Celta Thursday, Last bit of cut Heart Search first scene

Laev T'Hawthorn fingered the silver encased writestick that he preferred. His many-times ancestress's red gold desk set had gone missing years ago and was not one of the items that had been recovered. He wondered if the desk set had been melted down. Wondered who had the pieces. If he had enemies he didn't know about who were collecting Hawthorn Family items.

He'd talk about the loss of his HeartGift in person with his private investigator, Primross. That was going to be a fun conversation, though it was an old open secret that Laev T'Hawthorn had gone against his Family's wishes and wed a girl he'd believed was his HeartMate. A girl who had encouraged him to think so. She'd wanted the wealth and status of being a GreatLady, the highest of the high on the planet Celta.

Primross was a smart man and a competent one, he probably already guessed what Laev wanted.

Of course Laev had a link to his HeartGift, and once again he closed his eyes, settled into his inner balance and reached for it. The sculpture was wedged somewhere and he couldn't translocate it. Nor could he determine the coordinates. Dark. Dry, he thought. In good shape, he hoped.

Heart Search Cut First Scene, continued

All right, there's a reader's birthday on Facebook, so I posted the next bit in the cut scene I've been running from Heart Search on Celta Thursdays. So here it is, too:

Heart Search Cut First Scene continued,
Laev T'Hawthorn studied Primross. The detective had already exceeded Laev's expectations in recovering some of the family treasures. Laev’s pride had been too touchy to speak to another FirstFamily lord to track them. Discreet inquiries had led Laev to Primross.

It didn't matter that Primross disliked the noble class and barely treated Laev with civility. It didn't matter that Laev's pride took a beating as he revealed his secrets to the man. What mattered was getting the items back, and in that, Primross had been successful.

Another concern was the amount of time that had passed. Nivea had been dead for nearly two years. She’d been selling Hawthorn items for five years before that – objects that Laev’s FatherSire wouldn’t have considered valuable but Laev did.

Laev’s FatherSire – his father’s father – had hidden the problem from him. But that T’Hawthorn had passed on three months ago. The shock that Nivea had been a thief and his FatherSire had tolerated that, made no attempt to retrieve Family heirlooms had stunned Laev.

Laev said, "Send me a contract for a monthly retainer, for an initial period of three months."

Surprise flashed in Primross's eyes then he jerked a nod. "The courier with your bracelets is on the way. I'll have the contract in your cache box within the septhour." Primross named an amount that seemed lower than it should have been. Laev narrowed his eyes to study the impassive man. Was the investigator hiding something himself?

Before he could question the man, the scry screen went dark.

Celta Thursday Cut Scene: Continuation of cut Chapter 1, Heart Search

Celta Thursday Cut Scene: Continuation of cut Chapter 1, Heart Search

"We’ll talk, Primross, about what else I want, but not now and not over a scry," Laev said to the private investigator.

The Residence sent the echo of a banging door and an exuberant breeze seemed to rush toward Laev. His journeywoman student, like the younger sister he'd always wanted, had arrived for her morning lesson in finance and estate building. It took real effort to slam the door in the Residence, but Jasmine Ash always managed.

She'd stop at the kitchens for a treat and to stroke Black Pierre, the old FamCat who'd survived Laev's FatherSire's death.

Laev leaned back in his comfort chair. "I don't have any more time for this matter now. Please obtain the bracelets and have them delivered as soon as possible."

With an insincere dip of the head, Garrett Primross said, "As you wish, GreatLord." He hesitated a beat, then asked, "Do you wish to continue to retain my firm?"

Primross Investigations was only the man himself and an apprentice, but Laev appreciated pride a lot more now than he had as a youngster. Sometimes appearances and pride were all that had kept him going.

"Yes." He calculated how long it would take for Primross to find his HeartGift. That gift, made during the second fugue which freed his psi power, his Flair, could only be truly sensed by himself and his HeartMate. Too bad he'd thought Nivea was his HeartMate when he was a gullible seventeen and given it to her.

HeartMate is up on AUDIBLE!

So thrilled! Here it is: http://www.audible.com/search?searchAuthor=Robin+D.+Owens

Celta Thursday: Cut opening from Heart Search

Celta Thursday, Heart Search cut opening:
Druida City, Celta, 422 Years After Colonization, Late Spring

"We've located your heirloom amethyst and diamond cuff bracelets," the private investigator said. His craggy face was expressionless on the scry screen hanging on the dark paneled wall near Laev Hawthorn's desk.

Laev Hawthorn, GreatLord T'Hawthorn, kept his own face as impassive as ever but let optimistic hope trickle through him. As far as he knew, those were the last of the Family treasures his late wife Nivea had sold before his HeartGift. "Thank you. How much will it cost to recover them?"

The investigator named a figure and Laev winced. It wasn't at the amount, like most FirstFamilies he had generational wealth that wasn't easily dissipated – though Nivea had done her best. But it was an expense he wouldn't have had if he hadn't made a a poor choice in choosing his wife.

"Residence?" he addressed the intelligent castle that he lived in.

"Here, T'Hawthorn," the Residence answered at it's haughtiest. It didn't approve of the investigator, hadn't approved of Nivea, and Laev was unsure of it's feelings for himself.

"Transfer funds to cover the retrieval of the jewels and Prime Investigation's bill," Laev said.

"Thank you," the investigator said. His eyes narrowed and he continued softly, "Now, GreatLord, why don't you tell me what you really want me to find?"
Heat edged Laev's cheeks. The man was more observant than Laev had expected. He was a master of his craft and several years older than Laev's thirty-two, and though a commoner, there was something about the man that disquieted Laev. Probably the aura that whatever mistakes the guy had made, he'd fixed them immediately...and they weren't as disastrous as marrying the wrong woman in a culture that condemned divorce.

Celta Thursday: Hearts & Swords (story collection), Heart Story

Celta Thursday: Hearts & Swords (story collection), Heart Story: I did about five openings for Heart Story before settling on the one in the book. This is one of them:

Druida City, Planet Celta 406 Years After Earth Colonization, Spring

Her mother was dead. Finally. Good riddance.

Now Arbusca Willow – and the rest of her family – was out from under the woman's tyranny and they all could get on with their lives. Some of the women who'd lived in the Residence had already found lovers or husbands of HeartMates.

Arbusca's son had convinced her that it was her turn. But being married was something she'd forgotten how to do long ago,when she'd married the man her mother had wanted, someone rich whom the woman could dominate. A man who hadn't lasted two years. She was fairly sure her mother hadn't actually killed him, though, just intimidated him to death.

So Arbusca paced the private dining room she'd rented at her social club for the first meeting with her HeartMate.

Before last month, they hadn't connected in twenty-five years. Even then, they'd never met, but linked during hot, sexual dreams when their psi magic had been freed during fugue states. Through their link she'd only known that he'd travelled south...all the way to the southern continent.

The bond between them had been the slimmest, she'd suppressed them – if not the yearning for her HeartMate – so long. But in several hopeful moments over the last year, she'd given the bond gentle tugs.

Last month Dri Paris had contacted her, and now he walked into the room.

Ghost Seer Out Today! And win a free copy!

Ghost Seer is out today, in electronic and MASS MARKET PAPERBACK form!
I had the chance for a friend of mine, Arwen, to read my heroine's, Clare Cermak's cards, and am giving away 3 free copies, here: http://tarotbyarwen.com/blog/?p=17710.