The Protector and the Annihilation 29 Kickstarter Short Stories' Preview. Part 2, 15 short stories. (Upcoming, not yet launched as of 01/18/25.)

Alejandro's thoughts looking at Antonio Chandrani who has hair like blue waves falling around him, has brown skin, wears a dark blue diver-like suit and has a rising aquamarine sea behind him. He's shown moving the waves around him. It's implied he's floating with mist and there's foam near his legs.

[Link to Part 1 with 14 short stories' summaries and previews.]

15. you and i, who we are. (Ranvir Chandrani and Armando Rivera.) Excerpt from Book 2 of Blue Horizon. [Note: May potentially be moved to Book 3.] Word count: 2286.

Armando still tried to tell him, smiling as much as he could— “I want to love every part of you, darling. Surely you know that.”

Summary: Older Ranvir and Armando relax together at one of the secret hot springs the Chandrani family of Jowar Peaks frequents. Armando discusses finding Ranvir’s changing body type handsome, asks Ranvir’s thoughts on gender, aging and appearances in general. A flirty excerpt from Blue Horizon book 2, which will be a sequel to The Protector and the Annihilation. (Unfortunately has no sex.)

16. what a girl wants. (Konna Yesmin, Maria Herrera, Layla and Farrah Chandrani.) Word count: 1064.

“Maria,” Konna queried, trying to sound as polite as she was able, “How do you pull in a handsome woman? I really don’t get how you do it.”

Summary: Konna and Maria discuss whether a sexy girl like Maria is allowed to murder Konna or not, as well as her crush on Layla, which hasn’t been working out the way she’s hoped. They wind up discussing the rivaling cousins Layla and Farrah Chandrani.

17. heaven-sent. Lili (and Anitha and Antonio). Word count: 710.

“You know your fathers better than I do,” said Lili.

“I’m unsure if that’s true,” Antonio sighed.

Summary: A person with bloodied feet discusses problems going back lifetimes with Liliana Caldera, Alejandro Caldera-Altaha’s alleged aunt.

18. Chandrani Family Funk. (Alia Atif-Akinyemi and Layla Chandrani.) Word count: 1060.

“I really don’t see it, what you two do,” Hazal commented. “Layla Chandrani’s totally shy.”

“She’s not,” Alia scoffed, and flexed her hand too, feeling much too bothered.

Summary: Alia and several other friends within the Queen’s Guard note how Layla and Antonio are about to go and try to die on a high-level adventure! People become upset. Not Alia or anything.

19. mask on, mask off. (Alia Atif-Akinyemi, Khalida Ahmad, Layla Chandrani.) Word count: 1096.

“The Protector’s class is worse theater than the theater department,” Alia groused.

“Mainly because of Antonio,“ said Layla, thoughtfully.

“No, it’s because of you, Layla!“ Alia finally whirled around toward her.

Summary: After the best of the Queen’s Guard—Alia, Khalida and Layla—get pulled into a theatrical production by the theater department in their academy, they wind up discussing their family troubles while flexing their hotness. Alia does Layla a solid.

20. fits like a glove. (Antonio Chandrani-Rivera and Alejandro Caldera-Altaha.) Word count: 1250.

Alejandro stuttered, “You… You know how I am about dinosaurs. How can I become what I hate? What a maddening thought.”

Summary: Antonio Chandrani-Rivera and Alejandro Caldera-Altaha reflect on their pasts together as they scheme over what sort of costumes to wear for the All Spirits’ Dance that the Herrera family hosts, the Herrera family that Antonio is directly related to.

21. staying around. (Khaleel Atif-Akinyemi and Leo Abara.) Word count: 1164.

“I’ve been wondering,” said Khaleel. “Shouldn’t you invite me into your room sometimes? I’m starting to feel bad, thinking I might be trespassing.”

Summary: Khaleel worries over what Leo thinks of him. The subtle moves Leo makes around him filter in through his Red, but…

22. the loving depths. (Khaleel Atif-Akinyemi and Leo Abara + Main 6.) Word count: 1250.

Khaleel furrowed his brows. “I can tell with you, Leo. Since we are childhood friends. Don’t force yourself into facing everything.”

Summary: Although a majority of the public upon Imion are unaware, Khaleel Atif-Akinyemi has a subtle power and influence amid his friend group that is rising in fame. As his sister Alia bickers with said friends, he worries over his closest, Leo Abara.

23. when all the world’s a stage. (Mario Herrera, Bruno Garza, Antonio Chandrani-Rivera.) Word count: 1052.

“I see that I can hardly live up to my own cousin’s handsomeness.” Antonio, the cad, replied.

Summary: Trans man Mario Herrera thinks his trans man boyfriend Bruno Garza is too adoring of him. As he sticks with cousin Antonio Chandrani-Rivera, the trouble between the Herrera and Garza families become apparent, and yet Antonio, with family amid the Herreras, seems quite glad Mario has Bruno around him.

24. a memory of your siblings and their loves FOR THE SLEEPING LORD, SALMAN KHAN-SALAH. (Layla Chandrani and Alia Akinyemi, Antonio Chandrani.) Word count: 1566.

Antonio stared at her only a while longer. He said, looking down at the cave formations around them, “It’s a private affair. How my magic is connected to my dad.”

Summary: The time mage Jafar records certain scenarios involving the once-siblings and current cousins Antonio and Layla Chandrani, who discuss what makes them family. Antonio side-eyes Layla’s relationship with a certain woman. In this manner Jafar ascertains that the Sleeping Lord that the time mages focus on, Salman Khan-Salah, can keep track of Nasir and Leila Hadid-Salah.

25. good trouble. (Layla Chandrani and Khalida Ahmad.) Word count: 1031.

“It’s true that I’ve been worried,” said Layla, her head tilting as the silver thread on her eyepatch pulsed. “I don’t want a friend of mine to get caught up in trouble I can’t handle. Let alone Alia. Even though you’re quite strong.”

Summary: Despite many people passing Layla Chandrani off as a sapphic cad and overall incoming powerhouse amid the Chandrani family only, Khalida continues to discover that Layla is just as subtly conniving as the rest of her cousins when it comes to tracking their riotous world theater.

26. eyes worldwide. (Mitsuki Sato-Ávila and Soyeon Rah.) Word count: 1200.

“How do you know my thoughts so well without being a Red?” Soyeon paused her movements, tilting her head toward her.

“Childhood friendship,” she told the person who already knew.

Summary: Mitsuki and Soyeon sit around outside on the verandah of Mitsuki’s Obaasan’s house in the Northern Valerias, discussing their friend Priya Kaur and particularly the eerier elder sister of hers, Anitha Kaur, who seems to be scheming with her boyfriend, a well-known man among the Ancients. Mitsuki is disturbed by a Purple Emperor butterfly and its false eyes portending something about their future.

27. within the waters, like the stars. (Layla, Alia, Khalida, Konna.) Word count: ~4000.

In her dreams, the blood from her feet led to different women. It led to Nasir, too, in his life as Antonio Chandrani-Rivera. It always did.

Summary: Layla Chandrani's horrible cousin Antonio Chandrani-Rivera, the boy who was her once-brother Nasir Hadid-Salah, he points it out. That fear she has regarding her relationships with several girls, those girls who are her best friends of sorts. Alia, Khalida, Konna, Farrah, Maria, Jasmin. Her relationship with someone in particular bothers her. That person is…

28. undone. (Leo, Khaleel, Antonio, Alejandro.) Word count: ~3000.

Khaleel didn’t seem to mind when Leo placed his arm around his shoulder. He did it often.

[...]

Alejandro’s brain seemed to short-circuit, as his low-lit red gaze became quite blank.

Antonio turned back and argued, “It’s not about that! Like you said, I’m a handsome man. I’ll be showing it off.”

“You are handsome,” Leo agreed.

Summary: Leo relaxes with Khaleel at a Hanami picnic in the Northern Valerias, of all places on the planet Imion. He, Khaleel, Alejandro and Antonio get caught up in discussions involving life and love. Leo doesn’t really want to think about it, who it is among his friends he wants to spend a bit of alone time with.

29. An Adventure into a Mysterious City! Together with…the Children. Romance! Fear! Fighting! Focus. (Alia, Layla, Alejandro, Antonio.) Word count: ~7000.

Alejandro’s glance at Alia wound up a bit too tart.

“Well…” he murmured, “I assumed she was bored, honestly, but I see what’s going on now. I think she knew Layla might be getting herself into trouble with you.”

“Was she really that overprotective?” Antonio snickered.

Summary: Layla, Antonio and Alia get dragged into an adventure in a famous city after Alejandro asks his mentor Kiyotaka Miura to tag along. Alia and Alejandro discuss the pressures of growing up, of how their friends, acquaintances and guardians want marriage, and Alejandro asks too personal a question, which somehow leads him to cajole Antonio into trying to flirt with him. Alia won’t stop trying to learn Layla’s hobbies and habits, which Layla can’t imagine anyone giving a shit about. There are also monsters! A day in the life of Layla and Antonio and crew.

[Link to Part 1 with 14 short stories' summaries and previews.]