Pressed, p.27
Pressed, page 27
As panic rose, Fiona felt a thrum like a harp cord struck heavily. It rippled through her, and she grabbed her head, dizzy and falling. Before she could hit the ground, strong arms clasped about her waist and held her upright. Color returned, seeping in from the edges of the world and her vision. She took a deep, ragged breath as she had been unbreathing for so long.
A man sat her in a chair, his golden eyes watching her every move.
For a moment Fiona squinted, trying to remember what was happening before her dizzy spell.
He tugged on his beard and sighed.
And then a warmth settled on Fiona like a sun-kissed morning and all the memories of what had happened came rushing back to her. The hideout, the search for the Guardian, the daring rescue, and every moment with Richard that she had over the last ten days.
Richard raised an eyebrow watching her.
She glared at him.
He took a step back.
She rose and poked him in the chest. “Now just what in the name of Larrakane was that?”
Richard’s mouth dropped open for a moment, but then he shook his head. A sad accepting smile tugged the corners of his mouth. His next words so at odds with it. “Me protecting against my brother.”
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The Next Adventure of The Planar Pages
FRAYED EDGES, book 4, releases Spring 2025!
The Book’s delicate threads are unraveling, and investigator Fiona Thorne faces her most perilous journey yet. The enigmatic Painted Edge leader weaves an intricate plot, always staying steps ahead. The key to outmaneuvering them might lie with an undercover Travel Guild spy.
With the leaders of the Book anxious and resolute, Fiona and her steadfast ally, Dodger, are tasked with a critical mission. Traversing the sun-baked desert and rolling seas of the Kerus page, they must locate the spy and secure vital intelligence before the Painted Edge springs their next surprise. But the Kerus page holds uncomfortable memories for Dodger and a crumbling Empire that adds to their peril.
Richard’s gruff yet caring guidance offers Fiona a lifeline from afar, but can his counsel illuminate the truth amidst the lies? Fiona must decipher cryptic clues and retrieve the spy’s crucial information before it’s too late. As secrets unravel and alliances fray, Fiona’s desires will take her to the brink in this next chapter of The Planar Pages.
Can’t wait? Join the adventure at https://www.dhalerambo.com/fe2025 and get sneak peeks of FRAYED EDGES before it releases!
Author's Note
As I sit here and worry about Stella and the dark edge (if I can’t see her, I should be worried, as Fiona says), I’m reminded that when writing this story, the characters have made some extraordinary choices. And believe me, it’s been their decision. Fiona feeling kinship with a small elemental that throws her into a world of trouble. Gaili taking someone under her wing who could use a kind word and an inquisitive question. Richard deciding to investigate Fiona instead of avoiding her. These choices have really changed The Planar Page series, and for the better I think.
When I concocted this story, I wanted to write about historical periods I love and do a bit of time travel—but my way. I’ve always loved characters who run through different eras experiencing things firsthand. But I wondered what it would be like if they simply got to do it as part of their waking life. Like feeding themselves or going to the market. They popped over to another realm and did it there. But I had no idea how much history I could get away with without it being too confusing for you, dear reader. What’s made up and what is real? As I continue to blur the lines in the upcoming books, I’d love to know what clues you’ve picked up in the previous books that are facts from our world.
In Pressed, of course, there really was a Richard the Lionheart. King of England in the twelfth century and romanticized quite a bit in the Robin Hood stories (and now here!). And though she bears physical resemblance to Queen Elizabeth, Queen Brilliance is a less enlightened version of that famous woman.
Thorn Palace did exist but as the Palace of Westminster. The royal apartments burned down before the sixteenth century and another fire took out the rest in the nineteenth century, leaving behind Westminster Hall, which is still used today. It was situated on the River Thames, which had various other names I’ve included here. I find palaces and castles extremely fascinating and strived for a balance of historical accuracy (location and names) with fantastical needs (the interior of the palace described here resembles more the Palace of Whitehall, which was used more after the sixteenth-century fire at Westminster).
And of course, I included my rendition of King Henry, or how I imagine he may have been in this particular alternate world. Still vying to keep power over people any way he could. I hope you enjoyed Pressed, and I look forward to taking you across the Roman Empire, from my perspective, when we next meet.
Glossary of The Planar Pages series
Find expanded lore, world information and more at https://go.dhalerambo.com/tpp
Spine: A realm connected to every page in the Book. All page turners live here and can suffer ill effects for being gone too long. Split into over a dozen districts.
Seven Known Pages (as stacked in the Book)
Elemental Chapter
Blaze: page of fire, contains salamanders, flarions, ragnis, and other fire elementals
Depths: page of water, contains water elementals, merfolk, turtles, and more
Mistral: page of air, contains sylphs and other air elementals
Cobbles: page of earth, contains gnomes and other earth elementals
Mortal Chapter
Restless Rise (Rise): page of humans, contains a central mountain with floating islands all round it
Kerus: page of smilodon, elephas, and ursidon
Court of Copper (Court): page of faekin: fairies, fae, fauns, centaurs, and nymphs
Terms
Aer: language from page of air, Mistral
Aguan: language from the Depths
the Binder: leader of the Guild
the Book of Larrakane (the Book): all the known pages of the universe
bookmark: token from a page, used to travel there by a page turner
the Card: a free leaflet by the Travel Guild
the Church of Larrakane: organization devoted to worship of Larrakane
Claire: a language from page of fire, Blaze
Depth’s Door: a lake in Spine
diamonnette paper (papers): universal currency
dusty: used to described a page turner who’s ready to retire
elephas: like elephants standing on their hind legs, from Kerus
faekin: fauns, fairies, pixies, centaurs, all from the Court of Copper
Fallen Bubble: a cocktail
flarion(s): fire elementals who live in pools of magma from page of fire, Blaze
the Followers: a subset of the Church of Larrakane
format: slang for rumor
the Gilded: six leaders in the Travel Guild, including the Binder
the Hinge: Travel Guild headquarters
inked: blessed by Larrakane with the ability to turn pages
the Inking: historic event that created page turners
jacket(s): slang for officers of the Guild
kora: fish with an oily excretion from page of water, Depths
Larrakane (she/her): bestows the ability to turn pages and creator of the Book
La’mior: a fire forest in Blaze
pagemark(s): safe places where turners can move between pages
page turners (turners): people who can move between pages
Pestles and Mortar: smithy in the Spine
pulp: slang for creatures from various pages who are not page turners
ragnis: metallic-boned quasi-flame creatures from page of fire, Blaze
ripper(s): slang for thieves and smugglers across pages
Schiflan: a language spoken from page of humans, Restless Rise
skimmer(s): slang for tourists visiting other pages
skips: slang for criminals on the run
smilodon(s): catlike people, from Kerus
Sod: language from page of earth, Cobbles
spotter(s): cartographers
sylph: stark white air creatures from page of air, Mistral
the Towers of Calistino (the towers): prison in Copper
the Travel Guild, the Guild: organization that regulates all the comings and goings of page turners in the Book
the Trussadary Inn: hotel in Court of Copper
the Waterfall Palace: hotel in the Depths
unread turner: slang for someone new to being a page turner
ursidon: bearlike people, from Kerus
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About HIDDEN WORDS
Life flourishes in the Book, a world of stacked realms spanning the ages. Those who can travel between them are page turners, blessed with the power to go from one page to the next.
For investigator Fiona Thorne, turning the page is normal life. Solving mysteries is where the excitement lives. No case is too small to ignite her curiosity, no page too familiar to explore.
Hired by her charming, gossipy neighbor to track down a shipment of rare books, Fiona thinks it’ll be easy. She’ll search for clues, sort out the issue, and be back in time for her nightly cup of coffee. And her reward? An introduction to one of the most reclusive leaders in Spine, the Druid Elder.
But that dream slips through her fingers as she realizes there’s little evidence. She’ll have to kick this investigation into high gear if she wants to impress her neighbor and earn her way into a privileged connection.
You can only read HIDDEN WORDS by signing up online for my newsletter at www.dhalerambo.com/newsletter/
Also by D. Hale Rambo
A SERIES OF DECISIONS ON KAIRAS
A cozy high fantasy trilogy set in the world of Kairas where the deities may be sealed away but their troubles are not.
Book 1, TOOLS OF A THIEF
How do you stop being a thief? Zizy Zakar assumed quitting her job, stealing from her boss, and teleporting hundreds of miles away was one way to give it a go.
Buy it now: teleport yourself to books2read.com/toat
Book 2, COMPONENTS OF A CASTER
Laysa has always vowed to do whatever it took to learn magic. Can Laysa keep her friends alive and survive uncovering the depths of the unknown? Does she have what it takes to be a Caster?
Buy it now: cast your coins at books2read.com/coac
Book 3, ROUTES OF A RANGER
A family under threat. A perilous journey home. Skinny has spent her life running from her past. Now she must achieve the destiny she was denied before she can defeat the enemy at her doorstep.
Buy it now: steer yourself towards go.dhalerambo.com/roar
THE PLANAR PAGES
A secondary world historical fantasy series with investigator Fiona Thorne and her motley crew of friends.
Life flourishes in the Book, a world of stacked realms spanning the ages, like the pages of an epic chronicle. Those who can travel through them are page turners; blessed with the power to go from one page to the next. For investigator Fiona Thorne, being a Turner is normal life. Solving mysteries is where the excitement lives.
Book 0, HIDDEN WORDS (newsletter exclusive prequel)
Cases are ramping up in the Spine and Fiona is in the middle of the action. Hired by her charming, gossipy neighbor to track down a shipment of rare books, Fiona thinks it’ll be a piece of work.
Read it for FREE by signing up for my newsletterat go.dhalerambo.com/freestory
Book 1, BETWEEN THE LINES
Blaze, the page of fire, is wasting away. Fire elementals are being smuggled out in waves, but by whom? Fiona is on the job and nothing will hold her, not even the overbearing Travel Guild.
Read BETWEEN THE LINES and buy it now at: go.dhalerambo.com/tppbtl
Book 2, HARD BOUND
Someone has stolen from the Court of Copper, the illustrious fae page nestled within the Book. Is it a member of the fractured counsel, the fabled Order of Seven, or could the thief be much closer to Fiona than she realizes?
The fae realm is only a step away. BUY HARD BOUND at: go.dhalerambo.com/tpphb
Book 3, PRESSED
Between the tangled politics of home and facing her overbearing mother, Fiona counts herself lucky the yearly attendance with Queen Brilliance is only for a few days. But this year, the Queen presses Fiona with an unexpected request—find the mythical Guardian of Restless Rise. Amid schemes and betrayals, Fiona must piece together palace intrigues and myths to discover if the Guardian truly exists.
Join the investigation. BUY PRESSED at go.dhalerambo.com/tpppressed
About the Author
D. Hale Rambo is a historical fantasy author whose books transport readers to wondrous worlds filled with magic, mystery, and humor. With compelling and memorable characters at the heart of her stories, Rambo weaves tales to entertain and enthrall.
A lifelong storyteller, she’s been writing and creating other worlds since she was old enough to mark them on her bedroom wall.
When she’s not writing, you can find her enjoying a stiff cosmopolitan while reading mysteries alongside her favorite pet companion.
Discover more about her wondrous worlds, the versatility of gnomes, and fun fae cocktails at www.dhalerambo.com
D. Hale Rambo, Pressed
