‘Blood Secrets’

As Eliot begins his final year training as a merchant-advocate, he remains fascinated by the giants of Aiqos, respectfully known as ‘tall-folk’ by the people of Mariosha. His excitement at possibly working in a different city is tempered with the worry of leaving his beloved mother, Marcelin, and his younger sister alone with his bullying grandmother who openly despises him.

The arrival of a letter for Eliot leads to Marcelin finally telling him of matters concerning his late father, which she’d kept from him, hoping it would protect him from Climence’s hatred.

Then, to the family’s horror, Climence and her accomplice, part of a faction that hates tall-folk, involve them in a mad scheme to steal from one, hoping the tall-folk’s reaction will turn the people against their race. And they find a man, Jack, who is willing to steal, to risk his life for a measure of gold.

Fearing for his family’s safety, Eliot acts to thwart Climence’s plan. But this leads to him discovering more about his father, his ancestry, and the awful secret Climence has kept hidden for so many years.

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