Note: commercial airlines fly at 30,000 feet. Private jets fly higher, with the midsize jets specifically flying at 41,000-45,000 feet.
The plane shuddered as it hit an air pothole. Elias put his hand on the maps spread out in front of him on the table to keep them from sliding off. Across from him, Leo sat very still, his eyes unblinking. His XO didn’t like planes. It wasn’t the flying; it was the lack of control. And if he mentioned it, Leo would just feel more self-conscious and withdraw deeper. Comfort and logic didn’t work for times like these, but distraction did wonders.
Elias turned his attention back to the maps. The sooner he sorted through his thoughts, the faster he could put Leo’s sharp mind to analyzing the Elmwood disaster instead of focusing on being stuck in a metal tube hurtling through the atmosphere 40,000 feet above the ground.
Gate dives had stages. Of all of them, the Assault phase was the main and most important. Humanity entered the gates to destroy the anchor and collapse the breach. Everything else was secondary to this goal, no matter how much some people wanted to twist it. Yes, mining paid the bills, but the focus of the mission was to keep the invasion at bay.
Like many others, Elias felt the anchor the moment he stepped through the gate. It tugged on him, a knot of energy, a distant nexus of power that demanded attention. The stronger you were, the more it pulled on you. Not every gate diver sensed it, and the majority of those who did barely felt it. To them it was a spark, a firefly winking somewhere in the distance. To Elias, it was inescapable, like an evil sun. It called to him, and he hunted it down until he cut through its defenders, forced his way into the anchor chamber, and shattered it.
The trick wasn’t just carving a bloody path to the anchor. The real challenge was to destroy the breach and come out alive. Successful gate dives required preparation. It began with the DDC, who measured the energy emissions of a gate, graded its threat level, and assigned a DeBRA and a guild.
Once Cold Chaos received the assignment, the gate became their problem. An assault team, a mining crew, and an escort was determined, and a gate coordinator was chosen to handle the logistics and keep everything running smoothly.
The assault team deployed to the gate and began the first official phase, the Survey. They progressed carefully into the breach and identified the most likely route to the anchor and promising mining areas. They cleared the mining sites, mapped as much of the immediate environment around them and the gate as was feasible, and came back out.
The next stage was called R&R: Rest and Regroup. Each breach was unique. Open air biomes required larger groups. Cave biomes called for a smaller force with higher individual firepower. Some people didn’t do well in dark enclosed spaces. Others couldn’t swim or had trouble with heights. The assault team reshuffled its roster based on their findings. They reviewed their survey with the escort captain, the mining foreman, and the DeBRA, and then they rested for 24 hours.
After the R&R, the Assault stage finally began. The assault team went back into the breach, swept the mining site one more time, sent a scout back to give the mining team an all-clear, and pressed on toward the anchor. An hour after they entered, the mining crew, the DeBRA, and the escort walked into the breach, made their way to the mining site, and began stripping. A rich site would mean a steady flow of carts filled with resources out of the gate.
If everything went according to plan, the assault team would reach the anchor and destroy it. Without the energy of the anchor, the breach would begin to degrade. The assault team would have to haul ass to the gate, usually sending a scout ahead to warn the mining team to wrap up operations. The breach typically collapsed within 12-36 hours.
That wasn’t what happened in Elmwood.
Radio communications did not work in the breaches, so every assault team carried a “cheesecake,” a beeper stone. Beeper stones occurred in the steppe and mountain biomes and had a core of denser material running through them. When shocked with electricity, they glowed and vibrated. If you broke a piece off and then shocked the core of the main stone, the broken-off piece would also light up and vibrate. Distance didn’t seem to matter. As long as both fragments were in the same breach, shocking the core would activate the other chunk. The first gate diver who discovered this effect compared it to the Cheesecake Factory’s restaurant pager and the name stuck.
The moment the cheesecake was activated, the assault team would know that a fatal event occurred, and they were being recalled. It was the breach equivalent of an SOS. They would turn around and head back for the gate.
The mining crew died less than an hour after entering the gate. As soon as London and the rest made it out, the gate coordinator went into the breach with the core stone, shocked it, and then returned to shock the core stone every half hour for three hours. The assault team was barely two hours into their trek to the anchor. They never came out. It meant only one thing: everyone was dead.
Elias peered at the mining site map. Compasses didn’t work in the breaches, so traditional directions didn’t exist. Instead, the moment you entered, you faced north and the gate behind you was always due south. It was obviously simplified but it worked, and all breach maps followed this principle.
The cave biomes were Elias’ least favorite, and this one was a fucking maze. A tangle of tunnels, passages, and chambers, resulting from eons of erosion as water shaved and carved the stone.
Some people theorized that the breaches were artificial, generated environments, constructed specifically to invade Earth. He never believed in the artificial breach theory. It was bullshit. He’d gone into too many breaches and seen too much. The complexity of the bio systems they encountered was incredible, far too intricate for any artificial construct. No, the breaches were chunks of some other world, maybe worlds, complete with their inhabitants and their own weird rules of survival. And this breach was a perfect example of that. It was old and filled with valuable deposits and extremely dangerous hostiles.
On the surface, Malcolm, the leader of the assault team, had followed the Cold Chaos protocol. The assault team surveyed, they R&R’d, they reentered and swept the mining site for the second time, then started toward the anchor. But the more Elias looked into what actually happened, the wonkier it appeared.
The map in front of him showed Malcolm’s chosen anchor route, which ran almost straight north into the breach. The mining site lay off to the east, roughly a mile from the gate, at the end of a branching tunnel. It was a massive cavern with a stream running north to south. The map showed an entrance in the lower left, through which the mining crew accessed the site, and three tunnels in the north, at the top of the map. The assault team had mapped the tunnels up to half a mile, revealing a tangle of passageways, pits, chambers, and tunnels, half of them carrying running water.
Map of the Mining Site
Determining a good mining area was more art than science. The Cold Chaos guidelines for cave biomes dictated that only the larger caverns could be designated as mining sites. The guild lost too many people in tunnel collapses. The mining site had to be safe and defendable, it couldn’t be too far from the gate, and it had to have a good mix of promising minerals identifiable by sight and an abundance of vegetation in case the minerals turned out to be trash. The weirder the site looked, the more promising it would be.
Things would have been so much simpler if they could hire their own assessors, Elias reflected. As it was, they were forced to play the guessing game. That’s why most assault teams identified at least 3 sites.
Malcolm had only picked one.
Elias examined the top edge of the cavern one more time.
Nothing in this world was free. They were never going to go into a breach with fluffy bunnies and rare, priceless resources. The unspoken rule was, the more valuable the find, the harder it would be to extract. Malcolm knew this. He wasn’t sloppy, he wasn’t careless, and yet here they were.
Elias looked at Leo. His XO leaned forward slightly.
“You are Malcolm,” Elias said.
Leo nodded.
Most people assumed that the tank was always the leader. Something about a warrior putting themselves in the path of a threat and soaking up damage while shielding others naturally lent itself to the leader role in people’s imagination. In reality, tanks were almost always too focused on combat to be effective leaders. They were the tip of the spear, and they usually had their hands full.
His own Talent, the Blade Warden, straddled the line between a tank and a damage dealer. He could play either role. On paper, he paid for this versatility with reduced effectiveness. A pure tank Talent, like Sentinel or Protector, of the same power level, could take more damage than Elias. A pure damage dealer, a Pulsecarver or a Stormsurge like Leo, would wreck more havoc. But in the breach, the value of his versatility skyrocketed. He had led teams while tanking – he would do it again in Elmwood – but given a choice, he preferred to go in with a dedicated tank.
Most team leaders were either midfielders or ranged fighters. The ability to survey the terrain was paramount.
Malcolm was an Interceptor, a maneuverable, fast damage dealer. He positioned himself behind the tank, which allowed him to rapidly respond to the changing battlefield. He fought with a spear, could summon plasma javelins, which he hurled at incoming threats, and could teleport about twenty yards once every hour or so.
The man had an uncanny situational awareness. He was slightly precognizant, anticipating the enemy’s actions as well as his team’s. He could predict how and where an opponent would attack and how his people were likely to respond to it. He sensed when someone would need assistance, and he was always where he was needed the most. His only flaw as a team leader was that occasionally he made impulsive decisions. Nine times out of ten, he reacted as expected but once in a while he would roll the dice. To his credit, he was good enough to compensate when his gamble didn’t pay off, but he’d come close to disaster a couple of times.
Elias tapped the map of the mining site. “You find this site. You sweep it. It’s clean. Your next move?”
“I set up aetherium charges in these three tunnels and detonate.”
Exactly. “Why?”
Leo swept his fingers across the three passages veering and branching off, some paths spiraling, others ending abruptly.
“It’s a mess. Everything is connected. The only way to secure the mining site is to prevent access completely. One way in, one way out.”
“Agreed. Malcolm would have known that.”
“Yes.”
The two of them peered at the map. This was basic shit, and yet Malcolm left the tunnels as they were.
“Why?” Elias murmured.
“I don’t know.”
“What’s your best guess?”
Leo considered the map. “Perhaps he was unsure whether he picked the right path to the anchor and thought he might have to double back and take one of the tunnels instead.”
“Yes, but with the firepower in that team and the mining crew’s equipment, he could easily reopen one of the entrances after collapsing it. Why gamble with the miners’ lives?”
Leo shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Next question: why only one mining site? The protocol suggests at least three. Why this one?”
Leo thought about it. “You think he found something in that cave? Something he had to have?”
“That’s the only thing that would make sense.”
In Malcolm’s place, Elias would have spent another three days on a survey and then doubled back and collapsed those tunnels. Then and only then would it have been safe to bring in the miners. Yes, there would be red tape, and they would have to explain to the DDC why they took their time, but in the end, lives wouldn’t be lost. Instead, Malcolm charged in, pushing the mining crew to the site as soon as the guild regulations allowed.
Leo eyes flashed white. The moment he was left to his own devices, he would take a deep dive into Malcolm’s life. Leo took mysteries as a personal challenge,
Elias leaned back. “Let’s say Malcolm glitched out for some reason. He gets impulsive once in a while, but London doesn’t.”
Leo nodded. “London is careful and risk averse.”
Risk averse. Interesting way to put it. Elias would have to remember that.
The XO frowned. “When the team came out with the survey, London would’ve had to sign off on it. He is the escort captain.”
“Exactly. Did you ask him about it?”
“No. It didn’t occur to me.” A hint of frustration showed on Leo’s face. He was his own worst critic. “I should have. It seems obvious in hindsight.’
The intercom came to life. “We’re beginning our descent into Dallas.”
“Don’t worry too much about it,” Elias said. “London isn’t going anywhere. In a few hours we will ask him about that. And a lot more.”
Leo nodded and buckled his seat belt.
First?
Certified 🥇
The plot thickens! It seems like protocols were not followed? I wonder what happened to would cause some of these seasoned vets to veer off course so dramatically. I hope we get to see the Elias/London conversation/interrogation.
I also hope our dynamic duo is faring okay in the caves right now.
There are few reasons to ditch safety protocols in a situation like this. The one that fits best is personal gain.
+1000
Yes! Maybe the assault team found the gold when crossing the stream? When Ada tells them about the adamantite, one of the miners really doesn‘t want to let go of the gold and she thinks about gold fever being a real thing. Could be a hint by HA…
I really would not be surprised to find out they knew about the gold before the miners went in. The Adamantite was a bonus they had no clue about.
But not dropping the exits before showing the miners the way? That’s really breaking protocol and really suspicious.
Personal gain or bribes to do so by *other* players… plot thickens! I do want to see the match up against London, watching for his ‘tells’… but I I know now (thank you author lords!) there IS a way to locate your self in the breach AND be tracked so to speak…Still question if you thought rescue was coming in where you would position yourself… do you go to the anchor (provided you know they never came out?) and wait for some to arrive to close it down? Might work. Do you go for the entrance? Well, but if you are like Ada you are running blind so to speak, as you’ve got no map. But voila now we know there IS a sort of map…I’m guessing some sort of super valuable find. As for Malcom, did HE make it out with London? Hum… indeed!
Malcolm did not make it out, he is dead 🙂
I wonder if Mitch found out about the adamantium some how? Is so he would want the miners working as soon as possible to get the big score . But why not collapse the tunnels. Unless he was being controlled by a third party
Malcolm 🙂
Sooo many questions. Why did Malcolm go against protocol? I’ve seen some theories about them seeing some really valuable things they weren’t willing to give up. And I’m not sure about that theory. Unless, do the people in a breach mission get a commission from mined materials? like do you get paid the more you mine? (hope I’m making sense)
A part of me thinks the Elias/London show down won’t go as well the BDH thinks it will. most people are expecting Elias to go in there and figure London and his lies out immediately. but with the other lady corroboratimg his story Elias might be forced to take them at their word. his intuition will tell him something is off but he can’t act on it because all his has is their witness statement. But it will be satisfying when Ada comes out of the breach and proves London as a liar. might even be more satisfying that way. Although it might end up being Elias going into the breach to see things for himself, but once he sees the explosion that blocked Ada’s easy way out he’s gonna know the truth too…
And they WILL see the explosion because they need to get the bodies out, and they will look very hard at the scene inside, where people fell and just HOW they died. Hopefully nobody touches the evil sentient cloaks on the aliens. London will need to do some very fancy talking indeed but I think the best he can hope for is to get fired. And not get sued by the families of all the ones he killed or abandoned.
Yay
First
so excited for this to Lanvin my weekend!
Yay! Fabulous Friday!!!!
So close!!!
First?
Well, shoot! Not even close, but yay! Bear and Ada.
Lol – I missed first by a mile!
Interesting. More please?
On Monday 🙂
I still feel very spoiled this comes out twice a week!
Same here! Honestly is such a bright spot and makes me look forward to seeing what is happening next!
I agree! Thank you!
Team Dushgub says “Must have more now. We will mine and consume all in breach. Do you wish to discuss?”
😂 +1
🤣 +1
Now with: “Extra Bright Conspiracy Theories!”
That’s basically Team Facts Be Damned-Catnip, right? 😉
Woohoo! Can’t wait to read. 😀
Oooh, boy. Someone got greedy.
Can’t wait for London to have to answer questions!
I am SO ready to hear what he has to say!!!
Great start to the weekend
Great start to the weekend!!!
Thank you again for the read. As I said last week, it’s getting more and more interesting.
If the plot gets any thicker, we’ll need to dig ourselves out.
Cheesecake pager. 😂😂😂
That. Is. Genius.
Isn’t it?! I lurve that concept so damn much! 🤩
The Horde devours…Quantum Entanglement Cheesecake of Breach!
I know! It’s such a great bit of worldbuilding. *chef’s kiss*
It’s one of those moments where I just fall head over heels again with IA writing, as if I’m not in a long committed relationship already :D.
First time I remember it so vividly, it was the Honeycomb in Magic Burns and the idea that the trailers were fused and multiplying under magic like living cells. I had to put the book down and sit there in awe for a minute.
Me too, Mod R! That’s still one of my very favorite “THIS is why I love anything written by HA!” examples when I am trying to explain my somewhat rabid (and by that I mean TOTALLY rabid) membership in the BDH!!!!! 😂 💕💕💕
+1000♡
So that’s two people not following protocol, increases the odds of trouble.
Yep.
Wow. The plot thickens. Thank you again House Andrews for this wonderful serial. I’m thoroughly enjoying it although I’m incredibly frustrated at the cliffhangers and “dying”to get to the end ASAP,(then plan to reread and savor) as usual. 👵🏻😺🥰
I have no idea why but I love the analysis chapters the most. The interplay between Leo and Elias *chef’s kiss* the excellent world info without becoming tedious. ahhh I wake myself up at 7am now on Mondays and Fridays just for the next chapter. it’s soo sooooo sóoooooo good!!!
I know right?! Don’t get me wrong, I really like Ada (and Bear!) but the Elias/Leo bits… I am intrigued by their interactions 😊
(Yes, I think it was mentioned earlier the story is not going to majorly feature Elias though I might’ve misinterpreted that, this isn’t about that, simply stating I really enjoy the writing 😊)
There is a lot more Elias now since everyone liked him so much. 🙂
Thank you, the scenes with Elias provide backstory and a pause from the visceral scenes with Ada and Bear trying to find the way out.
Real jump scare territory achieved with those scenes.
Oh, thank you! Yes, I too am one of those fans I guess 😉😊
That makes me think the Ada/Elias shipping was all for nothing if he wasn’t originally in this much. Does BDH move on to Ada/Leo or is it Ada/Bear 4EVA?!
Shipping is never for naught! ⛴️
I don’t think they mean less Elias overall, maybe more like we didn’t have much from his pov before but there is now. maybe? hopefully?
Yay! That “hmm” is what did it for the Horde. 😀
Indeed, the ‘hmm’ added just the little something to make us focus on Elias.
And with this chapter I am so glad that we’ll get to see more of him now – he does kind of steal the scenes together with his XO.
And makes me almost forget to worry about Ada and Bear in the Breach while they are teying to solve the mystery on the way to the site.
Thank you for this adventure, it’s really amazing.
I think Elias’ hmmm gives all us women a butt wiggle
You and Gordon are just too kind. This makes my heart so happy.
We love Elias with Leo interactions, not shipping for romance, its just like a fine musical duet where the voice blend and complement so darn beautifully producing amazing results. Now, just imagine them in the breach fighting as a team or hunting down miscreants out side the breach…..dream team… sigh oh sigh.
slightly off tangent but their relationship makes me think of Ren Tsugura and his manager in Skip Beat. They just play off each other so well
Yay to more Elias!
Shish-booom-bah!
Ship-ping, ship-ping,
rah, rah, rah!
(that, and righteous comeuppance anticipation)
I think it is the competence. To quote Ramona “A man who has his shit together”. And the loyalty to his people. A good leader.
yeah!!!
I don’t know what it is but I keep going back to re-read the Elias POV scenes so hearing there will be more makes me really happy. Thank you
Why Thank you HA.
I forget at times that this is a work in progress.
Love the “cheesecake”! This is really good!
Oh my. Employers / associates not following protocol. Biiig repercussions, well no further repercussions for Malcolm and the rest of the assault team. But Mr. London why why why….
In real life a serious event with loss of life is (often / seemingly) needed every 10-15 years in a dangerous trade to affirm that yes, the rules exist for a really good reason.
But a very good scene maybe setting the stage for a showdown.
employees, not employers 🙂
But they are probably more like share holders, since it’s a guild.
Where’s the anchor on the map!
Meant to be a question mark….
The anchor is deep inside the breach. The map only shows the mining site. The cave is a labyrinth. It’s very large and the anchor is somewhere in the distance. They sent an assault team in to find and destroy. While they are looking for it, the miners are mining for the minerals. When the assault team finds the anchor and destroy it, the caves will collapse, so they need to retrace their step, grab the miners, and get out.
Ouch! Didn’t understand that the map was only showing the mining site. Assumed “Entrance” was the entrance to the breach and that the map was showing the mapped results of the complete survey done.
I can see how it would be confusing. 🙂 I will label it.
So wait….the whole biome collapses after they decimate the anchor, not just the opening? Wow….
More thoughts (not a hint, I swear): One wonders what happens if they ended up in Roland’s pocket dimension.
Now, there’s a nifty thought! I expect the result would depend on his mood; either they could be treated as unexpected guests or as uninvited intruders. Not that it’s at all likely, it is fun to ponder.
London gonna get some ripper cushions. Can’t wait for Monday!
The term ‘ripper cushions’ will never get old…….
It is already classic, however.
Great part. It was fun to learn more about how things work.
So it’s a conspiracy! Oooo getting even more interesting. Thanks so much! I’m really enjoying this.
Interesting ….
I wonder if London will skip before Elias arrives.
that neither Malcolm nor London followed protocol and sealed off those other cave entrances.
Yeah – I think London will have gone AWOL when they arrive
I agree. One of the messier AWOL options is dead. But then we wouldn’t get to see Elias interrogate London.
Though it sounds like Malcolm wouldn’t be able to assess. I guess the pre-cog part could have indicated that it was the biggest haul, but how sure are we that this was the biggest bounty?
So excited to see what happens next.
But lets be real, in shipping fever, Elias and Ada are my OTP. Competence is hot, and he has a great respect for her work even if they haven’t met in person.
I believe Elias says that he has worked with Ada before. I am guessing that the pluck decision to work her own way out will elicit admiration and open up the door to development of a relationship.
They have not worked together previously but he is aware of who she is by reputation 🙂
I am so invested in this. Can’t wait for the book(s) (hint hint).
House Andrews said it’s likely to be published this summer 🙂 !
❤️
!!! Yesssssssssssss what a lovely treat!
Yahoo!
Looking forward to the release!
Barsa! Barsa! Barsa!
Thank you thank you!! We are so unworthy but will devour!
Is it being indie published like magic clams? AND AND will we get an opportunity to get it signed (squealing on the inside, because I already adore this story, no worries if not *just a super fan being a gremlin – ignore me*).
It will be self-published. For now we only have ebook format confirmed 🙂.
So much suspense…. So many questions…. Just devouring the story and waiting for when Elias meets up with Ada and Bear and they share information….
London is in so much trouble….
We will all speculate…. Is it industrial sabotage and is he leaving for another company, revenge for some imaged slight, is it…. ??? Why did he break the rules and leave Ada behind….
What all did Ada gain from her “mother” just what will her inheritance bring…
What will Ada and Bear experience before they are rescued or will they end up rescuing everyone….
I love everything written by house Andrews, there is soo much for the imagination, they paint such vivid and believable images with their words.
Thank you so much for giving us these wonderful snippets each week!!
Hearing about the inner workings of breach exploration is interesting. It also seems as if some funny business happened BEFORE the disaster in Elmwood. Curiouser and curiouser!
Thanks, House Andrews! Can’t wait for Monday’s installment!
This is a “our regulations are written in blood” moment, it feels like. The more we learn about how this was done incorrectly, the madder I get about the lives lost unnecessarily. Even with my Knowledge: Genre (a very powerful skill), I got very attached to the crew, even suspecting a near total party wipe. *sigh*
Thank you for this adamantite gem of a story!
+1
I couldn’t understand why Ada’s former friend was so quick to throw her entire crew under the bus. She was on it. They knew that after the attack, the breach of protocol was going to be revealed. They didn’t kill the miners because they were scared the monsters were getting out. They killed everyone because the dead don’t speak and couldn’t expose them.
Two miners also made it out with Melissa and London 🙂
From Chapter 4 (1): ” The assault team is presumed dead. We lost nine of twelve miners, four of the escorts, a K9 and handler, and a DeBRA.”
https://ilona-andrews.com/blog/the-inheritance-chapter-4-part-1/
Honestly, I just think she was terrified of dying and of leaving her kids behind. Most people say they’d do the right thing in a moment like that but there’s no way to know for sure until you are living in it.
She likely would have made it out without shoving her coworker out of her path and waiting for Ada to catch up but she’d rather have them dead than risk her life.
There’s definitely a contrast to the way they reacted to the situation. Ada is determined to make it back home and is terrified for her children. She also could have ran without warning the mining team.
She risked herself trying to comfort an abandoned dog and continues to do so by carrying that dog in a monster infested maze.
I’ve been in a situation (U.S.Army) where a group of us were in real danger of getting seriously hurt, and had to run away. Instead of shoving anyone out of the way, the frontrunners literally grabbed slower people, one on each side as numbers and space allowed and helped/dragged/pulled/carried them along, faster.
We learned this (well not exactly this) but trained and trained and trained to react in ways to assist each other in emergencies…
And your dog, if you have a war dog, is INVALUABLE. sniff out bombs ?? oh yes, Improvised mines? Why yes. Jumps out of plane with you? Why yes, yes they DO.. Great hearing, nose and other senses? Certainly knows when things that should not are lurking near and reads other people’s intent rather well (or smells intent)… cats too, but then.. cats are much harder to train, they are not as LOYAL to the humans..(tho yes, there are a few like the Cheeta trained to hunt with humans, but those are more dog than cat.. cat hardware running dog software, just like Foxes are dog hardware running cat software LOL)
Cats COMMAND training, they are rarely interested enough to SUBMIT to it
This is so true. You find yourself trained to open doors and feed, even when they’ve got a pet door and a FULL dish of kibble *right* there in front of them LOL. However did that happen? Wakey time is on their clock. You not up on time to feed me? We’ll see about that you lazy bones! No sleeping in on weekends. Pat, pat, with claws ever so slightly extended on the cheek… Or maybe its the ominous sound of a china figurine on a dresser moving closer to the edge? Or the sound of a hair ball being hacked up just staring up? At the food of the bed? LOL. Many ways to motivate the human to move and get up…Simon Cat Man Do.. video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0ffwDYo00Q Not sure a dog actually does this?
This is why I reluctantly give Melissa a smidge more slack than London because likely she wasn’t trained for situations like this and London definitely was. He was supposed to be the one person they could turn to in a dangerous situation and he, chill as a cucumber, lobbed a grenade straight at those he was supposed to protect so he wouldn’t have to risk his skin.
Ada handled things better than either of them and she was the least equipped to deal with it.
Yes, such a contrast in character – two mothers with very different responses.
Totally agree – you never know how you or anyone else will react to a situation until you’re in it.
Ah! Reading this piecemeal is so hard…
I am glad that the anchor was not destroyed. I was thinking it was and Bear and her human were on a time crunch and staying alive crunch. Now they have time to make it out. Love that s new series and as a former WoW player it has just enough video game stuff that I am starting to miss my gaming days.
Oh my! The plot thickens! Can’t wait to see what happens next!
I am so enjoying these chapters. Thank you!
Oh I can’t wait to hear what London has to say!
His a$$ is already in a sling getting ready to be released by Elias!
The plot thickens.
This was such a good snippet. It explains what technically should have happened in a way that sucks the reader in. I am so glad to learn more about the talents, too.
This is one of those cases where you should look for a money trail. I suspect Malcolm, London, or others sold out to a competitor.
I can’t wait for the Ripper Cushions to start.
I can’t recall the last time I was so eager for the next installment. Now I’m very curious what Malcolm and London are up to.
Thank you. Moving today, my back is shot and my stomach is wonky. So having this to read is great distraction. Thank you
Almost forgot the significance of it being Friday! I’ll just sit over here in the corner hanging my head in shame.
More and more it sounds that there is a conspiracy going on. mmmmm……corporate hijacking, someone else sneaking into a gate and raiding the mineral resources.
We use “risk averse” versus “risk tolerant” approach to justify choices at work all the time. Made me laugh to read it here ! Very different setting — that’s what makes your writing so great. It’s so almost real, so immersive 😎
Ack this section seemed so short! To good so I read it to fast! And the authors spoiled us with that last posting which was long and exciting
Thank you for this! I love your skill in getting information across without it turning into an info dump 😊
I am loathe to admit that all the mentioned classes/Talents were a tiny bit confusing to me, but then it’s a. been a rough day after b. a rough week in c. a rough couple months, so probably that’s a me-problem 🫠 because I have played enough RPGs/read enough webtoons that really, I should take that in stride… I blame my brain and the current state thereof.
No worries. It’s confusing if you are not a gamer. Update: edited for clarity.
When people manifest their abilities, they are called Talents. Talents can be combat and noncombat. Combat Talents come in several varieties but can be broadly sorted into 3 categories: tanks, damage dealers, and support.
Tanks are warriors with a lot of defense. They have shields and they are heavily armored They run up to monsters and get their attention.
Damage dealers deal damage. They are fighters and mages who try to destroy the monster while it concentrates on the tank.
Support are healers and buffers. Healer restore healthy and tend to wounds while buffers enhance other people’s abilities by making them stronger or faster or more resistant to damage.
Then there are Talents who fall between these classes and can assume dual role. Blade Warden is such a talent – it’s a tank/damage dealer hybrid. Let’s say there is a character who has great defense and can heal. They would be healer/tank hybrid, etc.
Noncombat Talents have weird funky powers are not usually classified. They tend toward talents like prospecting or determining if something is poisonous.
The ones with the dual talents remind me of the midfielders in soccer. Play both defense and offense as needed. Now please be kind, my son in law is a high school soccer coach and I am trying to learn the game. As a southerner of a certain age, volleyball, softball and basketball were the games I played and football and baseball games I watched so I think I have the role of a midfielder correct.
What about Assessors and the Mining Foreman, are they support? They don’t heal or improve anyone’s powers? Are the Miners Talents or just normal miners?
They are noncombat talents and they are not really classified into groups because they are so varied.
Thanks 😊 I appreciate the details!
Thank you for the explanation.
Me too, I am no gamer and I was very confused.
I hope that the Talents will be more explained in the upcoming story. I‘d like to know Leo‘ s abilities.
Normally I am very patient, but Not with this series.
I regret, that I did not buy a chalant Shirt.
I now would wear it all day. 😉
Thank you for the extra explanations. I am not a game player, but my children and grandchildren are. I have hoped that I have picked up enough information through the years that I actually understand. Your additional explanation reassured me that I am on the correct path. Thank you for writing and gifting this serial. My grandson has been trying to get me into reading Lit RPG for a few years now and is extremely happy that I am enjoying your story. I didn’t tell him that I would read anything you have written anytime, anywhere. Now he is staring his introduction to House Andrews with this story.(don’t worry, he is 22. Yes, I am ancient)
So good!!
Bet Malcolm had a scheme and London was in on it!
69 comments already within 1hr of posting! in the top 100 at least 🤣
inspired song choice on insta.
Way down to enjoy the snippet
The insta song choices are mostly puns, video games and social media in-jokes, because I have severe misophonia and can’t usually listen to music. I’m so happy when people say they like them 😀
Its one of my favourite songs and the title works with the pun as does the chorus. perfect choice.
I had to Google misophonia as I’d not heard of it. That sounds tough, esp given the noise levels and variation in London in all sorts of habitats and situations (I might have misremembered you being a Londoner (boy not team London the git) like me). def a good choice and I’ll probably pay more attention to any songs on future posts to see if I can catch the pun 🙂
ty! ty! protocol wasn’t followed? I’m interested in what Malcolm promised to get London and Melissa to stay in one cave to mine
Than you
Is air pothole a term others use? I found it hilarious
I’ve heard of air pocket, not air pothole, but it might be a regional expression. Air pothole sounds like a derogatory term that I might adopt. I know a couple of people who could be described as air potholes.
Yes me too. 🙂 Air pot hole is more, erm descriptive of what happens when you ‘hit’ one in a plane? bumpy bumpy and and down you you got, thankfully you’ve got your seat belt on, right? Oh? You were in the lav? So so sorry! Air pocket doesn’t cover it quite as well does it?
Muaa haa haa! I can’t wait until they pin that cowardly bug to a board! I am loving this series soooo much 🥰 I will be the first one say “Take my money!” when we can buy this 😆
First.
Not errr…quite. Sorry
I love the serials. Ihate the serials! This pause in particular is irritating. My impatience is very high. I want to see Elias deal with London! This is story is excellent. I’m truly loving it, thank you guys!
Ah, the Horde, in one isocolon: “I love the serials, I hate the serials.” 😀
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, we are beloved and we are tortured.
+ 1000
I know. Win keeps eluding us.
+1 to ♾️
So much this.
I NEEDED THIS series, and I love that I get something new (holy cow) twice (!!) a week, but the Gollum in me wantsssss the whole thingggggssssss nowwwwwwsssssss.
(Seriously, I’ve been on a real reading slump for a couple of months and I just gobbled this up and am loving it. Kudos!)
I am loving this. Monday is Bear and Ada and Friday is Elias and …..(Leo and London and …)
Thank you – Happy Momma’s day to all!
Happy, happy Friday!
On one hand, serials make it so you have to read at a slower pace and so you get to really take in every scene. Its also fun to get hyped with fellow horde members who are just as excited as you.
On the other hand…I am insatiable as every member of the horde. I try to be mature and patient, but man oh man is the anticipation is haaaaard lol.
Having to wait a few days to get the next part of an amazing story I know I’ll love is a nice problem to have.
Whoops somehow replied to the wrong person.
I am being completely immature regarding w**ting. Usually, I am fine about it. Not with this serial. I keep reminding myself we get TWO pieces a week. Sooo greedy. This story is amazing and all the other excellent comments already made. Thank you IA for sharing your brilliance. Note to self: it is only two more days until Monday.
Thank you..
This story has grabbed me and won’t let go
ohhhh I can’t wait for the next few chapters. London is screwed up badly.
I am SO invested in this. I need the instant gratification of reading a whole book and getting to the bottom of things, so this is killing me…but at the same time its so fun.
So true!
what did they wanted?
Sorry, Omar, what do you mean? 🙂
woah woah woah this is starting to sound like a bigger conspiracy than London just taking Melissa and running. I wonder if someone wanted to capture Ada? or wanted her dead?
I’ve enjoyed this play/interpretive dance. 😀
Argh! Setting the scene – vital … but I want MORE!!!! ( yes – I am whining! Don’t mind me – it has been a difficult week. )
Oh my good lord. I just binged these chapters so fast. THIS is why House Andrews are the best writers ever. I mean how the eff did they come up with this stuff. I’m obsessed and I will be begging for monday to come sooner.
In Admiral Ackbar‘s voice: „It“s a trap!“
It is very suspicious that all three leaders of the breach party are somehow in on this: assault, escorts and miners.
I“m sure, it“s all connected!
Based on the scant evidence we have so far, the mining leader might not have been in on the conspiracy (if there really is a conspiracy, which isn’t proven, but we all assume it to be true, cause that is the better story). Instead, the mining leader might simply be supporting London’s story to avoid sharing her murderous cowardice, making her an accomplice after the fact.
Yes!
Or they knew more, the Others did not. Because they run so fast.
I still feel Melissa and London were working together. If Ada was so important, why wasn’t London more concerned with saving her? It seemed like the plan may have been to kill her since Ada was close to getting out but Melissa told London to throw the grenade. Very suspicious. Love how the plot evolves and thickens. Would love to see more of this world and implications for Earth.
I am loving this story. So much involved in these Breaches, so much to think about. Enjoy the characters in it too.
I saw the new post, I read the new post, I had a good friday. Thanks guys!
I came. I read. I begged for more.
Anyone know Latin? I’m thinking that might be a good motto for the BDH.
Google says: Veni, legi, rogavi
I have no idea if this is correct 😁
and thank you for the Chapter, love this book already 😍🥰
My friend the Latin teacher says that “Veni, legi, oravi” would be more accurate, as translated “to argue, plead or beg”. Definitely evokes the Horde!
Perfection 😀
I attempted something with my 20-years-ago philology high school Latin but it came out too formal: Vēnimus, lēgimus, clāmāvimus: ‘Adhuc!’ (We came, we read, we shouted: More!)
Or Lēgī, nāvem fēcī, plūs petīvī – I read, I shipped, I begged for more 😀 – for those of us who jump on pairing romance as soon as we can.
+ 1!
So good!!!!
This is the first time we read aboutalcom, right?
Or did I miss something ?
I mean Malcom
We knew about the assault team, this is the first time we get the name of its captain though 🙂
Once again HA has created a world you can sink your teeth into. I’m definitely hooked! Can’t wait for Monday.
Every time I start reading one of these chapters, I forget that it’s only a segment. Coming to the end is like being hit on the side of the head with a cold fish. I don’t think I’ve ever been so quickly or completely immersed in a story, ever. I love the writing so darn much! Gloriously done, House, IA!
Sorry ModR. Can you tell me what I did wrong so that I don’t do it again? (Re: deleted post)
Sorry mz, I got distracted with dinner and forgot to send the email 🙏
We have a “no fanfic” rule on the blog https://ilona-andrews.com/blog-rules/ , which involves no linking to or writing scenes and dialogue for the characters in the comments.
Guesses and conspiracies are ok, actual character lines we try to leave for the authors 🙂.
Thanks so much for understanding!
Oh. OK. I didn’t know this. I will rephrase my guesses
It was funny! I liked it, but I’m with Mod R – we have to apply rules across the board. 🙂
This is sooooooo good .
Novella……. Novel ……… Series …
Just a suggestion.
Thank you so much HA for more amazing world building !
Omg, I loved, ‘Risk averse. Interesting way to put it. Elias would have to remember that’. One day soon there will be a reckoning for London and his actions and I’m so here for it!!
Also, fascinating how the dungeons excavation planning all works, great to see how Elias thinks.
Where this might be going guesses:
Malcolm finds very impressive stuff. Talks to London, who thinks he is too heroic to just be a follower. They decide to skip protocols and make a big score. Now the score is One Guy dead and One Guy soon to get (if there is any Justice) his comeuppance.
Re:Melissa: I think she was just scared s**tless and dumped everyone to run for her life. Hope she feels very guilty and ashamed.
Other than Ada, Bear seems to be the best entity in this story.
I approve this comment. 🙂
I understand the wanting to get the stuff but I don’t understand them not blowing the back three tunnels. Like if you knew you had a high value deposit in that mining area and you wanted a big pay out to get in there and get as much of it out as you could wouldn’t you want it to be as safe as possible to ensure that they got all of the valuable assets out? Was it a timing thing I wonder? Cutting corners so that the mining team would have more time? I’m not necessarily sure that I agree that the mining lead wasn’t in on it. I think that she could have been but I don’t think anyone on that team anticipated the robed attackers. That’s why everyone panicked.
thank you so much for this latest installment.
+1 to the commentor who said they really appreciate your talent for communication all the info in an interesting way without it turning into an info dump.
the blessing/curse of the serial is that we have 3 days in between installments to wonder and you scratched the itch!
and got me excited for the Elias/London smackdown.
And thank you for making it a monday/Friday posting instead of just fridays. much more bearable.
Happy mother’s day to you, Ilona. it sounds like you have awesome and amazing daughters, so I am sure they will let you know that.
But from the care and interest amd sacrifice and investment you let us glimpse on the blog from time to time, you are all Allstar in the mothering department too.
Did Malcolm die (or is, at this point, presumed dead) with the rest of the assault team?
Fabulous story and thank you for the 2x weekly posts!
So glad you had a wonderful vacation.
He dead!
Thanks, ModR!
Questions, yes. All the questions.
Thank you for the chapter!
Open air biomes sound (to me) even worse than cave biomes—where at least you can put your back to a wall…[hoping there hasn’t been something that comes THROUGH walls]
Love love love the careful step by step analysis…And appreciate the shout-out to us dweebs in logistics/admin/support.
Or, you know, something growing on the walls!
So London is risk averse and agreed to go mining with the 3 north tunnels opened, and while there stayed not too far of the entrance…
In addition to Malcolm and London, someone at DDC must be in too, having underestimated the treat level on purpose…
Thanks HA for the thickening of the plot!!!
Looking forward the next posts 🙂
Thank you so much!
I’m really hoping for the option of book and graphic novel on this one. Would love to see it illustrated!
I am LOVING this Monday/Friday release for this serial! It is the perfect start and end to my week! Thank you House Andrew’s!
Looking forward to London’s interrogation! Thanks for a great start to the weekend!
I’m loving this!!! I’m so excited to see what happens.
Questions, Questions, here’s hoping London’s and Malcom’s answers trip them up Big time, reckon Gold fever had a lot to do with Malcom not following the rules.
Ah! Thank you! I was wondering what happened when they emerged out of the cave, but the “open air biomes” answers that! The mystery thickens!
I am having so much fun with this! While yes the wait is a strain on my patience, the drip feed means I can make the whole thing last longer than my usual approach to new HA books – sit and read and read and read and resurface half a day later!
Yay for House Andrews you are LEGENDS!
Yay, new chapter! Thank you!!
What an amazing series! Thanks to Ilona and ModR for continued explanations – rly helps. So NOT a gamer. But: lesson of military history in every era – stick with the protocols and “everyone goes home.” The $$ pressure leading to ignoring clear safety rules also reminds me of Into Thin Air.
Here’s wishing Ada gets home for her Mother’s Day celebration (yes, I am deeply emotionally invested in a fictional character).
I am really enjpying this 🙂
Read it all from the onset, then feeling sorry that there was nothing to read I thought I will re read Hugh. So disappointed that that window has closed. So I re read this all again.
( I know, how pathetic)
I am happy to hear that you had a lovely vacation. I was unable to get online for some days so I was able to read the last three parts. This is an excellent story (as usual for HA). I hope Elias stomps London and thank you for giving Elias more story time. I hope that the plumbing issue is your only big dose of reality and you can bask in a post beach glow. Thank you for sharing this wonderful series.
Nice.
Who is Malcom? I remember London being mentioned, but not Malcom. Confusing.
This is the first chapter that mentions Malcolm. As the text above says “On the surface, Malcolm, the leader of the assault team, had followed the Cold Chaos protocol”. The assault team had been mentioned before, but not any of their names. Now we know the name of the assault team leader.
Thank you! The way he was described in this chapter, I assumed he had been introduced earlier in the book.
No need to be confused, the text introduces Malcolm and explains who he is 🙂. Maybe another reread?
I cannot wait for elias and leon to get ahold of london! And that other one who pushed the young mom so she could save her own ass. I hope they get their just desserts.
oh no is London going to be mysteriously dead or gone when they land
something in this breach is a mindf*cker.
Ooohh now *that’s* a concept I didn’t consider.
London is not going to enjoy a long and happy retirement.
Maybe “someone” included a hidden talent in one of the advanced teams, one that could read the environment like a DeBra.
TGIF! thanks for this. perfect way to start the weekend.
Hi all, apart from the London treachery and the possible conspiracy I Hope for the 1st meeting with a friendly race and possible allis.
that would be really worth it
House Andrews rocks, as always! Loving this story. Thank you! Can’t wait for the next installment, of course. We are BDH!
Hey, if Elias was working in Portland, and Ada was in Illinois, why is this plane landing in Texas? I’m missing something here.
Maybe it will be clearer om Monday …
This truly is a gripping story, with so much room for sequels.
No need,” Elias said. “I’ll take them in myself. Tell Krista I authorized triple rates. We can swing by Dallas and pick up Kovalenko.
from Chapter 4 Part 1 here https://ilona-andrews.com/blog/the-inheritance-chapter-4-part-1/
Thanks Mod R! I lost track of that bit of info.
Wonderful; thank you! I love the dual paths you’re taking with this.
I smell a conspiracy
This just keeps getting better
Loved the Cheesecake Factory detail. Loved reading out the tunnel process.
Really want to get to London’s answers!
as a person owned by a cat, I can confirm that a 12 pound cat on my shoulders is a notable burden. Ada is carrying an 80 pound dog??? She is clearly changed by the inheritance. She is seeing and doing things she couldn’t do before. She may be changed in appearance so much Elias may kill her as a threat….? ack. “Here is your inheritance, my son.” Was the dying lady previously an Earth human? There is so much going on in the background I really hope for a big series, even though I know Maggie is going to be awesome. what in the worlds is going on on the other side of the breaches?
audiobook please? eventually? in an anthology even? I 1000 agree with all the comments about how rollicking fun this is from the serialized anticipation to the great comments, questions, and responses. thanks to everyone for this group experience.
I am sooooo loving this particular story even though Ilona Andrews always puts out fantastic stuff! Gimme more, gimme more!
This is such a great story for a serial. I’m eating up every entry and chomping at the bit for the next installment.
Again, please do not cut this adventure short. This is book material. I am in line to buy.
Elias, tear a new one for London. I can hardly wait. Ada and Bear, awesome. Obviously Ada and Elias will save each others asses amidst great turmoil. More. More.
THANK YOU House Andrews !!
Yea.. the first words we see are from Elias. So I don’t think he’s going anywhere.
Love him. Love the cheesecake thing. Love having no understanding of what the “Inheritance” is or has done to Ada (a pink gem scooped out of the forehead of a scarily human-like humaniod? Magic sword bracer? WTF?)
This is badass.
Wishing all of the Ripper Cushions on Landon and Melissa, though I don’t believe they were necessarily the bad guys. As Ada thought, “He saw death, and he made a deliberate choice to save himself.” The lying about actually seeing her die smacks of CYA, which I hope will backfire spectacularly. I will relish it.
+1!
Maybe London was in debt to Malcom and the aggressive grey creatures gave London a perfect opportunity to clear the debt at the expense of the majority of the team.
Look forward to the next installment !! If this was in a book I would have eaten it up and read it in one go. Always enjoy Ilona Andrews work and so glad they keep plugging away.
My brain just wandered off the script and map so to speak. What if Ada’s inheritance from the Alien is a position of wardenship or rulership? A position where you function to guard others – unspecified others – from the dangers of the denizens of the ‘breach’. The alien lady might be functioning in such a position – and her job was/is to shut the breach down on her side, not Earth’s and contain any escapes/contamination of other worlds and/or hunt down the really dangerous ones (like the nasty fuzzy fungi parasite)? So basically police the breach, and maybe assist in stopping it from connecting to Earth? If that were the case, it is possible that gate divers HAVE had contact with these aliens, only it is being kept Mum so to speak so as not to cause a panic in the public. And no one knows how the breaches started happening… perhaps those Aliens had something magical go wrong on them, and that’s what started the breaches off to begin with? Just wandering and wondering… 🙂 As with all my favorite author lords books – there are so many many wonderful possibilities (and I never get the clues so, 🙂 I’m always surprised at the end).
I love the way Elias reframes the stakes: this is about humanity stopping the invasion by closing the breach and getting everyone out alive. Mining pays the bills, but it isn‘t the guild’s (or his) larger purpose. I went right back to the recruiting teaser that kicked it all off. His voice adds so much to the narrative.
And the badass „cavalry“ image teeing up Chapter 4’s introduction of Elias and Leo – squee! So cool and such a different vibe from Ada and Bear’s solo journey through the cave’s glowing, alien minefield.
Thank-you for this fantastic serial!
Totally agree – last week, craving more after that totally exciting Ada/Bear chapter, I reread the earlier chapters and saw Elias’s recruiting teaser. I got a real kick out of the “rediscovery.” I had forgotten that part! Shows Elias’s priorities. ♡
I’m enjoying this book so much. Thanks HA!
I hope we learn more about the human-like woman warrior who placed the gem in Ada’s forehead. It seemed to enhance her gifts, provide protection, give her strength and knowledge but what else? So many questions about Ada’s increased powers and why the woman said, assuming it was her who Ada heard, “Treasure your inheritance, my kind daughter.” I love how IA builds their stories always surprising me with new twists and turns. Can’t wait for more Elias and if he finds Ada or she saves herself. Also on edge waiting to find out if Melissa and London were just cowards or in on something much bigger. Genius! Really hoping this story is too good to end with just one book.
It was indeed the gem lady that Ada heard 🙂
DeBra – Hilarious – Almost as big as a Zebra!
It is getting very interesting and poor London may pay the price.
Ooo OOOO ooo I cannot wait for the Leo/Elias v. London face-off ! *cackles with glee*
Also, I am manifesting a Bear and London reunion. What will Bear do?? Ignore him? Growl and guard Ada?
Whatever Bear does is correct, because Bear knows, and IS, best.
Thank you! I’m loving Elias and Leo’s interaction. Interesting speculation…with many more answers needed. Loving the Horde’s comments too! 😁
This is getting more exciting with each episode. I am ready to buy and read the whole thing!! Thank you my favorite authors!
Things are very interesting.
Busy Friday, so just read the chapter and comments. Thank you for the explanation of the breach protocols and talents; I had a little anxiety with Ada and Bear wandering through the tunnels with no planned direction. Of course there would be set rules and regulations. So many layers in this storyline, as always the writing is amazing. Can’t wait for Monday!
Ok, I was officially addicted to this story by the first part of the last chapter. You have a way of describing character motivation and drive to survive that I think resonates with any parent that has gone through struggles. If you have kids depending on you, you have to just pick yourself up and keep moving forward no matter what. Just a quiet determination that is not bravery but the knowledge that other peoples lives are dependent on you, and that is more important than anything else. Ada has this in spades, and this type of character just speaks to my soul. Thank you always for your excellent writing that has ruined me for all others.
Man do you write well. Such delicious suspense. Can’t wait. You and Mobland are driving the suspense. Great serial. Thanks.
Ever chapter is more intriguing , I cant wait for the next one
It’s always people.
I’m loving this story! Can’t wait to see what happens next!
Love this. Can’t wait for more.
Can’t wait for more.
Can someone please explain why it’s called an ‘air pothole’ instead of turbulence?
It’s a stylistic choice. If you understood what it meant, it did its job 🙂
This is called poetic license. Fiction is not literal.
♥️ Thank you so much!♥️
I never cease to be amazed at the sheer creativity of HA. The diversity of settings, the interesting and engaging characters, the unexpected plots. very few authors create books that can be read over and over again. All hail HA.
Can we get Nevada Baylor to help when questioning London and Melissa…. can we transport her into this story to help???
If Nevada can’t make it, I vote for replacing her with Grandma Victoria. I am sure she wouldn’t mind.
Amazing as always. I look forward to buying this book eventually
Thank you for your gift. I am happily waiting to give you money once you finish this hopefully first of many stories…
This book is so immediately accessible and intriguing. I love that it goes deeper than London panicking in a moment of extreme fear. That’s horrible and selfish, but understandable. But a breach in protocols? There’s something worse than panic going on. Love. Already love Elias. His interactions and sussing out the problem are great. Do you work off an outline? I was amazed when you put out Sweep so frequently. But this seems to be coming out even faster. Thank you for feeding the book goblin!
Oh, oh! I thought Inheritence was the new series we had been waiting for — that you decided to rename Maggie Ada. But, no! TWO new worlds are coming. Oh fabulous day. Thank you! What a wonderful gift.
The world is on fire. But there are still things to look forward to.
No, the Maggie the Undying series – first installment This Kingdom Will not Kill Me- has been officially announced and is ready for preorder:
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250377265/thiskingdomwillnotkillme/
It will come out in March 2026 and the title will not change at this point 🙂
It is a series of isekai epic fantasy novels, set in a new world, and the longest ones House Andrews has written to date.
By contrast, the Inheritance is a stand-alone novella, not isekai, belonging to the LitRPG genre, being released on the blog as a serial and expected publication this summer.
The only thing it has in common with Maggie is that both are set in new words and both have female protagonists.
Secret tunnel.
Unmapped tunnel in and out?
I truly love everything I have read so for this book. Thank you for this and I so want it to be series.
♡HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY ILONA♡
Thank you so much!
Thankyou. This story is very interesting
Hi, first sorry if my English is not the best. I do understand it and read books in English, but normaly don‘t write …Hope everyone gets the meaning…..🙈I keep wondering about this breach in protocol: If protocol suggests at least three mining sites, Melissa (as Chief of those mining people) had to know that too, right? So she had to be part of this conspiracy thing (or whatever ist is, Malcolm and London were in together). Cause if not, she would have questioned this decision at the R&R, right? The same goes for the decision to not detonate those three tunnels. As someone who went into those mining sites on a regularly basis (especially as Mining foreman), she would have been aware about the potential risk those three tunnels present, right? But why wasn‘t ADA suspicious? As DeBRA, she was also part of the R&R, means she should have been also aware of those two breaches in protocol. Or didn‘t they tell her? I really love this serial (OK, I love everything HA write😂) Can‘t stop thinking about how it might continue!
Ada and DeBRAs in general are allocated by the DDC (government department) after the guild decides their teams.
They don’t necessarily take part in guild procedures like the R&R meetings or have authority in them.
(Your English is fabulous! 🤗)
Ah, that makes sense. Thanks for clarifying this, Mod R. 🤗
Risk averse? Uh-huh. Yes, let us hope London gets to answer LOTS of questions. This is so, so good! Thank you for these tidbits!
OoO. I’m ready for the conversation with London. Riveted.