I hope that this scene will stay in the final book.

____________________________


There was plenty of firewood to roast the rabbits Alec had shot that day, and they’d sleep warm that night, bundled close together around the fire. He was just about to settle down for the night when Sebrahn suddenly jumped to his feet and ran across the clearing, pointing up at something. Micum and Seregil had already drawn their swords, but Alec saw what Sebrahn was excited about and waved them off.

A large white owl sat blinking down at them from a bough.

Sebrahn held his arms up to it and rasped out “Drak-kon!”

“Now why would he think that?” said Micum.

“Owls are as much Aura’s creatures as dragons are,” Seregil explained. “And since there aren’t any dragons—“

Suddenly Sebrahn began to sing, as he had ????? but this song was softer. The bird swiveled its round head to look down at the rhekaro, then opened its wings and shook them, sending a few tufts of fluff drifting down onto Sebrahn’s upturned face. When Sebrahn kept singing, it gave a loud hoot and fluttered down to perch on his shoulder. The bird was too big and ended up clinging to his arm, digging its talons in hard enough to draw white blood.

Sebrahn stroked its snow white breast. The owl hooted again, and a third time before taking wing into the darkness. “Drak-kon!” Sebrahn called after it.

“Look, Alec,” Seregil said quietly, pointing up at the trees. Four other white owls perched there, their big gold coin eyes fixed on Sebrahn.

“They’re solitary hunters,” Micum murmured. “Did he call them here?”

“Maybe,” said Seregil. “I didn’t notice them before.”

Alec knelt by Sebrahn and pointed up at the birds. “Owls. Not dragons. Owls.”

Sebrahn was looking at the perched birds now. “Drak-kon.”

“No. Owls.”

Sebrahn looked confused. “Aaaaals?”

“Yes. Ow-els.”

“Aaaaaals.”

Seregil chuckled. “Close enough.”

“Drak-kon!” Sebrahn pointed up to the birds again.

“Owl!” Alec reminded him.

Sebrahn sounded almost sulky as he whispered, “Aaaaaal.”

One important thing in rewrites is to recognize scenes that you really love, but that serve no purpose to advance the plot. This is one of those, and I thought you might like a peek behind the curtain. This scene will not appear in the book. But I really like it. ;-) Spoiler free

________________________


Their last afternoon in Gedre he and Micum sat in a cheerful little tavern and watched the trader vessels and little fishing boats skimming across the harbor and people passing by in the colorful sen’gai of half a dozen clans. The barmaids flirted and fussed over him, stroking his long blond braid and offering to brush his hair for him.

“Don’t waste your efforts, girls,” Micum told them. “His heart is in someone else’s pocket already, and that pocket isn’t sewn to a skirt.”

“What a shame!” one of them exclaimed as she pretended to pout.

“He’s too young to be settled!” her friend chided, laughing. “Come on, little brother, don’t make up your mind so soon.”

Alec couldn’t help blushing, and that only made them flirt more, saying a shy young man was too much of a temptation and a rarity around here to let go. It reminded him of his first welcome in Gedre, the day he’d sailed into this harbor with Princess Klia. Young men and women, all bare to the waist, had sailed out in small boats to meet their ship, decked out in nothing but flowers and short kilts. Modesty was a different thing here; he knew these girls were only teasing, but he also wondered what would happened if he’d been interested?

They gave up at last and Micum laughed at him over his mug of turab. “Most fellows your age would be pretty happy with that kind of attention.”

Alec sighed. “Seregil used to say the same thing, until I got him to stop.”

Just in case you're getting tired of the puppy pictures.



The sumptuously decorated ship’s cabin was the best accommodation Alec had seen since they’d left Bôkthersa. Seregil, who had a taste for luxuries of any sort, sprawled across the bed at all hours like a big contented catamount. For the first time in a very long time it was just the two of them. No Sebrahn. No Reiser, who looked askance at them whenever they so much as clasped hands. For the first time in weeks, they could do more than that. Seregil was like a man dying of thirst, and Alec was the spring.

On the third morning out Rhal took one look at them over breakfast and burst out laughing, as did Skywake, who was eating with them in the captain’s cabin.

“What’s so funny?” asked Seregil.

“Look in the mirror. You’ve got matching marks on your necks.

Blushing furiously, Alec pulled the collar of his shirt up, while the others, even Seregil, laughed on. He hated it when things like this happened. Not that he was ashamed of their love for each other—far from it—but his father had taught him modesty and their lonely wandering life had left Alec ill at ease in personal matters around other people. He kept hoping he’d grow out of blushing, but so far he hadn’t been that lucky.

Wow, so many people went out of their way to cheer me up. I'm really touched. And in honor of that, I'm posting a little snippet from White Road.

WARNING TO ANYONE WHO HASN'T READ SHADOWS RETURN YET: THIS CONTAINS A MAJOR SPOILER!!

You've been warned.

( From Chapter 1 )''' And please don't inadverdantly give away the spoiler if you respond. Thanks!

Haven't given you folks a snippet in a while. Since the book won't be out for another two months, here's a little something . . .




Alec bent over him, concerned. "Does it still hurt?"

"No," Seregil gasped, "but that was less fun than I thought it would be."

Happy Holidays Everyone! In keeping with my long standing tradition, here's a present from me to you. ;-)

From Shadows Return:

Alec was always left to himself, the day after a visit to Yhakobin, so he was as much surprised as pleased when Khenir appeared at his door that afternoon.

“Would you like to take another walk?” the slave asked, grinning.

Alec was so glad to get outside again that he hardly minded when one of the waiting guards fastened the chain to his collar.

Once again, four guards were there to watch them. Making a break for it in daylight probably wasn’t going to be an option, Alec decided. That was not a cheering thought, but he couldn’t help enjoying being out of that cell again. It was a bit warmer today and he relished the warmth of the sun on his face as they strolled around the garden, enjoying the splash of the fountain and the cries of the gulls overhead.

After a while Khenir took Alec’s hand in his as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Alec blushed guiltily as the warmth of the other man’s palm against his own sent a rather pleasurable tingle up his arm.

What’s wrong with me? Am I really that lonely?

He tried to pull free without insulting the man, but Khenir gave him such a sad look and said, “Humor me, won’t you, little brother? It’s so lonely here.”

Alec was too kind to refuse him that, and Khenir gave him a grateful look. They walked on like that for a while, then the other man sighed. “Your frown tells me there’s someone you’re faithful to, yes? Is she very pretty?”

Alec gave a noncommittal shrug.

“No?” Khenir smiled knowingly. “Or maybe not a ‘she’?”

“I’d rather not talk about that.”

Khenir seemed to shrink in on himself as he turned away. “Keep your secrets, then,” he said softly. “What am I in your eyes, after all, but filth and spoiled goods?”

“No, that’s not it at all!” Alec laid a hand on the other man’s shoulder. “I appreciate your friendship, Khenir, more than you know!” He paused, wanting to undo the hurt, but knowing better than to give away that kind of information, even to a fellow slave.

Khenir still refused to face him. “No, I shouldn’t have presumed. It’s just—well, as I said, I’ve been lonely here . . . Please, say we’re friends?”

He turned around and held out his hand. There were tears on his cheeks. Alec took his hand again. “Of course we are. It’s just . . . “ What could he possibly say? “It’s just that my heart is broken, losing him, and I can’t think of anyone else. Not yet.”

Khenir touched Alec’s cheek. “I . . . That is . . .” He glanced back at the guards. They seemed to be engrossed in their own conversation. He leaned closer, lowering his voice. “I’m not asking for your heart, Alec. But if we could just find a little comfort together . . .”

And Khenir kissed him.
#

In honor of the naming of the book, here's a hot, steaming snippet, fresh from my brain and unadulterated by editing of any sort.

“By the Flame, there must be good money in it,” Micum said, pretending to be impressed. “How’s a man get into that business, anyway?”

Eyes narrowed around the table at that. “You asking, Skala?”

Micum gave them an offended sneer. “I’m a northlander! No queens for me. No sir, I’m a free man, free to do as I please. And . . “ He paused and gave them a knowing wink. “Making money always pleases me. Only I’m wondering, if old Ulan knows the cargo you carry, why does he let your ships anywhere near his fai’thast, eh?”

A Zengati with a scar across the bridge of his nose leaned in and whispered, “That is because of the agreement.”

“What agreement?” Thero asked, speaking up at last.

Notis and the others went silent and suddenly all eyes were on Thero, and not looking too friendly.

“That’s a Skalan you’re with,” Notis growled.

“That one?” Micum jerked a dismissive thumb at Thero. “Don’t mind him. I met him on the ship coming over and he’s been buying the drinks. What do you say, Thorwin? You too proud to earn your living?”

It took Thero only a second to realize that he was Thorwin, and that a great deal rode on the proper response. “Since my father cast me out, I’ve made my own way just fine,” he shot back, trying to match the coarse, off hand way Micum had been speaking. “One country’s silver spends the same as any other’s in my experience.”

The others stared at him a moment then burst out laughing, and Micum with them.

Notis slapped Micum on the shoulder, rocking on the bench. “You got you a fine companion, friend. He talks like a priest, all stiff like a dead fish.” He stood and locked his arms at his sides, shuffling drunkenly from foot to foot, much to the amusement of his friends.

Why am I always compared to fish? Thero wondered, though he was a bit relieved by the reaction.

"Hey, you. Assuming I get this open, where does it lead?” asked Seregil, still probing carefully inside the stubborn lock.

“I don’t know.”

“What?” Alec growled. “Seregil, why are you even listening to this bastard?”

“Well, at the moment, he’s the only bastard we’ve got. Hold the light over this way, will you?”

“And this one is truly mine, Master?”

“Yes, though why you should want such a wild and dangerous creature as that is beyond me.”

“I look forward to breaking him, Master.”

Seregil bit the inside of his lip, thinking, Oh, I will kill you so slowly!

From Ch. 22, Untitled NR 4 Alec's POV



"Judging by the way the metal dug into his flesh, he was naked yet again. "

is to be found at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Flewelling/message/20883

I've posted my yearly holiday teaser snippet (from the new Nightrunner book!) over on the Flewelling Yahoo group.

See: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Flewelling/