SOUL OF SORCERY – a second snippet

I am now 60,000 words into the rough draft of SOUL OF SORCERY. 15 chapters down, another 21 to go. I think the rough draft will come to around 140,000 words, though I’m hoping it will be shorter.

(It’s hard to judge these things in the process of writing, since books sometimes develop organically while you write them.)

Anyway, here is another brief bit from SOUL OF SORCERY:

“Lord Lucan,” said Malaric, straightening up and executing a neat little bow. “You do me great honor. I have never had a son of the House of Mandragon grace my tent.”

“Consider yourself fortunate, then,” said Lucan. “My father is a tedious bore, and my brother a murderous madman.”

Malaric gave a polite little laugh. “Does your lord father wish to hire my swords? My men are all capable veterans.”

“What you mean,” said Lucan, “is that your men are practiced killers, and not burdened with scruples.”

Malaric gave a lazy shrug. “Twelve in one hand, and a dozen in the other. A war is coming, my lord Lucan. And wars boil down to killing, in the end.” He smiled. “And we are very good killers.”

“Not surprising,” said Lucan, “given that you are an assassin of the Skulls, sent here to kill Lady Molly Cravenlock.”

Malaric’s easy smile froze in place. Lucan watched him, intrigued. He wondered if Malaric would deny it. He wondered if Malaric would try to kill him. He watched the gears spinning behind Malaric’s eyes…

-JM