A Backwards Story is excited to be a part of The {Teen} Book Scene's tour for Lisa T. Bergren's THE RIVER OF TIME series! Check out the tour schedule to see the list of events.
Last year, I reviewed all three books in the original trilogy together (keeping it as spoiler-free as possible). Check it out here!
Today, I'm excited to present you with an EXCLUSIVE look at the beginning of Lisa's highly-anticipated upcoming novella BOURNE! The novella is going to be in the POV of Gabi and Lia!
Are you as excited as I am? Because I'm really, REALLY excited about this one!
Plus, stay tuned after the excerpt for an exclusive chance to win prizes like:
Yes, Lisa IS giving away THREE Kindles and 20 copies of her books. You want to win, RIGHT!?
(But new readers, don't be alarmed by the prospect of more: The original trilogy has a satisfying conclusion and not a cliffhanger of any sort!)
Check out Lisa's blog and follow her on Twitter!
An Exclusive First Look at BOURNE!
BOURNE
By Lisa T. Bergren
River of Time Series #3.1
e-novella
WARNING:
We’ve tried to edit this chapter to avoid one major spoiler, but you really
should read WATERFALL (book 1), CASCADE (book 2) and TORRENT (book 3) if you
haven’t yet! Continue reading at your own risk!
CHAPTER ONE
~GABRIELLA~
“M’lady!
They approach!” the guard yelled down to us from the walls.
“Thank God,” I muttered, taking my first full breath in what seemed like hours. Ever since the battle had ended the night before, Sienese patrols had circulated in and out of Castello Forelli, to drop off wounded, reprovision, rest, and head out again. As the night wore on, and the Fiorentini withdrew north, the patrols were gone for longer periods of time. But Marcello, Luca, and Lord Greco hadn’t shown up at all.
Leaving me to fear the worst, of course.
“Open the gates!” the wall guard cried.
Three knights went to the massive crossbeam and slid it to one side, then opened the fifteen-foot doors. Twenty of our men on horseback arrived, but my eyes sought only one—
Marcello. I sighed in relief and then picked up my skirts and ran to him, waiting for him to wearily dismount and take me under one of his arms. I laughed and reached up on tiptoe to kiss him. “Oh, Marcello. Welcome home.”
“I have to say, I think I’ll grow accustomed to you welcoming me back, each time I have half a mind to chase a Fiorentini back to his side of the border.” He winced as I gave him a full hug, making me pause in concern, but then Rodolfo Greco came around three others, leading his horse…and in an awkward moment, caught the last of Marcello’s comment.
His handsome chin came up, and he stilled as if embarrassed. Not that he had any reason to be embarrassed. It was simply…awkward. The once-Fiorentini now in our castello. Marcello’s brother. My captor-savior. I think we were all confused as to how to proceed, exactly. It’d take some time to figure out.
Luca came over, right next to Lia, both of them grinning. The grizzled Captain Pezzati clasped hands with Luca and the other guys, then gave me a nod of greeting and turned toward the stables. Mom came over, and I grinned at the circle of them, all around me. Together. At last. Everyone here, present and accounted for. Well, Dad was in his room, recovering from his own wound. But at the moment, we were all safe.
“Thank God,” I muttered, taking my first full breath in what seemed like hours. Ever since the battle had ended the night before, Sienese patrols had circulated in and out of Castello Forelli, to drop off wounded, reprovision, rest, and head out again. As the night wore on, and the Fiorentini withdrew north, the patrols were gone for longer periods of time. But Marcello, Luca, and Lord Greco hadn’t shown up at all.
Leaving me to fear the worst, of course.
“Open the gates!” the wall guard cried.
Three knights went to the massive crossbeam and slid it to one side, then opened the fifteen-foot doors. Twenty of our men on horseback arrived, but my eyes sought only one—
Marcello. I sighed in relief and then picked up my skirts and ran to him, waiting for him to wearily dismount and take me under one of his arms. I laughed and reached up on tiptoe to kiss him. “Oh, Marcello. Welcome home.”
“I have to say, I think I’ll grow accustomed to you welcoming me back, each time I have half a mind to chase a Fiorentini back to his side of the border.” He winced as I gave him a full hug, making me pause in concern, but then Rodolfo Greco came around three others, leading his horse…and in an awkward moment, caught the last of Marcello’s comment.
His handsome chin came up, and he stilled as if embarrassed. Not that he had any reason to be embarrassed. It was simply…awkward. The once-Fiorentini now in our castello. Marcello’s brother. My captor-savior. I think we were all confused as to how to proceed, exactly. It’d take some time to figure out.
Luca came over, right next to Lia, both of them grinning. The grizzled Captain Pezzati clasped hands with Luca and the other guys, then gave me a nod of greeting and turned toward the stables. Mom came over, and I grinned at the circle of them, all around me. Together. At last. Everyone here, present and accounted for. Well, Dad was in his room, recovering from his own wound. But at the moment, we were all safe.
I was relishing the sweet relief, appreciating the feel of
having Marcello next to me again, when I felt him begin to sink. Crying out, I
got a better grip on him from under one of his arms; Rodolfo Greco came under
the other. I tried to ignore his sudden proximity—and the resulting weirdness.
“Quickly, let’s get him inside,” I said.
We eased Marcello into the Great Hall and into a chair,
and I knelt before him. Rodolfo took a few respectful steps away. “Marcello!” I
said, anxiously scanning his face and body for injury. I noticed, then, his
swollen cheek, the cut at his mouth and nose, some bruising. Nothing I hadn’t
seen before, after taking on an enemy. But what worried me was the gray color
of his skin, the way his eyes were hooded, half-shut. “Marcello, what ails
you?”
“Take your ease, Gabriella,” he said in a mumble. “I am
merely weary and in—”
His head rolled forward, and he slumped. I cried out
again, and Rodolfo and Luca came to either side of him. “How is he injured?” I
asked, my voice coming out in a strangled tone.
Luca ran his fingers through his sandy-colored hair and
grimaced. “We ran into some difficulty en route home, m’lady.”
“Difficulty?”
“A Fiorentini patrol. We’d parted from our men—”
Marcello moaned. I rose. “Marcello? Marcello.” I said,
holding his head in my hands. But he was out again.
Lia brought a blanket into the room and spread it out on
the floor. Rodolfo and Luca lifted Marcello and placed him on it. “Quickly,” I
said to the men. “Help me find his wound.”
With trembling fingers, I pulled up Marcello’s tunic and
gasped. His belly was covered with purple, red, and green bruises. I looked to
Luca.
“As I started to say…it happened a few hours ago,” he said
grimly, easing his cousin onto his side to look at his back. Mom knelt next to
him. His green eyes met mine, and his anxious, lowered brows made my heart
stop.
Nothing scared Luca.
I apologize if I put a line break in a weird spot. Blogger is eating all of the tabs. The formatting will look perfect when you read the novella!
* * *
I apologize if I put a line break in a weird spot. Blogger is eating all of the tabs. The formatting will look perfect when you read the novella!
* * *
BOURNE will be available at
month-end on all major e-reading formats, including Kindle, Nook and more. To
find out more, see Lisa’s web site.
* * *
Lisa Bergren is also offering 3
KINDLES and 20 BOOKS as prizes for her RIVER OF TIME Blog Tour Scavenger Hunt,
which ends this weekend! Check out her post to find out how you can take part
and have a chance to win!