Outcast (The Darkeningstone Series Book 2) (46 page)

But as Alan stared helplessly at the stone slab, a fleck of blue light arced across its surface, and he couldn’t help but gasp.
What now? Is Tom about to reappear?
Alan blinked away a tear, and as he watched, another blue light danced across the dark stone. And another. And then they came thick and fast, darting back and forth, blurring into one: a delicate web of pulsating light.

Alan took another step back, but what was the use? He had no control over this. The stone slab had killed his son, it had killed Tom, and now it was going to kill him, too—whatever he did. It was almost as if the threat was whispered into his ear. The stone was cold as death, it told him, and heartless. It was too complex to be understood by mere men, too powerful to tolerate their interference.

Alan shook his head.
It doesn’t matter
.
I don’t care anymore
. He was ready to die. It was no more than he deserved.

He stepped forward. And his heart froze in his chest. There, lying on the stone, robed in a mesh of blue light, was his son.

“Jake!” he cried out. “Jake! For god’s sake. Jake!”

Daylight. It takes a while for my eyes to adjust. Then suddenly I can see again. Or I think I can. But I can’t believe what I’m seeing. He’s here. Dad. It must be a dream, a hallucination. But I want it to be real. I want him to lift me up and hug me and tell me it’s all right. I want him to take me home. But I don’t know what to do. He says something, but I can’t hear. A harsh, crackling buzz roars in my ears and I can’t think straight. Can any of this be real? Has the old man really sent me back home? I burn with the need for this to be true. But if it is, if I really am home, then what should I do?

Dad steps toward me, holding out his arms. I need to warn him, tell him to stay back. It’s too dangerous. I open my mouth but I can’t speak, can’t breathe. The stone will hurt him. I know it will. He has to wait until its safe. Even if it means I never see him again, he has to wait.

Alan clenched his fists. His blood pounded in his ears. He’d stood by and let Tom be taken away, but he wouldn’t make the same mistake again—not for his only boy. His son needed his help. He strode to the stone and reached out his arms toward Jake. Jagged beams of blue light crackled and flashed out at Alan’s hands. They burned his fingers and surged along his arms, scalding his skin. He cried out in pain and staggered back but he would not be deterred. He set his jaw and willed his body forward. He would not let his son down. Never again.

A shower of blue sparks flew at Alan’s face. He raised his arms to protect himself and the lights curled around him, wrapping themselves around his chest, sending cold needles of pain into his body. Alan grimaced and took another faltering step. The light was bright now, and his eyes watered as he fought the pain, fought against the unstoppable wave of energy that was trying to pushing him away. He narrowed his eyes. One more step. That was all he needed. One more step. Alan roared in pain and drove himself forward, forcing his feet across the ground, dragging his body through the turgid air. And somehow, he succeeded.
I’ve done it!
He reached down and grabbed his son by the shoulders, trying to lift him up, to drag him away from the stone.

But it didn’t work. Something was holding Jake down, pinning him to the rock. Alan bent lower and renewed his grip, taking firm hold of Jake’s upper arms. He grunted and heaved Jake upward with all his might. Then suddenly, the lights winked out, and Jake was free. Alan fell backward, pulling Jake from the stone. Jake slid from the slab and landed heavily on the ground next to his father. They both cried out, their shouts echoing in the emptiness of the quarry’s silent pit.

I lay on the ground and let the pain fade away. I was cold, and for a moment, I thought I was still on the stone. I thought I couldn’t move. But then, suddenly, my dad sat up and wrapped his arms around me, hugging me to his chest. “My boy,” he whispered. “I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”

I moaned and shook my head. “Dad?”

My dad stifled a sob. “Oh, Jake. What happened to you? Where have you been?”

I looked up at him. “I don’t know, Dad. I really don’t know.”

He cradled me in his arms and looked down at me, studying my face. “But you look just the same—the same as when I last saw you.”

I sniffed. “You don’t. You look really weird. Is it really you, Dad? Am I really home?”

“Yes, Jake. I’ve got you. You’re home now. Everything will be all right. Everything will be fine.”

I closed my eyes. He was right. The nightmare that had started when I climbed into the quarry was finally over. It was all over.

I was home.

Thank You for Reading
Outcast

I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU have been waiting for this book for some time. I thank you for your patience and I sincerely hope you feel it was worth the wait.

Right from its inception, I knew that the tales of the Darkeningstone would cover more than one book. To tell so many stories, to span over 5,000 years of history, and to have the plot lines not just interweave but interact with each other, was always a tall order for a single book to deliver. That said, The Darkeningstone books are not a generic series. The purpose of the first book,
Trespass
, was not to set the reader up for a sequel; its sole purpose was simply to tell the stories it contained. Yes, I wrote
Trespass
in such a way that there was an element of suspense in its conclusion, but I’ve never considered it to be a cliffhanger. The things that happen to Jake at the end of
Trespass
happen because of his actions; they are the result, the resolution of his path. A part of me wanted to leave Jake where he was. After all, real life is often made up from stops and starts and sudden departures. But that would just be mean, and my mum felt sorry for him, so I took pity on the poor kid and gave him another chance.

Will there be another Darkeningstone book? Yes. The third full-length novel is already written, but like a rough stone block, it must be polished over and over again before it goes on display. After that, who knows? They Darkeningstone books are complex and difficult to write. It’s very important to me that the shifts in time are seamless and that the different plot lines are interwoven in a meaningful way while remaining distinctive. Above all, it has to make sense. My simple rule is to put the reader first, and I hope that principle pays off in terms of your enjoyment. I will never churn out a quick book and risk cheating my readers.

Sometimes though, I find myself dreaming of the characters, imagining new times and places where a Darkeningstone might work its mischief. After all, I have the whole span of human history as my playground—who could resist? But I’ll keep my powder dry for now. It’s possible that I’ll write another novel or possibly another bonus story, in which case the first people to see it will be the members of The Tribe (my street team) and then it will go to The Awkward Squad—the subscribers over on my website at
mikeycampling.com

Where do we go from here?

I’d love it if you would stick around. I’ll do my best to make it worthwhile; I try to deliver extra value to my readers whenever I can. The first stop on our journey together is to visit the special thank you page on my website:
Visit the Thank You Page

Much Appreciated—Your Review

If you can spare a minute to leave a review for
Outcast
it will make my day and help me to keep writing. Thank you.

Get an Exclusive Free Book

Use the link below and I’ll send you the prequel to The Darkeningstone Trilogy for Free

NB
Breaking Ground
is not available to buy as an ebook. This is an exclusive offer that’s just for my readers.

Visit:
mikeycampling.com/freebooks

Keep Reading

Turn the page to learn more about the third novel in The Darkeningstone Trilogy,
Scaderstone Pit
.

Coming Soon

Scaderstone Pit—The Darkeningstone Trilogy Book III

In the year 3550 BC, a woman runs for her life. She must find shelter before nightfall. But why is she so afraid?

In 1919, the new owners of Scaderstone Rock prepare to open a quarry on the site. But what will they discover? Will the secrets of Scaderstone finally be unveiled?

And in the future, what lies in store for Jake? He needs answers. But where can he turn? There is perhaps one person who can help him: Cally. Together, they may find a way to learn the truth of the Black Stone. But there are forces ranged against them. And one man with a ruthless agenda of his own.

Don’t Miss Out

The best way to keep up to date with Mikey’s new releases is to sign up for his newsletter at:
mikeycampling.com/freebooks

Connect with the Author

Thank you for taking the time to read my work—I really hope you enjoyed it.

I love hearing from readers so there are lots of ways to reach me.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me via [email protected]

You can follow me on Twitter @mikeycampling and I’ll do my best to reply to your mentions.

I’m also active on other social media and the best place to see all those links is on my website:
mikeycampling.com/contact

Also by Mikey Campling

Trespass: A Tale of Mystery and Suspense Across Time—The Darkeningstone Book I

Three stories, separated by five thousand years, united by one deadly secret: Somewhere, sometime, the stone is waiting.

Trespass combines gritty, edgy modern-day action with a thrilling adventure across time. Discovered over five thousand years ago, the Darkeningstone affects everyone who finds it.

Jake was too smart to believe the rumours about Scaderstone Pit, but now he’s in more danger than he could ever have imagined.

In 1939, as World War II looms, the lives of two men will be changed forever.

Over five thousand years ago, a hermit will keep the stone a secret. But someone is watching him—someone with murder in his heart.

When it finds you, what will you see when you look into The Darkeningstone?

Breaking Ground - A Darkeningstone Story

A bonus story that adds extra detail to the Darkeningstone world but stands alone so it can be read before or after the full-length novels.
Breaking Ground
is widely available as a free download.

A Dark Assortment

Sometimes that noise you can hear upstairs is just the old floorboards creaking as they settle down for the night. Sometimes. But there’s no need to worry because that face you saw at the window was just a reflection. There’s no one else here. You’re alone. But that’s OK because you’re safe in your bed. And all those things you fear deep down in the dark reaches of your soul…well, they only happen in stories, don’t they?

A Dark Assortment
is a collection of seventeen stories; a chocolate box of handmade treats. But beware—beneath each richly decorated shell, there’s a seed of delicious darkness.

The God Machine

Areva dreams of the day when he will become a Scribe and contribute to The Collective—the tethered souls, connected to the God-Machine. The Scribes write the Universe into existence, and it’s Areva’s destiny to join them.

But as his time draws near, he hesitates. Perhaps the God-Machine serves a darker purpose.

CHEATC0DE

Play to Win. Play to Survive

Most people play the game: total immersion VR with full neural sync. But Hank lives it. In Unlimited Combat, he’s one of the best. He makes his own luck. And he plays solo. Until now. When a player offers Hank fame and fortune, it’s too good to pass up. To succeed, Hank must fight harder than ever before, pushing past the game’s safety protocols. His life is on the line, and when he’s captured, he knows he’s in too deep. Can he escape? And who can he trust?

Join Hank in the game—if you dare.