Retrieval: The Elifer Chronicles Book Two Author: Julie Boglisch

Posted: December 15, 2020/Under: Uncategorized/By: Christine Young

Retrieval: The Elifer Chronicles Book Two Author: Twins Maxwell and Karina and their friend, Lex search Collern City to find the twin’s mother and along the way must learn who to trust while hiding the truth.

Retrieval: The Elifer Chronicles Book Two: MYSTERY

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BLURB: Retrieval

Maxwell and Karina, twins who are the cure to a disease which is ravaging the country, find themselves journeying to the distant locale of Collern City in search of their missing mother. Meeting strange allies and dealing with dangerous enemies, they must learn to navigate the treacherous streets and discover more about what is going on behind the scenes in both the gated community and outside of it. Meanwhile, their guardian and friend, Lex, struggles to deal with his family’s desires. He finds himself caught between his own wish to flee his home, never to return. and the wish of his brother, Caym, who desperately wants him to stay.

EXCERPT: Retrieval

They returned back to the hostel with that thought in their minds. It was still early, and Maxwell knew Lex was busy making the final preparations for their move since they would be leaving the day after tomorrow, if not tomorrow. He glanced sidelong at his sister who seemed to be trying to center herself. She must have noticed his look because she grinned cheekily and waved it off. “I’ll see you for dinner in a few minutes, okay?”

“All right, see ya, sis.”

Maxwell watched her head inside with a frown, noting as she looked around warily. Karina was a bit more attuned to danger than he was, even if he was able to trust certain people more easily than she.

In this place, she must have felt completely trapped. He hated the idea of putting Karina through that. He shook his head to push away those thoughts and stepped through the doorway. His sister was already gone, probably having rushed to her room. Maxwell glanced toward the girls’ stairwell before heading toward the boys’.

Before even reaching the first step, he heard the sound of quiet whispering coming from the dining room, the words faint, yet he could have sworn he heard his sister’s name.

Maxwell hesitated before slipping close to the dining room door and peeking inside. In the corner, he could see the same group of girls from earlier talking to a guy. What were they talking about? Part of him wanted to ask, another part wanted to just leave it alone, they only had one more day here, after all.

“Hey, you.”

Maxwell jumped and turned to see a girl who looked like she could be part of the group with make-up and all. What was she doing out here? Is she the leader? He wasn’t sure, but she had a worrying gleam in her eyes. “Ho ho, if it isn’t the ugly little kitten’s sissy brother.”

Ouch.Maxwell glared at the girl, only to hear footsteps behind him. He glanced back, just in time for the door to swing open. He was surrounded.

He glanced sidelong toward the boys’ dorm then over to the empty front desk before turning back toward the girl in front of him. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest, as she appraised him.

Maxwell didn’t hesitate, it would be foolish to stay here. He hurried toward the stairwell, only for an alarmed sound to escape as someone grabbed his arm in a rough grip and tugged him backward. He stumbled, finding himself being dragged through the dining room door. The hand let go and he fell back with a cry. His backside smarted as he looked up, seeing all the girls standing above him with one boy stepping away, off to the side, looking a little uncomfortable. Was he the one who grabbed Maxwell?

“Well, girls? What do you want to do? After all, the ugly little kitten should be here soon. We want to make sure she sees her poor brother humiliated, after all.”

“What’s with this long hair? You trying to look like your sister?”

Maxwell cringed as he was tugged by his arm across the wooden floor. He tried to struggle, pulling at the arms holding him, yet, even though he knew they were affected with the disease, they seemed to hold on with a death grip.

“Oh. Let’s do that. Dress him up, cute little dress and all.”

One of the girls off to the side giggled.

The main girl who’d spotted him outside rolled her eyes. She turned to Maxwell, who found himself in the same corner he’d spotted the girls conversing in. He slowly pushed himself to his feet, using the wall as support and watching them warily.

One of the girls stepped forward and leaned close to Maxwell, grinning widely. “You know, it’s a good thing you’re a guy.”

Huh?

“Because we don’t have to worry about any repercussions. After all, aren’t you supposed to be the big bad man? The one who hurt us? You try to go to the police, guess who’s going to be the one in trouble?”

Maxwell gritted his teeth. He didn’t need this girl to remind him of his and Kari’s predicament. “What do you want?” he growled, his eyes scanning the room to see if there was a way to escape.

It was true, though, if he actually tried to fight his way out, it would be their word against his, and there were no cameras in the dining room.

“I already told you, we’re going to humiliate you in front of that prissy sister of yours, should shut her down a bit, wouldn’t you say?”

Without preamble, he found himself stuffed in the corner, shoulders digging into the wall as the girl, probably Abby if he recalled the name correctly, stepped closer and pulled something from behind her back.

“Maxwell!”

A sharp startled voice rang out as the door opened. Maxwell looked over Abby’s shoulder to see Karina standing in the doorway, another girl behind her. Karina must have spotted something in Abby’s hand that Maxwell couldn’t quite see, because she paled before darting forward.

“No. Let him go!”

Maxwell glanced down to the item Karina’s eyes were on and felt the color drain from his face. That was…

A flash of Karina’s scared expression as she told him her nightmare was enough to send his heart racing. The silver gleam of a pair of scissors shone in the weak light of the dining room. It wasn’t a knife no, but in some ways, it was worse.

Using his position, he pushed off from the wall, aiming for his sister, he didn’t care who he hurt, he had to get away. He felt hands grab his arms just as the boy grabbed Karina around the waist, tugging her back. She struggled, wrenching at the arms and kicking at his shins, but the boy was taller than her. She went to shout when one of the girls stepped forward and slapped something over her mouth.

Maxwell went to shout as well when he felt a rough hand cover his mouth with what felt like cloth.

Fear didn’t so much trickle through him as pound through his veins. His heart beat loudly in his ears as he found himself dragged back into the corner.

Website URL: www.julieboglisch.com

Blog URL:www.julieboglisch.com/blog

Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/JulieBoglischStories/

Twitter handle:

https://twitter.com/jboglisch

Triberr: N/A

KEYWORDS

reuniting families, rich vs. poor, learning to live in the city, twins, epidemic

LINKS

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PF1P41K

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/retrieval-julie-boglisch/1138404899?ean=2940162765974