An Excerpt from Today’s Edit—Shadow Trap

Work continues, and I move on to editing and updating the second book in the Shadow series, Shadow Trap. Not as much done as I was planning, but I tried to fit in some writing and walking, and then came across something that needed attention in the email, so it’s all full-ahead-stop, here. This scene caught me, as I edited, today – and I worked up a partial for the new cover to go with it:

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The Gods Visit

Tara waited, watching as the number of priests on the stage dwindled, until Gilzereet knelt alone. Just as the High Priest bowed his head to speak to Aravare, a door on the other side of the room slid abruptly open, and a man and a woman were ushered through to join those already waiting. The priestess, accompanying them, closed the door, before leading them to the cleared circle at the head of the room.

As they drew closer, Tara noticed the woman was blue-skinned, and dressed in the robes of Yasmeh, the fishergod. The man was tanned, until his skin looked a coppery bronze in the lamplight, the loose-fitting silk of his shirt declaring him some kind of noble or merchant.

His eyes surveyed the gathering of priests with the wariness of one not comfortable in large crowds, but his posture held the arrogance of someone used to command. When his gaze fell on Gilzereet, his hand dropped to the hilt of his sword. Tara tensed. If this stranger tried to harm her master, he’d find himself facing more than he bargained for, priests and sanctified ceremony or no.

She relaxed, when, at the edge of the circle, Aravare’s priestess motioned for the man to stop and wait with the rest of the gathering. The woman was taken to kneel some distance from Gilzereet. When fisherpriest was settled, the high priest of Crewesno, the god of worlds, stood forth. The high priest of Aravare stepped forward, also, and was followed by the high priest of Iarius, the all-encompassing god of oceans, seas and coastlines.

Aravare’s high priest glanced back at the high priest for Berveragna, and received a sharp shake of that priest’s head, as though in reply to an unspoken question. Tara saw the high priest suppress a sigh, and turn to the woman who knelt to his right.

A presence built around him, a power that was the combined manifestation of the gods. Tara stifled a gasp, and shrank further beneath the stone brazier, seeking protection in the shadows. Beyond the manifestation, she could see the gods themselves.

Iarius, god of coasts and coastal waters, reminded her of the sea she had seen on travels with her previous master. Crewesno, god of worlds, struck her as strange—he held nothing in his hands yet, when she glimpsed his palms, they seemed to hold all things between them. His legs seemed at once there and not, as though, even now, at the ceremony’s end, he was walking the distance between her world and another. She shivered, and snuggled more closely against the rock.

Aravare was less frightening, save for the impression that he knew everything that was going on, including the fact she was hiding in his temple, when no one but the priests and the woman’s companion had been allowed admittance. His presence looked once in her direction, as though in confirmation, and his lips quirked briefly upwards in greeting, leaving Tara stunned. Did he read thoughts as well?

Another glance at him, revealed nothing. His attention had returned to the words his priest was intoning over the head of the fisherpriest. Tara was surprised when the high priestess of Yasmeh also came forward to stand before the girl.

“You have travelled far,” Aravare’s high priest intoned, “feeling the rejection of your god, and wondering why he has forsaken you.”

The girl raised her face to look at him, her cheeks streaked with tears.

The priest continued, appearing not to notice. “He has not. See, he is here, waiting to soothe your hurt. He has watched over you, all your long journey, unwilling to withhold his presence from you, but knowing that he must, or you would not know your path.”

The girl looked from Aravare’s priest to the priestess of Yasmeh. The priestess smiled, and the developing presence of Yasmeh smiled with her, and the girl’s face reflected their joy. She opened her mouth to thank them, but the high priest of Aravare continued on.

“Know that Yasmeh bids you well. Know that he has chosen you for the path about to open to you. Know that his blessing and good wishes go with you.”

The girl bowed her head in answer.

Aravare’s high priest reached down, and placed one hand on her shoulder, offering her his other hand.

“Rise now, and meet your new master. His name is Iarius, and he knows all that happens in the realm of the sea and the lands that border it. Lord over Yasmeh, he has asked your service from his aide, and been granted it.”

Here the priestess of Yasmeh nodded. The girl took the high priest’s hand, and allowed him to help her rise.

“I present you with Maron, high priest to Iarius within these lands and others.”

Jasrian’s voice faltered, as though he had finally noticed the all-too-tangible presence of the gods. When he spoke again, it was with quaking deference and awe.

“My lady, I present you with Iarius himself.”

All around the room, Tara saw priests drop to their knees, and wondered why it had taken them so long to notice their deities. Again, she caught a glance from Aravare and, this time, he winked.

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Would you like to read more? 

The currently unmodified version of this book, Shadow Trap, and the third book of the Shadow series, Shadow’s Fall, are currently available for individual purchase. The updated version of the first book in the series, Shadow’s Rise, is also available.