Thought today seems as good a day as any to share the first page of the first chapter of the next book to be release! This book--The Royal Renegade--will follow the Ranger's early path to how he went from crown to cloak.
If you are subscribed to my Patreon, please forgive this repeat content!
If you are not, please enjoy this first look into the story!
Now...
Chapter One
An Escapade Interrupted
Pressed against the stone wall, shrouded in the shadows and too aware of the rhythmic click of approaching boots—Esrin had two options.
And the option that had a higher likelihood of ending in death was far more tempting.
Still, he couldn’t help but silently wish the worst of fates upon whoever had decided to spoil his evening by actually patrolling this corridor. He couldn’t recall the last time someone had walked this hall, nor could he quite fathom why they opted to now. None of the scheduling had changed. None of the soldiers had grumbled about late guard duties on this unused wing of the castle. That was why he had made it his favorite midnight route. Because it was supposed to be deserted.
The steadily growing sound of boots approaching the turn into this hall behind him, though, was saying otherwise.
Which led him back to his two choices.
The first was to stay put. Perhaps this unwelcome visitor was a sleep walker or, like him, someone who just wanted to avoid detection. A soldier, maybe, who’d partaken in more mead at the harvest festivities in town than he ought to have and now needed a quiet place to sleep it off. If that were so, it might just be possible to stand stalk still and be completely unnoticed. Especially if this person were, as he guessed, one of the castle guards. He was fairly certain that the guards collectively shared a single brain and it was unlikely that it was this guard’s turn to have an ounce of wit. But if this particular guard did manage—by some curse of poor luck—to be slightly intelligent, then he would certainly be seen. After all, the hall was narrow, the locked doors at his back refusing to budge while the open windows of the other side offered nothing but silver pools of moonlight and the heart stopping vantage of the gardens far, far below. Even without the moon’s vivid lighting, hiding would be impossible if the guard carried a torch.
But if he was wrong and this guard had an ounce of wits, he would be caught. He’d be caught and pulled him through the corridors by his upper arm. He’d be forced to listen to the guard tout on about the dangers of not being where one should. After that humiliation, they would reach his father’s study where he would be forced to stand before his father’s desk while listening to his father, who would also tout on about the dangers of not being where one should.
The lecture would likely not end until he apologized to satiate the wounded pride of the guards who would be more than slightly displeased that he’d outsmarted them—again. He’d made that apology before. It had tasted bitter and stale and he already knew he wouldn’t be able to keep a straight face. The act of apologizing for being more intelligent than the soldiers was a humiliation he could do without. To add insult to his injury, there would likely be a new lock commissioned for his chambers. Guards would be posted. The nighttime wanders would have to cease—at least until he outwitted the men at arms again or managed to convince them that he really would mind his manners and stay inside. Convincing his father of that, though, didn’t seem likely. Not for a second time, at least.
No.
As far as he was concerned, the idea of what would happen if caught felt like an unjust punishment for simply being out of his bed in the dead of night. It was more of a headache than it was worth.
Enjoying? Make sure to pre-order The Renegade Royal today on Amazon or Subscribe to my Patreon to see more sneak peeks!
All the best,
CJR Isely
0 comments