The Delta Pearl 73 — Unbend

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Saturday, May 15, 2021

riverboat-Clarence Alford Pixabay
Clarence Alford at Pixabay

Welcome, my chuckaboos. I hope everyone is safe and well.  The Delta Pearl is back.  By way of review, here’s a link to the most recent episode.   This new installment also ties back to Chapter 67 — View.

This time I was able to use a random reader thing. It is evening gloves, left by GP Cox, months ago.

The steampunk riverboat awaits. 

All aboard!

The Delta Pearl

Chapter 73 — Unbend

Faiths cheval mirror with steampunk
Dan’s Mirror.  Image tomfoolery by Teagan

Grinding gears sounded not too far away.  It was the same growl-like sound I had heard earlier, just before the woman’s voice drew Malachite away.  Abruptly I remembered the scene I had watched through the telectroscope while I was on the Delta Pearl.

As I watched, the deep grinding noise got louder.  With a metal clank, two big spotted paws came onto the table where the book lay.  The spots were from gemstone inlayed on the machinery.

“Leopard jasper,” I murmured as I stared apprehensively.

To my astonishment a jungle cat rose up into view.  Never had I seen a clockwork so large!  Its “growl” was like the coarse grinding of gears followed by a quick sound like the gears abruptly stopping — gee-peh.

Crouched beside the table, I wasn’t sure what scared me more, the strange woman, still unseen, who spoke of voodoo and knew my name, or a very large mechanical leopard.

“Émeraude, don’t dawdle.  I need your help to patch him up.  Blue John has lost a lot of blood, and he refuses to let me use a gris gris to help him,” the woman urged in a heavy Cajun accent.

The name Blue John was enough to make me abandon my feeble attempt at hiding.  Though I admit that I hesitated once more, when I heard the sound of what I assumed was the clockwork leopard drawing slowly closer.  Along with the growl, a dry muffled sound.  Was the leopard dragging something?

Swallowing hard, started to unbend my awkward posture.  As my eyes skimmed across the table, I saw the satin evening gloves the speaker wore.  Peridot, the clockwork butterfly sat on her hand, almost like a large ring.  Encouraged by the sight of the little clockwork creature, I stood.

Then I saw the woman.

I tried so hard to stifle the scream that welled up in my throat, that I had to clasp my hand over my mouth.

***

End Chapter 73

***

Yes, I know… stop yelling. I did it again…

Dead of Winter — The Journeys

If you said you didn’t want to read Dead of Winter until there were several installments available, well…  Emlyn, the Deae Matres, and company would love to make your acquaintance.  Also, Journey 5 ends on a true cliffhanger.

The First Five Journeys of Dead of Winter
The First Five Journeys

Journey 5, Llyn Pistyll Falls has a new review from author D. L. Finn,  You can learn more D. L. (Denise) here.

Journey 5, Llyn Pistyll Falls

Kindle:  relinks.me/B09431TD6G

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0942KC471

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

.

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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 © 2010 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.

 

…

71 thoughts on “The Delta Pearl 73 — Unbend”

      1. Thank you very much, Teagan! A great chapter indeed. Best for welcoming another clockwork mystery. 😉 Be also well and stay save, Teagan! Here they are discussing a follow up of vaccinations. Seems they got knowledge of your serial idea. 😉 Hugsx

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  17. Aaaaaaaccckkk!!! Who is this woman? Emeraude knows her, but will we be shocked as well? Frightened? Relieved? Stay tuned for the author’s reveal and more excitement than one can stand for a Saturday morning. 😮

    Hugs and purrs to you! Have a great weekend, Teagan.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  19. Dang you, Teagan. Wonderful post with lots of tantalizing clues but Way Too Short. Looking forward to reading more about the mysterious Cajun lady, Blue John, and the Leopard. Will he be ferocious or a big pussycat? Inquiring hugs pouncing your way.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  20. Again I’m hanging on this cliff!!! I do believe YOU are a clockwork creature Teagan. No human mind has this kind of imagination!!
    Ginger

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  21. Well, you KNOW I loved this post, Teagan! And I do believe I am less befuddled about this cloud that I have been – but we’ll see, you do have a tendency to throw me a few curves! (And I love it!!)

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. 🙂 GP, you are one of the few who are following closely enough, that I do believe you probably have it all figured out. I only hope I can surprise you a little bit at the end. Although, I’ve just now realized that if I don’t find time to pull the last details together, and do a BIG episode, all the surprises will dribble out, and no real surprise for the finale… What Emeraude is about to see (when she looked at the Cajun woman) is the core of the new ending I thought of at the mid-point of this rewrite/serial. Yes, I just realized that I need to wrap this up right now, because Emeraude can’t see that until the conclusion.
      Heartfelt thanks for being an important part of this riverboat, my chuckaboo!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  23. You brought us to the edge again, Teagan. Émeraude is moving out of her hiding place, but to where? What has she seen? Now I have to wait. I would try to imagine what’s out there but my imagination is no match for yours, I’ll wait. I’ll be back next week.

    I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much Dan. As I was just replying to GP, I suddenly realized that what Émeraude is moving out to is the conclusion. Midway of this rewrite, when I realized I wanted a new ending, what she is about to see is what I saw as the finale… Oops. I need BOTH to shift my writing priorities, and more hours in the day… I’m tired just thinking about it. LOL.
      Happy weekend hugs to everyone at your place, my chuckaboo!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  26. You, cruel you! Teagan, you’re becoming a master of cliffhangers! I like the sound of the leopard and can see the butterfly… This would make a beautiful series, but it would take some pretty amazing people to design it and put it together to make it live up to the story. Stay well and keep us hanging…:)

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much Olga. Ha! I’m too much of a realist sometimes. With every story I write I can’t help thinking of the special effects cost if it was a film. I used to dream of Dead of Winter being an anime series. I suppose I could see The Delta Pearl the same way. 😀 Take good care of you, my chuckaboo!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

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