The Ascenders: A Red Wraith Prequel

A rabble-rouser with burn scars marring his neck and face. A runaway slave who limps and mutters to himself. Another exile, this one riddled with pockmarks and accompanied by a dirty seagull. A dowser who braids her hair in elaborate patterns threaded with blue flowers.

What do these outcasts—these reluctant witches and warlocks and shamans—have in common? They’re about to find out.

And it will cause them to love, fight, and kill each other.

Please note:

- An earlier version of this novella won an Honorable Mention from the Writers of the Future Contest in 2015.
- The current iteration doesn’t fully resolve on its own—it’s meant as a lead-in to The Red Wraith (a full-length novel set in an alternate Early America).