So I’m Writing, Right? (Novel Excerpt)

Hello, everyone!

It’s Friday. (Surprise!) It’s also Blogday for me, and although I could write a post about grammar, painting and fancifying a wall, the book I’m (still) reading, or a short humor piece about a recent encounter with a doctor, I want to work on my book.

I sooooo want to work on my book!

So I am! And I don’t want to stop. I thought I’d share a little excerpt with you because 1) I already wrote it, 2) fun!

So here it is…

Out of the Hole and Into the Fire (Flesh and Bone)

He sensed the arrival of the soldiers before they reached the door. Four of them this time rather than two. With the Hole so far from anyone and anything, he had no difficulty keeping track of the rare comings and goings, or how many passed by. He’d even learned to judge approximately how long it would take them to arrive outside the door, counting his own heartbeats. They never surprised him.

The meals he’d received were always drearily the same and arrived twice each day, so it didn’t take much math to figure he’d been locked up for about three days. Considering the temper he’d provoked, he hadn’t expected such a light sentence. Still, three days of missed training would cost him, and he had no way to measure the wounds he’d taken or the price of healing them.

When the guards opened the door Sherakai ducked out slowly, aware of unusual tension. He squinted against the light of two torches set into iron brackets on the wall. The reason for mounting them there instead of holding them became clear when rough hands grabbed him and clapped a collar around his neck. The instant it touched his skin he lost contact with the energy of magic.

Surprise made him lash out, but they’d come prepared. The guard holding the collar jerked back on it, choking him and setting him off balance. Another knocked his feet out from under him with a staff. Then, to his astonishment, they backed away. Flat on his back, he calculated the distance to the nearest, how easily he could seize either the staff or a torch, how he could set the men against each other.

“Sorry we had to do that, lad. Orders. We don’t want no trouble.” None but the staff-wielder held weapons. Hands out to their sides, they tried to appear as unthreatening as they could.

“Seems like trouble comes with the occupation,” Sherakai pointed out, getting slowly to his feet. Lifting his chin, he adjusted the collar as if it might somehow be more comfortable one way than another. He refused to allow his fear to show. Keeping himself steady without feeling the ever-present energy of magic was another challenge altogether.

“True enough, but we’d just as soon you didn’t break us to pieces. Will you come along quiet?”

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Flesh and Bone is the second book in my proposed fantasy duology, coming after Blood and Shadow. If you’re interested in receiving updates, please sign up in the My Book Progress section in the right-hand column of my blog. I promise I don’t spam.

Now, if you’ll kindly excuse me, I have the last quarter to apply myself to!