A busy day!

I just only now realized I need to do this post for the day. It's been crazy here today, with far too many things going on. I think I am almost done with everything that absolutely has to be done. It's been a rough last day of the month.

I am not quite done with The Servant Girl. I had hoped to be and just go into October with nothing but outlines, submissions and a short story to worry about. I don't think I have more than two or three days left on it, though, so that's fine.

And I really do like this book. It seems to work. I like the characters. That's all you can ask for from a book.

So here is a little snippet of it. I'm going back to writing! Darva had been taken captive. Toman got her back.


"I'm all right. I had a bit of a run in with the local guards is all," Darva said and cast a frown at the men who stood guard. "How did you manage this?"

"I had a talk with a local Robber Lord," Toman answered with a shrug.

"What did you pay him?" Darva suddenly asked, stepping back and looking worried. Too smart, their Darva.

"Nothing we can't do without, Darva," he said and slapped her on the shoulder. He looked so relieved and happy that Beth smiled. "Come now. Let us get the rest of this picked up and move on. The sooner we are out of Traderville, the better."

"Yes." She looked at him, eyes narrowed. "Toman --"

"We need to go."

Darva nodded. She started picking up the few things that were still lying in the street... and then she stopped and turned back. "Hell. The gems. How many?"

Beth looked surprised that Darva knew about the gems. Toman just sighed as though he had expected her to guess and had hoped for different.

"How many?" she said.

"We didn't need them. I thought we might have to buy our way closer to Oris. Now we're close enough that we could walk if we want."

"How -- Gods. All of them." She looked white and sat down on the steps again.

"It was worth it," Toman said. She shook her head, but Toman reached over and caught hold of her hand and made her look up at him. "It was worth it. I don't need the damned gems. I do need you."