So, here’s your first snippet!! Next one will be out next week. My cover (and title) is still a work in progress, but here goes!
Snippet One
The lulling noise of crickets echoed through the alleyway. Everything was silent, save for the quiet noise of my chewing. The bread was stale, although I didn’t care. When you’re hungry, you’re lucky to get food. I closed my eyes, envisioning what it would be like to have a fresh piece of steak again. The last time I had tried to nab some meat I had almost been captured. I shuddered.
Longmoore was one of those cities full of people dressed in lavish clothes with servants, shops bursting with food, and plenty of trade. And although it seemed like an ideal city, I had quickly learned it was full of orphans and beggars. People like me. What kind of city turned orphans out to the streets, and arrested them when they had no choice but to steal? I had seen many children get caught. I had learned from their mistakes.
The food I had I got from begging or, when desperate, stealing. I didn’t like it. But I never stole from anyone younger than me. Only from the greedy, deceiving shopkeepers.
I heard hushed tones from the street. The bread was in my pack in seconds, and I crouched in the shadows.
My heart pounded, and I could hear the rush of blood in my ears.
“Lord Dereth is combing the city. He will find her, sooner or later.”
“Is it really her? How can she still be alive from all those years ago?”
“I don’t know. She ought to be dead, there is no way a child like that could survive a fire, fend for herself, and live on these streets.”
“But why is he searching for her now? It’s been ten years!”
“How should I know? I’m not the Lord Dereth! Anyway, have you heard of the new law?”
“Which one? There seems to be so many I can’t keep ‘em straight most times,”
“Lord Dereth has finally convinced the King to rid Longmoore of them thieving little rats of children. He’s offered a reward of 10 coppers for every child turned in!” I gasped.
“10 coppers? Ye could buy a cow for that!” Though the night wasn’t cold, I suddenly felt a chill run through my body. I pressed against the wall harder. Before, orphans were a nuisance, but now they’d be hunted down.
Slowly, ever so slowly, I crept toward the dead end of the ally behind the massive wall of crates. There was a pipe on the end of the building leading to the roof. If I could just get there undetected, I’d climb to the rooftops and be safe from any unexpected discoveries. My cloak caught on a crate as I moved toward my goal. It came crashing down. The men jumped. Ohno. Ohnonono
I bolted toward the pipe. I heard the click of a crossbow. An arrow flew next to me, grazing my left arm. It bounced off of the end wall.
You’ve done this before. Just remember the steps. Sucking in my breath, I remembered the steps Father had taught me. Dodging back and forth, I grew closer to the pipe. In one, flying leap I hoisted myself onto the roof. An arrow ricocheted off of the gutter. I shuddered. That could’ve been me. The groaning of the pipe brought me back to my senses.
I scanned the rooftops, searching for a landmark. Spying a tower, I took off over the rooftops.
I was out of sight by the time the first man clambered onto the rooftops.
When I was sure the men were nowhere near me, I settled on the roof of an old, abandoned building. The tiles were gone in some spots, and there were holes occasionally.
At the top, there had once been a grand tower. It was in ruins, the stairs broken down. Over the years, I had taken the good bricks and built a small shelter. I left nothing there, no traces if it was discovered. I settled on the roof, wrapping my cloak around me like a blanket.
I was too awake to sleep and yet too tired to stay awake.
Soon, my eyes fluttered shut, and I drifted into sleep.
Krafting with Kayleigh 