{"id":21552,"date":"2025-06-25T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/?p=21552"},"modified":"2025-06-10T09:58:29","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T15:58:29","slug":"excerpt-bloodfire-legacy-chapter-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/excerpt-bloodfire-legacy-chapter-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Excerpt: Bloodfire Legacy (Chapter 3)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Clairvoyant Thief<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Lord Arion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lord Arion passed silently through the stone walls of Castle Caravelia. He yearned to feel the floor beneath his feet, to brush his fingers across the rough stone and feel their rough texture. But he was merely a wraith, disembodied and immaterial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He rose and emerged through the floor above, stopping at the door to his daughter\u2019s apartment. For a moment, he considered passing inside, but then he remembered the last time he had passed into that space. Sorrow pierced his ghostly heart as he recalled how she\u2019d pored over the ancient tome of magic, the hideous black evil of the Serpent\u2019s Eye desecrating her desk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLyra, my child,\u201d he whispered softly. \u201cIf only I could reach you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, the awful truth was that she wasn\u2019t beyond his reach. At any time, he could pierce the veil and speak to her one last time. In her current state, was he sure that she would listen? Would her father\u2019s last words be enough to bring her back from the darkness? Or would she ignore him and continue on her chosen course?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He drifted down into the great hall, where courtiers mingled. Their idle chatter and vapid laughter hardly improved his mood. How many of them were secret allies of the Dark Brotherhood? How could they all carry on so blithely while darkness festered in their midst?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His gaze fell upon Lord Blackwood, deep in conversation with one of the king\u2019s advisors. At the very sight of him, rage and despair warred within Arion\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou monster,\u201d he hissed. \u201cYou slew me in cold blood, and now you seek to ensnare my daughter? By all that is good and holy in this world, I swear that I will find a way to stop you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He paused, his gaze falling upon a cluster of mages engaged in hushed conversation near the hearth. One of them cast a sidelong glance at him, subtle enough that no one else noticed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A clairvoyant,<\/em> Lord Arion thought to himself. One with the magical gift to see and speak with the dead. Clairvoyance was rare, but not unheard of. Many of those who possessed the gift preferred to keep it secret, developing their other talents instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a fleeting moment, Lord Arion considered approaching the mage. Yet a nagging suspicion stayed his hand. From observing Lord Blackwood, he knew that the Dark Brotherhood had already infiltrated the ranks of the kingdom\u2019s magical elite. And of course, everyone else had their own devious schemes. Could he trust any of the clairvoyants at the court? No\u2014the risk of exposing himself to his enemies was simply too great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dismayed, he drifted up from the hall, passing through the rafters and rough stone walls. So deeply did he brood over his troubled thoughts that he hardly noticed where he was going until he emerged in his daughter\u2019s chamber, illuminated in the flickering light of a single candle. Lyra sat hunched over her desk, her midnight-black hair spilling over her shoulders. With one hand, she idly stroked the Serpent\u2019s Eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI will bring you justice, father,\u201d she murmured. \u201cI swear it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arion\u2019s heart clenched. \u201cNo!\u201d he screamed. \u201cMy killer is Lord Blackwood, child! The very man you\u2019ve chosen to make your mentor!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lyra shivered suddenly, wrapping her arms around her chest. \u201cAre you here, Father?\u201d she asked softly. \u201cSometimes, it almost seems like I can feel you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lord Arion reached out to her, his ghostly fingers passing through her cheek. \u201cI\u2019m here, child,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a fleeting moment, he wondered if she could feel his ethereal touch. But then, she shook her head and returned to her studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unable to bear his helplessness any longer, Arion soared through the castle walls and up into the night sky. The city sprawled beneath him, the light of countless torches flickering in the shadowed streets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There had to be someone down there who could help him reach out to his wayward daughter. But where?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Corin darted across the dark alley, leaping between the crates and barrels in his way. He slowed as he rounded the corner, careful to watch for any dangerous figures lurking in the shadows. But once he knew they were clear, he wore the shadows like an old familiar cloak over his threadbare rags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI told you,\u201d he hissed under his breath. \u201cI don\u2019t do this anymore. Find someone else to help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ghost of a middle-aged man followed him, his pudgy face creased with worry. \u201cPlease, young man. My daughter is in danger\u2014you\u2019re the only one who can help!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corin quickly scanned his surroundings, and not just for the usual threats. Anyone who saw him would think him mad\u2014his ghostly companion was invisible to everyone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLook,\u201d he whispered harshly, \u201cI\u2019m sorry about Mariah. Truly, I am. But from what you\u2019ve told me, I\u2019m liable to end up floating face-down in the river if I go after her. And I rather like breathing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut if you do nothing, she\u2019ll die!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corin winced, though he did his best to hide it. \u201cYeah, well, we all go sooner or later. I\u2019m not a hero. Why don\u2019t you go ask someone respectable, with one of those big, fancy swords?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you think I haven\u2019t tried? None of them can see or hear me. Only you have the gift!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome gift,\u201d Corin snorted, leaping over a putrid rivulet of freshly-dumped sewage. \u201cAll it\u2019s ever brought me is trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His stomach growled. The only food he\u2019d managed to scrounge up that day were some meager scraps from a refuse pile. Even when he managed to pinch a few silvers, the hunger always gnawed at him. It was his only constant companion in his hardscrabble existence\u2014aside, of course, from the dead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPlease,\u201d the ghost moaned. \u201cYou are my daughter\u2019s only hope.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corin clenched his jaw. Mariah was a friend, of a sort\u2014at least, as much of a friend as one could have on the streets. He doubted she would come after him if their roles were reversed. But she might. Shouldn\u2019t he\u2026 but no, every instinct screamed at him not to risk his neck. He hadn\u2019t survived this long by always saying \u2018yes\u2019 to every ghost with a haunting sob story. Hadn\u2019t he?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy do I always let myself get dragged into these things?\u201d he muttered. The ghost\u2019s face lit up immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThank you, lad! You\u2019ve no idea how much this means to\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSave it,\u201d Corin growled. \u201cJust guide me to her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ghost nodded and led Corin deeper into the labyrinthine heart of the city\u2019s slums. Worn and weathered buildings loomed over them, their once-grand facades now reduced to crumbling ruins. Shattered windows glinted in the moonlight, many boarded up with pinewood planks. The stench of mildew and raw sewage hung heavy in the air, so thick that it practically clung to Corin\u2019s skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ghost suddenly veered to the left, leading Corin towards a decrepit warehouse. A salty sea breeze from the harbor made its old, weathered boards groan ever so slightly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is it,\u201d the ghost whispered. \u201cMy daughter\u2019s in there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corin narrowed his eyes. \u201cYour daughter got herself mixed up with Grim\u2019s gang? Brilliant, that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t her fault! Times are hard, and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTimes are always hard,\u201d Corin snapped. He ran a hand through his unkempt hair. \u201cLook, if I do this\u2014and that\u2019s a big if\u2014I\u2019m gonna need more than just encouragement. You know the layout in there?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAye, I\u2019ll guide you. Just\u2026 please, save my little girl.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corin sighed. \u201cI\u2019ll do what I can. But don\u2019t expect any miracles.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ghost\u2019s lips curled into a faint smile. \u201cThank you, Corin. I knew I could count on you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corin crept along the warehouse\u2019s outer wall toward a rickety ladder. Pausing only to test if it would hold his weight, he nimbly scaled the rungs, slipping through a small hatch into a dark and dusty hayloft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pungent smell of moldy straw assaulted him as he crawled forward on his belly, peering through gaps in the floorboards. Mariah\u2019s father hovered nearby, his ghostly form passing effortlessly through the wooden beams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere she is,\u201d the ghost whispered, pointing downward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corin\u2019s breath caught in his throat. Mariah sat bound and gagged in the center of the floor, her face a patchwork of ugly bruises. Corin recognized the hulking crime boss immediately, with his shaved head and a scar splitting his lip. Half a dozen thugs flanked the ugly man. He grabbed Mariah\u2019s hair and yanked her head back, making Corin wince.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLast chance, little seer,\u201d Grim growled. \u201cTell me what I want to know, or I start to become unpleasant.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mariah\u2019s eyes blazed with defiance. \u201cGo to hell,\u201d she spat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWrong answer, little seer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey boss,\u201d said one of the thugs. \u201cWant us to have some fun with her?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d said another, puffing out his chest. \u201cWhat about it, boss?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grim chuckled\u2014a cold, mirthless sound that sent shivers down Corin\u2019s spine. \u201cNot yet,\u201d he said, his eyes roving over Mariah\u2019s battered body. \u201cI want to hear her beg for mercy first.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corin felt a surge of anger in his gut. He knew he had to act fast. His eyes darted about the warehouse, falling on an oil lamp hanging from the rafters just below him. Below it lay a pile of oily rags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat are you thinking, lad?\u201d the ghost asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat I need is a distraction,\u201d Corin muttered under his breath. \u201cBut what to do after\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sharp crack of a hand striking flesh cut him short. Mariah’s cry of pain echoed in the cavernous space below him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBlast it all,\u201d Corin hissed. Right now, all that mattered was getting Mariah away. He\u2019d figure out the rest as he went. With that decided, his hand slipped to the worn handle of his knife as he crept closer to the edge of the hayloft, his heart hammering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here goes nothing.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corin sprang from his hiding spot and rolled as he hit the floor. The thugs whirled around at the sudden movement, but he was already in motion, running. His blade flashed as it sliced through the rope holding the lamp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat the\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lamp crashed and shattered. The flames licked hungrily at the oily rags, and the thugs hesitated, unsure whether to chase Corin or to put out the fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYah!\u201d shouted Corin, lunging in a feint. The thugs instinctively moved to fight him, wasting the precious few seconds they had before the fire grew out of control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d Grim bellowed. \u201cSmith, Carter\u2014after that thief! The rest of you put out the fire!\u201d But he was too late. The flames had already taken to the dry and weathered wood, filling the air with smoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDirty little waif,\u201d one of the thugs snarled as he drew a wicked dagger. Corin took that as his cue to dance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The thug lunged at him, moving much faster than his hulking form seemed to allow. But Corin was faster. He darted to the side, tripping up a man with a water pail and causing him to spill it on the floor. Another thug tried to catch him, but slipped on the water and barreled into someone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corin ran toward a stack of crates, leading his attackers away from Mariah, who still sat bound to her chair. The thugs crashed after him, knocking some of them over, but he had already doubled around behind them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGet him!\u201d Grim roared, his face contorted with rage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corin had just enough time to duck before another thug came after him, swinging his meaty fists. He felt the whoosh of the air as the man\u2019s arm passed over his head. Without thinking, he lashed out with his foot, catching his attacker in the knee. The man grunted and took a step back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy daughter!\u201d the ghost yelled. \u201cWe have to save her before the place burns down!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The warehouse was fully on fire now, the acrid smoke stinging Corin\u2019s eyes and throat. He caught a glimpse of Mariah staring wide-eyed at the flames as men scrambled in vain to put them out. She was far too close to them for comfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But before Corin could run after her, the thugs came after him. Since they were both taller than him, though, the smoke stung their eyes enough for him to slip between them. He darted toward the opposite wall, coughing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA little help here?\u201d he asked the ghost. The smoke was already thick enough that he could barely see anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis way!\u201d Mariah\u2019s father called, urging him into the fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corin followed, dodging started thugs and burning debris. Mariah\u2019s muffled cries for help urged him to move faster. The acrid stench burned his lungs, but he ducked his head and pushed on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere she is!\u201d the ghost cried out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the haze, Corin spotted her. She\u2019d been knocked to the floor in the commotion and was now struggling for her life against her bonds. When she saw him, her eyes widened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCorin? What are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a very good question,\u201d he muttered, sawing at the ropes that bound her feet. As soon as they were cut, he grunted and hauled her up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCan you run?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She nodded, her arms still bound behind her back. The timbers above them groaned and cracked, showering them with sparks and embers. But before they could run, a rough hand grabbed Corin\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou little street rat,\u201d Grim snarled, his face contorted with rage. \u201cI\u2019ll gut you myself!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His knife was almost as long as Corin\u2019s forearm. But before he could use it, Mariah landed a kick in the crime lord\u2019s groin. Grim howled and doubled over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRun!\u201d said Corin, grabbing Mariah by the arm. She didn\u2019t need to be told twice. Together, they stumbled through the thickening smoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The burst out into the cool night air, coughing and gasping for breath. Behind them, angry shouts and roaring flames filled the air. Mariah staggered, and for a moment, it seemed that she was about to collapse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t stop,\u201d Corin gasped, pulling her back to her feet. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to get away from here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mariah nodded. Together, they plunged into the winding alleys of Caravelia, leaving the inferno far behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The old wharf groaned under Corin\u2019s weight. He stumbled to the edge, letting his feet dangle over the water as he sat. The putrid stench of the river wafted up to greet him, a nauseating blend of sewage and rotting fish. As if that weren\u2019t enough, the acrid smoke of the warehouse fire still clung to his rags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThink we lost \u2018em,\u201d he muttered as Mariah sat beside him. The distant shouts of the city guard echoed behind them through the narrow streets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mariah nodded. \u201cFor now, at least.\u201d She sagged against a moldering wooden post, wincing at her bonds. \u201cLend a hand?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRight, sorry.\u201d Corin fumbled for his knife and carefully sawed through the ropes binding her wrists. The raw, red welts stirred his anger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow badly did they hurt you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mariah grimaced as she rubbed her chafed skin. \u201cAin\u2019t nothing I can\u2019t handle. You learn to take your licks on the streets.\u201d She glanced at him, her eyes glinting. \u201cSpeaking of which, what were you doing there? How\u2019d you know where to find me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mariah\u2019s father hovered at the edge of Corin\u2019s vision. \u201cTell her,\u201d he urged. But Corin couldn\u2019t afford to let word get out about his gift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI heard a rumor,\u201d he lied. \u201cThought I\u2019d check it out, see if you needed my help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mariah snorted. \u201cSince when do you play the hero, Corey?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaybe I just wanted to buck the trend for once.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She stared at him for a while, then shook her head. \u201cYou\u2019re a strange one. But\u2026 thanks. I mean it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat were you doing getting mixed up with Grim\u2019s crew anyway?\u201d Corin asked. Mariah looked away, her lips pressed into a thin line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s\u2026 complicated,\u201d she said evasively. \u201cI got mixed up in something I shouldn\u2019t have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corin\u2019s frown deepened. He knew all too well the kinds of people who ruled Caravelia\u2019s underworld. It often felt like the city\u2019s prosperity was built on a foundation of corruption and greed. The fact that Mariah didn\u2019t want to talk about it obviously meant she was in over her head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMust\u2019ve been some job,\u201d he pressed. \u201cGrim doesn\u2019t tie people up for fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mariah\u2019s lips tightened. \u201cLook, I appreciate you saving me and all, but it\u2019s better if you don\u2019t know all the details. For both our sakes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corin opened his mouth to argue, then thought better of it. Why was he trying to get himself involved anyway? Everyone on the streets had their own dirty secrets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFine,\u201d he said. \u201cJust\u2026 take care of yourself, alright? And if you need my help again\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, I\u2019ll ask for it,\u201d she said, turning away. But she couldn\u2019t hide the gratitude in her eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe I just want to feel needed for a change,<\/em> he thought, answering his own question. By someone who isn\u2019t dead yet,<\/em> he added quickly, turning away from the ghost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTell her,\u201d Mariah\u2019s father pleaded. \u201cPlease, Corin. Tell her I\u2019m here\u2014that I love her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Corin ignored the spectral being, fixing his gaze on the water instead. A small barge glided past them, its hull groaning as it made its way toward the harbor. Mariah noticed his sudden tension and frowned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat is it, Corey?\u201d she asked. \u201cYou look like you\u2019ve seen a ghost.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have no idea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that supposed to mean?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNothing. Now, let\u2019s get out of here before those goons catch up to us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corin felt the ghost\u2019s disappointment like a cold wind at his back. But he shoved the feeling aside. Survival came first\u2014everything else was a luxury he couldn\u2019t afford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lord Arion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lord Arion silently watched the two ragged figures below. Though unremarkable to mortal eyes, the boy stood out among the thousands of other inhabitants of the capital city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe has the gift,\u201d Lord Arion whispered. \u201cThe power to see beyond the veil of the Mortal Realm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hope began to surge within him, a feeling he hadn\u2019t felt very often since his demise. He swooped lower, watching as Corin parted ways with Mariah before slipping into a gaggle of drunken sailors. He blended in surprisingly well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe is so different from my Lyra,\u201d Arion mused as he followed the boy through the city’s squalid streets. Where Lyra walked with the grace and poise of nobility, Corin slunk through the shadows, always watching his back. Where Lyra had a position at court, Corin trusted no one and always kept a knife on his belt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe streets haven\u2019t been kind to you, have they, lad?\u201d Arion murmured. He focused his otherworldly senses to peer into Corin\u2019s heart. Beneath the boy\u2019s gritty cynicism, a flicker of something pure still burned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s goodness there,\u201d Arion decided. \u201cBuried, perhaps, but not extinguished. You\u2019re a good man, Corin\u2014or at least, you want to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arion\u2019s mind turned to the peril his daughter now courted. His rage burned at the thought of Dorian indoctrinating her in the ways of the Dark Brotherhood. She needed her father now more than ever\u2014before she made a mistake that would fix the course of her life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe boy has the gift,\u201d he repeated, steeling his resolve. It would not be easy, persuading a street urchin to turn from a life of petty thievery. But for Lyra\u2019s sake, he had to try.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Clairvoyant Thief Lord Arion Lord Arion passed silently through the stone walls of Castle Caravelia. He yearned to feel the floor beneath his feet, to brush his fingers across the rough stone and feel their rough texture. But he was merely a wraith, disembodied and immaterial. He rose and emerged through the floor above,… Continue reading Excerpt: Bloodfire Legacy (Chapter 3)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1818,1806],"tags":[474],"class_list":["post-21552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bloodfire-legacy","category-sea-mage-cycle","tag-excerpts","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7iXK-5BC","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21552"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21552\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21562,"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21552\/revisions\/21562"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}