From time to time, I’ll be sharing sketches and illustrations from Galleries of Stone on this blog. These art posts include pieces I’ve commissioned, as well as gift art. Today, I’m featuring Aurelius Harrow, a Pred who makes a lasting impression on young Tupper.
Tupper’s sigh of disappointment turned into a squeak of alarm when he turned back and found himself nose-to-nose with the stranger. “Planning your escape, sprat?” he asked silkily.
Clutching Olexi very tightly, Tupper shook his head.
With a hum that suggested disbelief, the elegantly-dressed stranger raised his voice once more. “What possessed you to choose this one, Frey? He’s barely out of diapers!”
“The boy’s just small for his age,” gruffly defended the sculptor.
“He can’t be much help!”
Freydolf’s dark eyes flashed warningly, and his voice took on an edge Tupper had never heard before. “If you have a problem with my servant, you’ll take it up with me. Now, stop frightening him.”
“As you wish, Master Freydolf,” the man acquiesced in gently mocking tones. Turning back to Tupper, he politely announced, “I’m Aurelius. The big lummox who hired you is my brother-in-law, so you’ll be seeing plenty of me … assuming you last that long.”
Unsure how else to respond, Tupper fell back on the usual nod.
“Is it worth my learning your name?” Aurelius inquired. “Or will you be running off, too?”
“You know, Aurelius,” blandly interjected Freydolf. “More than half of them ran once they got a look at you.”
His brother-in-law’s fanged grin was completely unrepentant. “Just weeding out the unsuitables!”
—excerpted from Meadowsweet, Chapter 6
Aurelius definitely makes his mark on the Galleries of Stone trilogy. His surname is the title for Book 2: Harrow. It’s no surprise that he does his part to make that cover’s illustration fabulous. Look forward to a Harrow cover reveal next week.
Click these previews in order to see the full-sized artwork.
Meadowsweet is available: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
C. J. Milbrandt 
