I'm going to start something a little new on the blog. I used to have techno tuesdays, but now I'm going to start Teaser Tuesdays--Just a little 500-1000 word excerpt from one of my books. Today it's Capture, my newest release.
The other Enforcers’ words had sucked any enjoyment of
the capital city out of Kenneth’s mind. He didn’t notice
the glowing evening lights, the thrumming power, or the
intoxicating scents that emanated from buildings they
walked past, promising pleasure of all varieties.
He had known Ariel’s words were true. He never would have said it to Thorn like that, calling him a weak link, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t true. Thorn had the earring, and even now his presence thrummed in Kenneth’s mind. But it didn’t give him magic. Against a powerful mage, man-to- man, he was helpless, especially a mage as vicious as Alder. His pistol wouldn’t help against a paralysis spell.
How had the talentless done so well in the war? Kenneth couldn’t imagine it. Then again, he didn’t have to. They had lost in the end. Talentless were...he hated to think it. But they were weak.
He would have to protect Thorn. That was all there was to it.
Thorn had been mostly quiet since meeting with Sasha and Ariel, and every so often his hand traveled to his hip, where the pistol would be if he wore it. He was frightened, though he would never admit it.
Sasha and Ariel had heard nothing unusual about the Circle of Ten. And despite wandering all over Arktaine and paying careful attention to what people said, they had not seen a single sign of the Circle of Ten having more influence than would be expected. According to them, the Circle had not been present when they gave their own report on their investigations, which had involved talentless losing their memories mysteriously.
He had known Ariel’s words were true. He never would have said it to Thorn like that, calling him a weak link, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t true. Thorn had the earring, and even now his presence thrummed in Kenneth’s mind. But it didn’t give him magic. Against a powerful mage, man-to- man, he was helpless, especially a mage as vicious as Alder. His pistol wouldn’t help against a paralysis spell.
How had the talentless done so well in the war? Kenneth couldn’t imagine it. Then again, he didn’t have to. They had lost in the end. Talentless were...he hated to think it. But they were weak.
He would have to protect Thorn. That was all there was to it.
Thorn had been mostly quiet since meeting with Sasha and Ariel, and every so often his hand traveled to his hip, where the pistol would be if he wore it. He was frightened, though he would never admit it.
Sasha and Ariel had heard nothing unusual about the Circle of Ten. And despite wandering all over Arktaine and paying careful attention to what people said, they had not seen a single sign of the Circle of Ten having more influence than would be expected. According to them, the Circle had not been present when they gave their own report on their investigations, which had involved talentless losing their memories mysteriously.
In a way, it was comforting, as there was no sign they
were being hunted, but it also frustrated Kenneth to not
have any leads whatsoever. All he had received all day was
the usual fawning over a noble mage, and when they didn’t
fawn over his noble status, it was over his status as an
Enforcer.
It got old fast when all he wanted was information.
Kenneth was too lost in thought to notice when a man dressed in leathers and an overcoat nearly crashed into him. A hammer fell from the man’s hand, and his face went white when it struck the ground near Kenneth’s foot.
The man flung himself into the street, next to a one wheeled carriage. It took Kenneth a moment to realize he was probably repairing it.
“I’m sorry, my lord!” he babbled. “It was an accident!”
Kenneth blinked. “It’s alright—”
“Please!” The man crawled forward. “I...”
Thorn knelt down and hefted the man to his feet. “Relax, man,” he said. “No harm’s been done, see? The hammer didn’t touch him. The wards aren’t going off.”
The man turned pop eyes onto the hammer, then to Kenneth. “I...thank you.” He let out a shaky breath. “I thought...I thought I was gone.”
“Gone?” Thorn asked.
“Don’t you know?” the man told Thorn. “Attack a mage here, and you’re dead in seconds.”
Thorn’s face went pale, and his eyes met Kenneth’s. Kenneth’s stomach dropped.
“Don’t worry. Arktaine is the safest city in the world.” His father’s words to his mother echoed in his mind, from a time when he was a child. “No talentless, not even the remains of the army, will harm me there. The new wards will kill any talentless who tries anything.”
It got old fast when all he wanted was information.
Kenneth was too lost in thought to notice when a man dressed in leathers and an overcoat nearly crashed into him. A hammer fell from the man’s hand, and his face went white when it struck the ground near Kenneth’s foot.
The man flung himself into the street, next to a one wheeled carriage. It took Kenneth a moment to realize he was probably repairing it.
“I’m sorry, my lord!” he babbled. “It was an accident!”
Kenneth blinked. “It’s alright—”
“Please!” The man crawled forward. “I...”
Thorn knelt down and hefted the man to his feet. “Relax, man,” he said. “No harm’s been done, see? The hammer didn’t touch him. The wards aren’t going off.”
The man turned pop eyes onto the hammer, then to Kenneth. “I...thank you.” He let out a shaky breath. “I thought...I thought I was gone.”
“Gone?” Thorn asked.
“Don’t you know?” the man told Thorn. “Attack a mage here, and you’re dead in seconds.”
Thorn’s face went pale, and his eyes met Kenneth’s. Kenneth’s stomach dropped.
“Don’t worry. Arktaine is the safest city in the world.” His father’s words to his mother echoed in his mind, from a time when he was a child. “No talentless, not even the remains of the army, will harm me there. The new wards will kill any talentless who tries anything.”
How could he have forgotten?
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