02/22/2020 Snippet, SWAMP PATROL.

The revision is finally in the can! Almost doubled in size, too. I’m going to put it up on Patreon, but this one is being reserved as part of the next book (short stories, set in the same universe as FROZEN DREAMS). Snippet below.

Somewhat to his surprise, Tim made it to what he devoutly hoped was a safe place with a little time to spare.

“Sir! Here!” said Nora. She waved them to a hiding place on the other side of the ball (Tim could feel various pops on his gear as the ball ate his enchantments). She looked at him. “Problem?” Nora said.

“Maybe,” said Tim. “We need him pissed. So pissed that he can’t think straight.” That ranting in the distance was maybe starting to die down a little. If the mage had started paying attention after all, well, this was going to be messy.

And then Nora, bless her, started laughing. “Is that all? Watch and learn, Ranger-Man.”

She stood up on the low bit of rubble acting as cover and laughed louder. This wasn’t cheerful or happy laughter. No. This was mocking laughter, clearly coming out of a halfling’s mouth; and it was aimed at a mage of the Universal Dominion, one of the lords of the Midwest, self-declared highest of humans and a master of all he surveyed. And it was the unforced laughter of contempt, not the cringing chuckle of servility. In the sudden, complete silence that followed it, Nora cupped her mouth with her hands and bellowed.

“You know why the Universal Dominion made halflings, Ranger-Man? It was because they got tired of people looking down and saying ‘Is it supposed to be that small?’!” She paused for a precise, merciless second. “And it still didn’t work!”

She jumped back into cover. Tim blinked. “Christ, Nora, do you kiss your mother with that mouth?”

“Who do you think taught me the joke, Ranger-Man?”