From my Romantasy THE CAPTIVE SHIFTER… from the scene in the kitchen where Caitlyn has gone to ask for a special meal to help Kyler recover from a ceremony where the Witch Queen drew on his magic too deeply. Nadelm the cook has vowed to make a proper breakfast for a warrior. (Note: Nadelma appears in her own novella WINTER SOLSTICE DREAM and also as a supporting character in THE SWAN PRINCESS REIMAGINED.)
There was a rare steak, an omelet bursting with cheese, crisp bacon piled high, country potatoes and freshly baked bread for dunking in a steaming fish chowder.
“Just one thing missing,” Nadelma said, pointing at the nearest kitchen maid, “Fetch me a glass of the fresh milk.”
“Milk?” Caitlyn choked back a laugh. “For Kyler? He’s a grown man, not a boy.”
Nadelma winked at her. “He once told me he runs as a cat. Or am I wrong?”
Caitlyn looked over to where the kitchen cat was lapping up a bowl of milk. As a vivid mental picture of the ferocious leopard with milk dotting its muzzle came to her, she laughed. “You’re right, I never would have thought of that.”
“Which is why I am head cook in this palace.”
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THE CAPTIVE SHIFTER
The story:
Concealing her own considerable magical powers, Caitlyn enters the service of the northern Witch Queen masquerading as a simple healer. Under order from her goddess, she’s searching for a magical gem stolen long ago from her own people, believed to be hidden in the massive castle. The task is daunting but Caitlyn is sure she can locate the gem and escape, bringing the prize back to the temple where it belongs. Until she meets the captive shifter and her loyalties become dangerously divided.
In payment for her past services to his people, Kyler the leopard shifter has entered into a life of servitude far from his forest home, allowing the Witch Queen to tap his magic to power her ever darker spells. Factions at Court are threatening to turn the Queen to the Shadow. Her increasing demands for magic will cut short his nearly immortal lifespan. Kyler’s resigned to his fate until the day he crosses paths with the new arrival, whose secrets and magic entice and attract both man and leopard. Has he met his mate at last?
The Queen will never willingly release him from captivity. Caitlyn’s goddess refuses to grant her any delay in accomplishing her own task. Can they locate the magical gem, fight the Shadow and win free of the Witch Queen to earn the right to be together?
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You’ve made me hungry, Veronica. Love the milk detail.
That was so cute! I loved her reasoning, even as the humour made me smile.
And now I”ll go have my bowl of cold cereal. lol. Nice detail. Gotta keep the “cat” fed and happy.
LOVE the cook – fantastic about the milk and the cooks last comment — excellent. Great #8Sentence.
What fun! I love this snippet.
Wish I’d had some of that for breakfast. Great eight! And thank you for giving in to those of us who wanted more of Nadelma.
It all sounded yummy – except for the fish stew… and yes, that is why she’s the head cook. I hope his meal will be appreciated
Great, now I’m hungry. I’d even take the fish stew. lol
Haha great snippet I adore the fiestiness of the cook so much!
I really like that Nadelma has a clear personality; her parts read like you’ve spent a lot of time with her. For me, secondary characters like that really add richness to a story.
She has great personality!
~Summer
I’m glad people are enjoying a little more time in Nadelma’s kitchen! Thanks for the kind comments 🙂
Cute excerpt, but it did make me hungry!
Saucy cook and so tough. The scene is terrific. Thanks.
Love the milk detail. Very clever cook!
My mouth is watering. Yummy descriptions, Veronica.
Fun eight, loads of character!
Oh, this is so funny. I love it! My grown young men are big milk drinkers, so guys do drink milk, but, yeah, picturing a leopard with milk on its muzzle is really something.
I love this character! There’s a lot of personality packed into these lines.
I love this girl! You painted a vivid picture of a big cat with wet whiskers. Lovely.
HA! Very true, smart cook. And yeah, picturing him lapping up milk was something. Nice snippet!
Great visual. I could imagine the leopard with a milk mustache, too. lol
My cat would definitely approve, Veronica! I’m glad these ladies are on Kyle’s side.
hahaha. Love love love Nadelma!
Nadelma’s a fine cook and can cook for me anytime! Fun snippet!
Well, now I’m hungry lol
I am also hungry… Canny cook…Fine 8…xx
Very smart cook — and I’ll have a side of that bacon, please! Great descriptions!
Nadelma’s great! Sassy and confident, what a fabulous character. And your description of the food makes me want some too!
“ferocious leopard with milk dotting its muzzle” Great line. Fun excerpt.
Love the leopard and milk visual! Looking forward to the next instalment
Hahaha, what a fun detail with a leopard and milk. Great snippet, Veronica. 🙂
Love her character and the humor in this. Great visual too!
A yummy snippet I must say. I like the cooks logic!
History Sleuth’s Writing mysteries.
Sounds like she know how to feed a warrior well. That’s a hell of a breakfast! Great snippet!
Nice job. You have a flair for writing description. Most of the time I find writing about food dull, but your actually made me hungry.
The cook is a strong character! Love it! And now I’m hungry! lol Great 8! 😀
OMG I am positively STARVING now. This is fantastic. Even past the food, LOL.
That is some great food description, which isn’t easy to do. I’m hungry!
That sounds fantastic. Love cheese omelets–but not with milk. So sorry! LOL. Very descriptive snippet. 🙂
That settles it. I love Nadelma! Also, I am huge into breakfast, and you have managed to describe my favourite meal in such a delicious way that I’m in awe of you. Well done! 🙂 *runs to eat*
I’m starving too! I loved the descriptions and characterizations. Great stuff!
I love Nadelma more with every word that comes out of her mouth. And that visual of the leopard with milk on its muzzle was hilarious.
That was great! Love the humorous imagery and banter between these two characters!
It’s almost diner time here and this made me hungry.
And I like the leopard image and the ending “Which is why I am head cook in this palace.” 🙂
Was this supposed to make me hungry? That’s exactly what it did, either way. I like Nadelma. She’s got some bite.
Nice! That cook is a delightful character. She must be a hoot to write 🙂
Thanks! I did enjoy writing Nadelma – time with her or in her kitchen was a nice break from all the intense stuff going on around Kyle, Caitlyn and the Witch Queen for sure…
Excellent description of the meal! It really drew me in and made me hungry!