High Drama Blogfest

This blogfest is brought to you by DL Hammons. The link to his blogfest page and participants is provided.

The excerpt for this fest, like all of my other fest entries, are excerpts from my manuscript. This scene falls on the discovery of a journey-changing item, and two of the characters have it about their motives. It's a short clip to stay under the 500 word mark.

Please do not butter up the comments. If there is something you do not like, please say so. Thanks and enjoy!

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Who Do You Think You Are?

The center of the table, once streaking with the colors of the torch light, became mottled with ink spots of different shades. The spots spread as if on paper and bled into each other until a rectangular form was visible. Valence removed his hand from the medallion slot when a soft rumble emanated from the table. The four stood close together and watched as the ink spots solidified into a sliding window. The window slid open in both directions and from the center of the table rose a leather bound manuscript, reverse side up. Situated on turning racks, the manuscript flipped over to the front sleeve and revealed an embossed leather jacket with an ornate bone dagger penetrating the center.

Valence reached for the dagger, his fingers within inches, and the ancientness returned. The dagger? No, the book, or both, he thought. Wavelike swells spiraled around the handle of the dagger, and the closer he came to touching it, he only slightly saw it shake. It responded to proximity.

“Valence, your aura,” Melana pointed out, “mine as well.”

Valence looked away from the silver wisps smoking off his hand, and slid a glance over his shoulder. Melana’s emerald green was also dancing, less vibrant, but nevertheless reacting.

“What are you doing?” Melana stepped forward and pulled his hand back from the dagger. “You can’t touch that.”

“Why not?” Their auras intertwined for a moment, silver and emerald, swirling as their hands remained touching. “Our auras are reacting to the dagger, and likely the book, too. I want to see what’s in it.”

“I’m not feeling right about this book here.” Gerad moved a step back. “I’d prefer them leave it be, that’s all I’ll say,” he said, yielding his hands open.

Valence raised his head, but needn’t look back to the King to hear his thoughts clear. He probed and peeled through the rumble of a mess in the king’s head. Much of what he had been contemplating regarded Falistar. Who had been able to access the catacombs, best him in talent, and then to leave the body as if it had no value? But, a response to Gerad’s berated words lingered forward. His silver flared up a bit and caused Melana’s emerald to heighten as well.

“Let him open it,” King Pallanza said. “We need some sort of reassurance that Falistar died with cause.”

“You’re placing your hope on this book?” Disapproval crept into Gerad’s voice. “A strange chamber connected to Falistar’s quarters and deep secrets of the First Generation? Sounds like fun, yes it does, but some things need to be left alone, my Lord. There’s a great deal of evil left in this world and this book being here is just another absurdity that’ll lead to something we won’t like.”

“Much is absurd to you, isn’t it, Gerad?” Valence wheeled around and disconnected his silver from the emerald. His aura ignited into frenzied, uncontrolled spikes. Melana drew close to him and his silver lashed out at the emerald, holding off her intervention. “I would think now that you know what I’m capable of, you would be more inclined to let a few things slip by your reasoning, or lack there of, I should say.”

“Watch your tone, Valence,” Gerad said, his face flushing. “What you’re doing now doesn’t amend for your past!”

“Like you know about my past! Don’t bring up things you barely understand!” He pushed forward, hands clenched to fists and knuckles near as white as his hair.

“I don’t need to know anything,” the general answered, teeth gritted and fuming. “The Lunata have a reputation, remember?”