Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)
I’ve switched to an excerpt from a brand new novella set in my version of ancient Egypt, working title Healer of the Nile, which is for a boxed set later this year.
Tadenhut, elder son of a noble house and heir to the Hunting Cat estate, has been gravely injured in a battle against Pharaoh’s enemies and brought home to die. Mehyta, a woman from the estate’s village who has skills as a healer, has been ordered to assist the physicians in his care.
Having used her healer’s magic to assess his injuries, she finds herself dreaming of Tadenhut, who remains in a coma in the real world. Her dream takes place on a battlefield, after the combat has ended.
The scene began to fade in front of her and she knew she’d run out of time. Stepping into the mist again, sticking out her tongue to catch a few droplets, she tested a theory. The taste was familiar, dizzying.
“The same as the potion in the alabaster bottles,” she said, sitting up in the darkened bedroom.
Rising, she went to stand beside the bed, moving one of the oil lamps so the light fell on Tadenhut’s face. He remained lost in his unconscious state, showing little trace of the strong individual she’d met in the dreamspace. She took his hand, twining her fingers with his for a moment, wishing to offer him some comfort. Now she knew how his ka was trapped in the bleak hell of the battlefield, it hurt to see him lie there so unmoving. “But are the drugs and spells keeping you from going to your death? Or keeping you from life?”
Next week I’ll share what the dilemma Mehyta has to resolve, regarding her choices, but then we’ll have to let the story go and switch to something else.
I don’t have a cover or a blurb for this one yet. but in includes copious quantities of magic and a bit of romance, of course. Locked in his coma, Tadenhut isn’t as ready to give up his hold on life as everyone assumes, especially after this meeting in the dreamspace. The novella took on a sort of Cinderella-by-the-Nile air in some ways as I wrote it.
In the meantime, if you can’t wait, you can always read one of my other novels set in ancient Egypt LOL!
As always, thanks for visiting!
I liked how you ended with her question, Veronica. I don’t think she wants to let him go.
Is that not the question of the ages? Nicely done Veronica. I especially enjoyed the introduction of taste.
Oh, very good questions. Great snippet, Veronica. 🙂
A whole new level of intrigue just opened up. Are the physicians trying to help him or kill him?
Mehyta’s uncertainty and indecision add a nice touch of tension to this scene.
Oooh, that last line… Excellent job of upping the tension, Veronica. 🙂
Very powerful snippet. Love this line: “But are the drugs and spells keeping you from going to your death? Or keeping you from life?” Great job!
Tense snippet full of intrigue, makes me want to read on to find answers, great job!
Ugh, what a dilemma! Wonderful tension here!
You come up with some of the most creative stuff.
So interesting! Is he being kept there on purpose or by accident? I’m sure she’ll do everything she can to find out and that’ll make for a pretty cool story 🙂
The taste is the answer. Look at me coming up with a solution. I pictured her licking his mouth. No SciFi in me except for the love of your stories, Ms. V.
Wow, just wow. I’ve a head a-spinning trying to figure out what’s happening.
Excellent intrigue. I love how the taste of the mist provided the first clue that something sinister might be afoot.
What a clever way to discover how he was trapped.
Fantastic scene! Great work on detailing the parallel of her theory and the potion.
Now that’s a big question–because if she guesses wrong, she’ll kill him. o.O
Wow, that’s a good question.
Great excerpt! And what an intriguing question.
Love the ending – “But are the drugs and spells keeping you from going to your death? Or keeping you from life?” – such powerful questions. Waiting to see what the answer is.
What a quandary, she has to choose wisely. I don’t envy her predicament.
Great finish …. well done.
Good questions. Can’t wait to find out the answer. 🙂
I’m really enjoying this story. The prose shimmers.
I love the look inside her mind and her final questions. You use language so well.
And you leave us readers yearning to know the answer to that question. Great snippet!
Well isn’t that the million dollar question here? I love how she tasted the mist to test her theory, very different. Nicely done.
Great question and snippet.