Look at that! It’s Saturday! That means it’s time for another round of SFF Saturday posts! What’s SFF Saturday? It’s a blog ring of SF/F snippets and you can check out other SFF Saturday posts, as well.
Here’s another snippet from Old Wounds for you. This is the twenty-first part. You can find the other parts here.
When we last left Master Sorne and Ambrose, he told her if he didn’t do as Moroloch said, the criminal would send Ambrose his daughter’s head.
Sorne pushed the image of her own son’s severed head from her mind. “Why come to me?”
“As a child, I heard all the stories about the war with the Beshtas. The King, the Rivvis, Raventhe—and you, Captain Sorne. You know the Palace. I—“ he faltered. “I’ve never been to Estefe.”
She would have laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. If he hadn’t pointed a gun at Dilan’s head, if it were not Moroloch, if there wasn’t a three-year-old girl being held hostage. She hoped—beyond all hope—that the child was still alive.
Sorne has a history. Not all of it is happy.
Ann Laurel Kopchik 
Having worn someone’s shoes certainly helps you understand their “why.” Poor Sorne. 😦
The whole scene plays out as intense with a three year old girl held hostage but the one line where Sorne remembers her own similar tragedy adds a new layer to the scene. I liked how you added just enough to give it that boost for her and the reader. I definitely think she’s along for the ride at this point!
Yes, the stakes are increasing fast.
Ouch – Sorne’s mental image shows why she is getting involved, as well as proving that even children can be victims here. This is a powerful sequence – it’s working well.