#TeaserTuesday

Hey, everyone!

Today, I wanted to share a little excerpt of The Council for #teasertuesday:

I turn to go back down the dark corridor and in the Common Room, I bump into Crowe. The sight of him makes my shoulders tense, but I stop beside him, waiting for any comments he decides to launch my way. His eyes focus on the colorful earring embedded in my skin before he lets out a sigh of relief, tipping his head to the side.

“What did she say?” he asks, genuine wonder in his voice.

“She said I can go to Ignis,” I reply, jutting out my chin as I meet his gaze.

“You’re not done here then?” he inquires, shifting his weight.

I puff my cheeks and clench my teeth at the question. “No, I have to stay and train—part of the deal.”

Crowe dips his head. “Good. I was nervous I would lose my first apprentice so soon!”

That’s all you care about, huh? I start to hobble past him, losing my patience to deal with him when his voice stops me.

“I wanted to say I’m sorry for earlier. I don’t know what came over me, but it wasn’t right.”

“For which part? Shoving me to the dirt, or for changing into a monster that could’ve ripped me limb for limb?” I round on him.

“Both,” he says, reaching up to scratch at the nape of his neck. “When I was first brought here, the training was hard on me. They did everything in the book they could think of—burning me, freezing me, leaving me in the elements—anything they thought could help me get a handle on my magic. I hated it at first, but then I realized it was the severity of the training that actually helped me control myself. I wanted to do the same for you, but it was too soon, and again, I’m so sorry for it.”

That still doesn’t explain your fit after I met Thorn and Callista. I tilt my head to the side as I let the bubbling anger subside. Maybe that one was my fault.

I purse my lips at the comment. I know it’s his way of trying to make peace—and the voice in the back of my mind urges me to jump on the opportunity since I’ll be stuck with him during my time in the Grove—while the other half remains uncertain. He’s unstable, hard to track his mood, and I don’t know how much worse training with him will be.

That’s why you should apologize. A voice floats through my mind that’s not my own, and I glance around, eyebrows drawn tight in search of the source. Crowe and I are the only ones in the Common Room so I push it away, before I drive myself crazy, and shake my head.

 

Also, here’s a meme 🙂

The Council is set to release on March 1st! Don’t forget to attend the launch party on Facebook. I’m still currently searching for one more author to do a takeover. The last time slot is for 1:30 CST.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1210823379033339/