Pure evil rises once again in Albia…
Three years have passed since Baron Reen’s trial. A
terrible accident on the island of his exile has transformed him into a
nightmarish scarecrow creature with dark, mysterious powers. Staging his own
suicide, Reen breaks free of his prison and, with the help of the former queen
Sofira, embarks on a ruthless quest for vengeance against his worst enemy, the
woman responsible for the overthrow of his schemes and his own ruination:
Brynne Sullyan.
Sullyan is tasked with investigating Reen’s suicide.
The missing body and a series of disasters in Port Loxton—a vicious murder, a
brutal ambush, and a devastating fire—raise suspicions in her mind. She probes
deeper, determined to uncover the truth, unsuspecting of the evil that’s about to
be unleashed…
Reviews for this series:
“Cas Peace's Artesans of Albia series immediately sweeps you away to a
world so deftly written. These nesting novels are evocative, hauntingly
real. Smart. Powerful. Compelling.”
Janet E Morris: Bestselling sci-fi and fantasy author of: Thieves World,
The Sacred Band of Stepsons series; the Dream Dancer series; I, the Sun;
Outpassage; The Silistra Quartet; and editor of the Bangsian In Hell
series.
"A thoroughly believable and hauntingly evocative tale portraying one of
the best magical systems ever devised. What are you waiting for? Step
through the veil and immerse yourselves in the worlds of the Artesan
series."
Andrew P. Weston – Author of the internationally bestselling "IX Series"
Top Ten
List
1) Anything to do with animals, especially dogs and
horses. My favorite horse breed is the Friesian, which is why I put one in my
novels. I also own two rescue dogs and support many animal charities.
2) Singing, especially folk-style songs. I also sing
in my local church choir.
3) Chocolate!!
4) Dragons and (I have to admit!) unicorns. I have
collected figurines and statues of dragons and unicorns since I was small and
have a vast collection, some of which live outdoors. But I don’t like “twee”,
only ones that look like they could be real.
5) Reading, especially fantasy and sci-fi.
6) Country walks.
7)All wildlife, especially butterflies. I used to
breed and release UK varieties, and belong to the Butterfly Conservation
Society.
8) Did I mention chocolate?
9) Spending time with family members.
10) Playing my bodhran (Irish drum). I can’t read
music so decided to take up drumming instead! It’s fun and very therapeutic.
Excerpt #5
The Gateway
As they penetrated deeper into Lerric’s palace, Sullyan grew more and more
uneasy. A strange feeling she could not name gnawed at her senses. Partly it
was fury, for this was where her lifemate had breathed his last under
unspeakable torture, and somewhere in this deadly place lurked the monster who
had devoured his soul. Her heart clamored for vengeance; her spirit cried for
mercy.
Yet she could not locate her enemy, and this gave rise to
frustration. Shielded as she was, still she sent forth probes; slim, delicate
slivers of power, just enough to touch a wary mind, just enough to give her
that edge. Failing continually, her fury grew.
She also felt dread, fear, reluctance. The more empty rooms
they searched, the fewer remained. Their quarry was running to ground, and soon
they would unearth him. Except he wasn’t running and they were the quarry.
This aspect of her growing unease affected her the most. The
palace was a trap and she had entered it willingly. She was dancing to another’s tune, and her choices were limited.
Nevertheless, she advanced, caught in this master’s game, compelled by love and justice. Her wounded soul bled
with every step she took.
They remained unchallenged and unhindered throughout the
length of their search. Nothing moved to dismay them, nothing sounded to alert
them. The rooms were all silent, the hallways deserted, no signs of life even
in the private rooms Elias had so recently visited. The men of Sullyan’s company strode at her back, eyes alert,
swords at the ready, muscles tensed for action. Action they were denied until,
at the very last, they came to a large iron-bound door proudly displaying the
hunting dog emblem of client-king Lerric.
Limp standards hung on either side of the door, luxurious
fabrics worked with gold thread suspended from poles of silver. A horn rested
in a niche in the wall, just waiting for the herald to sound it. But the herald
was absent and the standards hung still, cold air whispering about them.
“Lerric’s throne room.” Elias’s body
quivered with tension. He had caught Sullyan’s frustration and the futility of their search so far was
jangling his overstretched nerves. “Anteroom first and then the main hall. It’s large, even by Loxton standards.”
Sullyan didn’t reply and the King cast her a glance, unwilling to intrude
on her thoughts. Her men stood behind her in silence.
Finally, she spoke, her voice sounding distant and ragged. “They await us in the anteroom.”
Elias’s head came up
eagerly, like a hound scenting prey. “The Baron?”
She shook her head, her expression fixed and grim. She
brought up her sword. “His guard.” She turned to Elias and spoke curtly. “Stay by me. Remember your oath.”
It was an unmistakable order and he nodded before turning his
attention back to the door. The others shifted behind him, eager for action;
anything to end this uncertainty. Those carrying torches left them in sconces
or extinguished them. The hallway faded around them.
Wil came abreast of Sullyan and laid one hand on the door,
weapon held ready in the other. Sullyan took a deep breath, held it, let it
out. On the next inhalation, she nodded to Wil, who took hold of the latch and
pushed open the door.
The anteroom was large, as large as Elias’s dining hall. Like the rest of the
palace, it was in darkness, but torchlight from the hallway flickered faintly
on steel deep within the room. The stirring of feet could be heard, the intake
of breath. But no one came to challenge them, no one came to fight. Sullyan let
her fury build. It would seem she would have to carry the fighting to them.
So be it.
“Gentlemen. Let us make an end.”
The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
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