Almost Done...Breton & General Excerpt

Well, I'm about 10K words from beging done with the Centurion sequel ~testing the chains attaching her to her desk~ Just thought I'd put in a little excerpt for fun...back to work ~whip - whip~

THE BRETON & THE GENERAL
a historical romance by Minnette Meador
all rights reserved

The ex-centurion knew if the Romans caught him, he was dead. Marius could feel the horse strain under his thighs, the animal’s head splitting the air in front of them. Wind roared, mingling with the pounding of Marius’ heart and the jolting rumble of the hooves against the forest floor. He felt the blood flow from a throbbing wound to his shoulder, saw it spatter behind him to stain the horse’s rump when he glanced back. A grim thought flashed through his mind and he tightened his grip on the reins, bowing his head low over the animal’s neck, the smell of the horseflesh stringent in his nose; I would only regret not holding Delia again. Marius’ throat tightened around the thought. It made him dig his heels into Brutus and force him to move faster. He would make it up to the horse later–if he survived.

The forest was a blur around him, brown, green, branches growing like twisted mirages charging at him out of the foggy morning. He dodged them, sometimes successfully–sometimes not—his head and good shoulder ached where they caught him. The movement of the horse’s massive leg muscles was deadening his thighs, making it difficult to manipulate the beast. Despite the speed, Brutus knew his master well and needed little guidance. Marius missed the centurion armor he had worn for twenty-five years, but the Celtic clothes gave him more freedom to manage the animal. He was slowly getting used to being a civilian—very slowly.

Risking a further glance over his shoulder, Marius saw nothing but the trees receding behind him. The sound of jangling Roman horse tack, the shouts of Latin curses, and the frustrated bellow of General Suetonius had also faded. If he was lucky, the soldiers had followed him into the woods, giving the refugees a chance to escape the blades or manacles of the governor’s revenge. A wave of satisfaction sent a bemused smile across his face knowing they had once again out maneuvered the governor. If they did not catch him, he would count this a success.

Minnette Meador
My worlds...real or imagined...
http://www.minnettemeador.com/
minnettemeador.blogspot.com
Minnette's 2008 Releases:
Starsight, Vol. I
The Centurion & The Queen
The Breton & The General (Summer 2008)
Starsight Vol. II (November 2008)
A Cup of Comfort for Single Mothers "Sunday Breakfast"