Showing results by author "Krystle Matar" in All Categories

Tashué’s faith in the law is beginning to crack. Three years ago, he stood by when the Authority condemned Jason to the brutality of the Rift for non-compliance. When Tashué’s son refused to register as tainted, the laws had to be upheld. He’d never doubted his job as a Regulation Officer before, but three years of watching your son wither away can break down even the strongest convictions. Then a dead girl washed up on the bank of the Brightwash, tattooed and mutilated.

Fear is universal—a shared human experience that provokes awe, curiosity and terror. It feeds our anxieties, elevating our heartbeats and driving the instinct to survive. But what are we afraid of—and why? Each story in this anthology seeks to answer that question, blurring the boundaries between horror and fantasy fiction.

It all started with the girl from the river: mutilated, tattooed, murdered. Tashué couldn't help but look for answers. In the process, he uncovered the ugly truths being hidden by the very law he used to believe in—the law of the Authority. Now he's fighting for his life. Mere survival isn't enough; he desperately wants to save his son from the Authority, and he wants revolution—at any cost.

These stories wrestle with the experience of loss—of loved ones, of relationships, of a sense of self, of health—and forge a path to hope as characters fight their way forward. From bestsellers and SPFBO finalists to rising voices, 13 exceptionally talented authors explore the many facets of grief and healing through the lens of fantasy and sci-fi.