A Sneaky Peak

What you've all been waiting for! Or at least, what I've been waiting to feel ready to post...

A sneaky peak at the new fantasy novel I'm working on - happy reading!

Of The Night Sky

Tamrin had lived a fairly normal life. She had a mother, and a father, and a small horde of brothers and sisters. They had lived frugally, but happily. 

At least, Tamrin thought they had been happy.

One day, figures in hooded cloaks of night sky had come to the village; they had touched her auburn hair and gazed keenly into her wide, blue eyes.

Tamrin could not see their faces.

The figures of the night sky paid her parents - Tamrin was not sure how much - with a shimmering sack that looked heavy with gold. And they led Tamrin away, too stunned to protest. That, it turned out, was the end of her 8 years of normal life.

***

At 18 years of age, Tamrin of the Night Sky stood at five feet and four inches, auburn hair flying behind her as she ran. This escape would be her most difficult yet; running from mortals was easy - she had only to wait until nightfall, when she would pull her cloak tight around her and disappear into the night.

Not just disappear, she reminded herself, but become a part of it.

Running from other Nighters, however, was turning out to be a lot harder. Tamrin burst round the corner, and cursed loudly.

"Light of Stars, Alveron, leave me alone!" She wished her anger would blaze gloriously, but her hair was a tangled mess from catching in the wind as she ran.

"Maybe if you stopped avoiding me, we wouldn't have to keep meeting like this," he retorted hotly, his dark hair standing on end like a cat raising its hackles. "Dark corners, away from everyone else - why are you avoiding me, Tamrin?" 

He took a step closer to her and she scowled. "As if you don't know." She could see Alveron suppressing his trademark cheshire grin. He took another step, and she felt the wall behind her.

"Do I?"

"Yes!" Tamrin stomped her foot. She wasn't proud of it; for one thing, she looked like a toddler having a tantrum. For another, magic in the halls was expressly forbidden.

"I will not say it again, Alveron: I am not in love with you. I never was. I never will be!"

Alveron's legs snapped together and he collapsed to the floor, completely rigid. Tamrin knew her magic had hit the mark, and as she sprinted away, she could hear Alveron shouting.

"Malfeasance! Malfeasance!"

It hadn't been malfeasance, Tamrin thought, but it was a serious accusation and she would definitely be in trouble - that was, if she didn't face an inquiry.