An Excerpt Wednesday

Don’t worry, Drabble Wednesday has not gone away, despite it being absent these two weeks. I’ve just been a busy bee and writing has taken a bit of a back seat. So, today, I give you a brief excerpt from Fairy Tales and Nightmares, plus a sneak peek at the in-progress Heyward and Andersen story, The Headless Corpse.

Fairy Tales and Nightmares excerpt from the story Red Wolf:

Forest night and blood-red moon

The old gods call

Dance upon their tune

The dark, rich scent of loam and decay filled the lush forest as I arrived. Stepping carefully, to avoid the crunch of fallen leaves under my paws, I moved into position to spy on the young woman in the scarlet woollen cloak. Kneeling before my altar, the stones they once called Máthair Chríonna, the girl bowed her head in respect.

She shouldn’t be here.

Máthair Chríonna was hidden from the world.

I safeguarded my sanctuary when the world forgot the old ways, cloaking it in powerful magic within a glade marked with the sacred yew. I had little choice when the mortals turned away from the ancient worship, favouring their church instead of the old gods, preferring their prayers to offerings. A shame, but such is the way of things. Life always changes, even for deities.

However, this young woman had found the sacred stones, even through the glamour. This intrigued me. I padded closer to observe, my wolf form stealthily moving among the trees.

She pushed back her hood and withdrew a bundle from her bag. I noticed fading bruises on her neck and wrist. “I give thanks to the Morrigan and ask for her protection and strength. May her wisdom guide me, and her courage give me hope to fight.” Her trembling hands opened the bundle and tenderly placed an apple and a circlet woven of blackthorn and willow within the hallowed ring.

She knows the ancient rituals. Strong ones. Especially this time of year. But what does this slip of a child need protection from?

Book Link: https://books2read.com/u/47dG6a

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Excerpt from The Headless Corpse
Heyward and Andersen, Consulting Detectives #3

Lars sipped his tea and quietly read the newspaper after breakfast. For once, his digestion was not in question, for Elspeth exhibited an uncommonly good mood. He revelled in the news, and the memories of eggs and sausage, while she sat in her chair, engrossed in the latest edition of one of her arcane periodicals. All was well in his world.

Until a loud knock echoed from the front door.

Lars muttered, “Once, just once, can’t I have a peaceful morning?” and peeped over at Elspeth. She hadn’t seemed to notice, but she did glance up when Willoughby ushered in a tall, stately gentleman whose dark hair had precisely the right amount of distinguished grey at the temples.

Willoughby bowed slightly, his clanking less than usual due to a new brand of joint oil. “A potential client, ma’am, Mr. Simeon Potter.” Willoughby moved closer to Elspeth, handing her a square of pasteboard. “His card.”

Elspeth squinted at the cream-coloured card with gold lettering, embossed with the words, Simeon Potter, Mortician. She flashed the card at Lars, before tucking it in a pocket and replying, “What brings you to us, Mr. Potter? You don’t seem the sort to court trouble.”

“I’m not here for myself, exactly, but my charges. Some of them have, well, disappeared.” He coughed awkwardly. “And then reappeared. Sometimes missing a head. Indeed, my corpses have become, well, quite animated.”

Lars stared, incredulous, but Elspeth leaned forward, a fire of excitement in her eyes.

“What do you mean, animated?”

“I mean walking, moving, blundering about. Everything a corpse shouldn’t be doing. Particularly if they lack a head. A head, I might add, they possessed when they arrived at my mortuary.”

Lars trembled. “Are you saying you’ve been infested by the…” His voice dropped to a hoarse whisper, “undead?”