Sneak Peak #4

So my new editor is working diligently on the sequel..and she LIKES it!  She's the first person to read it (aside from myself) so that feedback meant a lot to me.  That's not to say that she didn't have any suggestions for improvement, but I am definitely breathing easier these days.

There is a chance I may be re-hired by my former employer. On one hand, I am excited at the prospect of having a second paycheck (our bank accounts have taken quite a beating this year). On the other hand, I worry how it may impact my writing. There are only so many hours in a day...and I am only willing to sacrifice so much sleep (said the girl who refused to nap as a toddler).  Sigh. Nothing is set yet, however, So we'll see.

Here is sneak peak #4 of my not-yet-edited sequel:

You are a fool, Gentry, he thought to himself. You should be home with your wife and child – not on this wild goose chase. Gentry took another swallow of dark brown ale and set down his pint glass.

Fallon had been so enamored with Bartow and the life he might have had if not for the Steward’s sign, that Gentry was almost certain he would find his missing friend enrolled in the university. He lifted his head and scanned the pub. If Fallon is a student, he does not frequent the Toasty Scholar.

Gentry let out a sigh. He had spent the better part of two weeks searching for his friend. There was no sign of Fallon at the university, and the innkeeper at the Cornerstone Inn and Tavern had not seen him in quite some time. Gentry sighed again. He knew it was possible that he might never find Fallon – even if he wandered the alleyways of Bartow for the next ten years. One man can easily hide amongst twenty-five thousand.

The bartender set another pint in front of Gentry without having to be asked. Gentry raised the new glass and smiled in thanks. The smile quickly faded once the bartender walked away and Gentry’s thoughts turned back to Fallon.

Bartow was an expensive town, and Gentry knew it would not be prudent to stay much longer. But he could not give up his search so quickly. His only hope was that Fallon was somewhere else.

If not Bartow, then where?

Gentry thought back though all of their conversations over the years, trying hard to recall if there had been any hint as to where Fallon might have gone, or why he might have left.

“Fallon always did have a soft spot for Jessum,” he mumbled aloud. Gentry had not been back to the mining town since he purchased his wedding rings of gold from Saul. That was nearly two years ago.

Perhaps the jeweler has seen Fallon recently. It was the only hope he had.

It would take several days to reach Jessum. The road north was cold and desolate and would bring him close to Colton and the ghosts of his past. He would also have to pass through Koman and risk being caught by the Komanites. But the road west led back to Reed – back to Daria and Luca – and he could not risk their temptation.

I cannot give up on Fallon just yet. He is my best friend. He saved my life. I owe him that much.

Gentry swallowed down the last of the ale and headed out into the evening air. He knew this would be the last night of sleeping in a comfortable bed for some time, and he was eager to return to the Cornerstone Inn and Tavern.