This week's excerpt is from "Fire and Ice," one of the tales recorded in First Change: Legends From The Eyrie. To set the scene, Mirabeesh's friends come to rescue her.
Excerpt:
Shadows showed the reaction to her silent cry. Qaralzha put an arm around the two girls and pushed them downhill. A crack sang out and Aneko slipped on the ice, falling to her knees. Her blade skittered across the ice.
“Kill them,” Xelme yelled. Those of the temple who carried both sword and bow, fumbled with to string arrows. The cold slowed their movements and when the twang of released strings filled the air, spoiled their aim. The flood of bolts splattered harmlessly onto the ice.
He grabbed the nearest man and pushed him after the running figures. He kicked and slapped other daxa. “After them, you fools. The one who lets them escape dies. He who kills the soldier, gets Aneko.”
“No.” Mirabeesh formed the word, but her cry died unborn. Its life ended with a swing of Xelme’s boot in her side. The image of Garu held down on the black altar in the depths of the temple sent a surge of strength through frozen muscles. She screamed, not in pain but frustration. Merged with the ice, her body belonged to the mountain god—she couldn’t move.
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Additional excerpts from the three novellas (and two bonus short stories) in First Change.
Body belonged to the mountain god. Powerful line
ReplyDeleteWow! Great action scene, though as a stand-alone excerpt it raises a lot of questions.
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