New Book Excerpt - Chapter 9 of THE VORTEX: Book III Of The Alban Saga

The Vortex: Book III of the Alban Saga

Below is a short excerpt from Chapter 9. Those of you who have read the other two books in the Alban Saga will recognize the characters mentioned in this section.

Bea and Aran entered the candlelit commons of the Sheep’s Heid Inn and were immediately assailed by the pervasive smells of roasted meats, ale, and crumbly cheese. A haze of smoke from the hearth fire touched the air, along with the scent of bodies, crowded together on old, crudely-made stools and tables. The sound of conversations and wooden tableware permeated the room, as eyes glanced their way, focusing mostly on Aran, then returning to their food and banter.

Aran sensed their gaze and did his best to act normal, even as the overpowering smells and sites of the medieval pub assaulted his senses. Lowering his head and wrinkling his nose, he whispered, “Jesus, I don’t know if I can stay here . . .”

This caused Bea to recall how she, too, had been affected upon her own arrival at the inn. Chuckling to herself, she explained, “Ye get used to it. Come on, follow me.”

She took Aran’s hand and guided him through the commons and up some well-worn stairs to her room. She pushed the door open. They walked inside. To their left was a small wooden table with a candle on it. Below the table was a stool, just like the ones Aran had seen as they entered the inn. On the opposite wall was a bed with a straw-stuffed mattress covered by a disheveled woolen blanket. The bed itself was plenty big for one person, but two . . . it would be a tight fit.

Bea could tell what Aran was thinking by the look on his face. Before he could speak, she walked over, lit the candle, gave him a shy smile, and said, “Aye, Aran, the room’s not much, and I know the bed’s small . . . At least it’s a place to stay, and I don’t think anyone will bother us once I get you some less conspicuous clothes."

“Aye . . .”

"M": A New Quote From The Beginning Of Chapter 9

Below, I have included a quote from Chapter 9 in my latest fantasy/science fiction novel, "M".

This quote is from the first five paragraphs in the chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 9 Quote

Every member of the Russian agencies that had met in Tomsk was blurry-eyed and downing coffee like water. They’d eaten little since yesterday and had been up all night with their teams trying to find a way forward. The return call from President Zima was only about an hour away when Andrej Orlov called them back together.

They all shuffled in. Some remained standing. Others sat in the dark oak chairs around the massive table in the meeting room of the old house. It seemed no one wanted to begin the conversation, as an uncomfortable, heavy silence sprawled out across the room.

Andrej had been the one to initiate their long night of discussions, so he took it upon himself to begin the meeting. He pushed against the arms of his chair, came to his feet, and hesitated one last moment as he finished off his cup of strong, bitter coffee. His colleagues glanced in his direction, waiting.

“We don’t have much time. The president will be contacting us soon. We all know that we have a decision to make. So, let’s go around the room, one team at a time.”
    He waited for someone to volunteer. No one did, but just as he was about to call on someone, Vadik, the head of the GRU military specialists, came to his feet.