A dazzling spectacle - excerpt from Stung by the Cobra for #wewriwa and #snippetsunday

 

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday. Sample the work of a new author. Read snippets of stories in different genres.

I’ve been posting from my latest novel, Stung by the Cobra. It’s a scifi/fantasy adventure and romance with sprinkle of Hindu mythology. It is available as ebook, paperback and AI-narrated audio. 

In last week’s episode, you had a glimpse of the villainess, Domina Allia and a younger, healthier Nagari. You can read the excerpt here: https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-dominas-consort-excerpt-from-cobra.html

Here, Zennia is at the reception in the palace. She is standing in the line of dignitaries waiting to pay homage to the new overlord, Domina Allia. 

At the farther side of the chamber, Domina Allia sat on an ebony throne elevated on a black marble dais. A canopy of gold cloth was draped above the ebony throne. On either side of the throne, two bare-chested youths in scarlet loincloths waved large fans to cool their mistress.

As more invitees arrived, Zennia joined the end of the receiving line and studied the Domina. A dazzling spectacle in scarlet and gold, Allia wore a ruby and gold necklace, matching pendulous earrings, and ruby rings on her fingers. A mesh of gold and tiny rubies covered her coiffed blonde hair. Her sleeveless scarlet gown had a scandalously low neckline, little more than a shelf to prop up her plump bare breasts. More rubies sprinkled her overskirt of gold gauze. Framed by this sumptuous garb, her pale painted face showed the imperial heritage of an aquiline nose and petulant lips. 

Nine lines and a few more:

What a hideous vision. And, so apt. It tickled Zennia’s sense of the ridiculous, the absurdity of overblown power. This image of Allia would make a fantastic addition to the Archives. Her imagination leaped at the potential for further drama. The Domina in her flamboyant splendor juxtaposed with the rotting corpses on the stone archway. The Galactic Councilors, ineffective as they often were, must react to that vision of barbarism. She doubted the reporter for Galnews could better her image. In fact, if he traveled by flitter, he might never have smelled the dreadful stench of the corpses. 

 SciFi mystery. Interstellar spy befriends enemy commander in a tragic tale with a happy ending.

Shan Zennia, Senior Curator of the Archives of Galactic Culture on Lumos, plays a dangerous double role as a researcher and a spy for Solarian Intelligence. She embarks on a new mission to observe the spring festival on Harappi, a planet recently conquered by the ambitious Emperor and now governed by his niece, Domina Allia.

Zennia finds unexpected mysteries on the planet, including intelligent animals and the enigmatic Nagari. Once a victorious commander in the Emperor’s space fleet and nicknamed the Cobra, he was forced to abandon his military career when Allia claimed him as her consort. Her abusive treatment has driven him to the brink of madness.

Intrigued by the ex-commander and aware of his value as a source of information on the enemy, Zennia agrees to meet him during the festival of rebirth. Opposing forces clash at the height of the celebrations, catalyzing deadly violence. Can Nagari and Zennia survive the chaos and win a new and happier life?

The ebook is discounted by 50c at PayHip

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I’ll be happy to reply to your comments.

The first book in this new series is free for the next month. 

Captured by the Hawk Spaceships crash across the galaxy when thief Grey Kay tangles with notorious pirate Black Hawk.

FREE at Amazon  iBooks  Kobo  B&N  GooglePlay  PayHip

 

The Lady is Blue, Book 1 of Atrapako on Eden, is also free. 

Scaly aliens crash on the remote planet of Eden. They mean to dominate the humans. Can Dr. Lucy Stannis save the colony and reignite her dubious friendship with the alien captain?

FREE at: Direct  Amazon  iBooks  Kobo  B&N  GooglePlay  Other  

Please return to http://wewriwa.blogspot.com/ to sample the works of the other writers.

Listen to me reading snippets from my stories on TikTok at: https://www.tiktok.com/@auroraspringer_author

Find a catalog of my published stories HERE.

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