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!)
In late March I published a paranormal fantasy romance The Captive Shifter, but since I was in the midst of excerpting my scifi romance at the time, I didn’t share from Shifter. I’m going to do a few weeks from it now. Some of you who go wayyyyy back with me on snippets may remember I shared bits from this when it was a WIP several years ago.
Kyler, the shifter, has been used as a source of magic in a major spellcasting and isn’t recovering well. Caitlyn, the heroine, goes to the kitchen to see what can be done about his diet at least.
Not even the Witch Queen herself ventured into the kitchens – the Cook was absolute ruler in this area and no one ever risked her displeasure. Caitlyn, however, walked into the kitchen fearlessly. She’d been here before. Undercooks and kitchen maids bobbed their heads and spoke greetings as she passed. She made her way through the supply shelves, through the preparation stations, past the plating area, into the heart of the kitchen, where its undisputed monarch, the Cook, held court in the glow of the ovens and stoves.
“What brings you here, my friend?” Nadelma, the head cook herself, smiled at the intruder and beckoned her close. Nadelma was substantial, with a proud bearing and a serene face. Her glossy black hair was neatly dressed in a giant braided bun, woven through with colorful beads. A long angry scar slashed across her cheek, disappearing below the collar of her dress, where a pot of boiling sauce had spilled on her many decades before, according the kitchen lore, when Nadelma had been a kitchen maid. Caitlyn had secretly worked healing magic on the cook’s scar for weeks, carefully reducing the impact a bit at a time, making the mark less prominent, less red and twisted. She liked Nadelma.
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?
Some lovely detail here, Veronica.I wonder who they were keeping the secret of Nadelmas healing from? The Queen?
I love how you reveal so much in this snippet! Hints as to the world and the characters, and intrigue me at the same time. Fabulous! 🙂
Love the cover!
Interesting snippet, i liked the descriptions and visuals.
Great descriptions. Love the idea of everyone being afraid of the cook. Makes the kitchen sound like a safe place to hide — as long as she likes you.
I like that she isn’t intimidated by the cook, and that the cook isn’t as horrific as advertised.
Great description in this snippet
I can’t keep up with your WIPs & releases. I love how she’s secretly working on the cook’s scar. I wonder how long it will take before the cook realizes. I can imagine her waking up one morning, looking in the mirror and saying, “WTF?” Lol.
What a gorgeous snippet! You brought us into the scene, enveloped us into the action and never let go. BTW-I do have a scar needing some magic. Hugs from me.
Great details – reveal the setting and the heroine’s kindness.
Great description of the cook, and so sweet of her to work on the scar secretly!
So much was revealed in this short snippet. I like that she’s working on the scar.
Great imagery of the kitchen.
Nice bit of backstory. Makes you really feel their connection!
Great description of who rules the kitchen and a nice tidbit of info on the healing powers.
Tweeted.
I like this heroine! And, apparently, so do the other characters.
Great snippet, giving lots of detail and characterisation.
Oh yes, I do remember this one. I like Caitlyn’s efforts for the cook. Great snippet, Veronica.
Loads of information–and loads of possibilities. 🙂 All make for an interesting read. 🙂 I’ve never read any of your shifter stories. Looking forward to it. 🙂
Wonderful description of the cook, and the cover is beautiful.
Love the cover so much. This on my TBR list on my Kindle!
Gorgeous cover! And your descriptions are vibrant, bringing the characters to life on the page! Well done!
Loving the premise of this new tale. Great descriptions
I work in a hotel in Real Life and I can tell you––do not mess with the Chefs. 😉 Great snippet and physical descriptions! 😀
As my aunt likes to say, “don’t upset the person who cooks your meals”.
Great descriptions. I like the cook already.
You learn so much about Caitlyn by how she treats Cook and how Cook treats her. Very nice snippet.
I like that even the ruler has to respect the Cook. No one wants the consequences of what will happen to the food otherwise!
That was a nice thing she did for the cook. Nice snippet. 🙂
Love this snippet. So beautifully descriptive.