Join the authors at #MFRWHooks here http://mfrwbookhooks.blogspot.com for some great excerpts. Mine is from Nilos, Moon Rising and is available for pre-order
Synopsis
Return to the world where Midra and Midran rule. The god and goddess have two faces. Midra is Mistrees on the Moon and also Mistress of the Dark. Midran is Lord of light and Lord of shadows. Rons ago, the Three and Three rose, Seer, Warrior, Healer defeated the Lord of Shadows, though remnants of his worshipers remain. As generations pass in the four nomes of the land only a few remain to honor the Mistress. Once again the followers of Midran prevail, leaving trouble to roil beneath the surface. Prophecies abound and many point to change. Will the Three and Three come again?
In Nilos, Healwomen have become only midwives. Their hodara lies in ruins on the bank of the Nilos River in the city of Memphos. Only a few women come for training and remain in the city. Others serve in the highlands and on the desert. The Eldest, she who rules the midwives, sets upon a scheme fo bring the Three to life and to rule the nome.
What will happen when the Eldest sets her plan into action? Will there be just three women or will they find their opposites becoming the fabled Three and Three? Who will rule the changes to come?
Excerpt: The Eldest arranged for three pregnancies and is sure all the babies will be girls. Here is the first of the births.
She walked to study Mother One. Her eyes were closed. A scrape on the side of her head had been cleaned. The Eldest turned to the women. ‘You can go. I’ll handle this.”
Once they were gone, she donned a smock to protect her clothes, placed her hand on the young woman’s abdomen and felt the strength of the contraction. Good. She slapped the girl’s face. Mother One’s eyes opened. “Stay with me. When I say push, you must obey.”
“I will.” The Eldest could hardly hear the murmured response. She prayed the young woman would remain alert.
The Eldest washed her hands in the herbal scented water. She slid the cutting knife in the water and sat on the stool at the foot of the table and examined the laboring woman.
A scream pierced the air. “Push. Push.” She commanded. Slowly the babe appeared. The Eldest caught and lifted the child. She muffled an angry cry.
A boy. Should be a girl. What now? She cut and bound the cord and placed the child in a basket. After the afterbirth appeared, she drew a deep breath. She knew what she must do.
When the infant cried, she glared. You are misbegotten. She must take care of this one who shouldn’t exist. Could she persuade Mother One to lie with her son again? Failure landed on her shoulder. She placed a hand over the baby’s face.
The curtain rattled. “Eldest, a man from the Voice has arrived and demands you come. His First Woman is in labor. I can send another midwife.”
Relief brought a plan. “I will go.” She wrapped the babe in a blanket and carried him from the room. “I will care for this child in my rooms. I sense a problem. Care for the mother. She’s passed out again. I need a flask of goat’s milk.”
One of the women bustled away. The Eldest walked to her sleeping chamber. The woman handed her the special flask. “Will the child be safe in your room?”
“She will. I will give her medicine so she will sleep.”
The Eldest reached her room. She lifted her large leather pouch from the hook. After feeding the baby several drops of sleeping herbs she tucked him and the milk flask in her midwife’s bag.
Thus equipped she left the house and followed the young servant who waited in the inner court. She smiled as she thought about her problem. If the Voice’s child was a girl she would make the switch. If not, the Voice had two sons.
https://www.facebook.com/janet.l.walters.3?v=wall&story_f
http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com
https://www.pinterest.com/shadyl717/
Buy Mark
https://bookswelove.net/walters-janet-lane/
5 comments:
Great premise!
The Eldest certainly doesn't seem like a good person, but I can understand why she's desperate to fulfill the prophecy. tsk... Those poor babies.
Would love to read more. Good luck with your upcoming release. :)
The Eldest is definitely demanding.
Dee,
Blog posts have been shared on
#PMInc's Excerpts & Promotions Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/Excerpts.and.Promotions/
Wow, I don't think I'd be coming lining up for the Eldest to be my midwife with the slapping, but I am interested to find out what she's up to!
Oh gosh, I don't like the Eldest one bit. I am intrigued by the premise of the story, however, and this is a very well-written scene.
Had anyone slapped me when I was in labor, I believe I would have levitated from the bed Exorcist-style and separated their head from their shoulders. I had no chill when I was in labor. I was in a lot of pain and not inclined to suffer fools.
Wow, the Eldest isn't a nice person. Poor babes and the mothers. After all that pain a missing child? What is the Eldest up to? Thanks for sharing!
Post a Comment