Blind Speed Dating #14 (YA)

Title: RETURNING IN TIME

Genre: YA Fantasy

Word Count: 73,000

Query:

Mya dreams of life as a protector – a gifted human who can transform into a powerful winged being able to protect the royal family from danger. Instead she’s a slave in the kitchens, locked in a prison of dirty dishes and decaying food.

As robed magicians sneak into the Montros Kingdom, Mya is serving in the King’s dining room. Her cousin Zale, a protector, removes the King from harm, but dies at the hands of the enemy. Although Mya doesn’t give a rat’s flip about a failed attack on the King, with her sparse family tree she can’t afford to be losing cousins.

After the attackers die, Mya is the only one left standing, with no one to corroborate her story. She flees when the guards discover the attack originated in the servants’ quarters. Although she attempts to hide, a strange pale boy discovers her. The boy, Alistair, confesses that he is a moon, stuck on this planet, who can manipulate time, and he offers her a way back to the past to save Zale.

Though Alistair is uncharacteristically silent about his motives for helping her, he admits that he has taken Mya through time before – only Mya doesn’t remember the experience. Still, Alistair’s cosmic plan to go back in time and save Zale is her only hope – at least that’s what Alistair wants her to believe.

As Mya uncovers more of Alistair’s history, she begins to doubt he is as selfless as he claims. The plot behind the attack on the King is larger than she anticipated, and Mya realizes she may have a lot to gain – or lose – from another foray in time.

First 250:

Write it all down, he said. From the beginning, he said. Stupid Alistair, he didn’t explain why I’m writing this journal. Probably so if I die, he’ll have something interesting to read.

I live – well I guess I lived – in the Mountain Kingdom of Montros until ten days ago when King Darius’ nephew was killed. Was it really only ten days ago? I’m not very good at keeping time straight, so I’m sure this journal will be extremely useful.

As one of the Montros Kingdom’s lowly servants I lived to serve the royal family with joy and diligence in all that I did… though I hoped to do something different. I aspired to be one of the protectors, but I failed my tests. Which was rather stupid and really not my fault. The King’s nephew wasn’t in danger and even if he had been the son of a peck probably deserved to be killed.

All right, maybe that’s a little harsh considering one of the King’s nephews did die… but I’m getting ahead of myself. Should I even bother talking about the attack on the King?

Cripes, if that boy weren’t so beautiful, I wouldn’t do anything he said. There, Alistair, I said you were attractive. I doubt you’re surprised.

I became unwillingly involved in this ten (or eleven?) days ago, when I was stuck serving in the King’s dining room. It was part of my punishment for staying out past curfew to watch the moons cross paths, but they only do that once a year, so I felt justified.