Rising Fire: Chapter 1

The first chapter of my next Boston Blight novel, "Rising Fire."

I didn't know who'd thrown it, and in that moment I wasn't sure it mattered. A rock the size of my fist hurled through the air and struck one of the plastic riot shields the police were holding while they tried desperately to separate the two groups. Whether it had been the Elf-Human Alliance protestors or the Tusked Veterans Association counter-protestors, it didn't really matter. It was the TVA who took the hit.

Immediately, the police closed ranks into what could've been a decent phalanx if any of them had any idea what they were doing. I wasn't in a position to give them pointers at that moment. The moment I saw the shift in the clash, I put an arm around Eirlas's waist and dragged him back and away from the collection of bodies. We weren't even supposed to be there, let alone be part of whatever was coming next.