Genre: YA Fantasy,
Paranormal Romance
ISBN: 978-1480029859
Number of pages: 402
Word Count: 100k
Cover Artist: Marc Wolfe
Review copies available on
Netgalley
Book Description:
How
far would you go to save everything you ever loved?
Kaliel
was warned about her love for the Ferryman. One day he will marry the
land and leave Avristar forever. She doesn't listen, and because of
what she is-- a Flame-- one of nine apocalyptic weapons, she sparks a
war. In a desperate attempt to save her home and her love, Kaliel
tries to awaken Avred, not knowing she may have to make the ultimate
sacrifice.
Short
Excerpt
“Sorry
I scared you,” he said.
Kaliel
pressed her lips to her knees, hoping she could hold in her emotions.
“I’m not afraid of you.”
Silence
hung between them for awhile. He shifted on the cloak, the black
tunic he wore shifting with him. He stretched his legs out, and
Kaliel looked at his shin-high boots and breeches. He stole a glance
at her turtle shell. “What are you afraid of?”
Kaliel
stood. “Happy endings.” She didn’t know how else to explain it.
She had contemplated the parable so many times it was exhausting. It
didn’t matter which path she took—neither of them seemed very
appealing. She let the mist soak her sleeves and stick to her skin.
She heard Krishani behind her before he ran his hand down her back
making shivers run up her spine. He stayed there, a foot away, and
she wished he would move closer, envelope her in his arms. He wasn’t
supposed to talk to her. This had to be wrong. What would the
brotherhood think?
“Happy
endings?” he whispered. He sounded both unsure and nervous. “What
do you mean?”
“What
if someone comes?” She was worried Lord Istar would burst through
the trees and find them in this compromising awkwardness. It seemed
more taboo than practically drowning in the lake.
Krishani
let out a breath. “Nobody ever comes here.”
Kaliel
closed her eyes. “You
come here.”
Krishani
took a step forward and she could feel the heat radiating off him.
“All the time.”
She
didn’t answer, instead listening to the sound of the falls.
Moonlight glinted off the flecks of water. She thought about the orb
of ice he created for her. She hadn’t been able to do anything
close to that awesome.
“What
are you thinking?” he asked again.
She
closed her eyes and felt her energy shift; like it had the day she
went to the Great Oak. Heat rushed through her as she leaned back,
trying to feel him, but not trying to force it if it wasn’t what he
wanted. It was clear to her he cared, but she was so worried about
whether or not she should let him.
“My
parable,” she whispered.
He
went rigid, his hand sliding down her upper forearm. “What did the
Oak say to you?”
She
shook her head. “Never mind, I have to figure it out. Both paths
seem so dreary.”
“You seem too sweet to have a bad parable.”
“You seem too sweet to have a bad parable.”
She
didn’t want to talk about the nightmares of the Flames, the
parable, the fact the Brotherhood would disapprove of him touching
her. It felt so natural; the last few moons had been lonely without
him. She couldn’t explain what she felt, but she couldn’t watch
him marry the land and leave the island.
“But
I do,” she said. She drew her hands instinctively to her chest, her
elbows digging into her ribs. He dropped his hand as she turned, and
buried her face in his chest. He reluctantly ran his hands through
her hair, letting them rest on the small of her back.
“I
thought about you every day,” he said as she pressed her cheek into
his tunic.
She
smiled against his shirt. “And I thought about you.”
“Promise
me something?” He wasn’t holding her, not really, their bodies
weren’t pressed together and the inches between them made Kaliel
feel cold.
“What?”
“You’ll
find a happy ending.”
“What
if I can’t?”
He
pulled back and brushed his thumb across her cheek. “Promise me you
will.” His eyes met hers and his jaw dropped. His hand paused,
cupping her face in his palm.
He held her gaze,
her heart beating hard. Before she had time to answer, he pressed his
lips against hers. She didn’t expect him to do that and it was
better than she imagined. She came to life under him, kissing him
back with unyielding passion that made him pull away to seemingly
catch his breath.
Kaliel’s
sadness drained away as he broke from her lips and then cupped her
face with both hands and kissed her again, pressing the length of his
body against her. His kisses made her feel light and giddy, like she
could float into the sky. She slid her hands up his chest and looped
them around his neck. There was swimming in the lake and losing her
breath and then there was this. Being out of breath with him was like
drowning in a sea of happiness. He could keep her prisoner forever
and she’d never complain. He pulled away again, and wound his arms
around her waist, trapping her against him. His lips found hers
again, rough and inexperienced, but strong and satisfying.
She
opened her mouth and his tongue grazed hers, warmth spreading from
her heart to the rest of her body, making her tingle. She smiled
against his lips.
“I
missed you.” She tried to steady her breathing.
Krishani
shook his head and put his hands on either side of her face. “This
is all I want. This and nothing else, ever.” His mouth covered hers
again. He pressed himself against her and she sighed. It felt like
she had known him her entire life and even longer, if longer
even existed.
Images
appeared behind her eyelids—the shape of a boy and a girl wearing
gaudy crowns on their heads. They were painted into parchment, but
they were blurry. She was too elated by Krishani and his lips on hers
to record the images, but they seemed familiar.
And
then everything changed. Krishani pushed his lips against hers one
last time and she felt the shift in her energy dissipate. It was as
though all the joy evaporated, replaced by intense fear. She pushed
him away and tried to understand the pounding in her heart that made
her want to break in half.
Bloom
the weed of temptation.
He
looked confused and shocked. Without a word, she turned and fled
towards the Elmare Castle.
About
the Author:
Rhi
was never a normal girl. Her life was an urban fantasy wrapped in a
paranormal romance and served with a side of horror. To escape her
everyday weirdness she began writing fantasy. She studied at U of
Sedona and MIMT, obtaining a PhD in Metaphysical Science and
Parapsychology. She’s married to a chef/comic book shop owner and
she has a fondness for architecture. She frequents Twitter and Facebook, but if you really want to get to know her you should visit
her website
Thanks for the shout out Freda!
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