Yeah, this is gonna be a novella.
Ilbrin showed a gratifying ability to get to the point. And take a hint. “Yes, ma’am. It’s a straight run up, about two days by foot. A day by coach, if you could get one up through there. But you can’t, because horses don’t like the Ghost Road. Critters in general don’t care for it.”
“Too spooky?” I asked.
Ilbrin shook his head. “Too noisy,” he said. “The road, ah, it takes some getting used to. Most people can manage, after a while, but you will panic at least once and you can get yourself killed doing it. I mean it, ma’am. The first time you really feel the Ghost Road, it’s gonna bowl you over. There’s a reason why nobody takes it if they don’t have to, and with that casgorn perched up in Chillicothe, nobody these days wants to.” The elf carefully didn’t look at my Raygun, and I just as carefully didn’t say anything back.
“Wait,” said Wilkinson. “You’re saying two days now? I thought you could do it in one.” There wasn’t as much of a whine in his voice as I was expecting, but then both of us could read a map. A two days’ walk sounded about right for a trip that long; and since we were knew going in that it was a no-fooling haunted road, it even sounded generous.
“No, Mr. Wilkinson,” said Ilbrin. “I said it took two days on foot. I have a faster method. One that draws on the lost technology of the Old Americans themselves!” He bowed. “Assuming, of course, you can master it.”
“Appeals to my self-pride don’t work on me,” I said, as I stood. Then I smiled, thinly. “But cutting our travel time in half does. Let’s go see this mysterious technology of yours.”
… Novellas aren’t a bad thing. Lois Bujold has written quite a few .. generally packaged 2-3 per serving. For that matter, J.R.R. Tolkein wrote the war of the rings as five books, but it was most often published as three ..
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Two novellas with a connection – same characters, world, location, theme – can be treated as one novel .. and, more importantly, a novella and three short stories can also be treated as one novel .. and one of the shorts can be given away free to entrap (erm, attract) buyers.
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Mew