The Delta Pearl 70 — Geostrophic

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Saturday, April 3, 2021

For those who aren’t here on Wednesdays, I’m announcing the April installment of my Amazon serial.

Dead of Winter: Journey 4, The Old Road

DoW 4 Wagon Wheel promo
Promotional Image by Teagan

Now available. Purchase links are at the end of this post.

Now, for the reason why you are here, my chuckaboos! “The Delta Pearl” is back with a new episode.  I’m dancing as fast as I can — it’s been a very difficult week. So pardon this being a draft.  There are doubtlessly mistakes.  Pointing them out does not qualify as a friendly comment.

Since I wasn’t here last weekend, here’s a Link to the previous episode.

Do you see that lovely mirror in my image collage below?  Fellow blogger, Dan Antion actually made that for his daughter, Faith!  She took the photo of the mirror.  Dan told me about it when he left Cheval Mirror as a random reader thing.  Now let’s waltz on over to The Delta Pearl.

All aboard!

The Delta Pearl

Chapter 70 — Geostrophic

Image tomfoolery by Teagan

Hanging moss and a swampy river made the background for a painting.  The unknown artist’s subject startled me enough that my attention was diverted from the man who wore a green pinstripe tuxedo.  He followed my gaze.

“She is exquisite, no?” Malachite remarked in a Cajun accent.  “Cécile Perle, mambo extraordinaire.  A vodou queen of unsurpassed skill and beauty.”

The subject of the painting was a beautiful woman.  Her luxurious hair shined like a halo about her lovely face.  Around her neck was a ribbon from which an intricately carved cameo hung.

While the setting was different, it was the same woman from the old portrait on the Delta Pearl.

Of its own accord, my hand went to my neck.  My cameo was nearly identical to the one in the portrait.  Fortunately, I had not made it part of my ensemble when I got dressed that morning.  I would surely have lost the necklace with everything that had happened.

His eyes returned to me.  He regarded me in an evaluative stare.  I felt like a specimen under Victor’s microscope.  Several times he looked from the painting to me, and back again, as if comparing minute details.

Kellepics at Pixabay

Grinding gears, or perhaps it was a growl, made a noise that caused Malachite to look away.  The sound made me even more nervous than I already was.  If it was a growl, then it came from something big.

A series of tiny tugs inched from the top of my sleeve and up the back collar of my gown.  I knew it was the clockwork bookworm, so I tried not to react.  It had shushed me, so I expected the clockwork’s intention was stealth.

It pulled the hair at the back of my neck as it climbed.  I flinched before I could stop myself.  However, Malachite didn’t seem to notice.  Then the bookworm hissed into my ear, much as Amethyst would have done.  Instantly a pang of worry for my spider stabbed my heart.  The tiny clockwork tried again to speak.

“Ap-pat… Lep-pat.  Lep-pat,” it said urgently.

The growl came again.  It was followed by a muffled voice.  I both hoped and feared that the voice belonged to the Mate, Blue John Boulton.  Then I realized the pitch was too high.  I couldn’t hear the words, but the voice had to belong to a woman.

The voice was all it took to cause Malachite to lose interest in me.

“Cher, you must not tire yourself,” he called out and left the room.

The soft tones of the muffled voice reached me again.  The sound was interspersed with remarks from Malachite.

“Alright.  I’ll take care of it,” I heard him say from a distance.  “But promise me you will go rest now.”

I heard small sounds as he moved away.  Then the metallic noise of distant footfalls on a metal staircase.  A moment later the floor vibrated and the hum of what must have been a huge fan started.

For the first time I was able to look around.  I was in a long but rather narrow chamber.  At the opposite end of the room was a tall cheval mirror.  The position of the mirror allowed me to see a little way into the direction Malachite had gone.  Although that was of little use, as the view showed an empty room.

Airship porthole to clouds
Image by Teagan

I saw a round window, elaborately framed like the ones on the Delta Pearl.  Staggering to my feet, I felt the slightest motion beneath me.  It reminded me of the river.

“But that’s impossible,” I murmured.  “I went up, into that awful brown cloud.”

I moved to the window.  Blue sky and white clouds met my gaze.  Looking down I saw the familiar sooty cloud.  As the sound of the fan continued the brown cloud began to swirl and disperse.

“Welcome aboard the Geostrophic Pearl,” he had said moments before.

“A dirigible then?  Malachite’s Geostrophic Pearl is an airship?” I muttered in gaping wonder.

The countryside far below composed a quilt with varied patches of green and tan.  I wondered how far away from the river we had traveled.  However, my view wasn’t 360 degrees.  I hoped we stayed near the river.

“Émeraude,” a raspy voice spoke my name.

***

End Chapter 70

***

Well now, that’s quite a view… but much remains to be seen.    Until next time, my chuckaboos!

Dead of Winter — The Other Journeys

DDoW first 4 girl wolf golden
Image collage by Teagan Geneviene

If you haven’t already joined the journey, you’re just in time to curl up with a nice-sized bite of reading.  All three together are under 200 pages — you can catch up before the fourth installment is published.

Journey 4, the Old Road

Kindle:  relinks.me/B092G5LB7R

Paperback:  relinks.me/B092M51Y88

Journey 3, the Fever Field

Kindle: elinks.me/B08XTNZ9M8 

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08XXY3JXF

Kobo:  Dead of Winter: Journey 3, the Fever Field eBook by Teagan Riordain Geneviene – 1230004609599 | Rakuten Kobo United States

Journey 2, Penllyn

Kindle:  relinks.me/B08VMNSF97

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08VLMR2KD

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dead-of-winter-journey-2-penllyn

Journey 1, Forlorn Peak

Kindle:  relinks.me/B08RBBVRGX

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08R7RH4F5

Kobo:  Dead of Winter: Journey 1, Forlorn Peak eBook by Teagan Geneviene – 1230004446033 | Rakuten Kobo United States

Thanks for visiting.  I’d love to hear from you in a comment, but like I say, this is my sanctuary — so keep it friendly.   Remember — this is not a forum for critique.  

 

This is a work of fiction.  Characters, names, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2016 and 2021 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved. 

No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author or provided by free sources, unless stated otherwise.

 

…

66 thoughts on “The Delta Pearl 70 — Geostrophic”

  2. Pingback: The Delta Pearl 71 — Blow – Teagan's Books

    1. LOL, meanwhile, I’m surprised that everyone is surprised. Ha — but I keep saying that I’m not wired right. I keep thinking the ending will surprise everyone — so watch everybody say they saw it coming. Thanks for reading and commenting, my chuckaboo!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  11. Another interesting chapter. Thank you, Teagan!

    I read Forlorn Peak. I enjoyed it immensely. You are a terrific writer. The descriptions, pace and history bits wound themselves around me. I look forward to Penllyn!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  13. Can’t say Emeraude doesn’t lead an exciting life! Wherever exactly she is, she seems safe. Growling noises? Voices? I hope she finds a lot of answers here…..because then we will.

    Have a relaxing and fun weekend.
    Ginger

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  14. I want to get on this ship right away. It is really wonderful how beautiful it is there and what you can experience there. A very nice episode, Teagan! The collages as always superb. I really adore your way of writing, and decorating all with wonderful images. Thank you for sharing, and have a lovely weekend! Michael

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. Thank you, Teagan! Sorry, on weekends i am trying to get some of the missed sleep back. 😉 The River boot story is so fantastic for calming down, and getting positive mood. Thank you, and have a nice rest of the weekend! Greetings to Crystal. 😉 Michael

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

        1. I’m glad you are trying to get sleep, Michael. Sleep is of very great importance. I’ve had difficulty sleeping since I was 12 years old. Rest well.
          Crystal stops looking at a video of her favorite YouTube star, Chunk the Groundhog, to send you a purr-meow. Hugs.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply

          1. Wow! Crystal really is watching YT? Great! In the past we tried to do with our cat, but as he had listend to birds, he got crazy and tried to find them in the house. He noticed them as intruders. 😉 Yes, sleep is very important, and i can fall into sleep also when i had drunk espresso. 😉 Big hugsx

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply

    1. Oh that… now I’m laughing at myself, Robbie. I must have dirigibles on the brain. Ever since Chris Graham made an image for “Atonement Tennessee” that included a dirigible — and that prompted me to put one in a story we collaborated on for Get Caught Reading Monty — years ago, they keep coming back around. I only just now realized how many times I’ve used them. The Facebook image is actually for a new story that I’m considering doing for a new venture Amazon is getting ready to do.
      Thanks for being on this riverboat, my chuckaboo!

      Like

      Reply

  19. An incredible chapter again, Teagan. I always knew the bookworm could prove to be handy. 🙂 I wonder who the lady is that drew Jaspe away. So many details to learn… Anticipatory hugs until next week. Now on to read the most recent Journey!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much, Pat. I hope you love Journey 4. In my editing process, I’ve finally figured out where the “history of the Great Library” needs to go. (It came too early to work well in the flow of the serials.) So that will be the prologue for Journey 6.
      I’m glad you’re on this riverboat, my chuckaboo!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Wonderful. After I read Chapter 6, I”d love to do a Great Library interview. (Will need to read the chapter so I can develop appropriate questions. Same rules as the other interviews. I’m guessing the bookworm is referring to the leopard but hopefully, all will be revealed in a week or two.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

        1. That would be lovely. Although I won’t be able to answer questions about the library yet, as they would be spoilers. Maybe when the characters’ journey eventually takes them to the seat of the Society of Deae Matres. What comes in Journey 6 is a history that the watcher remembers. Although it’s a pretty exciting passage.
          😀 Yes more on the clockworks soon. Hugs.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply

  21. I have so much to mention, but let’s start with that cliffhanger 😏 I’m left wondering who is speaking, what is making the noise and exactly where Émeraude is. But she’s in a solid footing which is better than hanging over a river. This was a great episode, Teagan.

    As for Journey #4, I am looking forward to it and I will begin reading it tonight.

    Thanks for your kind comments about the cheval mirror. It’s always fun to see our reader things worked into your story.

    I hope you have a wonderful weekend, Teagan and I hope you get to relax.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Ha! Dan, I admit it — I’m not even sure who the voice belongs to… although I’m beginning to have an inkling. The mirror is a terrific “thing”. Suddenly it just flowed into the story. I wasn’t really even expecting it.
      Thanks for being part of the Journeys of Dead of Winter! I hope you love the 4th one. Stay safe and well, my chuckaboo!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  24. Another cliffhanger! I love dirigibles, so I’m even more intrigued. And I am looking forward to Journey four in Dead of Winter serial. And I have it already! Thanks, Teagan, and stay safe!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

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