#SweetSat - Duty

My wonderful hubby surprised me this week by producing his comments on Duty for me to work through. This is the final set of edits before publication (I hope). In honor of the coming release (Stay tuned for a date in the next few weeks), I am featuring an excerpt from Duty for this Sweet Saturday Sample.

The novel is written in first person from the perspective of Brielle. Traveling from Wisenvale to their new home in Kyrenton, Brielle and her new husband, Lord Irvaine, are overtaken by an injured messenger with dire news. (Loren is Brielle's best friend from childhood.)

© Alexey Kryuchkov | Dreamstime.com

~~~~~

I peeled back the stiff, quilted cloth to reveal the wound. After wrapping my clean tunic around my right hand, I pulled the skin together with my left before applying pressure. His blood soaked the cloth with alarming swiftness.

“What did this?” I asked.

“Arrow, my lady.”

“Come, Kuy, surely you were not the only man they could send.” Irvaine knelt at my side, offering a small measure of shelter from the biting wind.

“Nay, my lord, I volunteered and rode off before they knew. There were many worse than I. Someone needed to catch you before you reached the gates of Kyrenton.”

“Why?” My mouth spoke before I thought.

“When the invaders discovered you were not among our number, Lord Wisten hinted someone in Kyrenton would deal with you. He named no names and perhaps spoke more than he should have. The foreign baron seemed ill pleased with his loose tongue.”

“Is that what you meant when you said we had been betrayed?”

“Nay. Brevand betrayed us. While we faced the main company in the fields before the village, he led the others into the village and gathered our women.”

“Loren.” My breath caught in my chest. Anger rose despite my inability to breathe.

Kuylan grunted. “Aye, Quaren’s wife as well as the rest. They threatened action against them should we not withdraw.” He coughed. “Not so hard, my lady.”

I eased the pressure slightly. He laid his head back and closed his eyes. The pallor of his face worried me.

Nudging Irvaine’s shoulder with mine to catch his attention, I nodded toward Kuylan. “Keep him talking.”

~~~~~

I hope you enjoyed it. Keep your eyes open for the cover reveal coming very soon. :)

I am also spending some time over at a friend's blog today. Stop by if you get a chance. :)

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go to http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/.