The escape from Bruglia: part 1
Flashback time
The Triverse is
Mid-Earth, an alternate 1980s 1970s London
Max-Earth, a vision of the 26th century
Palinor, where magic is real
Previously: The SDC detectives have been framed. While Clarke and the others in London try to evade arrest, over on Palinor Lola Styles has no idea what’s about to happen…
Bruglia.
3202. Frostfall.
The garrison was brutal. You had to be good. If you couldn’t match up to the rest of the city guard, you were out. It made sense: no point having a slacker on the force, and it would only result in compromised comrades and a dead guard the first time they hit trouble. The Bruglian city guard had to be the best of the best. Culling the less skilled was a kindness.
Jyna was most at home within the walls of the garrison. She ate there, trained there, often slept there between shifts. She did have a small room of her own a few streets away, but it was a practicality rather than a home. The stone walls and wide courtyard of the garrison was where she felt most at peace, even while sparring and practising her wielding.
That day, the bell rang in the tower, calling all guards on the premises to attention in the yard. It was a cool morning, though daytime in Bruglia was never fully cold. Everyone filed out of the mess, the gym, the offices, and lined up in their assigned squads. Something big was going down.
Marching down the steps from the high office was Captain Rexen, all business, his face stern, moustache bristling. She thought he caught her eye as he moved to the raised platform at the edge of the courtyard.
“Listen up, all of you,” he said, his voice booming out across the space. The garrison was designed such that the man could shout without the sound leaving the four walls. “We’ve had a new arrest warrant come in. This is a sensitive one, as it involves triverse politics.” He stood a little taller. “And you all know how much I like politics.” Rexen pointed, selecting a squad as he spoke. “You three to be the arresting squad. Escort backup from you, you and you. I want a tight operation, no leaks, no fuss.”
Someone from the specified squad put their hand up. “Who’s the target?”
“If you’ve all been reading the reports you were told to read, you’ll know about a crackdown on the remnants of the old Collins-Thomas gang. That continues to rumble on. This new warrant comes directly from the Joint Council, following evidence gathered on the London side. It’s for the arrest of Detective Lola Styles.”
A ripple of surprise spread through the courtyard. A few exclamations of disbelief, some whistles. Jyna stood in silence, running through what could possibly have led to Lola’s arrest.
Another hand went up. “Didn’t Detective Styles help us bust the gang? And the trafficking just the other week?”
“These are orders from on high, Sola. We’re executing those orders. New evidence has come to light, pointing new fingers. We go where the fingers point.” Rexen looked out over the courtyard. “I know many of you knew Lola Styles. Worked with her. Drank beer with her. You need to set those personal feelings aside, and do your jobs. The file from the Joint Council included warrants for the arrests of multiple officers from the London Specialist Dimensional Command, most of Styles’ colleagues. This is a sensitive matter so I’ll be accompanying for the arrest. We move out in two hours. Dismissed.”
More glances between the guards, noting the unnecessary lead time. A couple of guards looked in Jyna’s direction and winced on her behalf. She’d never kept her relationship with Lola a secret, nor their abrupt break-up. It hadn’t been a big deal — nothing lasted long when you were a city guard, and Jyna had always suspected that she’d been little more than a stepping stone for the Mid-Earther. It had been good while it lasted, and after that it became something else.
Jyna hadn’t been selected for the squad. Rexen perhaps thinking she was too compromised, or he might have been simply looking after her. Rexen was a hard captain, uncompromising, who didn’t tolerate fools or incompetents, but he cared for everyone in the garrison. If you earned his trust, Rexen would return it ten-fold.
The courtyard was emptying, and Jyna found herself by the pillared cloisters, out of the sun. Jyna wouldn’t claim to know Lola especially well; it hadn’t been that kind of relationship that they’d had. Not so much about the talking. But Jyna was good at getting a feel for a person, and nothing about her seemed corrupt, or criminal. If anything, Lola was burdened by a belief that people were inherently good — probably including herself.
Even if there was new evidence, something was off.
“Sergeant Jyna,” rumbled Rexen’s voice, suddenly in her ear. He was standing next to her, his imposing frame always able to move with a deceptive speed and quiet. He was the head of the city guard for a reason.
She didn’t look up. “Captain.”
“I know you were close to Styles.”
“I was.”
“It’s why I didn’t put you on the arrest squad.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“It’s important we do this one right. Joint Council scrutiny is not something I want coming down on us.”
“I understand, sir.”
“Two hours until we go. Prep time on these things is vital. Everything needs to be in the right place. Nothing rushed.”
“Of course, Captain.”
“It’s vital in these operations to leave enough time for everything to be done right. For everyone to be briefed and informed about what’s going to happen.”
“I’m sure the squad will do it right.”
“I’m sure they will. I picked them.” He paused, then clapped her on the back. “We’ve all got our part to play, Jyna.”
She nodded.
“I’ll see you back here this afternoon.” And then he was gone, striding across the sunlit courtyard.
Jyna took a breath, retrieved a nondescript cloak from the locker room, then headed for the gates.
Near the bridge to the university and the portal station was a row of apartments reserved for diplomatic staff. Larger than anything a city guard could afford, with two or three rooms each, running water, a laundry service and a set of shops and restaurants at street level. The first time Jyna had visited Lola’s place, she had been stunned by its opulence; and then by Lola’s apparent disregard for her privileged position. Compared to London, it was nothing. Life on the mesas was difficult, with everything at a premium, including space.
She composed herself, checked again that she wasn’t being followed or observed, then knocked. The elderly doorman squinted at her, then waved her in. Jyna jumped the steps two at a time and hammered on Lola’s door.
As soon as it opened a crack, Jyna pushed it open and moved into the apartment, prompting a squealing objection from Lola.
“Jyna? What are you doing here?”
Closing the door behind her, Jyna gave Lola an unplanned hug. “You have to pack your things and go.”
“What?”
“Right now. In under two hours the city guard will be here to arrest you. You have to leave.” Jyna was moving through the kitchen, pulling down items from shelves that would be useful to Lola if she had to go on the run.
“Arrest me? What for?”
Lola wasn’t listening, not properly. Wasn’t understanding the seriousness of the situation. Jyna stopped gathering supplies and grasped Lola’s shoulders. “The Joint Council has issued arrest warrants for you and your colleagues back in London. You’ve all been connected to the gangs here, and the people trafficking.”
“That’s a lie,” Lola said, clearly disgusted by the accusation.
“Doesn’t matter. It’s happened. You need to go.”
There was a rising panic in Lola’s voice. “Go where? Back home? Through the portal?”
Another voice, from the bedroom. “Don’t be ridiculous. The portal is locked down. That would be the fastest way to be arrested.”
Jyna bowed her head. “Princess Daryla,” she said. There had been rumours, but she hadn’t expected the princess to be there.
Glancing between the two women, Lola attempted a smile. “Daryla, this is Jyna, one of the city guard. A friend. Jyna, this—”
“I know who Princess Daryla is,” Jyna interrupted. “Everyone does.” She turned to the princess. “Can you protect her? Diplomatic immunity, or asylum in your palace?”
Daryla grimaced. “I’d have said yes not long ago, but I don’t believe that to be an option. It wouldn’t be safe.” She looked to Lola, who appeared to be trying to shrink into the furniture. “We need to get you out of the city.”
“The guard will be here in just over an hour,” Jyna said. “I got here as fast I could.”
“Thank you,” Daryla said. “I’ll remember this, Jyna.”
Lola sank into a chair. “I can’t leave. I’ve got nowhere to go. I’m the liaison here, in Bruglia. I need to get a message to Clarke.”
“Your colleagues have already been arrested,” Jyna said, shaking her head. “It’s time to go.”
“I don’t know where to go. I’ve no idea how anything works outside of Bruglia.”
Daryla was already packing a bag with clothes. “That’s why I’m coming with you. We’ll go together.”
A part of Jyna wanted to join them, or to go in Daryla’s place. On the run with Lola Styles: that had a certain appeal. But her place was in Bruglia, in the city guard. Rexen had given her a specific job to do, without saying as much. It didn’t include deserting her post.
“Where will you go?”
“It’s best you don’t know,” Daryla said. “It’ll be safer for Lola.”
“Won’t you be recognised, Princess?”
Daryla smiled, and Jyna caught a glimpse of a more wily person than she would have given her credit for. “I’m used to disguising myself. We’ll be fine. I have contacts who can help, once we’re out of the city.”
Offering her a hand, Jyna smiled down at Lola. “Looks like you’ll get to see more of Palinor after all, just like you wanted.” Lola took her hand and Jyna pulled her to her feet. “I wish I could have known you more,” she said, then embraced Lola. “Travel safe. Be careful. I’ll see what I can do to help from this end.” Jyna stared into Lola’s wide eyes, then kissed her — Princess Daryla be damned. “You’re something special, Lola Styles.”
Lola managed a smile. “Thanks, Jyna. Thanks for warning us.”
Turning to Daryla, Jyna straightened up and forced herself to see past the wealth and power. “You’d better look after her, princess,” she said. “Otherwise I’ll be coming after you next.”
Thanks for reading.
This is going to be an extended flashback sequence, so strap in.
If you’re reading this newsletter on the day of release, don’t forget that the Sparkle Summit: Substack x Publishing is LIVE and happening right now.
You can jump on the welcome from
and here:
Coming up are lots of panels, including one featuring…me! Hugely exciting, and big thanks to Russell and Claire for inviting me to join in the fun. All you have to do is subscribe toe Sparkle Summit, and you’ll get all the panels and discussions in your inbox or in the Substack app. Hopefully see lots of you there and down in the comments.
If you missed it, I put up a post on Monday all about character sketches, with a specific look at Lola’s rejig post-time skip:
Elsewhere, I contributed some thoughts to a post over on the Freewrite blog, along with
and some others. It’s a neat history of serial storytelling, and its current place in the literary ecology.1Fiction on Substack was discussed on a recent episode of
’s podcast. Do take a look:
The inimitable
gets a shout-out, which prompted me to do a little jig.Take a look at this weird email I got:
Clearly someone did a quick search for anyone writing about AI on Subtack and pinged off the emails, without bothering to check what was being written. “I have been using AI daily for 2 years” is a remarkable way to begin an email.
On the note of naff AI, check out this magazine I saw while on holiday this week:
I weep for the species.
Author notes
Writing Triverse has never been more complicated.
Structurally, I’ve torn up the rulebook. We’ve had 2+ years of procedural investigations, but all of our main detective characters are no longer detectives. Not officially, at least.
On top of that, I introduced a 5-year time skip. Except for the last month-and-a-bit we haven’t known anything about the fate of one of the main characters, Lola Styles. It’s been an uneasy mystery. Her long-awaited reappearance last week opened up even more questions, like: what the heck has happened to Lola?
And, finally, we’re into the flashback that will reveal some proper answers (you might wish you never asked). The timeline hopping back-and-forth, plus the one-off Sally storyline in-between, has given me some serious headaches. Not least because I had to plan out the meat of the Lola stuff even though we weren’t going to get to it for over a month.
Such are the complications of writing a ‘live’ weekly serial, in which I’m writing and publishing as I go. A lot of my creative time goes into working out the next six months, not just writing the current chapter. I want it to all slot together, and for foreshadowing to work, and everything to resonate back and forth — and still hang together on a re-read. I want it to have the satisfying coherence of a novel, even while I’m forging it right in front of your eyes.
It’s enormously fun, but…quite a lot.
Last note: in recording the audio version of this week’s chapter, I had to figure out how to pronounce ‘Jyna’. Turns out it’s just ‘Gina’ but with FANTASY SPELLING. Who knew?
Apologies for using the phrase ‘literary ecology’.
FUCKING FINALLY!
Jyna, I apologise for all the times I said I was too lazy to go back and look up your name. You and Rexan are the heroes of the chapter.
Still on my lonely hill, waiting for Lola's magic abilities to manifest, or my own death. Right on this hill.
OMG that magazine. I would really like to see a YouTube video of someone who has to spend a week doing things only using ChatGPT and see how terrible it would be (although it's probably already been done).