A Teaser

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene
Saturday, April 30, 2022
Zasha ALTERED woman White horse Dorota Kudyba Pixabay
Pixabay image altered
 
I’m still not around the blogosphere in general.  My work on the conclusion of the epic fantasy series, Dead of Winter, has been even slower than I feared.  I never dreamed it would take me this long.  I don’t lack inspiration or motivation, and I know the story.  It’s my “stuff” holding me down in an unfocussed abyss.
 
However, I was working on bringing a favorite character back into the thick of the ending.  In my original version, it was focused almost entirely on Emlyn, the main character.  This does not include any sort of spoiler, and I suddenly wanted to share a snippet from it.

Zasha, Looking Like May Day

Pixabay image altered by Teagan
Pixabay image altered by Teagan

The stable behind the Golden Book was filled with horses.  Most of them had been rescued from the battlefield by Gethin Gwilym, the equerry to the Deae Matres.  Zasha was too focused to give any thought to who was or wasn’t in the large barn.

Gethin had worked with Osabide to collect herbs for a concoction to calm the horses who had been traumatized in the fighting.  He mixed chamomile, valerian root powder, and oddly, catnip.  Then he filled a cored apple with the mix.  The animals eagerly ate the treat.

Several of the summer’s bane wreaths hung from Zasha’s arm.  Shifting the wreaths, she picked up one of the apples.  She walked briskly to the stall where her beloved white mare waited.  With a grunt, she hefted the saddle up onto Kiska.  Then she led the mare through the barn.

Holding up the Staff of Ancient Chieftains, she inspected her handiwork.  Maybe it was sacrilege, but Zasha followed an intuitive urge.  With an awl, she made tiny holes in the staff, just below the place where Red Eye crowned it.  She glued the thin iron arrows into the holes.

The magic of the staff is uncertain in my hands.  I don’t know if adding the iron will make it more effective against nightwalkers… or if it will change it at all, she thought.  But if I can’t make the magic work, at least I’ll have an iron spiked quarterstaff.

She opened some of wreaths and tied them together, creating one large garland of summer’s bane.  She encircled Kiska’s arched neck with it, and then stroked her nose.  She pinned the remaining wreath to her own head.

“We look like we’re riding to a festival for the first day of spring,” she remarked, looking down into the water trough at their reflection.  “Would that it were so.  Forgive me, my friend… for knowingly riding you into harm’s way,” she added, patting Kiska’s neck.

♦♦♦

I won’t forget The Armadillo Files — and I hope you don’t either.  I’ll be back with Fang and Dilly and company.  Hugs on the wing.
 

♦♦♦

Dead of Winter — All the Journeys

Universal Purchase Links

DoW 13 HarborJourney 13, The Harbor

Kindle:  relinks.me/B09TN3NDX1

Paperback:  relinks.me/B09TN1F58B

Journey 12, Goddesses

Kindle:  relinks.me/B09P5LJY13

Paperback:  relinks.me/B09NTTZ9J8

Journey 11, the Sumelazon Escarpment

Kindle:  relinks.me/B09M7Q19XT

Paperback:  relinks.me/B09M4QWDYK

Journey 10, Pergesca

Kindle:  relinks.me/B09J6TH8TD

Paperback:  relinks.me/B09J7GFWYV

Journey 9, Doors of Attunement

Kindle:  relinks.me/B09F8Y5DML

Paperback:  relinks.me/B09F1BB9RW

Journey 8, The Lost Library

Kindle:  relinks.me/B09C6MPTYT

Paperback:  relinks.me/B09C34XR7P

Journey 7, Revenant Pass

Kindle:  relinks.me/B098MS8P48

Paperback:  relinks.me/B098GV1G5V

Journey 6, The Fluting Fell

Kindle:  relinks.me/B096CPJNSX

Paperback: relinks.me/B096CPJNSX

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

♦♦♦

Wishing you an easy coast down the other side of this midweek hump.  I love to hear from you, so friendly comments are encouraged. Hugs on the wing!

 

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 2022 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.

 

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54 thoughts on “A Teaser”

  2. I’m ready I’m ready I’m ready! I reviewed Journey 13 (and almost all of them). I love this series. I’m sorry it takes so long to put each segment together, but from your readers’ perspective, it’s worth it!! xo

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Pam, you jewel. Thank you so very much. I’ll look for your review so I can share it. (I don’t always have the guts to look for reviews, LOL. So, I don’t often see them.) I’m trying to bring as many of the important characters into the ending as I can.
      Actually, I just finished an image of Tajín (for the chapter interior). I was so in love with it that I made a color version with a backdrop of his native Bandihar. I’ll show it in a post this weekend. I’m so happy that you are part of these Journeys. Hugs on the wing!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      1. I LOVE being part of the Journeys. I should have told you I reviewed #13 – did it a while ago. However, I deleted Twitter from my social media, so couldn’t show it there. Sorrreeee. Keep it up, my writer friend. xo

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

    1. Mark, thanks for your encouragement and for saying that. I’ve been hugely down on myself for taking so long. Of course all the wild fires across New Mexico have added a lot to my usual level of anxiety, so that makes me even slower. Wishing you a lovely May — oh, and May the 4th be with you. 😉

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  8. Wonderful teaser, Teagan. You amaze me with your creativity and steadfastness. Congratulations on this incredible writing journey. ✨🎉✨

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. It seems like so much time, though. I tried so hard to publish these each month. I knew it would take longer, since this one is actually almost all new writing. But still… Anyhow, thanks for visiting and for the good wishes, my friend. Hugs on the wing.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  16. I like Zasha, Teagan, but then, I like a lot of the characters that have been with us since the beginning. 🙂 I know that you’ll get there and we’re all happy to wait for the conclusion to your epic tale. A great teaser. Hugs and Happy Writing!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  19. I’m glad to see Zasha again. I like the story when she’s around. The snippet is wonderful. If it’s an indication of what’s to come, then I can wait. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and a proud week.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  22. Thanks for sharing this snippet, Teagan. It is gorgeous and enticing (and it hints at dangers as well). Take care and thanks for working so hard on the story. Have a lovely weekend!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  23. Teagan, I like Zasha and her horse, Kiska. Even though the festival garlands don’t mean they are going to a festival. It’s a calming thought as they ride into harms way. Energy & good thoughts as you finish the journey. Hugs, my moon sister. 📚🎶💐 Christine

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. It’s good to see you, Christine. Yes, those wreaths have been in a couple of the Journeys, but I didn’t want to elaborate here for those who haven’t read. Maybe I should have — it would have given the snippet a more ominous tone.
      I hope all is well in your neck of the woods. There are so many fires. Hugs winging back to you, moon girl.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. If Zasha is a new character, I think the wreaths could stand alone without elaborating. Snipits are short. Less is more. All is well here. Getting info together for the book launch second week in May after the Mother’s Day hype is over. Hugs back, moon girl. I like that special connection. 📚🎶 Christine

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

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