Seller of Dreams Preview

 Greetings, everyone! You might have noticed that I already published a post today, but as I’ll be out of town next week, here’s a bonus to tie you over. 

    So, here’s a preview of a novel I’m starting. Admittedly, I had a bit of writer’s block after the prologue, but here’s what I’ve got so far. I’d appreciate some feedback, as well—the good, the bad, and the ugly. So here goes nothing…

Seller of Dreams

A novel by Astrya Wolf

Prologue

“The miserable have no other medicine, but only hope.”

William Shakespeare 

I am a fool. 

I am going to die, and I am a fool. They offered me one chance, the chance to condemn everyone I have ever loved (if a traitorous soul like mine could love) in exchange for my own life, and like a coward I took it. But I know I’ll die anyway. The Council is not one for mercy. 

Commanding Officer Cathal has demanded that I start from the beginning. Very well—I suppose I must be a proper little traitor, now, and do my part. They’ve locked me in this room (I’m feeling generous—it’s really more of a closet) equipped for battle with leaky pen and stale paper, and one command: WRITE. Well, I’ll write. But know this, Cathal. You have underestimated me. 

He’s looking over my shoulder now, yelling in my ear not to waste time. The whole story, he says, and NOW. I think he must always speak in all-caps. I hate it. I hate him. I hate everything about this place. Wherever I am.

So, the beginning. 

——

In the beginning, God created the world—

——

Officer Cathal didn’t like that. He ripped the pen from my hand and snapped it above my head. Now I have inky hair and (worst of all) I have to use a confounded pencil. At least I got ink all over Cathal when I shook my head. He was not pleased. (That’s putting it lightly.)

Now he’s yelling at me to START, ALREADY, YOU USELESS GIRL, and I guess I’ve stalled enough. Ready for the worst betrayal of my life? Good, because I’m not. Oh well. 

——

Monday, November 12th, 2491. The day of my arrest—AKA, the worst day in my life. Well, the second worst… maybe the third. It was stupid, really. I should have known better.

They caught me. 

——

“This is not the beginning,” Cathal interrupts. “We know this already.” He seems not to have sensed my sarcasm, even though I know it’s radiating from the page. 

“Fine,” I huff. “But you’re not going to like it.”

You want the real beginning? Okay. Here’s the beginning, Your Majesty Officer Cathal, really and truly this time. 

After all, I promised to tell the truth. 

——

So here I am, bearing my soul before the man who has the power to kill me. How did I get here? Well, that’s a long story. Suffice it to say, I was really, really dumb. I know better now, but it’s too late. I feel like Scheharazade, telling stories to survive. Except she wasn’t a traitor. I am. The worst kind. 

Can a traitor be redeemed?

_____

I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think. 

Namarië, 

Astrya