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Rabia Gale

alchemical fantasy

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kai’s back

kai’s back

You know me. You like me. I’m the quiet one in your group, the one who listens more than she talks, the reliable one. I make sure the waitresses are tipped adequately, and I walk you home when you’re too drunk to be trusted on your own. I mediate when you argue about the merits of two-handed broadswords over that of the sword-and-shield combination. I hold your coats while you test out your theories with blunted homemade weapons and lots of padding, and I step in before you impale yourself in the foot with your own sword.

I listen to you when your girlfriend is no longer interested in your theories of multiple worlds.

I listen to your girlfriend when she complains that you care more about multiple worlds than her.

I blend in. When the rest of the girls dye their hair, I dye mine. When they wear high boots, short skirts and long coats, I dress the same. I’m a rebel–exactly like the rest of you.

You know me. You know that I grew up in the suburbs around New Warden. You know I spent two years in the military like so many of the directionless youth do. You know I rode the rails across the continent and held temporary jobs: fish-packer, strawberry-picker, dock-worker. You know that my life has been a lot like yours, except not as dangerous, adventurous and enlightening.

You think you know me.

You’d be wrong.

I’ve lived in three worlds. I’m an outlaw in two of them.

I’ve killed warriors and betrayed kings. My mother called me demon.

I’m Kai. And this is my story.

Filed Under: kai

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jo Anderton says

    September 29, 2010 at 9:08 pm

    Oh, I love it πŸ™‚

    Reply
  2. Megs says

    September 29, 2010 at 11:02 pm

    Gorgeous. I’m jaw-dropped and in love. Can I PLEASE be a beta when you get this done? I promise to buy the book as soon as it’s published!

    :picks jaw up off of floor:

    Reply
  3. LisaM says

    September 30, 2010 at 4:02 am

    Wow! What a great introduction to Kai! To blend in so well with young people and yet to have that amazing backstory which suggests Kai’s older than he looks…

    Someone who blends in, but it’s always the quiet ones you have to watch out for!

    Reply
  4. Prue says

    September 30, 2010 at 5:16 am

    That’s one cracker of a start. Glorious. Elegant. Fascinating. I want in. You have another beta reader if required. And if you don’t want one, please send your work anyway. I want to read it! I must read it!! *drools*
    Er…sorry about that πŸ˜€

    Reply
  5. Rabia says

    September 30, 2010 at 9:35 am

    *blush*

    Thanks, everyone! Kai’s story is the one I started writing for HtTS before I got sucked into revising Quartz. Now that Quartz is just-about-almost-nearly-there done, I’m trying to get back into Kai’s head—and this is what she gave me.

    Reply
  6. robin cornett says

    September 30, 2010 at 12:35 pm

    I want more, too! Please!??

    Reply
    • Rabia says

      September 30, 2010 at 2:25 pm

      It’ll be a long wait, I’m afraid. πŸ™ Maybe middle of next year by the time I’m done?

      Reply
      • Prue says

        September 30, 2010 at 3:24 pm

        *settles down on the sofa, folds arms, puts feet on stool*
        I can wait πŸ™‚

        Reply
        • Rabia says

          September 30, 2010 at 6:56 pm

          And in the meantime, you can finish up your HtTS novel! πŸ˜€

          Reply
  7. Prue says

    October 1, 2010 at 4:04 am

    *leaps off the sofa, salutes and tries to look intelligent*
    Yes Ma’am!
    πŸ˜‰
    Oh…and you forgot the one going through HTRYN…and NaNo this year
    *flops back on the sofa and sleeps*
    πŸ˜€

    Reply
    • Rabia says

      October 1, 2010 at 2:16 pm

      One at a time, soldier!

      What’s your NaNo project?

      Reply

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