Welcome to #Rainbowsnippets*! This one is uniquely mine, but there are lots of other great snippets to read so after you finish here click the FB link at the bottom of the post to discover other great LGBTQIA authors and their works. This week I’m sharing from Keeping House, novel two in the Appalachian Elementals series. It’s set for a July release, and I couldn’t be happier. Right now, the manuscript is with the proofreader, but when it’ll available for preorder pretty dang quickly or so I’m told.

I’ll update you when I know more.

This week I’m skipping a few paragraphs ahead in Chapter Three of Keeping House so we can see exactly what’s to become of Kenzie and his wandering eye.

Notes:

• Yes, this is over the six sentence limit, but this content needs to remain together to make sense.
• Remember that we’re seeing this through Cent’s POV.
• Stowne, an Earth elemental, is Cent’s spouse, and they’re leading the Brigid’s circle.
• Brigid (also called Imbolc) is a Celtic pagan holiday that occurs on February 1^st. It marks the midpoint in the dark half of the year. That said, In the Appalachian Elementals series, Brigid is also a celebration of… well, read.

     Stowne rose from their stack-stone throne to face the crowd. “This is a celebration to welcome the upcoming spring, of renewal, and of possibilities. Brigid is the virgin form of our Blessed Mother Earth and often referred to in modern times as Saint Brigid. This is a celebration of her, of the practical arts, of healing.”

     Stowne moved their eyes to Aubrey, who blushed. “Of the hearth and home, of evening stories, and of smithcraft.” Stowne nodded to Dane who crossed her arms and grinned from ear to ear. “I will now cast the circle. All those with good intentions will be allowed inside, but those harboring ill intent will be pushed out by the positive magic.” They called to the corners. North. South. East. But when they called to the West, the lesser water elementals drew up, forming a collective wave centered on Kenzie, pushing him from the circle sands.

     “Told you to cool it.” Dane scowled as Stowne closed the circle. “Go home and wait ’til I get there. We’re gonna talk ’bout your impulsivities.” She drew the last word out in a slow Southern Appalachian drawl, putting heavy emphasis on the second syllable.

Yeah, Kenzie’s in trouble. The one thing you don’t want to do is embarrass your kin or, in Dane’s case, the king. Yes, even the Hunters have social expectations. They’re not totally without rules, though those rules often seem random in their application, especially to an outsider. But that’s what happens when you’re dealing with fey or are fey yourself, as Cent is soon to find out.

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*RainbowSnippets is a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ authors, readers, and bloggers to share 6 sentences each week from a work of fiction—published or in-progress—or a book recommendation. Feel free to join in!