Playing with Shadows

by Sasha L. Miller

Corin is nearly done with his term amongst the priests. In a matter of months, he'll be able to return home and leave his miserable days in the temple behind him. He's tired of lazy priests and tired of stories of demon shadows that move of their own volition.

Then Corin starts to see things, and the priests begin to act strange, and he begins to wonder … is he losing his mind, or are the shadows more than they seem?

This story was written for the Love is Always Write event at the M/M Romance Group on GoodReads.

Note that this book is a free read offered by Less Than Three Press. We are working to price match this book to the $0.00 price offered at other retail locations. All proceeds from this book before Amazon matches the price will be donated to The Point Foundation, an LGBT scholarship foundation that provides financial support to at-risk gay and lesbian students.

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, Romance, Paranormal, Magic, LGBT, Short Stories

65 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 28, 2012

About the author

Sasha L. Miller spends most of her time writing, reading, or playing with all things website design. She loves telling stories, especially romance, because there’s nothing better than giving people their happily ever afters. When not writing, she spends time cooking, harassing her roommates, and playing with her cats.

Reviews

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

This free short story (I just found out that this was part of 2012 Goodreads M/M Romance Group Love is Always Write event) was pretty intriguing -- it had a great creepy set-up of a monastery, where servants were secretly being sacrificed to bind demons.

I also must note that this wasn't exactly a love story (or romance) except for that kiss in the end, which I thought was coming a little bit out of nowhere. The tone of this story was more of 'horror' variety than romance, even if Corin thought Rafferty as quite attractive, so it just felt rather forced considering that Corin and Rafferty didn't really spend a lot of time together as well. Rafferty was part of the 'secretive' priests while Corin was one of the servants, so they didn't exactly run in the same circle. All in all, nice quick read in between novels.

[ᴥ Irena ᴥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
Unless you count the last two or three pages of this story, this is not really a romance (those last few moments were just a promise of one, but I'll count them anyway). Not that it makes this worse. It is a good fantasy story. I wish I knew more about the world.

Corin lives in a world where priests have the right to take young people for a year and keep them as servants in their monasteries. He cannot leave because 'he would be arrested if he left before the year was up, and then he'd never see his family again.' He was taken from his village and now he is waiting for those dreadful eight months to pass.
You can see right away that something weird is going on because Corin feels it. The shadows are strange and he often feels an unnatural cold in the night. Since he doesn't believe in shadow demons, he dismisses every creepy feeling he gets until Rafferty, the priest with whom he came to the monastery, warns him about the danger. And that is all I am going to say about the story. Anything else would be a spoiler.

I would gladly read a book set in this world. There simply wasn't enough of the world to really enjoy it. You get only a vague picture of it and that only if it is connected with that religion, which isn't explained either. But it is a good story nevertheless.

[Irina Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was nice - and that's simultaneously a good and a bad thing.
It was nice means it was pleasant, it was pretty good, I liked it.
But it was nice also means there wasn't anything particularly remarkable about it and I didn't love it.
It was atmospheric enough and I liked the idea of a creepy monastery - seeing as I have a pretty conflicted relationship with any kind of religious personality, evil monks just push all my buttons in the best way possible. But it wasn't as creepy and disquieting as I wished it would be. This might also have been influenced by the fact that I read this story on the beach, but I think a really creepy story should be able to make me scared in spite of my surroundings. And being creepy was clearly what this short story was going for, since there really wasn't much in the way of romance other than one admittedly great kiss at the very end.
All in all, this could have been great, if only the principal elements of the story - evil magicking monks and forbidden love - and the feelings it was trying to evoke - fear, suspense, a touch of secret lust - had been expounded upon and developed better.

[Mandy*reads obsessively* · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*
Mysterious and dark story.
I liked it, the plot and the world it was set in was very interesting, I was just not given all the background or information to make it great.
There was so much more to know, and I think I wish the MC's had spent more time together, I wanted to see more of their attraction to each other.

[Furio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the fantasy setting, this short story reads much more like a horror and I have classified it accordingly.

Ms Miller creates an adequately oppressing atmosphere striking the exact balance to make her story creepy but without having her reader wondering why the lead does not simply run away: if a setting is too menacing, infact, the author must also devise an excuse to prevent her characters from fleeing it.
The theocracy she establishes as political background not only contributes to the bleak atmosphere but it also allows the reader some uncomfortable parallels with our reality.

While the story could have been longer, it does not feel underdeveloped. Writing is good, the two leads are well outlined and the plot is tight.

That said, I am not a great fan of horror and I only held out because I knew there was going to be a HEA.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Offered for FREE from the M/M Romance Group, Love Is Always Write: Volume Seven.

So I wrote a nice long review which I then proceeded to lose... so basically, this was good. Not so much a romance but has the potential for future romantic feelings. Interesting plot though, could have been an intriguing full-length fantasy novel.

[Julesmarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was enthralled by the world in this story. So many fascinating ideas and so many intriguing elements and possibilities.

I'd love to get to read more set in this world, because the relationship felt like it was just getting started right when the story ended.

[Deeze · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting idea. Not very heavy on romance but if you need a quick paranormal fix then this fits the bill.

I would certainly be interesting in another book.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story was a very enjoyable one sitting read. I loved how the story jumped right into things giving just enough away to draw me in, but still leaving a mysterious feel to everything the main character Corin experiences. It had that old gothic tale feel to it with the dark, stone corridors in the medieval style fantasy. Nothing is as it seems even when I thought all the surprises were over there were yet more twists.

Corin, like all the others who live in the surrounding area, is forced to provide one year of indentured servitude to the priests who live in the monastery. Unlike the others who are content to serve, Corin is the sole male provider to a mother and sisters and he worries how they are doing. He resents the lazy priests with their odd requests and doesn't let them scare him by their talk of shadows and danger. Corin is forced to believe there is something in what they say when odd things start to happen around him. There is one priest that seems set apart from the others and intrigues Corin because he feels the priest is carrying a heavy worrisome burden inside. Rafferty, might be the only one who can give him answers to what he senses going on around him. One day, Rafferty does give him some answers and it is not what he wants to hear.

The plot moves right along and I enjoyed the development of the shadow part of the plot. The character, Corin is the main focus, but Rafferty's character was developed well. I did feel the very end was rushed to cram it in to fit a word count and would have liked to see that twist at the end more developed. But overall, it was a good attention keeping read. I'd love to see a sequel.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Corin can't wait for the end of his miserable days at the monastery he works. Eight months left till he could go back his home where it's warm and bright and there's proper bed instead of thin straw to sleep on. His day starts with the cold,stale leftovers from the pervious night's meal in the dining hall for breakfast,followed by the usual dull duties. And then after the tyring day,he sleeps in the small, cold room he shares with his roommates who make it difficult for him to sleep under their snores. Apart from the priests, he also hated the chatter the other servants made about the demons in the monastery which was why he never got to make any friends.
It wasn't until the day he saw a priest he'd never seen before assigning several children the duty of dusting in the mysterious library that his days started to get strangely creepy. He finds the demons to be real,a fully ripe apple in summer lying atop a shelf near the podium he was dusting off,and a priest needing his help to block the demons of the monastery by using his 'spirit energy.'
The writing was simple and immature. It was a short read but I got it finished with in a week because it wasn't compelling enough. But overall, the setting was unique and the story interesting and creepy. 3.5 stars :)

[Cole Riann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done. We don't really need more world here, no matter how much I think we all like to have it sometimes. Too much information would ruin the atmosphere that is based on subtle manipulation of secrets. More romance would be a treat, but then that depends on whether you approach the story with romance as the main objective. A hint of it and the promise of more worked just fine for me.

[Y.]

lol.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little story.

Corin is stuck serving a year as a servant at the monastery, an expectation of all of age people in the land. He despises the forced work as it takes him from his family, who depend on him after the loss of their father. He wishes to hate the monk who brought him, Rafferty, but finds he can't in face of the man's unusual melancholy. Things would be much better if he could get through the night without being woken by strange things happening in the shadows.

Corin is a very blunt character, but he doesn't exactly seem unkind. He is frustrated with his situation, as it seems the monks just brings in servants so they don't have to do any work, while he himself is a hard worker. His family is very important to him and leaving them for the monastery chafes at him. Under his outlying bluntness, you can see that he is loving of those he cares about, loyal, a hard worker, and wanting to do the right thing. He works well as the protagonist and I enjoyed his discoveries about the shadows as well as the way it played out as he considered his future.

[Clarise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a guy called Corin stuck in a temple with priests. After few months he can leave the temple and return home. And then the priests started to act strange or is it his kind going crazy. At last he hold his friend hand and left the place.

I think this book is actually a bit scary and exciting to look further on and discover the actions of Corin and Rafferty

[L.G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an interesting story. I like the concept, but due to the shortness of the book there was little development. Everything felt a bit rushed. I would have loved to see more of the world building, of the relationship between the 2 MCs developing.
It kind of felt like a trailer to what could have been a better full length book.

[Regencyfan93]

When tiles started glowing around Corin, I had to quit. With the horror of the past 4 years and particularly 2020, i don't need to consume horror in my leisure time. I might have enjoyed this when it first came out, but not now.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay read, but the romance was not really needed. It could have gone without. However, I liked the characters and a sequel would be nice.

[Nikyta · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review can be found at The Blogger Girls review site.

3.5 stars

In honor of the upcoming M/M Romance Group’s ‘Love’s Landscapes’ event, I’ve decided to go back and read a few of the stories from last year’s event. This one peaked my interest because one, it was free and two, I really enjoy Sasha’s writing.

Set in a monastery where kids of a certain age are sent to act as ‘servants’ to the priests for one year and where demons are just waiting in the shadows to be free, Corin is thrust into a world where cleaning up after lazy priests is nothing compared to the possibility of losing his mind. From not believing in demons to all of a sudden feeling and seeing them everywhere, Corin is in for one hell of a surprise when one of the priests ask for his help in fighting the demons. But the demons might not be the only evil creatures in the monastery, especially when some of the priests start acting a little weird.

To be honest, this one wasn’t what I was expecting. What I’ve read so far from this author has been sweet stories. This one is vastly different in that it is more intense, darker and scarier than I’m used to reading. I loved that it felt more like a horror story than a romance or suspense. For such a short story, it managed to get a lot of feeling behind the characters and the plot. Corin is simultaneously scared and snide. He speaks his mind (even at the cost of being an outcast) but he also fears what his senses are telling him. While he’s afraid, though, he’s brave enough to do what he can to stop the evil creatures. Rafferty is more subdued. Actually, he seems very depressed and sad but we didn’t get to understand or experience him as much as we did Corin so he’s still an enigma.

While I really enjoyed it, I won’t deny that I missed getting more details on certain things such as more into spirit energy and how priests at other monasteries handle the demons. Also, while I loved that there was a hint of romance at the end, I can’t help but feel like it was awkward. I think the story would have benefited more from either being completely devoid of romance or at least having it incorporated more throughout the story. As it was, it felt like it was just tacked on at the end, even though there were a few hints throughout the story that Corin felt something towards Rafferty, there never once was a hint that Rafferty felt anything beyond what their energies created.

All in all, this was still a good story. I liked the darkness to it, the feeling that there may just be something beyond your peripheral vision. I especially liked how the story was wrapped up and while I wish we could have gotten a more meatier read, I still enjoyed it. I really hope we get a sequel because I would love to see what happens to Rafferty and Corin next.

[Bettye Kanady · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won't say that this was a favorite, but I can tell you it was more interesting than I thought it would be. I could wish for a sequel, and maybe a prequel to find out exactly what Rafferty went through in the monastery. Playing with Shadows takes the phrase to a whole different level. The book centers around young Corin (not sure how young but probably 18) who had been taken from his village to be a servant to a local monastery; this servitude would last a year. By servant, we are given the idea that he is there to clean, cook, weed gardens, and other chores of the sort. He was chosen by Rafferty (we have no age, but he's attractive enough to Corin...maybe late 20's) and that was the last contact that he had with the man in 8 months. Corin only stated that he "hated" Rafferty for bringing him to the "prison" he currently resided in. The thing about this monastery, is that boys as well as girls were chosen; this meant that Corin's sister would probably be picked the next year. Well, rumors had been flying around the monastery about "shadows that moved." Corin didn't believe such "nonsense" but he kept to himself and let everyone think whatever they wanted to think. He had gotten into a disagreement with one of the girls there, and was sure that was the cause of everyone else's disinterest in him. So far, so bad, right? Sounds boring? Well, come to find out that Corin holds a tremendous amount of spirit energy; the monks have been summoning demons for power and those demons need to be bound every year. So, in order to bind the demons, the monks have been sacrificing the people with the most spiritual energy and telling families that they ran off. Rafferty knows of a way to bind the demons without killing but the monks don't want to change anything; it's tradition to kill. Not much attraction but there is a kiss at the end which would make me not want to be a priest... but there ya go.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could have been a lot better - too hollow.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was...OK.

I probably would've rated it higher had the plot not seemed so, well, thin. And holey. And a bit ridiculous. More than once, when a question was answered or something was revealed, my face got that scrunched-up, skeptical look that means "well that's an...interesting...direction to take things." (That's what it means when I'm being extra-diplomatic, anyway.)

In other words, without getting into spoiler territory, Miller made some odd choices - ones that I think hurt the story. The writing technique, though - the language itself - was well done.

If you're after a torrid romance, you won't find it here. Any romantic themes are essentially an afterthought. (I don't consider that a bad thing, BTW. A light touch with the heat is often an improvement.)

It wasn't terrible, and it's free, so I guess just see for yourself.

[Anna Kļaviņa · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of these cases when authors fails to give reader enough background story, description and information.
At the end I don't care about the characters and their magic land. Which is shame as idea was good.

I like the book cover and the picture


Except apples weren't in season, Corin's traitorous mind told him. How would a perfectly ripe apple exist this far away from fall?
By storing them in cellar or basement.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Relatively light on the romance, heavy on the fantasy, perhaps horror, this was a fun, well-written book. A well-constructed world and magic system. A servant in a monastery sees dark shadows. A priest he has an unusual connection with warns him that their may be a danger coming. Some romantic sparks fly.

While there is a lot of plot, the relationship isn't very detailed and doesn't get very hot. I am not really sure there are any memorable characters or why these characters was instantly attracted, but the world was fun and lush and the bits of sexiness were decent as well.

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. This has an interesting premise - villagers are called to serve at the local monastery in learn humility and whatnot - only for one villager to discover that something is most definitely lurking in the shadows. I wanted it to be a little longer since it felt rushed and I didn't really have time to feel a sense of atmosphere that this type of story should invoke. The "relationship" between the protags isn't really given much page time and then it's weird because there's a dead priest in the room while they're kissing and it doesn't quite work for me.

[Cloud · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this short story quite enjoyable. Right off the bat the reader is thrown into this world where magic is real and things may not always be as they appear. I felt the world building was strong and the story kept me quite engaged throughout. I grew to like the characters and the pace felt natural. Overall I would be pleased to see the story of the main characters continued and to learn more about this world as it feels like it has quite the potential.

[Ayanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess Miller just doesn't do it for me. When you first glance at it, the writing's extremely reminiscent of Megan Derr, but it's quite inherently different. I feel like Miller doesn't build up character dynamics - especially dealing with romance - as much and so her romances tend to fall flat. I also didn't quite like the characters, even in and of themselves. I never feel like I quite get a sense of tension in her works either, which makes it rather boring and indifferent.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book, but I was confused for parts of it. The book jumps right into the story and throws you in, with explanations coming later. It was an interesting world they were in, and I wouldn't mind reading more of their adventures. However, I had a problem with all the jumping around, and I just couldn't get into the flow of the story. It was a nice short, one time read, and I would recommend giving it a try, after all, it's free and you just might like it.

[Angel Marcelino · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was trilling at first, with all those creepy imaginations of demons and such. but WHY! i clearly don't LIKE the ending, imagine a priest(guy) and a trainee(guy) sharing LOVE in the end? it was truthfully thrilling and amazing because of those magical glows and such.. but i don't find it appropriate to be the ending. But, maybe this is a Bromance so forgive me about the fuss, i just can't.. accept it rather.. but thanks for the story, it still was worth reading :)

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable short story, which gets going into the plot with no messing around which is always a good start in my opinion. As with all haunting related stories there is always the potential for human sacrifice to banish the spirits. So here’s a different take on the normal ideas of a Monastery, with young people going there to learn life’s lessons, or so they think. The more you get into the book you find there is more going on than you first realise.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is a 3.5 stars for me. I just had too many questions in the end that didn't get answered. The romance part was awkward, but I think that might be because the story was so short that there wasn't enough time to build it well. The suspenseful parts were written well and that kept my interest. I might read it again sometime.