She Seeks Peace

Peace and quiet to think and grieve, that's all the Hunter wanted, but between old enemies with agendas of their own, angry elemental spirits and her own friends never quite knowing when to leave her be, that elusive moment of quiet contemplation is always just out of reach. The Hunter's journey began with the loss of her best friend, the only man that was ever a father figure to her, which reminds her of losing the first real friend she ever had, because the two private detectives had much in common and the similarities compound her grief. She walks the surface of the Moon, for what better place could there be to seek a quiet moment? Unfortunately, she soon faces an unexpected demon that's been trapped there for thousands of years. Next, she tries a remote valley watched over by an ally, but the lonely woman pesters the Hunter until she loses her temper and is forced to leave. She wanders many remote and unusual corners of the world, always in search of that moment of solitude, that she might reflect on the past, but the arch-demon known as Wrath has taken a liking to her, and seeks her hand in marriage. To that end, he posts a bounty for her capture and the path to emotional healing becomes a frustrating battlefield. She seeks the mythic last of all sanctuaries, but instead finds a half-demon girl much like herself, and a quest to help the lonely child connect with family. In the midst of the Hunter's busy and frenetic life, will she find a moment to grieve her two best friends and learn to move on, or will all of creation forever stand in the way? Volume four of Ashen Blades. Approximately 93,000 words.