Character Spotlight – Temsik Storm

Character Spotlight:
Hey! Thanks for stopping by the Fair Maiden for a chat. I’m Temsik, by the way, but you can call me Tem. I imagine you’ll be having yourself an ale while you’re here? Go on, then, you won’t find a better brew anywhere in the Outlying Lands. That’s what they tell me, anyway. I’ll know for sure when I turn eighteen and can order one myself.

The girl sitting at the exchange table? Oh, that’s Willow. Aye, I know her. Met her on the playground when she was just a wee thing. Fighting off a bully, she was, and getting her pretty backside tossed into the dirt. So I stepped in and we’ve been friends ever since. She’s a jewel. Stubborn as a mule, though. Gets herself into a fair amount of trouble. I step in a lot, come to think of it.

What? No, she hasn’t got a boyfriend, and I can see where you’re going with that. But you’d best put your eyes back in your head. She’s too busy for that nonsense, and anyway, she’ll see right through your intentions. I never met a lass as smart as Willow. She’ll box your ears just for thinking that way, got it?

Aye, it’s a beast of a night. Always is when we’re expecting our messenger. Can’t hardly take a step in here without bumping into someone. But Knox will be walking through the tavern door any minute now, and then we’ll finally get some news. I can’t stand the way the Core keeps us in the dark. If you ask me, six months is far too long to go without hearing anything.

The contract? Last I knew, it was still taking place. The Tiernam lad just turned eighteen, so it’s only a couple years now before he marries the heiress. I can’t wait. We’ll all rest a bit easier when the threat of war is behind us. I’m ready to settle down and start a family in peace.

With Willow? Are you daft? She’s not ready for marriage. Aye, she’s sixteen, but she’s dead set against tying herself to anyone. And she’s got a devil of a temper, in case you didn’t know. It’ll take a strong man to keep that one happy.

Not that I haven’t given it some thought. I mean, she outshines every girl in this village. Just look at that smile. See what I mean? And there’s a heart of gold under all that fire. I’ve lived here my whole life and haven’t found anyone quite like her. She’s special, that’s for sure.

Another ale? No, don’t get up. I’m heading over to see if Willow needs help, so I’ll flag a barmaid to bring you a refill. If I don’t catch you again, have a safe journey. Keep to the road and avoid the patrols if you can.

Oh, and good luck . . . out here, you’re definitely going to need it.

About the book:

Sixteen-year-old Willow Kent believed she was normal. But when a genetically-advanced military officer shows up in her village and questions her identity, long-buried secrets begin to emerge. With remarkable skills and a shocking genetic code the Core and its enemies will do anything to obtain, Willow suddenly finds the freedom she craves slipping through her fingers. Greed, corruption, and genetic tampering threaten every aspect of her existence as she's thrust, unwilling, into the sophisticated culture of the elite Core city. To ensure peace, she must leave the past behind, marry a man she's never met, and submit to the authority of a relentless officer with a hidden agenda of his own.

Her life has become a dangerous game. How much will she sacrifice in order to win?

About the author:

C.L. Denault is a speculative fiction writer who loves dreaming up tales of adventure and intrigue. A former systems analyst, she gave up her nerdy code-writing skills to care for her family (including a son with special needs), and currently lives among the vast stretches of cornfields in Illinois.

Writing stories and posting on The INFJ Café are her biggest passions, along with drinking coffee and watching sci-fi. When she’s not hanging out with her husband and kids, she can usually be found at a library or tucked away in the shadowy corner of a hip coffeehouse. She’s also been glimpsed sneaking into her garage, late at night, to work on her time machine.

Her debut novel, Gambit, is the first in a Young Adult dystopian series.

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