I'm sitting here at my family desktop writing this newsletter, and my Mutti keeps giving me a side-eye. "You'd better not embellish the truth," she tells me. My darkness can sense her ice crystals cooling the air around us, her nervousness apparent. "And you're NOT allowed to answer any replies you get."

"C.L. Carhart will handle replies. I know," I say.

"Don't share any pictures of yourself or your sister!" my Mutti adds.

"I'm only sharing the pictures C.L. Carhart gave me," I assure her. "Now can't you give me some space? I can't write with an audience." And it's getting rather chilly in here; my blood doesn't have any fire to balance out her wintry aura.

She grumbles a few phrases before leaving me in peace, reminding me that I'm not allowed to send this newsletter until she or Pappi have read it in full. I already know that. Besides, C.L. Carhart asked me to write it and schedule it, not send it into the void with a giant burst of fireworks.

Parents. 🙄

A Quick Introduction

I never know what to say when adults ask me to introduce myself. They always ask the same boring questions. What's my name? How old am I? What's my favorite subject in school? Am I going to run my family's drive business when I grow up? Do I have a girlfriend yet? Sigh.

I'm Max von Thaden, and yes, my Mutti did indeed name me after my grandpa. Things used to get confusing when we all lived in the same house, so my grandma started calling me "Maxie" to tell us apart. Then a few years ago I found out what "maxi pads" are for, and . . . well . . . that nickname bit the dust.

Not sure yet about my family's drive business, but I'll probably end up stuck there in some way shape or form. My Mutti spends more time running her nonprofit, anyway. I like the idea of helping people escape abusive relationships better than producing gears, belts, and drives for the rest of my life. That sort of business seems so impersonal. I'm not sure it's the one for me.

As for whether or not I have a girlfriend, the answer is no. Not that there haven't been enough flirty girls trying to catch my eye in my Teutonic magic classes. They remind me of Romilda Vane in Harry Potter—the dumb girl who wanted him only because he was The Chosen One. Some girls seem to believe I'm some sort of chosen one just because I'm the Keyholder's son.

Little do they know that if anyone in my family is an actual chosen one, it's my Mutti, the ice witch who travels time and bargains with demons.

Lurid Curse: A Struggle To Endure

In an effort to be as honest as possible per my Mutti's request, I want to take a second to say that I don't appreciate the title C.L. Carhart chose for this part of my Mutti's saga. Lurid Curse. Not particularly encouraging, especially if you're a teenage "side character" who wants to make sure his family stays safe.

Last year the police claimed my grandma and grandpa committed suicide on a yacht. That was the first sign of trouble. I knew both of them very well, and neither of them would leave their sons behind so carelessly.

Now more and more of our friends and family have turned up dead, and my Mutti finally gave me a few hints about what's really going on. Apparently she found the Torstein—the mythical gateway stone—before she married my Pappi. She used it to open a portal to the 11th century to learn the real reasons why the Teuton people fell to the Saxons nearly a millennium ago.

Well, she found out. And in the process, she found out having the Torstein could put herself, her family, and our people at large in grave danger.

A cabal of bloodthirsty Saxons under a demon's charge are doing all they can to guilt my Mutti into giving them the Torstein—giving them the power to upend what we know of history. They see Teutonic magic as a threat to the world at large, but their goals look more like terrorism and genocide to me.

Of course I want to help protect our friends and family from these Saxon fiends. But my Mutti insists that I'm still too young to get directly involved in the fight. So my job is to protect my younger sister Freya, to shield her with my darkness. 🖤

The Saxons will never hurt her under my watch. And if they try to attack our house, they'll find out just how potent the element of darkness can be.

✨ Learn More ✨

Dance With Me?

C.L. Carhart asked me to share this photo she took at the Bruchsal palace a couple years ago. She says she'd love to go to a ball here and dance with Teutons in elemental elegance. I actually went to Bruchsal once, back when I was nine or ten, and the thing I remember most is the dragon sculpture I found poised outside one of the windows. There was also a guillotine replica.

But we know girls would rather dream of dancing at a ball. How cute. 🙃

You can find out more about the Bruchsal palace here:

https://www.schloss-bruchsal.de/en/

🧚 Fly Into Fantasy Romance 🧚

Free eBooks stuffed full of enchanting realms and mystical romance? Now we're talking! Maybe it's weird to admit I like reading books that have a touch of romance—the guys on my soccer team would never let me hear the end of it, so please don't tell them—but C.L. Carhart says I'm in the right company here. Why don't you browse the FREE books in this collection? I just snagged Dangerous Spells because the girl on the cover looks like . . . well, she looks cute. 😏

✨ Free Books! ✨

Giveaway Reminder

C.L. Carhart asked me to remind you that if you email her a screenshot showing that you've bought her latest box set, His Name Was Augustin Books 4-6, you're entered to win a signed copy of one of her books. She's about to jack up the price for the box set. So act NOW if you still want a shot at getting 3 eBooks for the price of 1, along with a signed paperback!

You can send the screenshot to clcarhart1066@gmail.com if you'd rather not reply to this newsletter. I know technology can be a pain in the ass. 😉

I'm going to sign off now that my Mutti has read the whole newsletter & snickered at my attempts at humor. So I'll leave you with a secret.

There's one girl in my Teutonic magic classes that I like. And she looks like the girl on the eBook cover I mentioned above. But I don't think my parents would approve of her. 🤫

Catch you later,

Max von Thaden (NOT "Maxie")

Get Lurid Curse: https://books2read.com/hnwalc

Get the box set at a discount: https://books2read.com/hnwaboxset46

This week's book list: https://books.bookfunnel.com/flyintofantasy/t8y48712ig