It's 1918, and Matty returns home to the family farm from the trenches only to find his brother Arthur dying of an unknown illness. The local doctor thinks cancer, but Matty becomes convinced it's connected to the mysterious books his brother left strewn around the house. Rob knows something other than just Arthur's death is bothering Matty. He's know him for years and been in love with him just as long. And when he finds something that looks like a gate, a glowing, terrifying doorway to the unknown, it all starts to fall in to place. Matty's looking sicker and sicker in the same way Arthur did. What is Rob prepared to sacrifice to cure him? The answer is in the esoteric books ... and with the mysterious Lin of the Frem, who lives beyond the gate to nowhere. It's taken Matty and Rob more than a decade to admit they have feelings for each other and they are determined that neither social expectations or magical illness will part them now.

Inheritance of Shadows

“Tomorrow,” Rob had said, forehead pressed to Matty’s. “Tomorrow I’m going to lay you down on a proper bed and take my time with you.”


Matty had grinned at him. “I’ll look forward to it,” he muttered, nipping again at Rob’s stubbled jaw. “I’ve got to go to town in the morning. I ordered some leek plants from Simon Parker. I kept meaning to put seed in and never got round to it. I’ve got to pick them up.”


“I’ll help you get them in. I keep forgetting today’s Friday. Is Mrs Beelock coming in?”


“No, she’s been having the weekends off. Her arthritis isn’t getting any better.”


Rob shot him a vulpine smile. “All the better, then,” he said and pressed a final kiss to Matty’s mouth. “I’ll see you in the morning.”


THINGS DIDN’T LOOKany different in the morning.


Chapter 12