So, here is a sneak peek into the prologue of "Shadows of Quontas"! Leave your thoughts and you might be tipped a silver coin or two!!! (Only good critiques will be rewarded.)
“I need a vacation!” Kataryna Vaelryn, a disciple of the Mother Terees and one of the first Shadow Guards, exclaimed in annoyance.
The other Shadow Guards turned and looked at the second-oldest Shadow Guard who appeared as though she had argued with Sasha, Indelwin's panther companion, and lost the fight. Auburn hair, tangled with leaves and twigs, draped about her bare shoulders. The sleeves had been torn in such a way that she had simply cut them off to keep the shreds from irritating the long slashes that trailed from shoulder to just below her elbows. The rest of the blouse hadn't faired much better, for skin shone through rips and tears scattered from neck to waist. Her breeches, fortunately, were merely torn in a few places and stained with grass, blood, and dirt. Scrapes and cuts shone through the tattered blouse. Three deep gashes, barely seperate, trailed from thumb to pinky on her left hand. Her cheeks were a mottled mixture of bruises, scratches, dried blood and dirt.
Her sword hung by her side and was the only part of her ensemble that wasn't stained, torn, or shredded. Despite it all, she struck a formidable, and alluring, image as she stood in the doorway to the main lounge area of the Shadow Guards' home on Mirdoren; the home where all the Mothers lived.
Startling gray eyes shone through the unhealthy-mud pack that covered almost her entire face and swept the pristine room thinking how out of place she was and wondered if she should have simply vanished into her room and cleaned up before appearing before her adopted siblings. The clean, sparkling walls, floors, and soft pillows that were sprinkled carelessly around the room were a vast contrast to her battle-worn figure.
Well, more like battle-torn, she thought offhandedly, her eyes leaving the others in the room to glance down at her clothing.
“What happened to you?” Arleas asked with a smirk. Her eyes traveled up and down the damage done to Ryna's clothing. “Been tussling with some slash vines, have we?” She paused a moment, still studying Ryna, then added, “Or at least something with exquisite claws.”
Ryna glared at the oldest Shadow Guard who appeared to be the youngest, despite the fact she was the first to be recruited before Ryna. The fact she appeared young was due to the fact she had died when during her sixteenth season as a mortal.
Thoughts on whether or not she should have changed into something cleaner vanished at her oldest sister's comment.
“Lanesha happened while I was trying to return that dragonette to its mother so the city of Thaymoore wouldn't be razed to the ground by fire.” Ryna's ire hadn't settled and for the hundredth time she wished she could break something. Or rather, someone. “Why is it, something as simple as stealing a little baby dragon from a pack of power-hungry mercenaries always turns into a battle for life and limb?”
“Lanesha? Quont's blood-sucking, distressing damsel? Now that is a fight I'd pay to see,” Arleas said dryly, still smirking. “Besides, nothing is as simple as it seems. You, of all people, should know that.”
“Sorry I wasn't able to send you an engraved invitation,” Kataryna muttered.
She strode through the doorway and dropped into a chair nearest the archway that led to the outside. Even the greenery outside appeared cleaner and in better shape than she was. Of course, she was probably the only one there aside from Shanyaks who didn't care what she looked like. Her gray orbs swept the room, ignoring the perfecting that seemed to emanate from everything, and landing upon each face that was inside the lounge, as she called it.
Ryna grabbed one of the many small pillows scattered about the room and threw it at her fellow Shadow Guard, who caught it with a shadow tendril and flung it back.
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