TEASER TUESDAY
I thought I'd share a snippet from the book I'm currently working on. The goal is to have the rough draft of this book finished by August 24th. I am currently at around 95,000 words, and I have about 30-40 thousand words left... or at least, that is my best estimate.
This is a short scene near the beginning of the book as several of our characters are about to set off on a long journey.
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Morning dawned bright, clear, and cool. The slight breeze made it almost chilly, and Grayden bundled up against the cold as he went out to get the horses ready for their journey. Dalmir was at the table in the kitchen, talking to Grayden’s parents. They all looked up as Grayden passed through.
“Biscuits and eggs for breakfast, Gray,” Dara said with a smile. “Your last home-cooked meal for a while, but I knew you’d want something you could eat quickly.”
Grayden grinned, but felt a lump swell in his throat, “Thanks, Ma. Be back in a bit.”
“Thought I heard Wynn arrive,” Bevan said. “Tell him to wash up and come on in for breakfast.”
“I’m sure his mother fed him before he left,” Dara said reprovingly.
“Would it matter if it was Grayden?” Bevan asked.
Dara considered, “You’re right, I’ll put some more eggs on... and maybe you could get me some ham from the smoke house.”
Bevan shook his head with a rueful smile, but he got up and headed out toward the smoke house without protest. He and Grayden walked together in companionable silence until they parted ways, Bevan toward the smoke house, Grayden toward the stables. Wynn was in one of the stalls, just loosening his horse’s girth strap so he could eat and drink a bit.
“Morning,” Wynn grumbled, still looking a little bleary, even after the short ride from his family’s home to Grayden’s.
“Good morning,” Grayden replied. “You excited?”
“It’s too early to be anything other than sleeping.”
“It’s a beautiful day, we’re about to start off on a real adventure, and you’re not even a little excited? You can’t make me believe that. You’ve been talking about today all summer.”
“You sound chipper,” Wynn grumbled.
“What, having second thoughts about the Academy?”
“No...” Wynn shot him a confused look. “Why?”
“You know the schedule they keep. Mornings are as early there as on a farm... probably earlier.”
Wynn grimaced, “It’s not the earliness of the morning, it’s the lateness of last night. My brothers and sisters kept me up until nearly dawn.”
Grayden laughed. Wynn was the second oldest of six, the youngest of whom was a boy about Seren’s age.
“It’s not funny. I was so late getting up that I barely had time to eat any of the food my mother had waiting for me in the kitchen this morning.”
“Come on in, Ma’s got biscuits and eggs on and there’s plenty. We can be on the road as soon as we’ve grabbed a bite to eat.”
The two boys washed their hands and entered the house. After a quick meal, everyone trooped out to the stable where Grayden saddled his and Dalmir’s horses. Bevan handed Grayden his saddlebags, filled to the brim with clothing and food, and then he gave him a small package wrapped in brown paper.
“Your mother wasn’t so sure about this, and I know it’s not the most sentimental of gifts, but you’ll be traveling through the big city and across quite a bit of open road. I know you have your sword from the Academy, and that Master Farley’s taught you the basics with it, but this will be a touch more familiar, and I thought perhaps it might be useful.”