I’m home from my Thanksgiving visit with my brother and niece, Mari. I’ve prepped all my thyroid test results for my appointment with an endocrinologist tomorrow. I’ll be interested in hearing what she thinks my thyroid is doing.

Tomorrow, I’m looking forward to getting back to my novel (and to watching this week’s new episode of the Charmed reboot).

For the Unheired Prince:

We argue about it for a long time. In interrupted sessions at first, because when he tries to get to his feet it becomes evident he didn’t escape his headfirst fall uninjured. He struggles to stand, then settles for sitting so we can assess how badly he’s hurt. Between the probing spells, and then the healing spells, we go back and forth. He’s unrelenting.

Making the two mile hike to where I camped last night gives us enough time to realize there’s nothing I can say to stop him. So, instead, we shift to planning his return. His head advisor will need to know about the switch, but no one else. That leaves managing the perception of his indestructibility, hunting for anyone else involved in his kidnapping, and rescheduling the coronation. And, of course, eliminating me.

My cat Ianta literally interrupted my writing the above two paragraphs at least five times.

Another fun day spent with my family. Mari got me into a new TV show (Riverdale) and, of course, there’s been more laughter. Tomorrow we’re decorating the Christmas tree.

For the Unheired Prince:

“We need to determine if there’s a larger plot against your life.”

“I need to go home.”

“…back to the safehouse?”

“No. Back to the palace. It’s time for me to lead my people from something other than the shadows.”

“Your father gave his life to keep you safe. If you go back while there’s a plot against you, then…” I stop myself from saying the king’s sacrifice would be in vain, because it’s not quite true. The situations aren’t the same. The war is over.

Mari makes me laugh. A lot. It’s good to laugh a lot.

I’m enjoying my extended weekend with my brother and niece. Good company, good food, and good conversation. Here’s to more of that tomorrow!

For the Unheired Prince:

“What do you mean?”

“Our link went cold and there wasn’t any warning.”

“I didn’t have warning either. No alarms that the safehouse was breached, or that I wasn’t alone. I don’t know how they found me.”

“Or if they were working alone?”

“No.”

“That’s…problematic.”

“To say the least.”

Happy Thanksgiving!

I do wish this holiday would be moved and disassociated with the pilgrims and Native Americans sitting down to share a meal given the eventual near genocide of Native Americans. I completely support a day that encourages everyone to be grateful for all the good things in their lives, but we could have it at some other point.

Okay, rant done. I’m hanging out with my wonderful niece Mari so this Unheired Prince blurb will be very short (of course, most of them are short).

“What…happened?” the prince asks when he can speak.

“I was hoping you could tell me.”

I’m packed and ready to go! Except for the food and other items I can’t pack until tomorrow morning. Planning to get up at the same time that I do for work so that I can leave at/by 8:00am. We’ll see how that goes.

For the Unheired Prince:

The thing I didn’t think about, and really should have, is what would happen to the prince once his captors were taken care of. Naturally, the spell that suspends him upside down is tied to them, and when they’re gone, it ends. So he falls. Headfirst.

Fortunately, he is rather more prepared for this eventuality and manages to extend his arms, tuck his head, and somehow roll with the landing. The grass below him also helps. He ends up on his back, swearing, but at least he’s not dead.

This evening I accomplished taking care of some boring adulting tasks. The good news is they’re done, so I don’t have to worry about fitting them into my Thanksgiving weekend. The less good news is that tomorrow after work I’ll be packing for my Thanksgiving weekend trip, so it’s a couple days of no time to work on my novel. Realistically, I won’t be doing any editing while I’m visiting family this weekend either. I’ll have to come back strong next week!

Today, in the Unheired Prince:

The prince comes to all at once. And since he’s floating upside down, he comes to unpleasantly. He struggles, trying to right himself, but he has nothing but air to work with for momentum. It doesn’t matter. His captors notice immediately, and their surprise is what I need.

I enjoyed a dinner / movie night with a friend this evening. It has me posting later than usual so I am very tired at this point and the words aren’t coming easily. I’m not really sure what my creative blurb of the day should be.

(there was actually a lot of staring at the screen and looking through my various stories after I wrote that)

Back to the Unheired Prince:

At first when I try it’s like there’s nothing on the other end. Like I could shout myself hoarse but no one’s close enough to hear me. So I don’t shout or say anything. I pull. Softly, then with the urgency that mounts inside me.

Edited Chapters 27 and 28, then had to stop because I’m struggling to keep my eyes open.

The Unheired Prince:

I should try to wake him. Now that I’m this close, our telepathic bond may be enough to pierce the veil they’ve forced him behind.

I need to trim this novel down. That is all.

Okay, fine, it’s not all. Chapters 24, 25, and 26 have been edited. That’s the good news. We’ll just skip the details of the bad news.

Let’s see about the Unheired Prince (I have a frustrated headache so this will be short):

I wonder if they know about me. Because if they don’t, well…what would be more distracting than the prince you thought you’d neutralized taunting you?