Old Bony Blue Eyes by Lita Burke

Chapter One
Befuddlement, Norman Bar Island

Bright ducked, but much too late.

The Goon’s backhanded swipe landed on Bright’s temple, snapped his head back, and sent the smaller half-elf tumbling. He smacked against their airship’s reception room wall. Bright bounced off and landed face down. Get up and fight back? For the moment, impossible. He would instead sing a spell to freeze the Goon and get out of this mess.

The magic died on his lips before he uttered two words.

Then he must flee. Bright knew spells that did not need sung rhymes. Reverse glamour was the most useful. He would invoke that enchantment, vanish from the Goon’s sight, and crawl to safety.

Again, the ability to work magic deserted him.

Why all this befuddlement? Bright was normally a quick-witted and talented wizard’s assistant. Bugger the self-praise. He rolled to his side, ripped open his shirt, and yanked out his medallion.

The Goon’s footsteps neared. Bright peered through his long blond hair. His attacker lifted a foot. The Goon’s heavy shoes had iron-shod soles. Mercifully, Mistress Time remembered her clockworks magician. Time slowed.

When left with no other magical recourse, there was only one spell Bright needed. The oh-so-clever wizard who created this medallion had bewitched it to remember this spell even when Bright could work no other.

Wizard Kadmeion, help me.
This is imperative. Please.

Fortunate for him, brief and sloppy rhymes worked in urgent situations. Despite the summons, his wizard still might not arrive in time. Bright curled up to protect himself. He took a deep breath.

Mistress Time abandoned him.

Events speeded up.

The Goon’s iron foot sailed toward his head.

A flash.

Then, darkness.

End of Chapter 1 Excerpt

Old Bony Blue Eyes is available now for Kindle, iPad and iPhone, and Nook.

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