Sometimes, even the most voracious readers don’t have it in them to invest in another seven-part series. Life happens (how dare it), meetings stack up, free time gets condensed, that trilogy you recently finished utterly destroyed you and you don’t have it in you to start all over again.
There’s a hack for that: fantasy short stories.
A short story is a bite-sized piece of fiction (typically 1k words to 8k words, novellas run a bit longer) that can be read in a single sitting. Think during your lunch break, or your kid’s swim lesson, or an oil change. You get the point.
What they aren’t: a cheap way to get a first draft published, an out to writing a compelling narrative, a time to skip world building. A good story, no matter how long, will always have characters with layers, an immersive setting, a unique voice, and a fully contained plot.
So, if you’re looking for a palette cleanser in between books, are in a busy season, or just down to try something new, but you crave the high stakes and enemies-to-lovers tension and forbidden romance vibes of an epic fantasy… You’re in luck.
Here are 8 fantasy short stories you can read right now. For free!
Note that most of them require you to sign up for the author’s newsletter, but luckily authors are understanding humans and they won’t try and hex you if you choose to unsubscribe.
An Alchemist’s Vow by Helen Scheuerer
An Alchemist’s Vow is a free prequel novella to the epic romantic fantasy series, The Legends of Thezmarr.
Blurb: With her death carved into a magic fate stone, Althea Zoltaire has always longed for one thing: to become a legendary warrior. But in Thezmarr, women are forbidden to wield blades and Thea is confined to the rank of alchemist with her younger sister. Get ready for flawed heroines, secret romance, epic worldbuilding, found family and a hint of magic to come.
Fool the Demon by Stacia Stark
This is the free prequel/short story which begins before Speak of the Demon, the first book in the Deals with Demons world.
Blurb: I’ve searched for my mom’s murderer for two years. But now I finally have a way to narrow down my suspects. The ancient fae artifact is mine for the taking. It belongs to a scary-as-hell demon who runs this country. There’s a reason why no one would dare steal from him. But with great risk comes great reward… right? All I need to do is get close to him, sneak past his dragon, and steal from his hoard.
Rapacity by Sarah Marie Page
Want to read a free short story about a sexy demon prince who can’t lie? Meet Zaphyro and Catalina, find a magical stone, and enjoy some lyrical writing.
Blurb: 18-year-old Catalina has one purpose: marry her fiance, then murder him. But all bets are off when she strikes a bargain with the trickster demon prince and discovers her fiance is planning to murder her too.
Note this story is fade-to-black, but does have a slightly spicier lean.
Shadows & Dust by Tory Guyon
Shadows & Dust is a short prequel to a greater enemies-to-lovers romantasy with elves, wicked mortals, and broken gods, in a world inspired by Ancient Rome.
Blurb: When whispers of treason circulate the battlefront, an elven warrior is tasked with infiltrating the mortal emperor’s camp. But he misjudges his route and winds up in the wrong tent—with the mortal princess.
Perfect for anyone who loves dagger-to-the-throat, shadow magic, forced proximity, and a drop of political intrigue.
Tested by Magic by Jasmine Walt
A prequel novella offering a deeper look at the world of the Baine Chronicles.
Blurb: Life as a shifter-mage hybrid has always been tough for Sunaya. So when she’s offered a position at the Enforcers Guild, a crime-fighting organization, she jumps at the chance. But when she swaggers onto her first day at the job, the last thing she expects is to be partnered up with Annia, a Lone Wolf enforcer—one who doesn’t play well with others. The two of them will have to play ball though, because a little girl has gone missing, and if they don’t find her soon, she might just fall prey to the dark underbelly of magic and crime.
The Harbor by KB Benson
Dive into the world of the Call of the Siren’s trilogy with this fast-paced prequel novella filled with rich mythology and heartbreak.
Blurb: Oliver had everything he could ever want: the sun, the sea, a carefree life as a diver, and the heart of a woman he loves. But when he discovers a mysterious jar on the ocean floor, he becomes obsessed with finding the treasure he believes it leads to. Little does he know, finding it comes at a dangerous price. Beneath the crystal blue waters lies a dark and deadly secret that threatens to consume him entirely…
The Never Curse by Courtney Millecam
This novella contains spoilers for The Never Heir and should only be read after finishing Book One in The Otherworlds Trilogy.
Blurb: When a strange ship sails into the Neverland waters, and brings with it an unexpected visitor, it becomes apparent to Evie that everything isn’t as it seems in Faerie. The lives of Charlie’s beloved lost boys are at stake, and Evie has a chance to rescue them…if she agrees to a bargain with the Winterland Queen. With time running out to fulfill her end of the deal, Evie—along with Tink and Charlie—must venture into the Emerald Kingdom to negotiate a trade from a queen who’s hiding secrets of her own. When things go wrong, they’ll have to rely on each other like never before to save the Neverland and each other.
Whiff of Magic by Sarah K. L. Wilson
A free short story that offers a glimpse into the A Bridge of Legends world, an epic series of daring, courage, and love.
Blurb: Magic always takes a toll—for Jhinn, that toll might be too steep.
*Along with Whiff of Magic, Sarah has tons of free fantasy short stories and novellas on her website, ranging from dragons to space marines to supernatural rockstars.
Check out her full list of freebies here.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post highlighting these incredible fantasy short stories! Hopefully you found some new authors to enjoy, too.
If you lean towards a heavy dose of romance in your fiction, you might like these 20 romantasy books, too.
