Welcome to Tuesday Tales, a weekly blog featuring diverse authors posting excerpts from their works in progress based on word and picture prompts. I’m pleased you stopped by today. From this week’s selection of picture prompts I chose a headland. My snippet is from a medieval romance featuring a knight and his lady. I’m excited to work in my favorite reading genre. Enjoy the other authors at Tuesday Tales.
The frenzied barking of dogs quickened her heartbeat. Breath came short, as they raced toward the headland. She glanced over her shoulder at lanterns bobbing a distance behind them. Reese never once let go her hand, and for that she was grateful. They were almost to the point of no return, to earth’s edge as it seemed to her. She’d had little time to wonder at his intentions, for the exertion of their flight had sapped her strength. Now, as they neared the edge of the rocky crags, she could not fathom the next course of action other than a soaring plummet into the crashing waters below. Her blaring mind had just vowed that was preferable to what Harbottle had planned for her, when Reese clasped her waist and propelled her toward a shadowed indention of the rocks.
Jumping down with his arm around her waist, he pulled her into a narrow crevice. To her astonishment, a pathway formed into the earth. It snaked in one direction and then another before widening slightly as they continued. A hidden cave! But how had he known?. “Quickly now.” His voice came out in a hoarse whisper, urging her on into the hollow blackness. “I doubt any of them know of this escape route, but we’ll not be waiting around to find out.”
She swallowed and gasped to speak, keeping her tone as quiet as his. “Will they not be able to follow our path into this labyrinth?
“Nay, the rocky earth prevents our footprints from being traced. Unless one of them already knows of the cavern, they are not likely to stumble upon it. Would you have?”
“Nay.” She shook her head in bewilderment, as the path veered again. She blinked, and dizziness threatened to overtake her at the utter darkness pressing in on them.
I hope you enjoyed the snippet based on the picture prompt headland. Thanks for stopping by. Return to Tuesday Tales.
Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic in Romance
Love it! Great excerpt.
Thanks, Vicki!
Wow. This brings back memories. I was exploring a cave years ago and they turned out the lights to show us what it was like for early explorers.I was more than dizzy. I was terrified. It was like being buried alive. Great excerpt.
That had to be harrowing, Susanne. Thank you for the feedback!
Love the suspense and tension at the beginning and a great solution. Now, where does the cavern lead and how will they get away? Love the cliffhanger. Great job!
Thank you for the comments, Jean!
Nice thinking, Reese! I love the suspense of this piece. It kept me on my toes. Great job!
Thank you for the feedback, Tricia!
I loved that photo. Wish I could have worked it into my story. (Or my LIFE!)
You are a master storyteller. It’s always a joy to read your snippets.
You are so kind, Trisha! Thank you so much.