It’s Saturday! Which means more Science Fiction Saturday posts! It’s a blog ring of SF/F snippets and you can check out other SFF Saturday posts, as well.
Today, I’m sharing more from a short story called Old Wounds. This is the eighteenth part. You can find the other parts here.
When we left Master Sorne, Ambrose was about to explain what the cargo he “lost” was…
“Gems, mostly lower-grade garnets, but also some very large uncut emeralds, and one sapphire the size of an egg that was to go to the capital.”
To Estefe. A sapphire that large should only go to one person, but the way this was playing out… “It was not sent to the King.”
“No, nor to any jeweler I knew.” He held up a hand to forestall her comment. “I’ve sent shipments of jewels to the City before; I know the names of the best. No, this was to a gentleman named Moroloch.”
Sorne nearly reached for the hilt of her sword. “Moroloch is no gentleman.”
Huh! How about that.
Ann Laurel Kopchik 
Stolen gems meant for the King and a man named Moroloch who stole them – what’s not to like with this. When I read Estefe’s comment I thought a sapphire that large should only go to her at first, Ha – took me a second. Fun read.
Oh nooo! Not Moroloch! Hee, this is always exciting! Love the nice subtle tension in the dialogue.
No gentleman, you say. How intriguing…. What would he want with a sapphire the size of an egg?
I’m wondering how Moroloch arranged to have the gem sent to him, and what inside connections he has and how he got them. More!
Enter the villain?
I would like to find Ambrose’s lost cargo. 😉
Nice job, Ann!