Sunday Snippet: Your Call

Whew. Very busy week and we had crazy weather to top it off. I'm not a fan of the back and forth super warm one day then very chilly the next. Wreaks havoc on my sinuses, which is never fun.

Also had a busy work week with multiple projects in various stages of completion. The sages also picked this week to start chattering in my ear, which is excellent because I got a lot of writing done. I'm almost finished with two projects and so excited! Brings me one step closer to getting my new venture launched.

Had a very light week of watching television. With so many irons in the fire, TV took a back seat to everything else. I'm honestly in a bit of a weird place with content I want to watch. I've been in the mood to binge shows, but I hate to do that when I have subscriptions to a number of streaming services. Then again, I haven't watched anything on Netflix in forever and I pay for that monthly. Thankfully, other family members watch a lot of that streamer.

I finished up the VIP episode from last week and kind of enjoyed the Tasha backstory. I love television from the late nineties.

Caught another episode of My Life is Murder. Alexa is growing on me a little. She often grates, which I think is a character trait. Blunt honesty is fine, but there's a cruel edge to hers sometimes and I'm not a fan of that in a main character.

Enjoyed another episode of Agatha Raisin. The cast of characters is so much fun. I love when the sidekicks get in on the action. I kind of pegged the murderer early in this one, but I like being able to pick them out then see how they actually committed the crime.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness. I'm enjoying the slightly different format in this season, but I miss having the team function as a team together.

Watched another episode of Death in Paradise. One of my favorites that I got to watch all the way through the first time. I agree with Humph … the genius of the murder kind of blew me away.

Also caught another episode of Battlestar Galactica. The opening eps of season three are so, so good. Actually, the first twelve episodes are pretty terrific. After that, things kind of go slightly sideways, but this show is still one of the best I've ever watched.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Your Call, a novella where the characters are battling someone close to them but don't realize who.

Here's the miniblurb:

After an epic battle with a spell weaver, Norje Blayheart and Barrick Nembly—adept mages—aren't sure they can stay together as a couple. Their love can be used against them, and neither can risk being pawns in the looming war between the weavers and the mages.

And a preview snippet…

Norje didn't like how quiet the riverfront got after an hour of poking around in the dive bars and hole-in-the-wall diners. "It's almost creepily still down here." Uncanny … the waterside district never lacked activity, legal or otherwise.

The place usually started hopping when darkness fell and didn't let up until just after dawn. Places were open but not packed to the rafters. Crowds normally spilled out into the street and down along the paved walkway along the riverbank. She made a quick turnaround and started back toward the city center, ill at ease without being able to pinpoint why.

Except for the eerie silence following her stroll along the block.

Keeping a keen eye on shadowy business entrances and storefront windows, she also kept her ears trained for sounds that didn't belong.

A sharp whistle pierced the air and Norje stopped short, scanning from right to left, trying to discover where the sound came from. In front? Behind? She really couldn't tell.

A masked spellweaver exited from a building behind her and sent her flying when she whirled to face them. She crashed into a brick wall, slumping down with the wind knocked out of her. Shaking her head, she got to her feet but couldn't find her attacker.

Dragging in shallow breaths, she cautiously made her way along the building sticking close to the brick surface. "A fucking ambush. What the hell is going on?" Another whistle screeched overhead, and she deftly moved sideways, avoiding a collision with her assailant when they dropped down from a fire escape.

Spinning quickly, she conjured a baton and moved into a fighting stance. The spellweaver countered by manifesting a wicked-looking whip that cracked and snapped seemingly at will. Norge's eyes went wide. That shouldn't be possible.

She finally realized why the entire vibe didn't feel right. "They're not speaking. How can that happen?" Weavers always needed to speak incantations to manifest something.

But this one sure as hell didn't utter a word.

Out of her depth, Norje did the smart thing. She cut her losses and fucking ran in the opposite direction. The spellcaster came after her, flinging the whip outward. The lashes caught her several times. Once around the waist, once in the middle of her back, and multiple volleys stung her hands and sniped at her feet. Her attacker toyed with her. Any of those salvos could've wrapped around her and one hard yank would've sent her sprawling.

Pissed off, she reached out to Barrick via their mindlink. "I need help." She planted the image of the ambush in his mind. "I gotta escape but can't do it on my own."

Barrick immediately sent her a drop zone location, a stone cave on the outskirt of the city. Then he helped her open a portal. Norje crashed through and sealed it behind her. She staggered forward and fell into Barrick's arms.

He dragged the duster off and quickly assessed her injuries. "You've got welts and contusions." He trailed a finger along her jawline. "And this one might need some stitches. Looks like a pretty large gash." His hand came away with her blood on it.

She blinked. "Shit. Didn't even know I was bleeding." Wincing, she leaned back against the cavern wall and let Barrick apply pressure to the wound.

Barrick broke open a suture kit. "You should be out for this. It's not gonna feel good." He squeezed her hand and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Norje closed her eyes and pictured a starry sky with a single fluffy, white cloud surrounding her body then let herself drift deep into the ether.

This one is finally coming together and I'm excited to see how everything plays out.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye