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    Snake in the Grass
    Snake in the Grass
    Snake in the Grass
    Ebook96 pages1 hour

    Snake in the Grass

    By M.E. Sutton

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    About this ebook

    Things are getting interesting at Tanner Middle School. The only official candidate for student council president is Jaycee’s nemesis, Trina Poppelman. Plus there’s a new girl in school. At first glance, she looks like she’d fit right in with the cheerleaders, but Jaycee senses something different about her.

    Things are getting interesting in Mallory, too. Lady Starla is expecting an Imperial envoy to discuss new taxes. She plans to oppose the measure and asks Lyla to stand by her side in a show of support. However, when the envoy goes missing, the situation becomes a lot more serious than a proposed tax increase.

    In this fourth installment of the Hero’s Sword series, Lyla and Roger hit the road to find a missing envoy before Starla pays the ultimate price for his disappearance. Along the way, Jaycee learns that winning isn’t always the end-game result.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherM.E. Sutton
    Release dateOct 1, 2015
    ISBN9781311515209
    Snake in the Grass
    Author

    M.E. Sutton

    Mary has been making up stories, and creating her own endings for other people's stories, for as long as she can remember. After ten years, she decided that making things up was far more satisfying than writing software manuals, and took the jump into fiction. She writes the HERO'S SWORD middle-grade fantasy series as M.E. Sutton and finds a lot of inspiration in the lives of her own kids. A lifelong mystery fan, she also writes crime fiction, including THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS MYSTERIES, under the pen name Liz Milliron. Her short fiction has been published at Uppagus.com, Mystericale.com, and in LUCKY CHARMS: 12 CRIME TALES (December 2013). Like her LAUREL HIGHLANDS characters, Mary lives in Southwestern PA (but, unfortunately, she doesn't have a dog). She is a member of Sisters in Crime. Visit her on the web at http://marysuttonauthor.com and follow her on Twitter (@mary_sutton73).

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      Book preview

      Snake in the Grass - M.E. Sutton

      SNAKE IN THE GRASS

      Hero’s Sword Vol. 4

      by M.E. Sutton

      Smashwords edition

      Also available in print

      Copyright 2015 Mary Sutton

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Other titles by M.E. Sutton:

      Power Play

      Storm Clouds

      Wedding Bliss

      Fire Storm

      Contents

      CHAPTER ONE

      CHAPTER TWO

      CHAPTER THREE

      CHAPTER FOUR

      CHAPTER FIVE

      CHAPTER SIX

      CHAPTER SEVEN

      CHAPTER EIGHT

      CHAPTER NINE

      CHAPTER TEN

      CHAPTER ELEVEN

      CHAPER TWELVE

      CHAPTER THIRTEEN

      CHAPTER FOURTEEN

      Also available

      About the author

      CHAPTER ONE

      Of all the places at Tanner Middle School, the cafeteria had to be the worst place to try to do anything. The noise I could deal with, but the stink, well, that was something else.

      I looked over the top of my book as Stu dropped his tray down across from me. I wrinkled my nose at the sight of a hunk of mystery meat and potatoes swimming in a puke-colored gravy. Just what in the name of the Empire is that supposed to be?

      According to the menu, it’s meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy, he said. He poked at the mystery meat and then started eating.

      Does it taste better than it looks? I said. My tuna on whole wheat suddenly looked like a feast.

      Not really. Stu gulped some milk and shrugged. But I’m so hungry, I could eat two lunches. You are so lucky your mom packs your lunch. He pointed. You gonna eat those crackers?

      I had planned to eat the crackers but figured Stu’s need was greater than mine. No, go ahead. I pushed the baggie at him. And my mom doesn’t pack my lunch. I do. I get up fifteen minutes early to do it. Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth the effort, but after looking at your tray, I think it is.

      Stu stuffed whole crackers into his mouth and sprayed crumbs as he spoke. I’m too lazy for that. School lunches beat going hungry. He finished the crackers and returned to his tray.

      I guess. I tried to go back to reading, but my attention was drawn to a group of kids clustered around the school announcements bulletin board. Trina Poppelman was in the middle of the group, signing a paper on the board with a giant flourish. Some kids clapped. What the heck is Trina doing?

      Stu looked around. Probably signing up for the special election. His voice was muffled by the food he was chewing. My mom was right. Talking with a mouth full of food was disgusting.

      I’d forgotten about the special election for student council president. Lew Thorndike had moved last week, and Peter Kennedy, the vice president, had flat-out refused to step up. So the principal had decided to hold a special election for president. Trina had jumped at the opportunity for more attention.

      It’s a total waste, you know, said Stu around a mouthful of meatloaf. He swallowed and continued. Trina will win because no one will have the guts to oppose her. And we’ll spend the year talking about weighty topics like the décor for the Christmas formal, fall Homecoming, and spring ball instead of doing something useful, like organizing a student protest to improve the cafeteria food.

      My gaze drifted to a girl sitting off to the side by herself. She had blond hair cut into one of those pixie styles, and her clothes definitely looked trendy, right down to the sparkly ballet flats. She poked at her lunch.

      I pointed at her. Hey, do you know who that is?

      Stu looked in the direction of my finger. Nope. No wait, some new girl. Don’t know her name though.

      She looks lonely.

      She looks like someone who would fit in with the cheerleaders. Stu snorted and turned back to his mystery lunch.

      I watched. Trina flounced over to the girl and said something, an invitation to join the cheerleaders, judging by her hand gestures. But the new girl shook her head. Trina said something else, and her groupies giggled. The girl stood and grabbed her bag, dark pink with silver studs. And you’re pathetic, she said. She stalked out of the cafeteria, dumping her uneaten lunch in the garbage.

      Maybe not, I said, facing Stu. I don’t think Trina scored any points. I need to find that girl to say congrats.

      Stu grunted.

      The lunch bell rang, and I swept up my garbage as Stu frantically stuffed the last of his meatloaf into his mouth. I pitched my trash and Stu returned his tray. As we passed the bulletin board, I could see Trina’s big, loopy signature taking up half of the election sign-up page. So you don’t think anyone will sign up to run against Miss Popular? I stopped at my locker to retrieve the books I needed for next period.

      No way. Stu rolled his eyes. And even if someone did, you know Trina. She’d just bully her opposition into withdrawing or lying down and letting her win.

      Hmm, maybe. I pulled out my math book and slammed my locker door. At least we know what to expect. Meet you after school?

      Nah, I got a dentist appointment, so I’m leaving early. Stu stuck out his tongue. Catch you online later, maybe?

      I glanced at the hall clock. Two minutes to get to math. Yeah, sure. I’ll be on later. Good luck with the dentist. I jogged off to math, arriving just ahead of the late bell.

      If I’d known what was happening in Mallory, I would have skipped math and gone home immediately.

      I’m home. I threw my bag on the floor in the hallway. Silence answered my announcement, and I wandered into the kitchen.

      A bright pink note was stuck to the fridge. Going to Mrs. Baxter’s – Be home around six. Dad is working late. Have a sandwich if you get hungry. Mom.

      Awesome! If Mom was at the Baxters’, I could sneak in a few hours of Hero’s Sword now and do my homework over dinner. I raced to my room and fired up my game console. Almost immediately, I got a message from Stu. You’re on early.

      Mom out, I typed. What happened to dentist?

      Canceled. Let’s go.

      We played for about fifteen minutes before a familiar message popped up on my screen. Lady Starla is in trouble. Do you accept the quest? My stomach leaped. Yes, of course I would accept the quest. I wondered briefly what would happen with Stu when I disappeared, but the thought didn’t last longer than the flash of light after I toggled yes.

      When the glare faded, I was in my familiar clearing, sword at my hip and bow on my back. Yes! I thought.

      "Lyla,

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