New historical romance from Anne Barwell

Comes a Horseman is book 3 in the Echoes Rising series by Anne Barwell. Enjoy an excerpt and a flash fic that takes place after the completion of the series.

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Blurb

What if those who stand by you are the ones who betray you?

France, 1944

Sometimes the most desperate struggles take place far from the battlefield, and what happens in secret can change the course of history.

Victory is close at hand, but freedom remains frustratingly just beyond the grasp of German physicist Dr Kristopher Lehrer, Resistance fighter Michel, and the remaining members of the team sent by the Allies—Captain Matt Bryant, Sergeant Ken Lowe, and Dr Zhou Liang—as they fight to keep the atomic plans from the Nazis. The team reaches France and connects with members of Michel’s French Resistance cell in Normandy. Allied troops are poised to liberate France, and rescue is supposedly at hand. However, Kristopher is no longer sure the information he carries in his memory is safe with either side.

When Standartenführer Holm and his men finally catch up with their prey, the team is left with few options. With a traitor in their midst, who can they trust? Kristopher must become something he is not in order to save the man he loves. Death is biding his time, and sacrifices must be made for any of them to have the futures they want.

Author’s note: This is the second edition of Comes a Horseman. The first edition was released by another publishing house. This story has been re-edited, and uses UK spelling to reflect its setting.

Excerpt

“How long is the timer?” Ken asked.

“Long enough.” Nicolas spoke as though he was imparting casual information about a timetable. He turned suddenly and frowned. “Oh, that’s why… Merde! Run!”

Ken didn’t need to be told twice. He turned and ran, Nicolas behind him. They’d barely gotten clear before an explosion behind him lifted him into the air, and he hit the ground with a loud thud. He stood and wiped mud off his clothes. “What the hell?”

“The detonator I thought hadn’t worked, decided to work after all.” Nicolas grinned as he sat up next to Ken. He ran a muddy hand through his hair, then replaced his beret. “Good thing there was something soft to cushion our fall, hmm? We should go. I’m sure that’s attracted attention.”

“I’m sure it—” Ken automatically ducked at the sound of another loud explosion further down the track. Michel had detonated his explosive and blown up the shed. Hopefully the soldiers would head there first as it was closer. “That’s our distraction. Come on.”

Luckily Nicolas followed Ken without arguing. “The Germans won’t know which way to go first.”

“That’s the idea, so we’re going completely in the opposite direction, and the long way back through the woods. Michel was going to give himself plenty of time, rather than cutting it short like we—you—did.”

Matt would be worried, especially after Sébastien told him what had happened, but better late back than not at all.

“Sometimes these things have a mind of their own. That’s one of the challenges of—” Nicolas froze. “Did you hear that?”

Ken grabbed Nicolas and ducked behind some shrubbery. He drew his gun and motioned for Nicolas to say silent. A few moments later, two soldiers ran past their position. Fortunately they were heading in the opposite direction towards the railway line.

Oh hell. Not good. Not only were there soldiers by the original target, but patrolling the woods nearby.

“They knew we were coming,” Nicolas whispered. It wasn’t a question.

“Yes,” Ken said grimly. They’d have to sit there and wait until they were sure it was clear.

Flash Fic

Resisting the Enemy

Normandy, August 2000

“Are you sure you’re up to talking about this, Grand-père?”

The old man’s eyes opened, and he managed a smile and a nod. Although she used the honorific, she wasn’t his granddaughter, but she was still family so that was what mattered.

“When you’re ready. You were telling me about the strangers.”

“Ah oui, I was, wasn’t I.” He closed his eyes, remembering the group of men who had come into his life briefly and by doing so changed everything. “They weren’t Marquis like we were. Except for one. Michel, he was French.” He coughed, but refused the water she offered. “The others pretended they were someone they weren’t, but I knew that. I think we all knew that, even before we discovered the truth.” His voice softened. “They resisted the enemy, the same as we did. Two Americans, a British man who was at least part Chinese, I think, and Michel’s German friend.”

He opened his eyes just in time to see the girl’s eyebrow rise.

“You worked with a German?”

“They weren’t all bad, ma chère, although I remember being very suspicious of him in particular at the time. He and his friends worked with us, and risked their lives to end the war. They weren’t content to sit on the sidelines and wait to go home. One of them—the German—carried a secret he had to keep safe at all costs, although sometimes I wonder if that cost was too high.”

“Did they survive the war?” She leaned in, waiting for his answer. “Did he keep his secret safe? Do you know what it was?”

“We’d won one victory, but there was still a lot to do, still a lot of fighting ahead of us. We lived one day at a time. That was all any of us could do.” He wondered if there was much point in sidestepping her questions.

If any of them had survived they’d be his age now. He preferred to think of them as they’d been all those decades ago. Young, but weary, clinging onto the hope they’d survive. They’d been close, a team brought together by a common cause.

He’d lost too many he considered friends, and more during that time, and since. One in particular still visited his dreams, but he didn’t regret the decision he’d made back then.

He’d done what was right, and followed his heart.

“You’re still recording this, oui?” He placed his hand on hers, and waited until he had her full attention. “It’s important someone remembers. So much has been forgotten already. I’ll tell you what I remember of them, what I knew….”

It was so long ago now that he couldn’t see the point in keeping secrets. Better that someone at least knew of the sacrifices they’d all made, and kept their story alive.

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About the author

Anne Barwell lives in Wellington, New Zealand. She shares her home with Kaylee: a cat with “tortitude” who is convinced that the house is run to suit her; this is an ongoing “discussion,” and to date, it appears as though Kaylee may be winning.

In 2008, Anne completed her conjoint BA in English Literature and Music/Bachelor of Teaching. She has worked as a music teacher, a primary school teacher, and now works in a library. She is a member of the Upper Hutt Science Fiction Club and plays violin for Hutt Valley Orchestra.

She is an avid reader across a wide range of genres and a watcher of far too many TV series and movies, although it can be argued that there is no such thing as “too many.” These, of course, are best enjoyed with a decent cup of tea and further the continuing argument that the concept of “spare time” is really just a myth. She also hosts and reviews for other authors, and writes monthly blog posts for Love Bytes. She is the co-founder of the New Zealand Rainbow Romance writers, and a member of RWNZ.

Anne’s books have received honourable mentions five times, reached the finals four times—one of which was for best gay book—and been a runner up in the Rainbow Awards. She has also been nominated three times in the Goodreads M/M Romance Reader’s Choice Awards—twice for Best Fantasy, once for Best Historical, and once for All-Time Favourite M/M Author.

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