Mark smiled pleasantly, dipping his hand into the tray of olives and pulling one out.  Honestly, he considered the sweet fruit to be disgusting in the worst sort of way, but this was no time to be ungracious.  This was a time for cordiality, and more than a little discretion.

Abigail and Haatim drive toward Raven's Peak. Abigail reveals Council of Chaldea and Hunter organization, explaining Haatim's father's hidden role. They stop in dying coal town for information. At bar, Abigail overhears college kids at campground, strange woods activity, ghost town ruins.

Read Shadows of the Past from The Ninth Circle by Lincoln Cole. History returns to haunt the present. Old sins demand payment. Free to read on llitd.com.

Interlude split into two parallel narratives. Bret discovers abandoned original Raven's Peak town in forest, enters old church showing violence signs, awakens entity. Fleeing to mining tunnels, he encounters supernatural presence that possesses him.

Abigail and Haatim locate Sara, a child marked by Arthur's supernatural binding. Using a hypnotic crystal, Abigail bridges the supernatural connection to Sara, attempting to find Arthur's location. The connection attacks with overwhelming force, nearly killing Abigail.

Read The Price of Power from The Ninth Circle by Lincoln Cole. Everything has a cost and power demands sacrifice. A reckoning comes. Free to read on llitd.com.

Read First Blood from The Ninth Circle by Lincoln Cole. The first casualty falls and the real fight begins. Survival is far from certain. Free to read on llitd.com.

Arrival at remote Colorado cabin. Preparation for interrogation. Haatim confronts Abigail about torture ethics. Delaphene awakens. Abigail reveals dried verbena Isis Tears.

Read The Making of a Hunter from The Ninth Circle by Lincoln Cole. A character becomes dangerous in their own right. Training ends. Free to read on llitd.com.