Sunday Snippet: Quell the Boom

My second senior night is in the books. We got to participate in pre-game moments for the football game, meet with our daughter on the field, and basically bask in her glory for band. We are so, so lucky with her particular group of friends. They've been together for a long time, most of them since elementary school, and it's terrific to watch how they hold each other up and make themselves accountable.

I also got to finally attend one of her band competitions. She's got a duet with another senior and they sounded terrific. I'm hoping I can make more of her shows this year.

My week was jammed with work and running around but I did get to watch some of my usual standbys, starting with Peter Gunn. I finished up the second season and got a start on the third and final one. I should have that one finished up by the end of the month.

I also caught two more arcs of Classic Who and have started on the third doctor's series. This week's episodes were, Spearhead from Space and Doctor Who and the Silurians. I rather like the third doctor so far.

Watched three more Midsomer Murders episodes. I thoroughly enjoyed each one. I'm into series eighteen, so I only have two more to go.

I finished up another episode of Blue Heelers and started a new one. The new one features an almost washed-up footie player, which is fun for me because the US, at least in my part of it, doesn't really follow soccer, unless it's during the championships. Then everyone and their brother has a team. Seriously, it's bonkers.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Quell the Boom, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Quinna Joltz and Efran Pendragon, experts in diffusing magical bombs, tend to let their rivalry take center stage, but when an unbalanced wizard plants devices that can bring down their entire city, they agree to work together. The adrenaline filled race finally gives them some perspective and a little bit of common ground to share.

And a preview snippet…

Quinna Joltz made a slow circle around the incendiary device tucked inside a spellbound container. "Tricky bastard." She'd have to reverse the spell before the bomb went off.

The person responsible upped the ante each time he—or she—planted the destructive objects. The first two were easily dealt with. This one… not so much.

She stopped and planted her hands on her hips. "I hate spellcasting." One slip-up on word order could accelerate the countdown.

Unless… maybe a general counteractive incantation would void the spell and she could disarm the explosive or render it useless in one go. Yeah… that could work.

Quinna closed her eyes and centered her mind. "Undo what's been done by the hand of another. Then subdue the bomb, squash and smother." Her fingers made a series of motions giving life to the spell.

A loud pop jolted her eyes open. A trail of smoke drifted up from the mangled heap of parts inside the container. Hot damn. She'd pulled it off.

Using a little magick, she scooped up the pieces and teleported them back to the Briarcliff estate house. Her bosses would want to go over the remnants with a fine-tooth comb. Three bombs in three weeks didn't bode well for the future.

She exited the old warehouse on the waterfront. "If the rumors are true, I'm not the only one dealing with this crap." The gossip mavens worked overtime to add any and all tidbits to the gristmill about the bombs.

They had it on good authority the Hampstead district got the same type of devices. Which meant her pseudo-rival, Efran Pendragon, probably had his hands full, too. No doubt, she'd end up in some information exchange meeting with him by the end of the week.

A smile spread across her face. "That'll be fun." He'd have his nose out of joint and she'd have to go out of her way to make nice with his cranky self.

She laughed. Or not. She could pour on the snark instead.

Heading down the darkened street, she shook her head. "Either way, he won't be happy."

For such an incredibly attractive man, he sure went out of his way to be a pain.

I'm having fun trying to combine the magickal angle with the realism of a mad bomber. Quinna and Efran are going to have their hands full.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye