💗It’s Day 7 of the #TopsyTurvyRelationships writing challenge over on Instagram! Yesterday Lucie Bellerose was forced into an episode of The Bachelorette. Today…
SPOILER ALERT! This post contains a scene included in Doors Wide Open, and although I masked the name below, you still might figure it out if you read the first two books in the series. You’ve been warned.
Today’s prompt: Respected figure becomes a disappointment. Here we go!
🔔 Chime – Emily and Templeton are whisked back in time to a pivotal scene in Doors Wide Open.
“It’s true, isn’t it?” I said as the realization washed over me. I straightened. “Something is rotten in the Empire, and it’s affected you, too. Tell me, why were Sebastian and his mother here? This Odette? She’s a Salesman, too. And I know Sebastian comes from some old, wealthy Empire family. Are they paying you off? Is that what’s going on?”
*Spoiler* blinked and looked at Templeton. He’d watched our interaction without interfering. *Spoiler* let out a shuddering breath, picking up her fountain pen and rolling it between her fingers. “You know very little, Emily. You act as if you’re the only one affected by what the Fringe has done – what they continue to do. Other Salesmen have been targeted and killed over the years. Families have been attacked. Your father and your family are one of many.” *Spoiler* raised her head. “My daughter, Rowena, has a beautiful son. Erick is only 4 years old. Rowena’s received messages warning that his well-being is at risk.”
“From whom?” I asked. I knew the answer.
She shrugged. “Specifically? I don’t know. But it’s clear they were from the Fringe. It was advised that the Salesman Court not pursue those involved in the attack on the Empire guards in Vue, or those responsible for the kidnapping of Lydia McKay Swift. When the investigations were ordered to close, the threats to my family stopped.”
I hung my head. “I can’t believe it. You caved. After all this time – after everything you and my father fought for in the Empire.”
“I won’t sacrifice my family for you.” *Spoiler* rubbed her forehead with her fingertips. She shook her head a final time. “Get out of here before I call the guards to arrest you for violating your grounding. And Templeton, make sure she goes home. That’s an official order from the Empire.”
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💗 This writing challenge runs from February 15 – 28! Stay tuned as tomorrow the next prompt is: Blind date with someone they hate. (This is a really good one if I do say so myself, and you can read it here!)
Readers – Not on Instagram?
That’s okay! I’ll be sharing my Instagram posts daily here on my blog site AND daily on Facebook at Writer Tracy Brown so you can read them there, too. Make sure you check for a new story every day from February 15 through February 28!
What’s This Mean for Door to Door & Bellerose Witchline Characters?
I’ll be dropping Emily Swift, Lucie Bellerose, Templeton, Rabbit, Tara, Sebastian, and the rest of the crazy crew into a story matching the relationship-themed “prompt of the day” from the challenge.
If you ARE on Instagram, make sure you’re following me at https://www.instagram.com/WriterTracyBrown/ to see the posts there! But again, as long as you check out my blog list or my Writer Tracy Brown page every day, you can read all the short stories without Instagram. 🙂
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