Oh man it's Day 8 of the blogging celebrations. Soon it will all be over and we will only have our memories of these last 8 amazing days, but we will have those memories. And hey it's a blog, so it will forever be cemented on the interwebs for us to visit anytime we please, so there is that. These last 7 days have been truly wonderful. I have really loved bringing you all some of my favorite authors.
But the celebration isn't over yet. Today I bring you the last great author on my celebration tour. Last, but certainly not least. This next author I did not meet on Twitter. *gasp* I know right? You thought I met everyone on Twitter, but nope. I met this lovely author when she asked me to review her debut novel Never Let You Fall. Needless to say I loved the story and Michele G. Miller got herself a social media stalker. That's how it happened, girl writes story about boy and girl, girl reads story, falls in love with story and boy in story, the writer and the reader live happily ever after in social media bliss! Haha.
Seriously though, I fell in love with Michele and her wonderful tale of Tyalbrook. I do in fact stalk her on social media and call on her for all sort of things. Like this post. I always know that I can message her and get a response. She is always willing to answer my stupid questions, share ideas, rip my heart out, torture me and tease me with stories that are yet to come. Yup, we have a fantastic friendship. One that I would never trade. She is an amazing person, that I hope to one day meet. This will happen!
And you know what? She's knows what I love and she just gave it to me below!!! Oh my gosh, there's an exclusive, never before seen excerpt from Never Without You excuse me while I die. No wait, I need to read it first, then I will die. If I don't post anything Monday, then you know I'm done for.
Michele you are just too awesome!!!! *Fangirls*
First, let me say as many others have this week:
Danielle was one of the very first people to read and review my debut novel and then beg me for more because she fell in love with Xander! I've been honored to have her in my corner for the past year and a half and am so happy to now be able to support her and her debut.
When Danielle talked with me about doing a post we discussed several. A day in the life, the reason I will never grow up, my love of music...the list is long. I played around with ideas BUT I kept coming back to one thing.
Yep, you guessed it. Xander.
*See that's him over there on my sidebar --------> *giggle*
*See that's him over there on my sidebar --------> *giggle*
Danielle loves him so I thought what better way to celebrate her than to give her what she wants! So, I present to you an excerpt for the third, and final, book in The Prophecy of Tyalbrook series. Never Without You will be coming later this year and this is only the SECOND excerpt revealed. The first being only about 500 words.
Also, for those of you who might have liked a little 'day in the life' post, here you go. The picture below is my 'Xander writing face.' When I write Xander I throw up the hood on my 'writing sweatshirt' because Xander is a hooded Guardian himself. It puts me in character.
Now for the main event...Happy birthday Consuming Worlds and Danielle!! I'm so glad to be a part of your special week <3
**Please take pity on me, I haven't edited this and it might change some**
“If you want information from me, I need to speak with Kerra.”
“Not going to happen.”
“Your mother or nothing, Your Majesty.”
McClintock's attention is drawn to something behind me, and I turned, half expecting to find nothing. Instead, I spy Xander. He'd snuck up on us, his movements stealthy as always. He's propped up against the doorway, no lantern in his hands, leading me to believe he’d been following me from the moment I'd stepped into the dungeon stairwell.
“I’d be happy to take the choice of nothing and end your life right here and now.” He hinted his voice bored and cool as his eyes shoot daggers at our prisoner.
A slight movement of his hand turning in the shadows reveals the blade of his sword by his side, and my heart picked up. Looking past me at McClintock, his face was full of fury as he stared down the man who’d caused the death of his parents.
“Tell her what she wants to know and live to see another day.”
“So, the Guardian lives,” McClintock drawls.
“Yes, despite all of your attempts to the contrary.”
“How wrong you have it.”
“You’re sticking to your story, then? Tabor is the villain, and you’re what? The mind controlled weakling used to take the fall?”
McClintock hissed low as Xander stepped into the room swinging his sword in his hand, the blade cutting through the air, mocking McClintock.
“Tell me, how powerful do you feel now? Trapped behind these bars? How does it feel knowing you will live out the rest of your, hopefully, short pathetic life in the dungeon of the house you once coveted?”
“We don’t have time for this right now.” I warned and turned to block Xander’s view of McClintock. Stepping closer to the cell, I pleaded one last time for information. “Where would Tabor take Manda? If you ever cared for her or Nickoli, you would help us find her.”
“You want relevant information, Queen Mercier?”
“Please.”
Forgetting to keep my distance, I leaned in as McClintock moved forward. His hand reached out and grasped my hair yanking me into the bars, my face pressed roughly against the cold iron.
“Unhand her now!” Xander ordered skidding to my side immediately, the flash of his sword raising pulling a scream from my mouth.
“Xander, No!” I threw up my hand to stop him from thrusting the weapon into the cell as McClintock pressed his lips into the hair next to my ear and whispered, “ask your mother about the infant she lost.”
My heart clenched at his words, yet I didn’t have time to consider it before he pushed me at Xander and backed away into the dark recess of the cell. Xander's arm slid around my waist, steadying me as I lost my balance on the uneven stone floor.
“Ask her and then she will come and see me. Perhaps then you will get your answers.”
“And if she chooses not to see you?” I asked as I straightened myself and stepped away from Xander.
“Oh, she will.” He lowered himself down to the cot with cackle of a laugh. “She most certainly will want to speak with me.”
“Come on, he isn’t going to be of any help tonight.” Xander warned, pulling the lantern off of the wall hook.
“Sleep well, my dear.”
Without a word, Xander twisted the metal key in the lock and pocketed it as he tugged on my hand and led the way back to the main floor. I followed along quietly, waiting for the moment his anger would explode on me. I didn’t have to wait long. The moment we reached the main level Xander opened the first door he found and pushed me inside.
It was a storage room of some sort, and he placed the lantern on a box next to the door and rounded on me, his face dark with anger.
“You’re kidding me, right? What the hell were you thinking heading to the damn dungeon by yourself?” He yanked me into his chest and hugged me tightly before pushing me away just as quickly and tilting my chin to the side to look at my face where I'd slammed against the bars.
Letting him check my sore cheek, I gazed at the floor and replied calmly, "I wanted answers.”
He cursed under his breath as his fingers probed my cheek bone needlessly. “You’re fine, no damage.”
“I could have told that if you’d asked first.” I pointed out, stepping back and nearly tripping over the crates on the floor.
“I can’t do my job if I have to keep worrying about you. Please stop trying to do things on your own.”
He reached for me, his fingers skimming the full sleeve of my gown as I ducked out of his grasp.
“Your job? I’m sorry; I didn’t realize I was hindering your job. I want to find Manda. McClintock made it very clear when I first got here that he wanted to talk to me, he begged me to meet with him several times, I thought he might talk if I went to see him.”
“First, you realize you can’t trust the man. We don’t know his involvement with Tabor, yet. You can’t forget who we are talking about. He is the man who killed your father.”
“I know that…”
“Second, you do realize what my job is, don’t you?” He asked his voice softening as he held his hand out for mine, and I nodded. “Say it.”
The bluster gone from his tone now; his fingers lifted and skimmed my cheek and jawline. I knew he was tracing the marking along my face as he looked at me and I release a shaky breath.
"Say what?"
His brows raised, challenging me.
“It’s me," I relented. "Your job is to keep me safe.”
“No, the Guardian's job is to keep you safe. My job is to protect you. There is a difference, Skye.”
“It’s my job to protect Amandalyn, and everyone else in this Kingdom, Xander. I can’t do that if I have to ask your permission before I make every tiny decision.”
“I’m not asking you to ask my permission. I’m asking you to include me. We can do this together.”
*Oh my gosh, I'm dying right now. This is me.
Seriously Michele if you were here right now this would be our hug! You know me so well. Perfect ending to the perfect 8 days! You do realize this is just going to make me want that book even more now, right? But I guess you could always give me All That Remains and West to tide me over. Thanks again Michele you are awesome, love this.
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