Realms - The Word Guardians

June 10, 2026

Trust, the burden of inheriting a secret war

One of the questions at the heart of The Word Guardians and the Battle for the Peacekeepers is simple: What happens when the people you trust most refuse to tell you the truth?

For Yas, the answer is complicated.

Growing up, Yas knew there were gaps in her family’s story. Questions about her grandfather were always met with silence, quick changes of subject, or vague answers that never quite explained anything. Her parents weren’t trying to be cruel. In fact, they believed they were protecting her.

The Secret war

They knew what her grandfather had been involved in. They knew about the dangers, the conflicts, and the secret war that existed beyond the ordinary world. Most importantly, they knew that once someone became aware of that hidden reality, there was no going back.

So, they stayed silent.

The problem with secrets

Secrets rarely stay hidden. They tend to grow larger in the spaces where answers should be.

For Yas, that silence was difficult to cope with. On the one hand, books were her solace, a place where she could escape when unanswered questions became too much. She knew how the real world worked around her, but she didn’t understand why her parents wouldn’t talk about her grandfather? What had happened to him? What had he done that was so bad?

Then comes the person she trusts.

The trusted mentor

Every young person needs mentors, people who encourage curiosity, learning, and growth. But what happens when a mentor unknowingly opens a door and the tantalizing possibility of answers about her grandfather.

Or perhaps they knew exactly what they were doing?

Through her mentor and the discovery of hidden magic, Yas begins to realize that words are far more powerful than she ever imagined. Books become more than collections of stories. They become magical realms, alongside her own, with doorways between them.

Suddenly, the questions she’s been carrying her entire life start to gain answers. But every answer creates a new problem.

Trust, the inherited burden

Who can Yas trust? This is the burden of the secret war that she’s inherited.

Her parents clearly knew something, but they refused to explain it. Her mentor encourages her exploration, but for what purpose?

There’re others too that she meets along the way. They each have their own history, motivations and secrets. There’s her best friend Sam, who tells her about the existence of magical worlds before she’s ready to believe him. There’s Janine Vickers who is angry at Yas when she and Sam disobey her instructions. And there’s the mysterious Penn, who comes from old money and secrets.

And the one common thread is that when everyone claims to be protecting you, how do you know who is actually telling the truth?

This is one of the central themes explored throughout Yas’s journey. Trust is rarely simple. Sometimes the people who love us hide things because they’re afraid. Sometimes mentors make mistakes. Sometimes curiosity leads us exactly where we’re meant to go, and sometimes it leads us straight into the danger that others were trying to protect us from.

Yet despite the uncertainty, Yas keeps moving forward because some questions refuse to stay buried.

Answering the questions determines who we are

The desire to understand who we are, where we come from, and why our lives have unfolded the way they have is incredibly powerful. For Yas, that drive becomes impossible to ignore. The mystery surrounding her grandfather, the strange pull of magical books, and the growing realization that a hidden war is being fought in the realms all combine into a journey she never expected to take.

And once she takes that first step, everything changes.

If you enjoy stories filled with magical worlds, hidden histories, dangerous secrets, questions of trust, and young heroes discovering their place in a much larger conflict, then Yas’s adventure is waiting for you.

Pick up Book 1: The Word Guardians and the Battle for the Peacekeepers and discover the beginning of Yas‘s journey into a world where words hold power, secrets shape destinies, and the truth may be more dangerous than anyone imagined.

The Word Guardians book series

May 27, 2026

What happens to a world no one imagines anymore?

Somewhere beyond the edge of memory, there is a modern city with high rises. Once, thousands of readers walked there.

Readers picture rain slick alleys and hidden staircases. Some imagine music drifting from open windows. Others imagined silence.

Every reader leaves something behind. That is how the realms of the Word Guardians survive. Not through ink. Not through paper. But through imagination.

Now the city is quiet. It’s stagnated. There are no readers floating ethereally along the streets. The realm is waiting for someone to read it again, or… in the quiet, other ancient forces make changes and start to control the story.

Stories were never meant to be passive

Most people think stories exist only on the page. The Word Guardians know better.

A story does not truly come alive until someone imagines it. Readers build the world beyond it every time they turn a page.

No two readers imagine a story the same way. One reader imagines a castle towering above storm clouds. Another imagines ancient stone worn smooth by time. One sees warmth in a character’s smile. Another sees sadness hiding underneath it.

A neglected realm turns inwards. It seeks something to fill the void left behind by readers. It can become unbalanced, dangerous even. The realm tries to keep its own story going, without fresh imagination. This is how the Otherworld in book 4, The Word Guardians and the Lost Beginnings formed. As readers forgot the realm, ancient mythological stories forged a new identity and closed it off from the outer world.

Forgotten realms never truly die

The Word Guardians believe that as long as even one person reads a story, some part of it survives. A single reader can reopen pathways thought lost forever. A forgotten character can awaken again simply because someone imagined them clearly enough. That is why old stories matter, no matter how ancient.

The ancient stories have a power of their own. An archetype that is the foundation of many, its characters are forces that can reawaken. Depending on the character they may try to restore balance, seeking an input of fresh imagination from readers, or they may take control, as happened in the Otherworld. They become the enemies of the Word Guardians, The Controllers.

This is why stories passed down through generations matter. Re-reading them, sharing them, keeps them re-imagined, fresh and the realms in balance.

Worlds that no one imagines any more never truly disappear. They wait for a while to see if someone remembers them again, and then to preserve their own existence, they take matters into their own hands.

To learn more about the Otherworld of the Word Guardians series, buy book 4, using the link below. But, to learn more about the characters before they enter the Otherworld, start with book 1, The Battle for the Peacekeepers. Keep the stories and realms alive.

The Word Guardians book series

May 14, 2026

When the magic hidden inside books is real

Ever had that feeling in life when a book feels real? Not just entertaining. Not simply words on a page. Real. Magic.

A story can stay with us long after we close the cover. Characters can feel like friends. Entire worlds can become places we remember as vividly as somewhere we’ve visited. Sometimes a single sentence can change the way we think forever.

Those ideas were the heart of book 1, The Word Guardians and the Battle for the Peacekeepers.

In the Word Guardians series, books are far more than stories. They are gateways connected to realms born from imagination itself. Every reader who dreams, imagines, fears, or hopes while reading leaves something behind, energy that helps shape these hidden worlds.

The Magic Hidden Inside Books

Most people never realise those realms exist. Yas certainly didn’t.

To her, books were comfort, when real life became difficult to understand. Books were an escape. Adventure. She loved the quiet safety of stories and the feeling of disappearing into another world for a while. Working in a bookshop deepened that connection and reaffirmed what she thought was real. Surrounded by shelves and stories every day, she thought she understood what books were meant to be.

But she had no idea that magic was woven into every page.

Her best friend Sam kept trying to tell her. He believed there were worlds hidden beyond stories, places where imagination became reality and where certain readers could cross between them. To Yas, Sam’s beliefs sounded impossible. But Sam knew the truth because his father vanished while visiting a realm.

Then, direct experience of the magic hidden inside books changed her thinking forever. She believed, and curiosity soon entangled Yas in something far more dangerous.

The war in the realms

Book 1 sees Yas start to uncover the secrets hidden around her family, her grandfather’s disappearance, and the strange truths concealed by her parents. She begins to realise that stories hold genuine power. The realms are real. Magic exists. And there are people willing to wage war to control it.

The realms are where the conflict between the Word Guardians and the Controllers begins.

The Word Guardians believe imagination should remain free. They protect the realms and the readers connected to them, guarding the fragile balance between worlds. To them, stories represent possibility, creativity, and freedom of thought.

The Controllers see things differently.

They understand that stories influence people. They shape beliefs, emotions, fears, and dreams. If imagination can create worlds, then controlling imagination means controlling reality itself. The Controllers want to manipulate the realms and use their influence over readers in the real world for their own purposes.

At its core, The Word Guardians and the Battle for the Peacekeepers is a story about the power of magic hidden inside books.

When magic becomes literal

Stories have always carried a kind of magic. They allow us to see through someone else’s eyes. They transport us beyond ordinary life. They inspire courage, curiosity, empathy, and wonder. Entire generations have been shaped by the stories they grew up with.

In The Word Guardians series, that idea becomes literal. The realms exist because readers believe in stories deeply enough to give them life.

But the stories also explore an important question. What happens when someone tries to control imagination itself?

In book 1, as Yas and Sam uncover the hidden war between the Guardians and the Controllers, they are forced to decide what stories truly mean, who they can trust and how they can protect the imagination of readers. Because some magic doesn’t come from spells, sometimes it begins with turning a page.

So, buy book 1 now, using the link below (to take you to amazon), and start your journey into the magic of the Word Guardians.

The Word Guardians book series

April 29, 2026April 29, 2026

If magic was real, what would we conjure?

Book 4 The Lost Beginnings, features the Otherworld, a realm in which everyone can use magic, and there’s even a law enforcement officer to police unsafe and dangerous usage. Having re-read some of it recently, it got me thinking… if magic was real, what would I conjure? And what would it say about me?

The possibilities are endless. Or are they?

Asking others, there were varying responses. Having infinite pizza might solve the question of what to have for dinner for a while, and a teleportation device sure would cut that daily commute and give back some time. Most people initially start big, a large house and being able to have as much money as they needed. But then, money ultimately buys freedom and time, so why not go straight to that instead?

Now, let’s add a restriction to how much magic you can use. In Book 4, the use of too much magic causes the realm to become unstable and liquefy. It reverses what we see in Book 1 when Yas visits Victorian London and sees how magic can create the realm. So, think again about your choices. What can you achieve without constantly having to conjure? How much magic might be too much?

Whatever your response, it prompts some deeper questions. Why did you choose what you did and what might you really be seeking?

What are you really searching for?

Are you looking for more time, to be able to think without feeling under pressure, and to be able to get more done in the day. Maybe you want time for you, when all the responsibilities of the day are taken care of?

Perhaps you’re seeking clarity, looking to understand people and the world around you without having to second guess. What did that person really mean? What really matters in this situation and what choice can I make that I won’t be replaying in my mind later?

Or maybe you’d decide to conjure something that benefits others? Heal disease, solve hunger, help the climate?

Digging deeper into why you’d conjure what you decide takes us to the last and perhaps most uncomfortable question in this thought experiment, what does that say about you?

Choices speak words

Sure, in the moment you can choose to conjure anything convenient. But remember, if there’s a limit to how much magic you can conjure, you must be careful with your wishes. Do you still want to make it immediate and convenient, or should it be more meaningful for you?

To be meaningful though, you need to think about what that means to you. Do you want something grander for yourself, nobler for others or subtler for quality of life for you and your loved ones?

Whatever you choose, it paints a picture of you. And that picture may or may not be in line with the picture you feel like you’d like to portray about yourself. Ultimately the ability to conjure anything gives us a freedom. And with that freedom, how do we choose to use it?

What do the Word Guardians conjure?

The same dilemmas play out for Yas, Sam and their friends in the realms. Sure, they have battles and need to conjure weapons and shields in the moment for self-defence, but they still must think about those deeper questions. Do they seek defence or retaliation? Do they seek to win at all costs or use force only to regain balance? Ultimately, their ‘why’ is to protect the imagination of readers, and the magic that they cast is in service of this.

To learn more about the magic of the Word Guardians, and their enemies, The Controllers, read the book series. See also what resonates (or doesn’t) for you in how you’d like to react to the challenges that the Word Guardians face.

Click the button below to view and buy the books in your usual Amazon store (available in paperback and kindle editions).

The Word Guardians book series

April 15, 2026April 15, 2026

The realm visitor’s survival guide for the Word Guardians

If you could open a portal and step through to a magical realm, as the Word Guardians do, what should you take with you? I thought I’d explore the idea of a Realm Visitor’s survival guide in this week’s blog.

Travelling to a realm is different to adventures in the outer world. Assuming you can enter a realm, you can draw on the magic that’s present while you’re there to conjure food, clothing and more.

So, you don’t need much in your survival pack really. However, there’s two key pieces you do need though, for a visit to a realm.

Opening a portal to a realm

The first, and most important part of being able to visit a magical realm, is being able to open a portal. In Who can visit the realms of the Word Guardians series?, I talked about having belief, magical ability and a key. We see how this comes together for Yas in Excerpt from Book 1: When Yas discovers magic and how Yas then comes to believe, develop her innate magical ability and open portals to other realms.

For Yas and Sam, they have several keys on the necklaces they wear. The faces of the dies, the pendants, help them both find doorways into realms and detect when a portal is nearby. They discover other keys too, but their pendants also help them with the second part of visiting a realm.

Getting home again

Like any adventure, you need to get back home again. When visiting a realm, that means knowing where the portal is that will get you back to the outer world. This could be the same doorway that took you there, as Yas and Sam find when visiting ancient Alexandria (Excerpt from book 1 – Escape from Alexandria). It might also be a portal that can only be opened by someone else, which causes Yas and Sam to become trapped in the Otherworld in book 4 – The Lost Beginnings.

An exit portal can be opened the same way as a portal to enter a realm. You need belief, magical ability and you need to know where the door is. Magical ability comes a little easier once in a realm and magic is all around you, but it depends on the realm as you’ll see in the upcoming book 5, The Story Thief.

What about surviving in the realm?

As I mentioned earlier, while you’re visiting a realm you can draw on the magic that powers it to conjure what you need to survive. Food, drink, clothing, can all be created to provide your daily needs. But, as you find out in the stories, you can also get injured, or worse. So, caution is needed, as you would exercise on any adventure.

What’s in the realm visitor’s survival guide

So, a realm visitor Survival Guide is maybe a little different from what you might expect, but important, nonetheless. You need the ability to open portals to visit a realm and get home again, and you need to have your wits about you while you’re visiting. Without the ability to open doorways, you’re not going to get very far on your magical adventures, and this learning is a big part of book 1 – The Battle for the Peacekeepers for Yas.

To see how this plays out for Yas and her friends, click the button below to view and buy the books in your usual Amazon store (available in paperback and kindle editions).

The Word Guardians book series

March 19, 2026March 19, 2026

What if books could control your mind? Could you resist?

I thought I’d give you a question to puzzle over, in this blog… if books could control your mind, could you resist?

A recap… what forms the worlds of the Word Guardians

In What are the Worlds of the Word Guardians I talked about word magic and how it forms the worlds, or realms, that the characters visit.

When reading, a scene forms in the mind’s eye of readers and the story plays out. This is not just imagination; it takes shape in a magical realm. It’s like a stage, where props and actors are formed from the magic and play out the scene. Many readers can unconsciously collaborate, witnessing and shaping the scene in the mind’s eye, and the realm responds, changing what’s presented to match the collective imagination of the readers.

How the Controllers control

In Introducing the Controllers, the Word Guardians ‘bad guys’, I described how this process of imagination can be influenced. Controllers can visit and change the scene in the realm using word magic. This can then be ‘seen’ by readers and influence their imagination. It can be mundane, or more impactful and that’s where the battle between the Controllers and the Guardians starts to play out. It’s a battle for control versus free will.

On a visit to Victorian London, Yas learns that most readers ignore things that don’t make sense. But subtlety is the key here. The Controllers make changes that readers accept as a seed and then that can be expanded upon to greater effect. It influences the thoughts of readers, placing suggestions of fake news, or as we see with Book 3 The Shadow Readers, readers can be incited to action to further the Controllers’ goals.

So if this happened to you, how would you know?

If someone was subtly influencing your thoughts, would you recognize the signs? With so much influence in general in the world already, what ways can we safeguard our minds?

Like the Shadow Readers in book 3, if we’re being controlled and taking uncharacteristic actions, or performing unhealthy habits we hope that family and friends would challenge us. That would be one call back to reality.

If it’s more subtle though, as we’re influenced by stories, it could change our beliefs over time. Perhaps we might express those views, but other than that, there may be no external signs.

What about if a Controller influences us to say or do something that conflicts with our own values (see Waking up to core values in a time of crisis)? Would we become caught up in it or would it jar internally and cause us to pause for a moment?

Could you resist?

Ultimately, we must question what we read, see and hear and I’ve touched on this from the Guardians perspective in How do the Word Guardians determine the truth. We should ask who has presented a story and why now? What might benefit whom from the way in which it has been portrayed? Only then can we start to know our own thoughts and form our own beliefs, versus trusting what comes to us.

So, what do you think? If a book started to control your mind, would you notice? Could you resist? I’d be interested to hear what you think.

And, to learn more about how mind control happens in the series, you’ll have to read the series. Click the button below to view the books in your usual Amazon store (all the books in the series are available in paperback and kindle editions).

The Word Guardians book series

February 18, 2026February 18, 2026

The beauty of innocence, introducing Eddie

Before finishing up on the theme of Who are your favourite characters in books?, I wanted to talk about the beauty of innocence. And I thought I’d do this by way of introduction to Eddie, someone I’ve not talked about before in my blogs.

The beauty of innocence

An innocent in a story is someone who is pure, honest, kind and possibly naïve in the world. They have simple beliefs at heart, are likely optimistic and have a literal understanding of right and wrong. Think of Dorothy in the Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Forrest Gump. Both of these characters have an innocence at heart that helps steer them through their respective stories, make friends, have significant life changes thrust upon them and enables them to achieve their goals (in Dorothy’s case to return home, for Forrest Gump to live a simple and authentic life).

Introducing Eddie

Eddie, in the Word Guardians series, is very much an innocent. When we meet him, he’s in magical disguise as Wesley, having had this thrust upon him because of the misguided actions of his father, Detective Wheeler. Eddie’s under some form of control by Penn and, later, Orfeo, and the relationship seems to be very much that of villains controlling an innocent. I’ll leave it to you to decide though, after you’ve read Book 1. All I’ll say is that it’s not quite as it seems (see previous blog Who is the mysterious Penn for more insight).

Later in the story, Eddie becomes free of the magic and helps Yas, becoming friends. In Book 2, that friendship becomes a source of jealousy for Sam, who thinks that Yas is more interested in Eddie than him. The innocence that Eddie portrays doesn’t enable him to recognise or understand that dynamic, so he becomes wary of Sam for a time. At the end of Book 2, we see that Eddie has found an unorthodox friend in Akoni, Yas’s stepbrother who helped the Controllers at the expense of his adopted grandfather and himself. The relationship continues into Book 3 (again, I can’t say more without plot spoiling), but the two of them help each other. Akoni’s darkness and previous problems become lighter with Eddie around, and Akoni helps Eddie see the naivety in some of his world view.

So, is Eddie an innocent?

Yes, Eddie is a gentle character who certainly starts out with the beauty of innocence. He’s caught up in life circumstances that he didn’t ask for and his innocence helps him remain true to his authenticity, no matter the situation. He also learns a lot about himself and others along the way, arguably moving him away from the classic definition of that role.

So, who is he? Ultimately, I’ll leave it up to you to decide. To find out more, read the story of Eddie woven through the first three books of the series. Click the button below to view the books in your usual Amazon store (all the books in the series are available in paperback and kindle editions).

The Word Guardians book series

February 4, 2026February 4, 2026

What makes a villain a villain? Who is Orfeo?

Continuing the theme of Who are your favourite characters in books? and What makes a hero?, it’s time to look at what makes a villain a villain.

What is it that sets a villain apart from an antagonist?

Who are the villains in the Word Guardians series?

Well, the villains of the series are the Controllers. They want to influence the minds of readers so that they can achieve their goal, control. To avoid plot spoilers, you’ll have to read the books to identify and understand all the villains in the series. There are some characters that act as antagonists but aren’t, and vice versa. And they seem to be this way because they are either protecting themselves while they figure out who they can trust or just acting out an agenda and haven’t yet revealed their cards. I can however share the name of one of the major villains of the series though, and that’s Orfeo, the vampire with a grand plan.

Who is Orfeo?

When you first meet Orfeo, he’s busy manipulating Detective Wheeler (who I’ve talked about in Waking up to core values in a time of crisis. Wheeler tells him what is going on within the police force, so that Orfeo can gain control of the Police Commissioner, as we see in Book 2.

Why does he want to do this? Like all good villains he wants control the story, in this case both inside and out of the magical realms. He uses a form of telepathic control, and uses some readers to incite all sorts of outcomes, none of which are pleasant. Orfeo claims all the trouble is from a small faction of insurgents called the Word Guardians. And he does this to justify a crackdown from the police. Ultimately, he wants the Word Guardians captured.

Villain or just antagonist?

So, knowing a little more about him, is Orfeo a villain or just an antagonist? To answer the question, we need to look at definitions of each.

A dictionary definition of an antagonist is that of someone opposing another. This doesn’t necessarily have to be evil or criminal in nature, but typically is someone opposing a protagonist within a story.

In contrast, the dictionary definition of a villain is that of someone blamed for evil or difficulty. It’s antagonistic in nature, but it indicates a deeper level. It’s likely criminal, wants to see the downfall or deposing of protagonists and is often dishonest and immoral in nature.

Based on these, Orfeo doesn’t sound like just an antagonist, does he? He’s wanting to expose the Word Guardians and while doing that he’s seeding and growing hatred of their cause, for his gain. It’s immoral and points to a wider evil, that of control of people’s imaginations so that they can do his bidding.

But who prevails?

Be honest, you want to know who wins, right? The Word Guardians or Orfeo?

And of course, I can’t tell you here. You’re going to have to read books 1 and 2 to find out. What I can tell you though is that you’ll also learn a little more about his background, his relationship with his number one, Raelinn, (who I’ve also talked about in The good and bad sides of loyalty), and some of his motivations for his dastardly deeds.

So, click the button below to view the books in your usual Amazon store (all the books in the series are available in paperback and kindle editions).

The Word Guardians book series

November 27, 2025

The good and bad sides of loyalty

In the previous blogs What trust is and why it is important and Waking up to core values, I’ve delved into the relationship that plays out between Detective Wheeler and the vampire, Raelinn. Loyalty, and the good and bad sides of loyalty are related, and something I thought I’d talk about here.

Loyalty can follow from trust and respect in someone’s core values, but it can also mean that we end up saying and doing things that take us away from our own values.

So, to give a little more context, here’s a snippet from Book 2 The Twisting Tales (no plot spoilers, but if you re-read the excerpt in the Trust blog post, you’ll see that Raelinn and Wheeler are at least talking here).

The good and bad sides of loyalty

“How’s the diet of blood, blood and more blood working out” asked Wheeler.

“Are you deliberately trying to rile me, Detective?” Raelinn shot back.

“No,” replied Wheeler. “I’m trying to keep the storylines at bay. They are all around us here. We have to be close to something.”

“Close to what?”

“I’m not sure. Just trust me,” he said. “We’re better off here, in tree cover. If you look through the canopy, there’s stories swirling all the way up. Do you see them?”

“No!” she replied. “Only you can see them.”

Wheeler stopped for a moment, remembering something.

“Earlier, on the train carriage, you said the same. What did you mean?”

Raelinn sighed.

“It’s part of your abilities, Detective,” she said. “You’re able to see the story lines. It’s why Orfeo wants you alive.”

Wheeler stopped and turned.

“Why do I get the feeling you didn’t want to tell me that?”

“Because while you didn’t know, Orfeo was better able to use you.” She stopped, watching for what he would do next.

“Yet, you did tell me?”

“You’re our best chance of getting out of here, Detective,” she said.

“James,” Wheeler said simply, holding out his hand in welcome. “Call me James.”

“What?” Raelinn asked.

“I’m not a detective here, and I may not have a job… or a wife… to go back to. I’m just James.”

“Very well… James,” Raelinn nodded, shaking his hand. “You’re doing a good job of keeping me focussed. I have the sense that despite your flaws, your wife has chosen well.”

“I’m sorry?” replied Wheeler. “Maybe that kiss affected you more than I thought?”

“No,” replied Raelinn. “I believe you are an honourable man.”

James was stunned for a moment. “You’re complimenting me now?”

“You may not believe me,” Raelinn continued. “But I once tried to act according to values of integrity and honour also. My history with Orfeo… well… let’s just say that my loyalty to him has stained me in this war in ways I do not like.”

“Loyalties are always difficult,” he agreed. “How you come into them generally defines how they play out.” He sighed. “I’m not innocent either. I had poor judgement when I agreed to work with Orfeo. It was for my own gain.”

When loyalty becomes a prison

As I’ve mentioned before, Wheeler had a history with gambling and debt, driving him to take advantage of an easy way out. However, to achieve his goals, he had to be loyal to Orfeo and take actions that were against his own values. It became a prison for him, something he had to try and escape, while not hurting anyone around him.

For Raelinn, we get a glimpse here of the loyalty she was born into when she was turned into a vampire by Orfeo. His protection has been offered in return for her servitude, to carry out deeds that affected her greatly over time.

Freely given or demanded?

The dictionary definition of ‘loyal’ mentions being faithful to a person, cause or group to whom loyalty is due. To me this is talking about earning respect and trust and loyalty being given freely, willingly.

However, the flip side of loyalty is when people who want it, demand it. They use the threat of fear, uncertainty and doubt to ensure that a person’s loyal. We talk about this as loyalty, but is it really? Is it just masquerading as control?

Who and what causes and groups are you loyal to?

So, I’ll leave you with this question to reflect on… thinking about your relationships, how did that loyalty form and how does it serve you in your life?

And of course, if you’re more intrigued to learn what happens between Wheeler and Raelinn (and what that kiss was about 😊) then buy and read Book 2 The Twisting Tales (but read Book 1 The Battle for the Peacekeepers first to set the scene). Both are available on amazon in paperback and kindle editions at the link below.

The Word Guardians book series

October 30, 2025October 30, 2025

What trust is and why it is important to us

Welcome to this week’s blog. I thought, this time I’d raise the question of what trust is and why it is important.

How do we trust someone else? What impact does it have on us when we do or do not have it?

And by way of example, I thought I’d share an excerpt from Book 2 The Twisting Tales…

Detective Wheeler and Raelinn in The Void

“What are you doing?” shouted Raelinn from the end of the carriage. She started to make her way down and was incensed. “Just let me go!”

“No!” he said, exhausted. “We’re just going in circles, repeating the same story!”

“You’re lying!”

The train was accelerating out of the station. The lights of the station moved behind them and it was pitch black outside. The windows reflected the interior of the carriage.

“Why would I?” retorted Wheeler. “Don’t you see? It’s the Void?”

‘The Void,’ Raelinn thought in her mind. That rang a bell. A distant memory of a battle. Then it faded and she saw the face of the man that had tricked her and brought her here. He needed to pay.

“Orfeo told me to keep an eye on you!” she seethed. “For Index! He said you were not to be trusted!”

“So, why don’t you hit me some more then. Fly at me in rage, like you usually do about now!”

Raelinn flew down the carriageway, arms extended, with her fangs bared. Wheeler knew what to do. He dropped down, catching her and rolling her over his head. He got back on his feet quickly.

“You said I was important,” Wheeler said, watching Raelinn and playing along with what he remembered having happened before, to see if it jogged her memory.

“Yes,” she replied, hissing. Then she stopped for the merest of moments and looked confused. “This?” she asked. “I remember something.”

“Yes,” Wheeler replied. “It’s taken you a while, but what do I know? As you said at the Battle for the Peacekeepers, I’m just a simpleton!”

His words seemed to jog a memory for Raelinn. She observed him for a moment.

“You’re messing with my head!” Raelinn shouted. She moved towards him firing word arrows.

Wheeler sighed and created a shield, deflecting the word arrows. They penetrated the walls of the carriage and it started to unknit.”

What happens when we don’t trust someone

The excerpt shows that when trust is missing in a relationship, pretty much everything that’s said or done is questioned. Why is the other person saying or doing that? What are they hoping to achieve? Does it also benefit me and others?

It also underpins what we take as read or not from other sources in our lives, and I touched on this in In Life, who decides what’s the right news?

In stressful moments if the trust is not there it can lead to disaster, as Raelinn and Wheeler found out. They are literally at each other’s throats, and it takes effort for Wheeler to convince Raelinn that they need to work together to escape The Void.

The flipside. How trust forms

Conversely, when we do trust someone, we are much happier to take what is said and done as read. We know from experience that the person will speak and act in line with a particular pattern of behaviour and over time we come to rely on that behaviour.

The Mirriam Webster dictionary definition of trust includes the phrase ‘reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something’. It also mentions ‘one in which confidence is placed’, so trust is an ability to rely on someone else to make decisions and take actions in line with a particular direction.

Turning it over to you

I’m conscious I’m no expert in this topic, but I wanted to prompt the questions as I think trust and how we build it is a valuable concept to reflect on. So, for you, what does trust mean and what does someone else have to show to earn yours?

And while you’re thinking about that, if you want to learn more about what happens to Raelinn and Wheeler’s opposition in The Void, buy and read Book 2 The Twisting Tales (you’ll have to read book 1 first to set the scene 😊). Both are available in paperback and kindle editions.

Happy reading.

The Word Guardians book series