Shot

Barrett Boyd took a swift glance around the breaking-cell corridor, but no Seekers stood within reach . . . and in any case, it was far more important that he seek safety for the man running at his heels. Usually, the prisoners of the Eternal Dungeon are at risk of dying. On this night, their guards face death.As an invasion unfolds, Barrett Boyd is certain that he and his mate will play only a supporting role in the dungeon's defense. After all, he is lower ranked as a guard. And of all the guards in the dungeon, he is the one least likely to be trusted. But trustworthiness may play little role on this night when few prison workers are able to fight the invaders. That leaves Barrett with questions to answer: Who are the invaders, what do they want, and do they want the same things that Barrett wants? This suspenseful novella (short novel) can be read on its own or as the second story in the first volume of Dungeon Guards, an alternate history series about nineteenth-century prison workers who seek love and companionship as they fight together against danger. Dungeon Guards is part of Turn-of-the-Century Toughs, a cycle of alternate history series (The Eternal Dungeon, Dungeon Guards, Michael's House, Life Prison, Waterman, and Dark Light) about adults and youths on the margins of society, and the people who love them. Set in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the novels and stories take place in an alternative version of America that was settled by inhabitants of the Old World in ancient times. As a result, the New World retains certain classical and medieval customs.