Welcome to my little corner of Weekend Writing Warriors, the blog hop where a fantastic group of writers share excerpts from their published work or works in progress.
This week I’m continuing with a scene from Masters and Mages 2: Blood of Salar. Last week, M’lan used his powers to perform what he thought was a simple magic trick, making a stone statue of the snake god Ka’alar appear to come to life in order to stop rebel soldiers from destroying the chapel and assaulting one of the monks. But now, M’lan is about to learn the very real consequences of calling upon the god of death.
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The diamond-shaped head of Ka’alar rose in the air, then plunged downward, striking Raffe on the forehead. The blow dropped him to his knees, and he slumped sideways. Blood flowed freely from a wide gash.
Raffe’s men had seen enough. Filling the chapel with echoing cries of terror, they fled.
M’lan would have cried out too, if he could have spoken. The huge white serpent recoiled, thrashing blindly so its head smashed into the ceiling and sent broken stones plummeting to the floor. The columns shook.
M’lan jerked his hands free and stumbled back. The serpent continued to thrash, golden fangs exposed.
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M’lan, headmaster of the order of Ka’alar and Jamil Jarka, king’s assassin, find their impossible love challenged to the utmost as a rebellion sweeps them apart, sending Jamil on a dangerous mission to assassinate the rebel leader, General Charvat. Unknown to anyone, Charvat is on his way to the temple to exploit the headmaster’s magical abilities.
When the rebel army arrives, M’lan is thrust into a struggle against political and sexual dominance as Charvat attempts to break his resistance. Violence and death mount, awakening within M’lan both the powers of destruction and the desire for revenge.
On the trail of his prey, Jamil begins to question his devotion to M’lan as his once innocent lover transforms into a mage and invades the assassin’s thoughts and dreams. The closer Jamil draws to M’lan, the more he puts his life and his very soul at risk. Jamil soon realizes that his lover might prove to be more deadly than the man he was sent to kill.
A final confrontation between assassin and monk might destroy them both, but Jamil is relentless in his determination to rescue M’lan, for he knows that only his love can master the mage.
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Blood of Salar on Amazon Loose Id
All Romance eBooks Barnes & Noble
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This post is part of an ongoing blog hop hosted by Weekend Writing Warriors. Every Sunday, participating authors post eight to ten sentences from a published work or perhaps their current work in progress. Then we hop to our fellow warriors’ blogs and check out all the fabulous fiction that’s happening! I heartily invite you to participate as a reader, writer, or both. It’s a great way to discover your next favorite book. Click here or use the address: http://www.wewriwa.com
That’s one intense snippet, Alexis. I loved how you ended with “…golden fangs exposed.”
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Chilling description!
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Dramatic scene and proof yet again that you have to be careful what you ask for! Or summon….love this world, great snippet.
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Scary! Hope the serpent can discriminate between good and bad guys.
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Just goes to show that invoking powers he doesn’t fully understand can be dangerous. Let’s hope he can gain control of the serpent before it destroys the whole chamber.
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Big trouble and no way to stop it. Wonderful snippet
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Whoa! And it’s fangs are stick kickin’, or so to speak. What has M’lan unleashed, and what effect will it have? Great snippet!
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That is not good. I wonder if he’s lost control, or this is a natural consequence?
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At the very least, he should perform this magic only out in the open air, with no columns and ceiling to come crashing down.
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Oh wow, would not want to take a beating like that. Great job with the description; it felt like I was there. The “golden fangs” was especially interesting.
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Oh my! Be careful what you wish for! Great snippet.
Random question: did you finish the fab space story with the hero who had a ring that wasn’t a ring and who ended up on a slave ship? I so want to read that story:).
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Thanks for asking about poor Eli, who’s been stuck on line waiting for his passport to get into Mars for months now. From Mars, With Love is in the TBW (to be written) pile, quite near the top. Hopefully I’ll finish this summer.
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I would be running–and screaming while I ran, right along with Raffe’s men. Great–scary scene, Alexis. 🙂
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Wow, lots of tension and action. Great writing!
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I do love when a magical solution only serves to cause more problems 🙂 Very vivid, tense writing.
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