This week’s excerpt from Warrior Priest picks up where last week’s left off. Jade and Selena are sharing their first meal together.
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Excerpt:
Ari Brent proclaimed in his booming voice, “Out of respect for our guests, we will speak our prayer in the common tongue. We give thanks for this food that gives us strength to perform our duty.”
“We give thanks,” the priests repeated.
Selena was quite aware of the rumble of Jade’s voice beside her.
“We give thanks for companions to share it.”
“We give thanks.” Selena joined the priests in their response.
“We give thanks to the land and sea for this bounty that won’t be wasted.”
“We give thanks.”
Again the gong sounded.
That’s 10, but if you’d like to continue, here’s a bit more:
Priests stood and headed toward a counter at the back of
the room. Several priests waited there, ready to serve the meal.
Selena found herself toward the front of the long, relatively quiet line of hungry priests. Elspeth stood in front of her and Ari Jade directly behind. Though he didn’t touch her, they were in such close proximity that she felt his body heat and couldn’t help noticing how he loomed over her. At five feet seven inches, Selena wasn’t a short woman, but he still towered over her. For that matter, so did Franklin, but he didn’t make her feel like this.
At the serving counter, a priest handed her a plate with steaming vegetables, a piece of flatbread, and chunks of meat. Her heartbeat quickened and she wondered how to handle this situation. She should have prepared better for social settings—in particular meals.
“Are you ready?” Ari Jade raised an eyebrow at Selena.
She and Elspeth were quite frozen and holding back the line. Selena forced a smile. “Yes. I’m sorry. Elspeth, come on.”
Back at the table, Selena and Elspeth stared at their plates.
“Selena, what should we do?”
“I don’t know. Just start with the vegetables.”
Ari Jade settled his large frame into the chair beside Selena and picked up his fork. Instead of digging into his food, he leaned a bit closer to her. “You don’t have to eat that meat if you don’t want to,” he said in a deep whisper.
She glanced at him, surprised by his comment.
“You’re vegetarians, right?”
Warrior Priest
by Kate Hill
What happens when a warrior priest from a strict religion meets a free-spirited priestess from a new age commune?
Jade and Selena are as different as two people can be, but to facilitate an alliance between their worlds, they engage in a cultural exchange. With their galaxy in danger from a planet that wants to conquer or destroy all others, they realize the importance of their assignment, but it is difficult for a warrior priest and a nonviolent priestess to understand each other.
Selena is both attracted and appalled by his old school masculinity, and Jade is tempted to break his vow of celibacy until marriage due to his powerful desire for her. Will this unlikely pair not only find common ground, but unconditional love?
Warrior Priest is on sale for $0.99 until June 30, 2022 at Amazon and Smashwords.
Read snippets from other authors in the Weekend Writing Warriors Blog hop here.
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I like him. He learned about their culture ahead of time, and he wants to spare her any awkwardness about the meat on her plate. Just bought it. Thanks for the sale. ?
Ack! I didn’t mean to add that question mark. I swear these cellphone keypads were meant for tiny people!
LOVE that cover! So mysterious and . . . sexy. She’s found a protector in him.
Thank you, Nancy! Jade definitely has a protective nature. 🙂
Thank you so much, Teresa! I hope you enjoy it. Jade did his research. He really want this exchange to work out!
LOL! I do that all the time.
Great how he understands her problem without her even saying anything. That’s a good sign.
Tweeted.
It’s thoughtful of him – giving permission for her to avoid the meat. She really ought to have prepared for that meal.
He was very nice to her. He understands her.
So glad he knows about their culture and understands. He’s quite the good guy, isn’t he?
Very thoughtful of him.
I LIKE him!! Great snippet!