In case you're interested but want a little less involvement, here are a few scenes from the book. Any and all feedback is appreciated and encouraged! Thank you!
Note: I will not be marking chapters in the book, rather I’ll be marking things by scenes so I can stay more organized; I will put things in their respective chapters later.
Also, here is a map of my world:
On to the story!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Scene 1
Scene 2
Pronunciation Guide
Scene 1
I slammed his hand down on the table.
The room, silence shattered, erupted with cheers.
Mead sloshed in the air and chairs skidded across the floor from under their occupants as whoops and laughs became the only sound I could hear.
I threw my hands in the air and laughed, relishing my victory. I had beaten every willing man in the tavern at arm wrestling–and I’d earned a small compensation for it, too. I beamed.
The man at the table–the one I just beat–opened his mouth to speak. His voice was rough and husky, but his eyes had a kind aura as he talked. “Where do you come from anyway, Helena?”
I cocked an eyebrow, ever so slightly. “Where do you come from, Arne?”
He ignored my question and folded his hands on the table. “Ya must be ‘Lysian er somethin’.”
I took a final swig of hot cider and grabbed my cloak in reply. “Something like that.”
As I moved away from the table, people clapped me on the back and congratulated me for my victory that, the next day, would be forgotten like the autumn leaves in the wind. But that was alright. This was enough, at least for now.
As I stepped out into the frigid night air, dawning my cloak and drawing the hood down, I saw a face in the woods beyond. Just on time.
I shot a last wary glance at the warm light streaming through the tavern windows and the faint shouts and music still emanating from the place, hoping nobody was watching me.
Hurriedly, I stepped into the woods.
A grizzled voice reached out to scrape the air and asked, “Harlow?”
I said nothing.
“You’re late,” the voice barked. A short, squatty man stumbled through the brush. He was not so much as half my height, and he shrank back a little when he remembered who he was speaking to–a looming, cloaked figure twice his stature, who was just here for her pay and nothing else; someone who would not bother with small-talk.
“Nice weather, eh?” He squeaked.
“I’m here for my pay, Ludwig,” I said with immense patience that I certainly did not feel. I wanted out of here. It was too dark, too crowded, too similar to the place I escaped years ago.
“O-Of course. You served me well, Harlow,” he reached into his bag. “He’d been causing too much trouble around these parts. I just don’t see why I had to hire someone like you to get rid of him. We’re all Vikings, anyway, aren’t we?” He dropped a sack of coins into my outstretched hand.
“Less than you’d think, Lud. Less than there used to be, anyway. Most have abandoned their heritage and tried for something new, like Tilane.”
He nodded and said nothing further on the subject, instead telling me that I’d “best be off and that my comrades would be waiting on me.”
I left without further invitation. I didn’t need it.
Scene 2
I tossed the sack of coins on the table, along with my cloak and bag, absently twisting my rusty red hair in a knot before letting it fall to my waist again.
The handsome teenage boy who was seated there looked up. “Oh, hey, Hadley.”
“Hey, Blade.” I sat across from him and stole a peek at the map he was studying.
“You got your pay, then? How was it with Ludwig?” He made a pencil mark near Kildea and blew a strand of his dark hair out of his eyes.
I blew out a breath. “A lot better than it usually is. I mean, he’s getting used to what Harlow’s really like–all business, doesn’t take crap, won’t wait all day for what she’s there for.” I fingered the hem of my red tunic–the one that had the trumpet sleeves and paired well with furs.
Blade nodded and looked up from the map for a moment. “Impatient, desperate, and needy? Of course.” He grinned.
“Hey!” I smacked his arm, fighting a smile. “Anyway… We’ve got enough for the supply run, I think, plus enough for a few extra days, but I’ll have to find another hunt–fast.”
Blade wet his lips and put down his pencil for the first time since I came in, hesitating a little before he spoke. “Hadley… this is dangerous. I don’t know how much longer we can keep doing things like this.” He glanced around the inn commonhouse and lowered his voice before continuing, “I mean, there’s only so much time before you get hurt or before there’s nobody left to pay you. Why don’t I get a more reliable job? We’ll get steadier income, it’ll be safer for both of us–”
I cut him off. “No. It’s not safe that way either, Blade. Remember what my mom said? That there is no safe? They’ll catch you, Blade, and then we’re done for. You might as well run right back to Elysia and shout ‘We’re here!’” I paused, my voice nearly a whisper, taking on that husky tone it does whenever I speak quietly. “You know they won’t let us go back. There’s no point.”
He sighed through his nose, and I could tell he wasn’t having it. “What does that have to do with me getting a job? Hadley, do you understand the risks of–”
“Yes, Blade, I do. I knew the risks when I became a bounty hunter. I’m constantly aware of them. I don’t need you to remind me.” I glowered, though he didn’t really deserve it, and maybe I was being a little salty.
He glanced around the commonhouse. There were a few pairs of eyes on us, but none held suspicion. “Alright, then. But I’m looking around town before we leave to see if I can’t earn us just a little more. End of discussion.”
I sighed. “Fine.”
A silence settled between us–not quite awkward or uncomfortable, but close enough that I didn’t like it. We don’t have a lot of arguments, truthfully.
He picked up his pencil and resumed marking the map with our travel routes–the ones that would lead us farther from what we used to call home.
Pronunciation Guide
Places:
Elysia (eh-LISS-ee-uh)
Kidea (kill-DAY-uh)
Vandland (VAHND-luhnd)
Rowanoak (ROW-an-oak)
Tilane (TIE-lane)
Sinne (SINE)
Riese (REES)
Mynda (MIN-duh)
Crotha (CROW-thuh)
Torenvarr (TORE-en-vaar)
Prismora (PRIS-more-uh)
Eldin (ELL-din)
People:
First names:
Hadley (HAD-lee)
Blade (BLADE)
Jaeger (JAY-gar)
Everett (EV-ritt)
Rissa (RISS-uh)
Olux (OH-lucks)
Quialla (KEY-all-uh)
Russell (RUSS-ull)
Taron (TAIR-inn)
Helena (HEL-en-uh)
Turner (TURN-er)
Orchid (OR-kid)
Hawthorne (HAW-thorn)
Last names:
Landvik (LAHND-vick)
Bjorn (BYORN)