Continuing a scene from my first book, Ghosts of Innocence.
Shayla has stolen the identity of a newly-appointed senior public servant, and infiltrated the Palace in disguise. She has previously fallen foul of her new boss, Mabbwendig ap Terlion, Master of the Emperor’s Domestic Household, and is confronting her again in the cavernous staff dining hall. Mabb has been tormenting a series of unfortunate individuals among the hundreds of people crowding the hall, and has just called on a very reluctant member of Shayla’s staff to sing to the crowd.
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Shayla looked along the rows of people filling the hall. Is nobody going to speak out? Some faces showed glee or anticipation, some people whistled and stamped their feet. But many eyes were downcast, haunted, shamed, relieved not to be the focus of attention themselves.
"Or maybe voice hoarse today?" Mabb's mouth twisted in glee. "If you want out, I set a bail at..." she pursed her lips, "fifty francs."
Some people gasped. Others cheered. The bestial din grew.
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Writing news: I’ve just received PDFs back from the book designer for The Ashes of Home. I’ll be proof-reading them carefully over the next few days, in the hope of completing and publishing by the end of the month!
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12 comments:
Well done Ian on getting your proofs through - enjoy the read through and careful proof-reading - Mabb is a bully - cheers Hilary
Good luck with the proof-reading and meeting your goal of publishing by the end of the month. My next book is almost ready to launch, too, but I'm thinking about running an ebook giveaway during a pre-order period. Maybe. Still not sure...
Hilary, luckily I've taken a bit of time off work for Spring Break. I should be able to blitz through the proof-reading in a few days.
Susan, good luck with your own launch!
I wonder what the staff member will end up doing? An intriguing snippet!
Congrats on having your new baby almost ready for swaddling clothes, Ian!
The situation just gets worse and worse, yes? But in a skillfully written way that makes me want to keep reading despite the 'train wreck' of events here! Great snippet...
It's interesting that she's an assassin yet has more morals and ethics than most in attendance. :-)
Yay on The Ashes of Home!! :-)
Good luck with the proof reading, and Mabb is such a nasty piece of work!
Veronica calls it perfectly "a train wreck about to happen." I cringed as she stood there, dying of embarrassment. Good luck on those edits.
Jessica, she does seem to be in an impossible situation :)
Ed, I can't wait to hold the first paperback draft. I think it's going to look good!
Veronica, this whole dinner is one long train wreck, but things are about to turn a corner.
Teresa, good observation. I guess it helps that her motivation as an assassin is to right wrongs, rather than being purely mercenary.
Hywela, you got that right :)
Diane, glad you can feel the embarrassment coming through.
What a great hook! I loved the tension between the spiteful mob and the others who are full of dread, all too aware they could be next.
It feels like Shayla is deliberating, wondering what to do next.
Libby, you got it right - Shayla is indeed deliberating.
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