GHOST IN THE SEAL short excerpt

Now up to chapter 6 of the GHOST IN THE SEAL rough draft. Time for a brief excerpt:

            A spasm of rage went through Cassander, testing his self-control.

            A year he had wasted on this mission to convince Callatas to allow Umbarian ships through the Starfall Straits, a year of futility and frustration.

            He permitted himself a small smile as he left the Golden Palace and returned to his palanquin, the bearer slaves hastening to their position. Yes, the past year had been frustrating, but his efforts would be rewarded. He didn’t know where Caina Amalas was, but he knew where she was going…and he could kill her on the way there.

            Or capture her, and force her to tell him where the Staff and Seal of Iramis had been hidden all these years.

            Cassander sat back upon the cushions of his palanquin chair, smiling to himself. Killing Caina and claiming the relics would have been pleasant, but they had become irrelevant. Even if Cassander killed Caina this morning and presented her head to Callatas this afternoon, he had no doubt the querulous, tedious old fool would find some way to avoid keeping his promise to allow the Umbarian fleet through the Straits.

            No matter. Cassander had a plan.

            Callatas was not the only one who could summon the spirits of the netherworld.

            Within a year’s time, the fleet would sail through the Straits and the Empire would fall…even if Cassander had to burn every last man, woman, and child in Istarinmul to do it.

            Yes. He was looking forward to that.

-JM