Rainbow Snippets is a group for LGBTQ+ authors, bloggers, and readers to gather once a week and share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation (no spoilers please!).   Check out all the other awesome snippets by clicking on the picture above.

Still posting from Book Two of The Other Mages trilogy this month, mostly because I’m too lazy to pick something different. (This is also why the same CD stays in my car’s player for months on end.)

Character introduction:
Trebor is an Empath. D’Laron is his best friend and a Healer.
Luthen is… Well, an Elder in their tradition, and a mentor, especially to Trebor.
Katheri is also an Empath, and Trebor and D’Laron are her Sajen – her trainers/mentors.
Sidden is a Healer and Empath, more experienced than Trebor or D’Laron.

Picking up from last week’s post. (Sorry for some repetition from it; I haven’t gotten this far yet in correcting the Word doc.)

“It’s not your fault.” Trebor’s voice was gentle and Sidden looked up again, meeting his gaze. “You got her out of a bad situation and gave her a chance she would never have gotten otherwise.”

“But I have endangered the others…”

“How?”

“She’s gone mad, Treb. She has become filled with hate and she blames me – and everyone else there – for what she sees as her failure.”

“Sid…”

“No, Treb. I’m fine. I know it’s not my fault, and that I am not responsible for the actions of others, but I still feel responsible. For one thing, I’m an Empath and a Healer and her brother – how did I not see what was happening with her?”

“Because, Aspect* or not, you are still not omniscient.”

Sidden managed a smile and Trebor gave his shoulder a squeeze. “So why are you here?”

“In part to make sure that you are all right. In her madness I’m not sure that she won’t blame you as well and come after you. And in part to see if this might be a safe place for some of our people.”

“And is it?”

“As safe as anywhere, and safer than some.”

*Sidden is able to channel an Aspect of The God, using His power and letting Him act through him. (Luthen can do the same, although his Aspect is different.)

And some vocabulary words:
Qestoro is a male apprentice
Qestori is the plural and can refer to males, females, or both.
Mentors/trainers are:
Saj (singular, male or female)
Sajo (male)
Saja (female
Sajen (plural, male or female)

Rainbow Snippets is a group for LGBTQ+ authors, bloggers, and readers to gather once a week and share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation (no spoilers please!).   Check out all the other awesome snippets by clicking on the picture above.

Still posting from Book Two of The Other Mages trilogy this month, mostly because I’m too lazy to pick something different. (This is also why the same CD stays in my car’s player for months on end.)

Character introduction:
Trebor is an Empath. D’Laron is his best friend and a Healer.
Luthen is… Well, an Elder in their tradition, and a mentor, especially to Trebor.
Katheri is also an Empath, and Trebor and D’Laron are her Sajen – her trainers/mentors.
Sidden is a Healer and Empath, more experienced than Trebor or D’Laron.

Skipping ahead a bit from last week’s post:

“Why are you here, Sid?” Trebor asked that night after the others had left. “I’m glad you are, but what is the real reason?”

“I knew you’d ask me that sooner or later.”

Trebor waited and he sighed. “I’m one of the ones trying to find us a safe place. Or at least a few more or less safe places that we can scatter to.”

“And you think this is one?”

“It’s safer than some. The Church doesn’t have much of a hold here, and at the university, at least, there will be people more inclined to reason than superstition.” Sidden swallowed hard and closed his eyes. “And I can’t lie to you, Treb. Terrisi* has left Besembe and no one knows where she is or what she is doing.  She… she snapped. I… I think it was too much for her – too much of a change from what she was raised with to what was offered to her at Besembe. She simply couldn’t cope.”

*Terrisi is Sidden’s younger sister. She’s an Empath but tried to do more than she was capable of/trained to do and created quite a mess in Book One.

And some vocabulary words:
Qestoro is a male apprentice
Qestori is the plural and can refer to males, females, or both.
Mentors/trainers are:
Saj (singular, male or female)
Sajo (male)
Saja (female
Sajen (plural, male or female)

Rainbow Snippets is a group for LGBTQ+ authors, bloggers, and readers to gather once a week and share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation (no spoilers please!).   Check out all the other awesome snippets by clicking on the picture above.

Still posting from Book Two of The Other Mages trilogy this month, mostly because I’m too lazy to pick something different. (This is also why the same CD stays in my car’s player for months on end.)

Character introduction:
Trebor is an Empath. D’Laron is his best friend and a Healer.
Luthen is… Well, an Elder in their tradition, and a mentor, especially to Trebor.
Katheri is also an Empath, and Trebor and D’Laron are her Sajen – her trainers/mentors.
Sidden is a Healer and Empath, more experienced than Trebor or D’Laron.

Picking up the morning after last week’s post:

“Where did Luthen go?” Katheri asked.

“He’s checking on Zari and Aithen, and then on some of our other people.”

“Things are getting worse, aren’t they?”

“I’m afraid so, Del,” Sidden replied. “The Church is growing in power and we are powerless to stop it. All we can do now is prepare to ride out whatever changes come, and find our way back together again.”

“They are scattering?”

“Not yet, but that is looking to be more and more likely. It seems like our safest bet.”

“And… Home?” Trebor asked hesitantly.

Sidden shook his head. “No decision yet. For now it stands – we need a central place to regroup and where we can leave messages for one another.”

D’Laron nodded. “How long do you think we have?”

“It’s hard to say. Some places are safer than others. The cities are the worst but most of our people are in more rural areas, which is a bit of a two edged sword — the Church has less of a stronghold there, but the people tend to be less educated and more superstitious, and thus more easily led and influenced by the Church.”

“So we’re scattering, but where to?” Trebor asked.

“Any place that feels safe,” Sidden answered. “Some of us are actively seeking a safe haven where we can all gather, and others are looking for places where they can live in peace and keep our ways alive, even if only within their own families. Home is still safe enough for now, but…”

And while I’m at it:
Qestoro is a male apprentice
Qestori is the plural and can refer to males, females, or both.
Mentors/trainers are:
Saj (singular, male or female)
Sajo (male)
Saja (female
Sajen (plural, male or female)

Rainbow Snippets is a group for LGBTQ+ authors, bloggers, and readers to gather once a week and share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation (no spoilers please!).   Check out all the other awesome snippets by clicking on the picture above.

Still posting from Book Two of The Other Mages trilogy this month, mostly because I’m too lazy to pick something different. (This is also why the same CD stays in my car’s player for months on end.)

Character introduction:
Trebor is an Empath. D’Laron is his best friend and a Healer.
Luthen is… Well, an Elder in their tradition, and a mentor, especially to Trebor.
Katheri is also an Empath, and Trebor and D’Laron are her Sajen – her trainers/mentors.
Sidden is a Healer and Empath, more experienced than Trebor or D’Laron.

Skipping ahead a bit.

“My loft is a bit of a mess,” Trebor apologized. “So take my bed and I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“Is that what you want?” Sidden asked.

Trebor caught his breath and Sidden laughed and drew Trebor to him. Trebor held onto him, trembling, as he let his shields down, let Sidden see him fully, feeling more naked and vulnerable than he would have had he taken his clothes off.

In response, Sidden lowered all of his shields as well, exposing his soul, accepting Trebor’s hunger, his need, for this level of intimacy. It wasn’t easy for Empaths…

Later, nestled together under blankets on Trebor’s bed, they fell asleep, still entangled in each other’s emotions, but satisfied and at peace.  

And while I’m at it:
Qestoro is a male apprentice
Qestori is the plural and can refer to males, females, or both.
Mentors/trainers are:
Saj (singular, male or female)
Sajo (male)
Saja (female
Sajen (plural, male or female)