The Hedge End Tribune
Special Feature: An Interview Conducted by Godrey Stone, a well-to-do gentleman and all around scoundrel.
On the Recent Adventures of Miss Clara Aldridge and Mr. Willoughby Tanner in Ravenshelm
Godrey: Let us begin simply, shall we? The citizens of Hedge End have heard whispers—wild ones, I might add—about your time in Ravenshelm. Tell us, in your own words, what precisely drew you there in the first place?
Clara: We traveled to Ravenshelm to retrieve the stolen magical gems that were unjustly taken from the city. The longer those gems remained missing, the more lives were at risk.
Willoughby: And the longer we delayed, the harder they would be to recover.
Godrey: So a rescue mission, then. Very noble. Mayor Aldridge, did you feel the weight of representing Hedge End while chasing down cursed gemstones in a foreign city?
Clara: I did. Hedge End trusted me to help restore order, and as mayor it was my responsibility to see the matter through.
Godrey: Responsibility. Such a heavy word. Tell me, Mr. Tanner, did you accompany her out of duty to the town, or because the thought of her facing danger without you was unacceptable?
Willoughby: I accompanied her because the situation was dangerous and required experience.
Clara: He means to say he didn’t trust me to stay out of trouble.
Godrey: A wise instinct, judging by the reports. Now, these magical gems, dangerous little things. When did you first realize just how dire the situation had become?
Clara: The second we found them unaccounted for. Sergei Stollen, my uncle’s accomplice, had vanished with them and as soon as we discovered his last whereabouts, we knew we had to act. Before Ravenshelm suffered the same fate as Hedge End had. It was dangerous, of course, but needs must and such.
Godrey: And yet you pressed forward regardless. Brave… or stubborn. I suspect both. Which of you first suggested pursuing the thief responsible?
Willoughby: She did.
Clara: Someone had to.
Godrey: Naturally. Mr. Tanner, did you ever consider telling her no?
Willoughby: Frequently.
Godrey: And did she listen?
Willoughby: No.
Godrey: A partnership forged in defiance. How romantic. Now, let us turn to Alderwyck Court. A magnificent place, as far as I recall. Polished marble, banners in every hall, and a prince who takes great interest in distinguished visitors. A true marvel if you ask me. Mayor Aldridge, what was your first impression of Prince Damien Alderwyck?
Willoughby: Oh, for gems sake, Godrey!
Clara: He was…friendly enough. He wished to do right by Ravenshelm and offered his support in any way. Requested our aid with the beasts running rampant in his city.
Godrey: Support can take many forms. Did you find him charming?
Clara: He was courteous.
Godrey: Courteous men can be dangerous in their own way. Mr. Tanner, how did you find His Highness?
Willoughby: [Growls] He assumed a level of familiarity that had not been earned.
Godrey: I see. That must have been very trying for you.
Clara: Godrey, the prince was welcoming us into his home as a means of earning my trust. You know this. You were there.
Godrey: Of course he was. How terribly inconvenient that he was also handsome, powerful, and standing beside you during a crisis. Speaking of crises, there are accounts of some rather unfavorable roles that you both had to play while at the court. Ones that landed you in quite a deal of hot water. Did you ever doubt yourself?
Clara: Yes. But doubt does not excuse inaction. People were suffering, and leadership means acting even when you are afraid.
Godrey: A fine definition of courage. Mr. Tanner, did you doubt her?
Willoughby: Never.
Godrey: Not once?
Willoughby: Not once.
Godrey: Not even when you saw her cozying up to the prince?
Willoughby: [Growls again]
Godrey: I see. Now for the question every reader truly wishes to know. After battling Cursbeasts, negotiating with royalty, and retrieving magical gems capable of turning citizens into monsters, what did each of you bring back from Ravenshelm—besides exhaustion and notoriety?
Clara: I brought back the certainty that we are stronger than we think. When we stand together, we can face threats far beyond our borders.
Godrey: And you, Mr. Tanner?
Willoughby: I brought back a clearer understanding of what matters.
Godrey: And what, precisely, is that?
Willoughby: Protecting the people I love.
Godrey: An admirable sentiment. One final clarification, if you will indulge me. When you say people… do you mean the citizens of Hedge End, or the woman standing beside you?
Clara: Sir, I believe that concludes the interview.
Godrey: Yes, Madam Mayor. I suspect it does.
Not ready to say goodbye to these characters? You can read more about them in A.N. Sage’s Beasts of Hedge End series, second of which, Court of Claws, comes out this Tuesday!
More about Court of Claws:
In Ravenshelm, power wears a crown—and hides its teeth.
When Clara Aldridge arrives in the harbor city of Ravenshelm, she expects danger. She does not expect beasts prowling the streets, people wasting away without explanation, or a royal court glittering with secrets no one dares name. The city is beautiful, wealthy, and rotting from the inside out.Clara carries a legacy with her. Bound by blood to ancient magic and a lineage entwined with the beasts themselves, she knows the gems did not simply vanish. Someone is feeding the city’s hunger for power—and the cost is paid in flesh and blood.
With Willoughby Tanner at her side, Clara becomes more reckless, more willing to edge dangerously close to the one person she has always tried to keep at arm’s length. Their partnership is no longer only about survival. Every shared glance, every risk they take together draws them deeper into something neither of them can name, something they are powerless to resist.
Together, they follow the trail of stolen gems into the heart of the royal court, uncovering secrets Ravenshelm would kill to keep buried—and a truth neither of them is prepared to face.
To stop the beasts and save the city, Clara must finally confront who she is and how much her blood is worth. Because in a place ruled by stolen magic and false crowns, survival demands sacrifice.
And the deeper they go, the harder it becomes to tell who the real monsters are.A.N. Sage weaves a dark, atmospheric romantasy where ancient magic, corrupted power, and forbidden truths collide. Court of Claws is a story of bloodlines and betrayal, of monsters both hidden and revealed—and the price of surviving a city that feeds on power.
Meet A.N. Sage:
A.N. Sage is a bestselling, award-winning author of mystery and fantasy novels. She has spent most of her life waiting to meet a witch, vampire, or at least get haunted by a ghost. In between failed seances and many questionable outfit choices, she has developed a keen eye for the extra-ordinary.
A.N. spends her free time reading and binge-watching television shows in her pajamas. Currently, she resides in Toronto, Canada with her husband who is not a creature of the night and their daughter who just might be.
A.N. Sage is a Scorpio and a massive advocate of leggings for pants.
You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, BookBub, TikTok, Youtube, and, of course, her own website.
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