Sunday Snippet: Oracle's Prayer

Ugh. I'm fighting something, a cold, a virus, some other kind of ick. Not having fun with it at all. I have two client calls this week and I'm hoping I can manage both.

We got back up in the high eighties this week. Supposed to have some rain on Monday or Tuesday and I'm kind of excited for that. We definitely need it. The drought has been upgraded to moderate.

Not a bad work week. I'm almost finished with one of my work projects and making solid headway on another that should be complete by the end of October. I start a new one sometime early in October and I'm looking forward to working on that one. I'll find out if another new project will be starting on Tuesday.

Had a semi-decent viewing week. Between not feeling the best and trying to finish up work projects, I didn't know if I'd be able to watch much. But I made it through my usual shows and got to watch the back-burner ones also.

Started with Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and quite enjoyed the rewatch. It's one I remembered from my original run through. Being in the US, it's fun to watch how footy affects those that have a long, long history with the sport.

Caught another episode of Foyle's War. This show is so well written, and I love the cast. So many super young actors who have gone on to amazing roles.

Watched a new Death in Paradise. I'm slowly coming around on Wilson. I think he might make a good addition to the team. The new police officer is also kind of growing on me. I love that he kind of came up with the solution to keeping Selwyn in his job.

Enjoyed another Poirot. Kind of leading everyone on a merry chase but keep them from going to France was very entertaining. Loved how Japp kept thinking he'd be losing his pension.

Caught another episode of Elementary. I very much like the Joan and Sherlock vibe this season. Really not sure what's going on with the stalker detective but I hope Joan watches her back.

Watched another Batman Beyond and didn't really remember this one. I have a vague memory of the conversation between Terry and Barbara but that's kind of all I remembered.

Enjoyed another episode of Lower Decks. The opener for season two ended up being entertaining. I really do appreciate the callbacks to all the other series. Fun bit with Boimler at the end.

Finished up the episode of Peak Practice I started a few weeks ago. Sam is going to be in a lot of trouble and I'm not sure I'm going to like how things go down with him.

Also finally started season two of Reacher. I'm almost finished with the first episode, but I had to pause because of the whole cold / virus / yuck thing going on. Should finish it up this week. I think the very best moment so far is the Terminator easter egg. Kudos to the writer of the episode for that!

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Oracle's Prayer, a novella that explores two people on opposite sides and how they arrived in the middle together.

Here's the miniblurb:

Nason Forn, the daughter of an oracle, goes undercover to trap a wicked mage preying on young apprentices and thinks she's found her man when she discovers Lane Garganess standing over the body of the latest victim. But Lane has a covert identity, too, which puts him in a bad spot and on the wrong end of Nason's wrath.

And a preview snippet…

Nason rushed toward the abbey where one of the trainees lived. She couldn't fight the feeling of something being terribly wrong. As in the dirty, bad wrong of danger. Her mother said Lena Carsale never missed a training session.

Nason shuffled through her memory. "Long, dark hair. Tiny. Very funny." She'd only met Lena once when they crossed paths after Lena finished up a ritual with Paloma.

But she'd been regaling Nason's mom with the story of her first interpretation failure and she'd had such a humorous outlook on the gaffe. Paloma praised her for admitting the novice mistake and not giving up.

Nason darted up the steps to the abbey's front door. "I liked meeting Lena." Georgie also spoke highly of her fellow apprentice.

Nason tried all the rooms on the first floor and came up empty. "It figures." She double-timed taking the stairs to the second level.

Gut instinct—and quiet stillness—had her bypassing the floor and heading for the spiral staircase that led to the two chambers on the third story of the house. They were used for meditation and scrying. The door to the room on the left stood open with no light coming from within. The one on the right had a dim glow coming from beneath the closed panel.

Nason made a sharp turn, quickly twisted the knob, stumbled into the chamber and stopped short. A robed man stood over the prone—and no doubt dead—apprentice. She hadn't made it in time. Dammit, dammit, dammit.

Her less than quiet entrance drew the man's attention and he slowly angled around, attempting to face her. Thinking quickly, she cast a binding spell and halted his progress. She darted forward and threw back his hood, wanting to look into the eyes of the monster before she choked the life out of him with her bare hands.

But when she stepped away, a gasp escaped her throat. "You!" Lane Gargamell?

Shocked, she lost control of the binding spell, and he lunged, grasping her biceps in a biting grip.

He said one word. "Sleep." His gaze flashed with mage fire.

She had one fleeting thought. Aw, shit.

Her eyes slammed shut and her world went dark.

I'm very excited about this one. I love writing characters who think they're enemies but they're not.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye