Gull collars the assassin in Ch 12/Sc 3 of RAGING SEA by @KimHeadlee #amwriting

Graphic overlay c2016 by Kim Headlee.

While my daughter is off visiting her boyfriend for his college graduation (congratulations, Ethan! :) and Balticon, and the house has calmed back down to its usual dull roar, I am going to sneak in some more writing on Raging Sea.

But before I dive in, I thought I'd better get this post up. :D

Today for your reading pleasure, Angusel's father Gull runs a would-be assassin to ground.

Previous excerpts of Raging Sea 
Chapters 1–6 in Raging Sea: Reckonings

 Chapter 7: Sc 1 | Sc 2 | Sc 3 | Sc 4 | Sc 5a | Sc 5b |
Chapter 8: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 2 | Sc 3a | Sc 3b |
Chapter 9: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 1c | Sc 1d | Sc 1e |
Chapter 10: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 2a | Sc 2b | Sc 3a | Sc 3b | Sc 3c |
Chapter 11: Sc 1a |  Sc 1b | Sc 1c | Sc 2 | Sc 3a | Sc 3b |
Chapter 12: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 1c | Sc 2 |

Raging Sea Chapter 12, Scene 3

©2016 by Kim Headlee

All rights reserved.

He’d pay for this exertion later, of course, but running down the assassin proved easier than Gull thought it would be. Aye, the man had led him and a gaggle of soldiers on a fine chase through the back alleys and twisted passageways of the port’s seedier environs, having to abandon the rooftops when he outran his cover from the soldiers’ spears and arrows.

What the assassin—or the soldiers, for that matter—didn’t know was that Gull could be harder to shake than the killing pox, and just as deadly.

With a burst of speed and a powerful lunge, he collared the assassin and dragged him to the ground. Battle rage drove his fists and feet to pummel the man into submission until the soldiers arrived.

“Halt, sir!” Gull stopped midswing, panting hard, and turned to look at the decurion who had issued the order. “We need him alive for questioning.” The officer’s firm tone carried an apologetic note.

A glance at the captive revealed the bloody, bruised face, his eyes beginning to swell shut. Gull shook his head to clear it of battle frenzy and lowered his fist. It already had begun to ache, and he shook it too, trying to make sense of his reactions. He was a master warrior; he should have subdued the assassin without resorting to crude, mindless violence.

And yet, committing mindless violence against the assailant was all that leaped to mind at the thought of the Lady Morghe getting wounded by this cù-puc.

He shook his head again.

“Sir? Are you all right?” asked the decurion as his men secured the captive for the march to the fortress.

Gull reassured the officer with a grin. “Nae thing that a stiff draught or three won’t cure, lad.”

He hoped.

***

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***

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— Follow Kim on Twitter
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— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow<

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Urien is going to flay Accolon alive in Ch 12/Sc 2 of RAGING SEA by @KimHeadlee #amwriting

Graphic overlay c2016 by Kim Headlee.

Today I am pleased to announce the college graduation of my "part-time" daughter, Cassie M.! 

She was awarded a BFA degree in Theatre Arts from Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA, and her specialty is stage management.

Please join me in wishing Cassie and all members of the Class of 2016 the best of luck!

Accolon needs all the luck he can muster in today's excerpt from Raging Sea to keep Urien from killing him for allowing Morghe to get hurt.

But first Accolon must find a way to keep her alive.

Previous excerpts of Raging Sea 
Chapters 1–6 in Raging Sea: Reckonings

 Chapter 7: Sc 1 | Sc 2 | Sc 3 | Sc 4 | Sc 5a | Sc 5b |
Chapter 8: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 2 | Sc 3a | Sc 3b |
Chapter 9: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 1c | Sc 1d | Sc 1e |
Chapter 10: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 2a | Sc 2b | Sc 3a | Sc 3b | Sc 3c |
Chapter 11: Sc 1a |  Sc 1b | Sc 1c | Sc 2 | Sc 3a | Sc 3b |
Chapter 12: Sc 1a | Sc 1b | Sc 1c |

Raging Sea Chapter 12, Scene 2

©2016 by Kim Headlee

All rights reserved.

Kneeling with Morghe’s head and shoulders supported on his lap, Accolon watched the old Pict sprint at ground level with surprising speed to keep pace with the archer fleeing across the rooftop. The pair vanished beyond the end of the warehouse, and Accolon returned his attention to Morghe. Her eyes were squeezed shut from the pain, her breath was coming in short pants, beads of sweat dotted her brow, and her face was whitening by the moment.

Urien was going to flay him alive.

There didn’t appear to be a second assassin. He and Elian shared a nod, and the centurion brandished his rank and shouted for the crowd to stand back and give Morghe air. To the crippled man’s credit, not one person dared to disobey.

“You,” Elian said to a young man whose rigid bearing proclaimed him to be one of the off-duty recruits. “Bring medics!”

“Aye, Centurion!” The man thumped a quick salute and veered toward the fortress at a dead run.

Morghe groaned and started swatting at the arrow. “Get it out!”

Accolon grasped her hands to still them, shaking his head. “You might bleed to death. I can’t take that risk. The medics will—”

She gritted her teeth and gripped his hand hard. “You be the medic.” Her grip and jaw relaxed, but her eyes remained tight with pain. “Please.”

Elian was already sacrificing strips of his tunic. He pressed the wad into Accolon’s hand and knelt to steady Morghe’s shoulders. Accolon could only stare at the centurion, fighting to quell his rising panic. Elian’s countenance darkened. “This is no different than field dressing a wounded soldier. Get on with it, man!”

A soldier was the absolute last association he’d ever make with Morghe, but it did help a little. He drew his dagger. Miraculously, his hand didn’t shake as he lowered the point to her shoulder. “Chieftainess, I need to enlarge the wound a bit so the arrowhead’s barbs won’t do more damage. Are you sure you don’t want to wait for the medics?”

She inhaled a long, gasping breath. “Go ahead,” she whispered.

With a nod at Elian, who tightened his grip on Morghe, Accolon began the bloody task.

***

All this month, you are invited to…

— Follow Kim on Twitter
— Follow Kim on Pinterest
— Subscribe to Kim's YouTube channel
— Leave a comment on any page of The Maze, especially if you have done the Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube follow<

… and each action this month is good for one chance to win a copy of any of Kim's e-books.

Please enter often, and good luck!