Orntelladar

by A.L. Sirois

About the Author: A.L Sirois is a writer, ghostwriter, developmental editor & graphic artist. He sold his first story in 1973. Published in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Fantastic, Amazing Stories, Mystery Weekly Magazine and online at Electric Spec, Every Day Fiction and Flash Fiction Online, et al. His first book was, oddly enough, a children's book, DINOSAUR DRESS UP published by William Morrow in 1992. Since then, he has published a number of other books, mostly novels, mostly science fiction, fantasy, & horror.

Excerpt

Clinging to a thin cord fifty meters above Ileranth’s pavement, Rali Ribhu mused on the risks of his chosen livelihood. The night promised a substantial return on his investment of time and effort, however, and he kept this in the forefront of his thoughts while carefully ascending from balcony to balcony up the façade of the old apartment building. Dating from the Golic era, the edifice was decorated with hundreds of bas-reliefs of Derder, a god in whom Ileranth’s inhabitants of that ancient time placed fervent belief. Rali blessed Derder, whose many images made his climb much easier than it would otherwise have been.

He scrambled up to the terrace to find a cat-sized, multi-legged animal regarding him with several eyes glimmering yellow in the faint light from the city spread out below.

“Good work, Seffriet,” he whispered to the rooner, and stroked its head. “Ready for the next one, girl?”

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