Hunted Souls #TheWVoice

Query:

Cancer patient Bixby awakens in Centerra, where giants hunt children for their magic. Their blood provides temporary powers to giants, so they imprison kids as commodities. If anyone gets rescued, giants retaliate by killing a child in return. Call it “insurance.”

Dionté adopts Bixby into his band, provided Bixby follows his rules. Despite butting heads with the temperamental leader, Bixby obeys. But he can’t wrap his head around rule number 1: don’t rescue your friends. As he watches the giants pick them off, Bixby fights back, and Dionté banishes him from the protection of underground forts.

Bixby leaves in search of a way to save all the prisoners, only to learn giants seek more than magic, but four kids prophesied to destroy their race. And his name is on the list.

Hunted Souls is a YA fantasy with sci-fy elements running at 64,000 words, and is envisioned as the first in a series.

250:

Bixby stares at the world through a fish tank. His body clenches in pain while delirium hazes his senses. The bed shakes passing over an elevator crack, flooding his throat with nausea. Doctors press his abdomen.

“What’s your pain score?”

Bixby manages a responsive groan. At eighteen, he refuses to forfeit his battle against cancer.

A chill runs through his right forearm. He blinks, watching white bubbles form beneath the skin. Why did the IV blow again?! A nurse digs a needle in his left wrist, seeking, but not finding, a good vein. Bixby sinks deeper into the aquarium, pain clogging his ears and eyes. His mother kisses his cheek, rubbing her hand on his bare head, tears spilling over his face. The deep sucks him under, evaporating Bixby’s will. He allows the darkness to escort him to freedom.

*

Bixby’s eyes fluttered open, his brain struggling through the fog of deep sea dreaming. A forest of maroon oaks swathed in purple mist blurred into view. The scent of fresh soil filled his nose. Something tapped his forehead. His clearing vision revealed a small creature with spiky, black hair and velvet moth wings hovering before his nose. Her fingers poked at his skull.

“Wake up! Giants aren’t far!”

Alarmed, he sat up. A girl with milky skin, slanted eyes, and pink lips lay sleeping a few feet from him. A jolt rocketed his body. Holy crap, she’s naked!

The fairy disrupted his gawking.

“I’ll make you clothes for some pixie dust.”