’t wait to buy this!
I really loved this chapter. George is a favorite of mine and it’s great to see him again. Also, the description of Karron was fantastic. It’s very detailed and well thought out. Can’t wait for more 🙂
GEORGE! YES! He is back!! And yayayayaya! Dina knows about Klaus now! And I’m sure George wasn’t supposed to let that info slip… So excited to see what is next!
Yay!! Chapterdate!
Loving how the story is shaping up.
If you ever chose to write the story of how George became an arbiter we would buy it! 😀
It’s already written 🙂. Check out the beginning of Sweep in Peace!
Love your writing. Love this series. Just love it.
I love the detail of the electrified sand and methane winds, and how that interferes with space ships 😀 so cool!
Yay! So much goodness ! Puppyish Gorvar would make me squee if I were the squeeing type. George! Klaus!! Thank you!
Ohhhh I just had a thought !
Maybe Klaus is working on the corrupted Ad Hal case and he visits Maud because Maud displayed some of the Ad Hal traits. Maybe 🤔
Oh wow! This getting scary!
Such skill….. I wish I could lift you two up somehow. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
You guys just made my day, week and month. You have brought George back. For that, receive from me many, many thanks.
Ahhhh… George AND Klaus… double the fun… it was a great snippet! Thank you
My cup runneth over.
Space chicken smackdown last week.
George this week.
HA is too good to us.
“space chicken smackdown” LOVE IT!
The return of the space chickens was awesome and now GEORGE?!
You spoil us. I love George. Yea! Yea! Yea!
Will he and Lark ever get a HEA?
Sending good vibes for RF edits.
I love the Edge so I love when characters pop in…just awesome!
Wonder if Klaus needed something the Vampires have? Technology to access the world of Karron without dying? So he get u[ goes and finds it, finding Maud in place to ask for a favor? Maud doesn’t tell Dina because???? She may not want Dina going to Karron? (Tho she should know Dina is a capable fighter by now?)… Hummm. And we’ve got George looking run down from refusals. Why does he need to talk to the Valks? (And are they elves? LOL.. light and dark? LOL…) Questions I have, answer i am short on…Thank you author lords and I will now obsess for a while 🙂
Where do you think the in is trying to reach with its branching
George! And now Dina knows about Klaus! This just gets better and better!!! ❤❤❤
Thank you for being the fun in my Friday! 💋
Klaus is going to face huge ripper cushions!
I was hoping that George would pop up soon. Thank you for starting my weekend off right.
Thank you, author gods.
Thank you! Have a great weekend!
Without putting too fine a point on it, I was hanging on by the very tips of my fingernails today. I needed this so badly. Thank you. I am happy that Dina finally knows about Klaus being an Arbitrator.
Ouoooo soo sooo good….!!!!!!. I’m excited.
Thank you
Thank you! So much to ponder this week!
Thank you so much
I wait eagerly for each instalment
Thank you so much for this HA!
Yeesh – Karron sounds even worse than Kolinda.
Maybe, once he’s been chewed out by Dina, Klaus could help with defeating whatever turned Michael into an abomination, & see how many Office of Arbitration rules he can break along the way …
Thanks for another great installment! I hope the rest of this month (quarter/year/cycle) is less stressful than what we’ve had so far.
I like messy George. It makes me think of Georgie, and Dina bossing him to take care of himself makes me think of Rose. Was she still a big part of George and Jack’s life by the time Klaus met them, or did working for the Mirror create some distance? How are Rose and Declan doing in the Weird?
I would like to think George is still close to her, Declan, Declan’s family, Kaldar, and the others but all our glimpses of George seem to portay him as isolated. Even when he is with Jack and Gaston, he is in plotting or leading mode. He was so serious as a kid but at least he had people fussing over him.
I can’t wait for Dina’s fit and to meet Klaus!
But didn’t Klaus go see Maud after they won the battle against the other vampire houses? So why wouldn’t she have shared the news with her sister? Klaus is going to find out the hard way not to ignore his little sister. Also whatever happened to finding their parents? And poor Wilmos! Is Sean going to have to call his parents and other werewolves in to help? So exciting! Love this!
Oohh, I love this!
One thing I dont understand, when did George resurrect bodies on Nexus? I guess I missed that and I’ll have to read the book again, but could someone point me in the direction?
Can’t wait für next friday, thank you so much dear HA!
We see George resurrecting the dead of Nexus in Sweep in Peace, Chapter 15. Here is a small quote from that scene but there is a lot more to it. Hope this helps 🙂
“On the screen the ground broke around George’s feet, as if the dry crust of Nexus’s desert turned liquid.
“So I went to Nexus and I asked them.”
Bodies rose, some rotting, some skeletal, but all reaching to him, hundreds and hundreds of corpses, their limbs held out as if pleading, and then I heard it, a muted, desperate wail, coming from hundreds of creatures at once, so terrible I wanted to clamp my hands over my ears and run.
“They say the dead have no memories and know no pain.” George’s voice was barely above a whisper, but somehow it was louder than the pleas of the corpses. “It’s not that way for me.” ”
Andrews, Ilona. Sweep in Peace, Innkeeper Chronicles 2. NYLA Publishing 2015. Kindle edition, Chapter 15, page 274
Thank you for the clarification 🙂
For me the scene on Nexus never was a memory, I read it as a projection, but how could I forget his Grandfather!
And he even says it!
*goes back to reading the whole book*
It’s a memory George shows Dina of when he went to Nexus to understand why the senseless conflict went on. We can tell by the sentences “But the dead always tell the truth. […] So I went to Nexus and asked them.”
The grandfather he revives is in On The Edge (The Edge, volume 1)
I hope this helped 🙂
Ooh, this is getting interesting 🤔. Good stuff
Oooo goodie
Hurray!!!! On so many counts!
First of all, they killed Wilmos’s dog. 😭 Anyone else get misty eyed? Just me? Okay…
Second, I have three siblings and sibling dynamics dictate a royal butt-chewing for Maud and Klaus. And since the Inn is inextricably linked to Dina, Maud’s next stay may not be as comfortable as she would expect! And Klaus may be assaulted by the Inn… just sayin… sibling relationships are complicated.
Lastly, THEY KILLED THE DOG!!! If anyone was on the fence about whether corrupted ad-hals were monsters, here’s your proof. *sniff* Poor puppy. This is gonna make Wilmos go all John Wick when he gets rescued!
Hey Kaytee,
Gorvar’s not dead! Re-read chapter 3 here https://www.ilona-andrews.com/2022/chapter-3/
Dina brought him to the Inn and last we heard he was stable!
🐶 ❤️
Grrrreat installment …. I Love your Stories !
Kyaaaaaaaa !!
It’s the first time I have to wait between each chapter of any Ilona Andrews storie… it is excruciating 😣
Usually, I start the book, read, forgot to eat, resist sleeping and any need to stop reading, ´till I’m at the end.
Terribly different here 😫
Thanks !!!
***Pyrane***
…Now that I think about it, is he supposed to be naked ? She did not precised, and since he can’t tie his hair…
Now, now 🤣
Ah, you are so kind to give Dina that reassurance about Klaus … that was an unexpected Christmas present to her, and will help her focus on the issues that confront her, with one less worry in the background of her mind. And this story is an amazing gift to us, you are so generous, and so much fun. I love your ability to spin stories, especially the Innkeeper series, I am continuously delighted and enchanted by the breadth of your imagination. Thank you so much for sharing so generously with us.
Thank you, Ilona Andrews for the snippet.
Just awesome.
It’s “Lucky” George who answers his calls in person. Klaus though is in for it when his sister finds him. Wilmos might be / might not be dead by the time Dina and Sean rescue him but it will be an interesting saga/ story with lots of twists and turns.
I enjoy mod R comments to BDH. Thank you, mod R, for having the necessary gumption to deal with us with witty repartee. I think the number 1 badge is hilarious.
Ilona made the badge 😍
<3<3<3<3<3
yes love, lots of love
thank you
amazing
thank you
I am not terribly clever or good with words, so please forgive me when I just say “Thank you”!! Even when you are busy with other things and commitments, you still gave us (the BDH) your weekly posting. I don’t know how you did it, but I am so glad and grateful that you did!
Hmmmmm. Jack, Gaston, adhals, who let the sphinx into BahaChar, and what does Rose think about all this?
Lots to ponder.
It looks dire for Wilmos. Awww, poor George, but so glad to see him reappear with word on Klaus! Thanks for thisv installment, it’s been a rough week ❤️
Very Exciting! Can’t wait for more!
I love that George is back. I love that Dina could tell George how to deal with the Valkkinians! Ha, ha, Klaus, looking forward to how this develops.
I love your writing!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Klaus, woo-hoo!!!I can’t wait to see what else is coming!!!! Thank you once again for posting this and for being such incredible writers! 😁
PS: I hope Ilona’s back feels better.
OMG! George! Klaus! And Klaus is visiting Maud, so maybe Maud and Arlen? Squee! I can’t wait to read this story to the end. You have totally got me hooked.
That was wonderful,,, thank you 😊 🙏
Maud and Klaus keeping these kinds of secrets? I expect there will be major ripper cushions in the future….
Oooo, Krause is alive! Great chapter. Can’t wait for more. Sorry you’re still buried. I’ll wait patiently. 😬
Darn spell correct – Klaus
Oh, yum, yum, yummy! This is gonna be soooooo great. THANK you both!!!!!!
Faith
This is going to be great can’t wait to read it.
Just when you think you know where you’re going…you find out you don’t. I love this stuff!
Thank you, HA!
You are great tellers. Your tails are rich and characters deep!
Hey, George, Nice to see you again! I’v been wondering what you’ve been up to.
oh man, lovin’ the serial AND reading the comments too.
Uh-oh, Dina’s gonna kick Maud’s @ss for not letting her know that 1) Klaus is alive, and 2) Klaus is an Arbiter! Duh duh duhhhhh!!!
I’m so hooked!
I missed that.
How Did Maud know?
Hey Chris,
Your answer is in the last paragraph of Sweep of the Blade 😊
Sorry, I lent it out right after I read it and It’s been a while. So tell me please.
““By the way” she said “I was going to tell you once you both had properly recovered, but since you’re awake, I might as well. A human is here to see you. I was going to turn him away, but he is an Arbitrator, which presents some difficulties. His name is Klaus. He says he is your brother””
Andrews, Ilona. Sweep of the Blade, The Innkeeper Chronicles 4. NYLA Publishing, 2019. Kindle Edition, page 312
Thanks, I didn’t remember that😳 Now I do.
(Senior here)🙃
Wow! Thank you. I don’t know why, but I’m tired and out of sorts. Escaping to Innkeeper for a bit was like a refreshing breeze. Such a collection of interesting tidbits in this chapter. Thanks again.
Will the Assembly and the Arbitration groups work together to battle these corrupt ad-hals?
Seems that these creatures are a big threat to both groups.
Can’t wait until Fridays! So exciting. Maybe we can find what happens to Michael and if Klaus joined the Arbitrators as a way to help find their parents as well as discover who is targeting ad-hals.
Klaus is in so much trouble
A joy to read as always!!
And it doesn’t matter how many times I read ‘Gorvar’ my brain always goes ‘Grover!!’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grover
I am listening to Hidden Legacy series again, and have a Cesar question. Hope we can pivot at some point, or I can be directed to a fan group.
Hey Barbara,
As I advised when you previously asked this, you are welcome to ask your question in any comment section, I read all the comments and keep a list of Qs 🙂
You can also email it to me directly at modr@ilona-andrews.com if it’s more convenient 🙂
Well now I can’t resist. I just finished rereading the hidden legacy books and I was wondering how far ahead the authors plan their character’s arc. As an example, did they know when we first met Cornelius that his original family name was Hamelin? Or was the Hamelin/Harrison similarity just a happy coincidence?
Love the way this story is unfolding. Thank you!
Thank you. Love it!
I am missing something. Where did Dina see George raise dead? I don’t remember that in the previous book in the series.
Also, somebody mentioned Christmas scenes? Where can I read those?
Can’t wait for next Friday! Great chapter.
George raised the dead of Nexus in Sweep in Peace, Chapter 15. I pasted a quote of it above if you look through the comments.
We get an Inn Christmas in One Fell Sweep 🙂
I hope this helps (and inspires a reread 😁)
Definitely! Thanks
sorru if it gas been asked before. Is the name Gorvar inspired from Swedish (might be similar in other nordic languages) “gårdvar” (older word for warchdog).
I love the smart chicken. Could there be a bigger contrast!
So clever. Hope all is well in your world. And thank you.
Love it. Thank you. 🙂
Ahhhh!! So amazing. I love it!!
Thank you again for this lovely chapter. I hope this story will be pubshiled some day. I can’t wait to read another Dina Book 😊
I waited till everything was done, all was quiet, and I was alone so I could give this chapter the attention it deserved.
Dayum…the plot twists keep hitting
Bravo!
Good afternoon, love reading these episodes many many thanks for your generosity…. am I missing something as I don’t remember reading ‘anything’ about Klaus and Michael….? I thought I’d read “everything” put out by the author lords. But I maybe be mistaken, after the last ending mentioning Klaus I have been waiting with bated breath. So again thank you, edging a little closer to that mystery. FYI… I am in south- western Australia and it’s HOT, just thought I’d mention the weather after reading in last week’s comments about snow cold etc. Last week I got in my car and it read 46° inside!!!
Thanks MMB
I’m pretty sure Klaus and Michael were best friends (when they were teenagers and still living in Dina’s parents’ inn) and Michael also was the one who helped Dina when she was mobbed in school. And Michael was the inkeeper who attacked Dina and Sean on the Bazar in Book 3 as well.
Hey Meriel,
You can read about Michael in One Fell Sweep, in chapters 8, 9 and 14.
He is the corrupted ad-hal that attacked Dina and Sean in Baha-Char.
Once they defeat him and bring the corpse back to Gertrude Hunt for analysis it is revealed he is Michael Braswell, a childhood friend of Klaus’.
I hope this helps 🙂
So, now both sisters know. YES! Klaus, you should clearly run ;D
This was a blast to read. Went back and re-read from Chapter 1. Woo-hoo, so much to enjoy!
If Dina is going to be mad at her brother, I both wonder and fear how Maud is going to react to this. She’s clearly the more militant of the two sisters in that family.
Yes to having More of George & Jack! Love the developments and can’t wait for next Friday. I wonder when we’ll see them all in one place and I’m sure I saw a post somewhere about whether they’ll find out what happened to their parents.
Without needing to read any further (but naturally I will anyway)
I can say that I will be purchasing this book as soon as I can (pre-purchase of course)
I just get drawn into these tales. Entertaining in all respects and the humour has me laughing out loud..Cannot wait for more.
hello, Getting more and more interesting…Tchau
Hooray! George is back!
Good stuff, as ever. Thanks so much for giving us all something to look forward to! I think many people really need that right now.
Did anyone else notice that the last picture of Minou Camille on the cat-page foreshadowed the sphinx? Or maybe it is just a coincidence?
Thanks again!
Yay George! And Klaus! The consequences for a waylaid brother will be epic on two fronts.
SQUEEEE! Yes, I’m a few days late…oh poor Klaus has no idea of the tongue lashing he is about to get, I feel a smidge sorry for him. Just a smidge. Micro smidge.
So amazing! Thank you for bringing the Arbitrators back, I love them! Can’t wait for the next one:)
Poor, poor Klaus… thanks for the chapter!
Awesome! Is always good to see George!
I don’t know if he just let that tidbit slip for sleep deprivation or because of one of his plans.
Pitch a fit!
Ja!
Gertrude inn will tremble with the ire of the inkeeper!
Thanks so much!
I love to see how the story line of the ad-hals is going forward.
I presume that is related to the banishment of Dina’s parents.
See ya!
Hey Maia,
Did you mean disappearance? We don’t know that they were banished by anyone or what happened to them in general (not yet anyway) 😊
Aaaaah George, yesssssss! I re read the edge books recently so this makes me so happy 🙂 🙂 🙂
*Happy Dance*
Klaus is getting much worse than cold water if he ever comes to the Inn.
“Oh the mini snow storm sleeting and freezing around you? No idea why that is happening, maybe the Inn is reacting to something I’m feeling.”
This was an absolutely delightful chapter. I love how Dina handles George. Klaus is in sooooo much trouble though.
Oww how cool is that!! I love it and can`t wait!! Many thank and also George being back!!
Had a crazy weekend so didn’t see this till Monday! Absolutely thrilled to see George again and can’t wait to meet Klaus.
Wait! Was reading through the responses, someone mentioned that Dina’s parents were banished. Did I miss something?
Hey Kelly,
I see Maia’s comment from earlier 🙂. You didn’t miss anything, we do not know anything new (yet) about the parents’ disappearance.
Not everyone here is a native English speaker (including me), sometimes terms will be used a bit fuzzily 😊.Safe space for all.
This is so well done. I adore the Innkeeper series, the hardest part is waiting for the next book or installment to come out. I just found out about these weekly chapter releases. I’m looking forward to trying out the apple pie recipe.
Poor George, wondering what horrible intergalactic event he is trying prevent/undo now? Wonder if Jack and Gaston will come and help?
So hard to wait!
I love these books! I am so glad I discovered your writing! I am so excited your are adding to this series.
Waiting for the next chapter is torture. I would pay to read your shopping lists.
I thought George’s younger brother was the necromancer. The younger brother had brought all those dead birds back to life and was slowly dying because he was sharing his life energy with all the critters and his grandfather.
Hey Linda,
No, the boy you are thinking of was always George. He was the oldest brother, but he was indeed sickly and frail because he maintained his grandfather and all the little creatures that had died with his necromancy powers.
Jack, his brother, is a lynx shifter. He is the younger brother but he was physically stronger and has always protected George.
Here is a little short scene of the two of them in school to refresh your memory, although ofc Edge rereads are encouranged 😊 https://ilona-andrews.com/george-and-jack-in-school/
Jinx. You owe me a soda.
Hehe, I was thinking of you actually because I have Sailor Moon soda!
OMG!
You have the two brothers confused. George is the older of two brothers. He is a necromancer, blond, blue-eyed, and elegant. Jack is the younger brother. He is a werelynx with russet hair. 🙂
I was kind of looking forward to the conversation between Sean and Dina and the female werewolf after the sphinx
I am just so excited for this installment to the innkeeper series. I have read (and reread and reread..) everything IA has ever written, but the Innkeeper series is just pure happiness. It has gotten me through breakups and other assorted life nastiness. Just 100% happiness every time I step into this world. Thank you for this!!!
I cannot wait for this book to be released!
Missed george story since the edge and how he grew up to be an arbitrator. Awesome character n outstanding necromancer. Hope more stories about him will come out. Thank you so much house andrews.
I’ve recently finished reading the series and for the life of me could not figure out when George raised the dead. Thank you for the quote.
Outstanding, as always. My favorite series
How can you top perfection? Write another chapter.