I found a list of fantastic fantasy titles for you to fill your Christmas stockings with for you and your reading buddies!
Path of a Novice
Book I in the best-selling epic fantasy series The Silvan Saga.
A fearless young warrior elf with a shrouded past. An implacable traitor to the throne. The path towards a destiny only a god foresaw.
A young immortal embarks on his first patrol as a Silvan novice warrior. As he learns to survive in a land plagued with Deviants and Sand Lords, unknown allies strive to protect him from dangers he has yet to understand.
As he enters the Deep Forest for the first time, the Silvan puts his martial skills to the test. But things don’t go quite the way he planned when an arcane power begins to emerge.
Under the guidance of his captain and lieutenant, the Silvan battles to control his new gift, while stepping upon a path of revelations. His unanswered questions from childhood will be answered. Now, all he must do is trust the right people, and stay away from the wrong ones.
But where does that path lead? What is its final destination? Can the Silvan come to understand who he is – what he is? And if he can, will he ever accept his destiny?
If you love high fantasy worlds with compelling characters on a dangerous mission, read Path of a Novice, the first instalment in the international best-selling epic fantasy series, The Silvan Saga. For fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, David Eddings and Robin Hobb.
A stoic warrior-maiden and a villainous priest-king make the most unlikely alliance in the history of the five kingdoms.
When a rescue attempt to save a clutch of dragon eggs from the soul mages goes terribly wrong, Warrior-Priestess Verdria of High Rock finds herself on the wrong side of a portal, deep in enemy territory.
She soon learns she’s in the heart of the soul mage’s empire and when Honryn, the future priest-king of the mages, takes a liking to Verdria and saves her life, she’s pretty sure she’s facing down a ‘fate worse than death’ scenario.
Just when she thinks things can’t get any worse, Priest-King Honryn introduces her to the Royal Court of the Soul Mages, the most morally corrupt and bloodthirsty court in existence.
Life is cheap. Souls are currency.
And Verdria has caught the fancy of the young priest-king, and while he doesn’t want to steal her soul, he’s set on winning her heart.
And she’s equally set on having his heart, after she’s carved it out of his chest.
But when she discovers Honryn’s most monstrous secret, a secret he’s even hiding from his fellow soul mages, she’s moved to pity and offers to aid him.
Three siblings. Two shoemakers. One curse that could change everything. Once upon a time… All Alba ever wanted was to be the royal shoemaker, like her father. But her despicable brothers have a very different future planned for her. When a good deed backfires, leaving her cursed for her brothers’ crimes while the real culprits walk free, Alba will be forced to fight for her freedom, or face losing her dream forever. Can Alba and her new allies bring the true villains to justice?
Milky white ghosts form a fog around Arrow’s every step as she tries to come to grips with her father’s death by the same woman who orchestrated her mother’s death. She begins to crawl out with the help of those around her, only to realize they are looking for her to lead them.
The Iceland’s are as barren and cold as the stories portray them to be. Will the search for sanctuary prove to be too much, or will the rogues who roam wild without an alpha or pack be a far greater threat than anybody could have anticipated?
When it is noticed that Rekker is following the Greenwood and captures someone close to Arrow, revenge boils her blood.
As hard truths come to light, bringing more questions, Arrow’s trust in Einri is threatened. As if that’s not enough, the King of Brural reaches out wanting to form an alliance against Asena but Arrow is suspicious.
Can Einri and Arrow overcome their trust issues and form an alliance for the betterment of the Greenwood?
If you love fairytale retellings, enemies-to-lovers tropes, werewolves and all their issues this book is for you! Fans of Casey L. Bond, Kiersten White, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and Colleen Hoover will love this fast paced Little Red Riding Hood/Robin Hood mashup!
The first time she knew real happiness was when she found out that the man who raised her wasn’t her real father. She knew that there couldn’t be monsters in the world that were any worse than the monster she had called ‘daddy’ for most of her life. Then she stumbled into the world of demons.
The Demon King knew the second his fated mate had been brought into the world. After living years too numerous to count, it meant little to him other than to keep him from living as he had. He now belonged to only one female – and he would have to wait years for her to mature enough to matter.
How stupid and vain he had been to think that his fated wouldn’t matter. The very moment she entered his club he knew he had been wrong to ignore fate.
She was his. And he was going to destroy everyone that hurt her, even if he had to burn the Earth realm to the ground.
Thanks to the likes of Stephenie Meyers, Cassandra Clare, and Sarah J Mass adults enjoyed the captivating worlds these stars of YA Fantasy created for teenagers and adults. I am a huge fan of YA fiction and I have to say the content that YA books are putting out these days are smart, funny, and emotionally driven – they tick all the boxes. But sometimes I just can’t see a teenager taking on the task set out in the book or living such a grown-up life, with such huge life decisions to make. Some of the YA books I have read seem to be directed at an adult way of thinking because we all know adults love YA books. Another part of me feels ignorant for I do not want to question our teenager’s emotional maturity. There are perimeters YA books have to stick to from a publishers point of view, so I am glad for that.
Here are a few Bold YA books for adults…..
The Cursebound Thief: A Contemporary Fantasy Heist
The world wants a hero. The curse needs a thief.
The party of the decade stands between Jerek Holden and saving the people he would do anything to protect. After twelve years, he’s finally found a way to break the curse that ripped all magic from the world and destroyed the peace that took generations to build. All he needs is one, simple artifact. But he can’t steal the heliostone alone.
A girl with a soul of fire. A vampire bound by a vow. A werewolf bent on revenge. A knight torn between honor and duty. A hacker to keep them all alive.
The fate of magic lies in their hands―if they can survive long enough to pull off the heist of the century.
A dangerous deal with the devil gives one witch more than she bargained for…
Prue is an earth witch, blessed with power from the Triple Goddess. Still mourning the loss of her twin sister, Prue summons the devil himself from the Underworld, intent on bringing her sister back from the dead. But when she meets him—a handsome man named Cyrus—he is more deadly and alluring than she anticipated. Prue tricks him into binding his blood with hers, granting her access to his powers over the dead.
But the bond also unlocks the gates to the Underworld, unleashing the spirits within.
Now Cyrus is bound to her in more ways than one.
Desperate to close the gates and save the mortal realm from unholy destruction, Prue and Cyrus must work together to undo their bargain. But against her better judgment, Prue is enthralled by his seductive nature, and she finds herself falling for the devil himself.
This fantasy romance is a Hades and Persephone retelling with a twist, full of steamy romance, dark paranormal themes, and allusions to Greek mythology. Perfect for fans of Kingdom of the Wicked and A Touch of Darkness.
Despite owning a magic shop, having to play it safe by keeping a low profile on her talents has caused Fancy’s life to fall short of the mystical adventure she hoped for. Until a detective from the Nightwatch sauntered in. Detective Walker is as hot as they come and has a powerful need… for Fancy’s unique abilities.
Learning she can see magic and decipher its purpose, Walker seeks her help in discovering the origins of an artifact that had recently been discovered. Drawn to the item, Fancy is compelled to uncover all its secrets when she accidentally activates it with a simple touch. Its magic grabs ahold of her and refuses to let go.
Now, the Hellhounds and reapers hired to track down the artifact have marked her as a target. Nothing will stop them from claiming their prize. As the magnetic pull of a true mate bond begins to form between Fancy and Walker, they find themselves catapulted into a race for their lives. Can they unlock the mysteries of the artifact in time to save Fancy? Or will the truths they uncover thrust them into a nightmare they can never escape?
A magical prince wants to date me, but there’s one big problem.
This prince has claws.
Everyone at Shadow Hills Academy desires the dark and powerful Jarron Blackthorn. But I’m the only one who has seen the terrifying beast beneath his magical façade.
When my sister is murdered, and the case mysteriously dropped, I know where to begin my own investigation—Shadow Hills Academy, an elite school for supernaturals. Technically, I have zero magic, but just enough skills with potions to be accepted. Now I have the means to get close to the most likely culprits—powerful people like the demon prince Jarron.
I was friends with Jarron years ago, before I saw his true form, but I’m still shocked when he reacts to news of my sister’s death with a fierce determination for vengeance. He has an insane plan to help me get access to Elite Hall, where the most powerful students reside—by pretending to date me.
Dating a demon was NOT how I expected this year to start, but his plan will work. Hang on the arm of Jarron Blackthorn, the heir of the Under World, and everyone in school will be so desperate for my friendship they’ll spill their darkest secrets.
I just have to make sure Jarron never learns he is my number one suspect.
A memory thief. A magical dragonfly. A deadly plot against the Queen. Will Jane become a dark fae’s victim, or has the monster met his match?
★ 2020 MOONBEAM AWARD GOLD MEDALIST ★ 2020 B.R.A.G. MEDALLION RECIPIENT ★ RECIPIENT OF READERS’ FAVORITE’S FIVE-STAR SEAL
Jane Shackle is a young maid haunted by visions who is tapped to protect Queen Victoria by Fayte Guardians, a shadowy group of castle servants that claim a powerful ally from the fae realm.
But is she really hunting a killer, as she’s been told? Or is she merely a pawn in their plot?
Jane must use her wits and master her abilities—with help from a peculiar dragonfly—to uncover the truth, save the crown, and ultimately confront an otherworldly enemy driven to destroy them all.
DRAGONFLY MAID is the start of a thrilling dark fantasy adventure series that weaves captivating mystery into the hidden corners of history and keeps you spellbound. If you like clever heroines, beastly villains, and a slow-burn romance tangled up in magical realms, then you’ll love this enchanting series from best-selling author D.D. Croix.
This post is inspired by a few online friends I have noticed are going through a really dark time. And even though I find myself not in my ideal spot, these friends made me realize a philosophy of mine I have preached but not lived for a long time. I won’t go into detail about my trials for the past three years, but let’s just say the devil is coming at me guns blazing.
I have struggled with depression all my life because of fibromyalgia and I was always been deadly afraid of where my mind could and does take me. But one day I realized that in the darkness, in the struggle (and I had all kinds of struggles growing up, and still do.) that it is where I am supposed to be at that moment. We feel like why God…. why should everything go wrong all at the same time? I believe it is to show you just how strong you really are. That it takes that huge of a challenge to try and bring you down. But I also believe down is a place where everyone needs to be at times, sometimes a million times, because that is when you surrender all your fight and let something bigger than you come in when all defenses are down and really – that’s when the work and change begins.
I have learned not to be afraid of the slump but to question each negative thought or emotion in realizing there lies an opportunity in that state of mind too. It might not take as quick as you want or need to get out of your slump, but it happens when you are ready. And when it happens life and everything and everyone in it will hold so much meaning in the aftermath.
Do not be afraid to cry – cry hard and long. The chemicals released are all toxins you have emotionally, spiritually and physically held onto – it’s made you sick!
Get the anger out in the healthiest way you know how, or ask around for some options, if you want to let it out on your own, there are many articles on the internet on the subject, I am sure.
Take days to yourself, even if you lay in bed all day.
Stop feeling guilty. These days people are so caught up in their own mess, hardly anyone notices the hot mess you are. But always find someone to talk or vent to. I started writing for just this reason, to connect with people. To write stories with characters readers can relate to and learn a little from their journey.
Should you ever feel the need to talk, get me on facebook , I am here for you!
“You!” The hunter yells, a mocking tone spoiling his otherwise serious demeanor. “I will break that girly body of yours in two before you can even throw a punch.”
“Why not come here and show me then?”
Judging by the bulk and height of the hunter, Jonathan knows he probably doesn’t stand a chance, but to him it is also a known fact, men of size are slow, and lack endurance, he’d just have to outsmart him.
A landslide of stones and sand accompanies the hurried progression of the hunter down the river bank toward Jonathan, giving chase to the erratic beat of Jonathan’s heart. The smell of the young warrior’s blood growing stronger, and Jonathan is certain the boy caught in the trap does not have much time before he bleeds out. Jonathan rushes towards the hunter, now in attack mode.
The sun in full rise glistens off the rapids, causing him temporary blindness. Jonathon changes direction causing the hunter to alter pace and direction so that the gleam is now in his advantage and working against the hunter. With only a moment to make an impact he runs at the brute, ducks beneath the bulking fist swinging his way and strikes at the tall hunter’s knees with one swift kick. Jonathan drifts over loose pebbles and dry sand before coming to a stop. The hunter stumbles for a moment, and Jonathan gives a low swooping kick from behind, thrusting the hunter’s already faltering feet out from under him. As the hunter comes down, Jonathan grabs a large stone, cartwheeling over the sprawled out man, and manages to come down with a stoned fist to the man’s temple. He then jumps out of reach and waits, but the man does not get up as he expects. He watches in surprise as a fast flow of blood stains the riverbed and streams between pebbles. Jonathan is too shocked to gag at the sight of blood. “It worked?” He realizes with a cold jolt to his core, dark tendrils of fear threatening to choke him – did he just kill a man? Anchored to the spot pure shock courses through him and his eyes meet the Native’s – brown eyes both relieved and surprised. Jonathan’s gaze hits the dead hunter’s body one more time, “Of course it worked.” He mumbles to himself and discards the stone. When he looks over to the brown eyed boy he notices him struggling viciously trying to free himself from the trap, about to strike down with his machete to sever his leg.
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Her damn feelings got in the way of doing her job, and now, her coven has marked her for death. To stay alive, she has no choice but to turn to the very person she was meant to kill. Reid.
To make things worse, her witch magic is returning and it’s interfering with her invisibility, something she desperately needs to find out what happened to her sister.
Hiding Tasha among his pack has Reid questioning his hatred for her kind, while pretending to be her mate has him questioning his own sanity. What happens when fake feelings morph into something more? Something real and dangerous?
They’re so close to finding out the secrets behind the Redcliff Pack and the Buson witches—so close—but the truth will not only be painful…
It’ll end up changing everything.
Get swept up in all the action and romance with Wolf Tamer, the second book in the Moon Kissed Series by Harper A. Brooks!
Vampires, Werewolves, and Werebears, Oh my! Ciara Steele’s life is far from normal and it gets even more complicated when she receives a promotion at work. Her ability to See people is somehow common knowledge and not everyone is happy that she can See them. She is faced with one of the toughest decisions of her life as her future is offered on the head of the man she loves.
They aren’t nice, and they aren’t trying to get along.
The fae, shifters, and humans of this world are not one big happy family, and in this massive collection of new fantasy romance tales from 19 authors, their worlds are about to collide. There won’t just be danger; there will be an all out war.
Whether meeting shifters, witches, engaging in duels, stolen brides and arranged marriages, or navigating the worlds of magic that are at war with worlds of man, these books from today’s New York Times, USA Today, and new and upcoming authors are sure to blur the lines between the seelie and unseelie.
Now only one question remains: Can our heroes and heroines prove that love knows no difference between the winter and summer courts before they tear each other apart?
Join the Wyld Hunt and explore the mystic forces of Faery as fate calls unlikely lovers to each other with primal magnetism. This collection includes academy romance, enemies to lovers, urban fantasy, retold classics, friends to lovers, and all new fare.
One thing is certain: these are not your childhood fairy tales. Scroll up and one-click to secure your copy of Faeted Mates right now.
This fantasy series is perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas, Holly Black, and K.F. Breene and features full-length fantasy romance stories of various heat levels.
A Love so Lonely, from Award-winning, International, and USA Today bestselling author, Carlyle LaBuschagne
Lina Tokar knows exactly the day she will die and the manner. Born stillborn, her parents made a deadly deal to save her life. The cost? Her father’s life in exchange for her, and on her Twentieth birthday, Prince Leif of Purgatory will reap her soul –his last pure soul to deliver unto the Queen to set him and his cursed Kingdom free… A week before her birthday Lina and her best friend Jonathan save a mysterious warrior’s life. In return, he gifts them a piece of a powerful artifact that may help her with her problem. In one of five pieces, Lina sets forth a plan to save herself and free Prince Leif from his 700-year curse. The problem is that there are powerful men who want the artifact and will kill anyone who gets in their way and the people they love. Easy enough for an innocent gypsy girl in the 1600’s right?
A Love so Lonely is perfect for The Originals and Six of Crows fans.
Call of the Wolves: A Paranormal Urban Fantasy Shapeshifter Romance
A dead body. A forbidden attraction. An impending war.
Magic enforcement agent Alyssa Crawford is called to a murder scene involving a dead shifter in hopes her fire magic can help solve the case. Instead, she finds herself dragged back into dealing with the same shifter pack she hoped never to encounter again.
The victim of the magical crime belongs to the Walker Pack—a gang of shifters Alyssa swore she would never get involved in again after Marcus Walker broke her heart. But after conducting a sweep and finding no other clues, Alyssa must find Marcus and accept his help..
Alyssa and Marcus dive deeper into the case, only to be thrust to the forefront of a war they want no part in. And if they can’t set aside both their differences and their growing attraction to each other, they’ll fail to uncover the killer before he strikes again.
Some of my author peers and I have come together to bring you
Michelle A. Bailey’s Summertime Bookbub Builder Giveaway!
Follow some amazing authors on Bookbub and social media for a chance to win a $300 Amazon gift card! The more you follow the more chances you have to win! You can also come back every day for special tasks that will earn you daily entry points!
Stand a chance to win $100 with Adrienne Woods and her newest title up on Pre-Order. Enter the giveaway today.
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To enter is simple. Follow the authors on their preferred social media.
The winner will be chosen on the 2nd of September 2022.
To be a good writer you have to be obsessed with stories, and to become a better writer you have to constantly feed your thirst for better storytelling. Because English is not my first Language (Afrikaans is) I have to constantly read new books to learn the written word better – so I am always on the hunt for new reads and I end up falling in love with the stories and have to share them with you all before I forget about them. So here are my newly discovered worlds for this month. It is also my duty as an avid reader to share good story lines with you!
SHE THOUGHT THERE COULD BE NO FUTURE FOR SOMEONE LIKE HER UNTIL SOMETHING BLOOMED IN HER HEART – A PHOENIX. Disabled and rejected in her community, Sersha has never had a best friend. Until one day, a phoenix enters her world, tied to her heart in a way no one can break. Now, this great fiery beast has adopted her as his best friend and he wants to take her away from the world she’s known until now. But Sersha’s village is in trouble and unless she can learn to work with her phoenix friend right now, they might both lose the future they were counting on. Will Sersha’s big heart be enough to forge a bond between them?
For lovers of DRAGON SCHOOL, CROWN OF FEATHERS, DRAGON RIDERS OF PERN and HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE comes a new serial novella series from USA Today bestselling author, Sarah K. L. Wilson, sure to fill you with the love of adventure and bright hope.
Gods May Cry: A Monster Romance (Monsters of the Dark Fae Book 1)
The Woods are… Monstrous, Dark and Deep.
Not all fae are pretty…some are frightening. Claws, thorns, and tentacles. Nightmares from shadow. I was promised to the worst of them all.
The Prince of Death.
He comes to my dreams, devours me at night. He means to consume every part of me. But my broken heart sings to him as it calls to the other hellish creatures who crave me too.
My family were the ones who stole dark magic from the Unseelie fae. For seven years, my blood and sacrifices are supposed to pay the price. But the spark between us holds a secret.
It runs through my veins. Power only a queen should have. Twisted. Dormant. Dangerous.
Humans aren’t meant to be divine.
The Monsters of the Dark Fae will hunt me down. The Starless Royals will bathe in my blood. The Sluagh will consume me.
But Gods may cry, the deadly host shall rise, and the world will weep…
A missing King, a headstrong Prince, and a Queen who can’t see past her grief makes for a bad combination.
The tension between the Unseelie and Seelie has turned into a full out war, one that Cora is unprepared to handle. With less than a year of training under her belt, she’s forced into the fight while trying to keep a level head for both herself and the prince, a nearly impossible task. They’re constantly torn between their blossoming love and the war that’s growing each day.
When Noah makes the terrible decision to hunt down the King alone, Cora must see him safely to the frontlines of the Seelie army, although the journey is more dangerous than either of them bargained for. Especially when finding the King means crossing the border into the Dragon Lands as well.
Noah and Cora are stronger together, especially when they have each other’s backs in battle. But when death is on the line, and an eerie truth is revealed, will their love be strong enough to give the Unseelie a fighting chance in Faerie?
Fans of Bella Forrest and Stephenie Meyer will devour this new-adult, paranormal romance!
Heart of the Hunted: A deliciously dark, romantic Snow White retelling. (ADULT)
Autumn’s future is on the line when a courier never shows up to retrieve weapons her family created for nobles of a northern kingdom, and those nobles dislike waiting. With no choice, Autumn sets out to deliver them herself, but she’s never been outside the kingdom of Lohr and the country of Catalan is riddled with dark magic. Creatures long extinct have attacked villages, and her journey quickly becomes more about survival than adventure.
The Queen has ordered Sahlyn to bring her Autumn’s heart after the mirror conjured her vision, but the young woman nearly plunges a blade through his instead. That is, after she saves his life.
With a life debt owed, Sahlyn produces a plan to trick the queen into thinking he’s killed the girl. Despite the repercussions his failure will bring him, he lets the maiden go free.
Sparks fly when they are reunited on a perilous quest to find a legendary weapon that will end the queen’s murderous reign, once and for all.
If you are anything like me, you never stop collecting a pile of have-to-read next books. I came across these newish books I put on my reading pile and I think you should check them out too!
SHE THOUGHT THERE COULD BE NO FUTURE FOR SOMEONE LIKE HER UNTIL SOMETHING BLOOMED IN HER HEART – A PHOENIX. Disabled and rejected in her community, Sersha has never had a best friend. Until one day, a phoenix enters her world, tied to her heart in a way no one can break. Now, this great fiery beast has adopted her as his best friend and he wants to take her away from the world she’s known until now. But Sersha’s village is in trouble and unless she can learn to work with her phoenix friend right now, they might both lose the future they were counting on. Will Sersha’s big heart be enough to forge a bond between them?
For lovers of DRAGON SCHOOL, CROWN OF FEATHERS, DRAGON RIDERS OF PERN and HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE comes a new serial novella series from USA Today bestselling author, Sarah K. L. Wilson, sure to fill you with the love of adventure and bright hope.
Not all fae are pretty…some are frightening. Claws, thorns, and tentacles. Nightmares from shadow. I was promised to the worst of them all.
The Prince of Death.
He comes to my dreams, devours me at night. He means to consume every part of me. But my broken heart sings to him as it calls to the other hellish creatures who crave me too.
My family were the ones who stole dark magic from the Unseelie fae. For seven years, my blood and sacrifices are supposed to pay the price. But the spark between us holds a secret.
It runs through my veins. Power only a queen should have. Twisted. Dormant. Dangerous.
Humans aren’t meant to be divine.
The Monsters of the Dark Fae will hunt me down. The Starless Royals will bathe in my blood. The Sluagh will consume me.
But Gods may cry, the deadly host shall rise, and the world will weep…
A missing King, a headstrong Prince, and a Queen who can’t see past her grief makes for a bad combination.
The tension between the Unseelie and Seelie has turned into a full out war, one that Cora is unprepared to handle. With less than a year of training under her belt, she’s forced into the fight while trying to keep a level head for both herself and the prince, a nearly impossible task. They’re constantly torn between their blossoming love and the war that’s growing each day.
When Noah makes the terrible decision to hunt down the King alone, Cora must see him safely to the frontlines of the Seelie army, although the journey is more dangerous than either of them bargained for. Especially when finding the King means crossing the border into the Dragon Lands as well.
Here is my temp inspiration board. Temp, because this book has so many things going on all at the same time . So keep following my posts to find out how the story develops closer to release day November 18.
A love so Lonely is on Pre-order yes, but that doesn’t mean I stop developing and crafting my book until the last minute.
In the distance, a luminous crescent moon hangs bright over rooftops of the town and glistens off the river that snaked through the valley, past the harbor, where the ships dock. From her position upon the hill, she can see right over the tall, wooden walls of the town, count all the steeples that makes up the town’s city center of New Amsterdam with a massive structure made of stone rising up in the middle.
Violet tucks a strand of a rebellious dark curl of hair behind her ear, slowly walking around the tree, taking in the sweet, soft smell of jasmine that grows at the base of the oak. She lays her bag down on top of a big tree root, protecting it from the muddy ground. At her excitement, she begins to hum a tune, the sounds of which originates in Hungary.
Violet twirls in the breeze, her colorful skirts and beads splaying around her before she sits down on the moss-covered bark of enormous roots that come up from the ground to form a labyrinth. A soft rumble over the ocean beyond the city echoes over the sleeping town. She takes a band from her arm and ties her hair as a gust of wind whips it over her face, her bangles chiming dying down as she sits quietly in wait. Then she hears the slight snap of a branch. She manages to get to her feet on time and reaches for her dagger. But a blade is already at her throat.
Her enraged fist comes out, connecting with the attacker’s stomach behind her, and her head snaps back, hitting against her attacker’s nose really hard. She spins around with stars in her eyes and blurry vision, readying herself for a fight and kicks out, blindly
“It’s me,” Ladin shouts, one hand covering his nose, the other impeding her kick.
But as excited as she is to see him, she’s still fueled with enough anger to kick out one more time, connecting with Ladin’s hip, and manages to drive him a few paces away from her.
“My lady, if it were not me?” he explains, wiping at his bloody nose.
With her hand on her hip, she scolds him, “I would have evaded the brute, and you know that.”
“You probably would, you have a great teac—” Ladin stops mid-sentence staring at Violet, taken back by her beauty. She is the same Violet with eyes so blue they shine nearly purple beneath the shimmer of stars. Her dark brown hair longer, thicker, and streaked with gold. Womanhood suites her well, he muses.
When Ladin advances toward her, Violet moves back, the light of the moon casting an ethereal glow onto her dark olive skin. But she seems different to him since they last saw each other nearly eight months ago. Her body fuller, her skin glistening. Her lips lusher, and dare he say her bust even bigger beneath her hooded cloak, the button straining to hold the two sides together.
Still half in battle stance, Violet smiles at him as he gawks at her. “Hey, eyes up here, mister.”
“Violetta.”
His lips curl into a smile so bright it lights up her heart, “I’m going to regret telling you my full name.” She says with the shake of her head.
When a bolt of lightning zaps through the sky over the ocean, a shiver rakes over her. Violet looks up at the branches of the oak as the moonlight seems to light up the yellow, orange, brown, and red autumn-colored leaves like heavenly fire.
“Ladin.” She stops a hairsbreadth away, savoring each moment as her new life unfolds around her.
He takes her into his arms and looks up into the tree with her. “Do you remember our first meeting?”
“How can I forget such a handsome face? It was beneath this very tree we met, Ladin.”
He bows and kissed her hand. “I want to hear all about it.”
“Very well,” she teases, pretending to be shy, her eyes still gazing up at the heavenly lit tree.
“A boy coming of age, who fought off a rabid bobcat from stealing a young lady’s dinner.”
He pulls a face. “Ladies don’t climb trees.”
Their eyes meet. Violet hushes him with her hand covering his mouth, so she may continue their playful re-enactment. “She had climbed the tree with her daily hunt of squirrel and berries, chased by a fervent, gigantic bobcat up the tree. Young, innocent girl at fourteen years of age, she sat screaming at the cat from the top of a branch when a voice came from the shadowed forest a few paces away.”
“‘You think you are going to scare a wild animal off by throwing twigs and berries at it?’” he added, reanimating the scene and his very words that day.
She swings away from Ladin and keeps with the story, her bangles creating music to their play. “The young girl pulled a strange face at the boy’s sudden interruption, quickly feeling silly about her choice of action against the wild cat ‘If I had a knife…’ she spat back at the stranger.”
Ladin follows her around the tree and listens as Violet spins into him with a serious face to emphasize the drama.
“The words hadn’t left her mouth yet when the shine of the handsome boy’s blade caught her eye the same moment his blade left his hand. She yelled for him to stop.”
Ladin continues, “Startled by the girl’s outrage, he missed his target, the blade stuck in the tree.” He huffed, running his hand over the gash in the tree stump. Ladin smiles, cocks his head to the side as he replays his action of that day. “‘I wasn’t going to kill the animal,’ the dashing, brave, selfless stranger said to the young girl.”
Violet rolls her eyes at his ego.
Ladin bows before her, stretching out his hand “Then the stranger did something that made him even more desirable. ‘You may call me Ladin,’ he had said with a polite bow.”
Violet gives a soft giggle at the memory. “The girl thought the stranger a mad fool with a curtsy and an accent she couldn’t place…”
Ladin pulls a silly face. “And even though her English was so bad, he still found her very interesting, he tells her.” Staring at her back as she playfully walks before him, circling the tree just out of his reach, he says, “The beautiful girl with her wild, cocoa-colored curls and untamed violet eyes sat perched on her haunches on top of the branch, her skirts hiked up her thighs just enough to make the boy’s mind …”
Violet shoots him a look over her shoulder. “Even with her raw catch in her lap, the blood and berries staining and stinking up her dress?” she asks incredulously, interfering with his retelling.
Ladin pulls Violet toward him, her back to his chest as he gently takes her head and places it against his shoulder and undoes the one button holding her cloak. He exposes her neck and takes in the smell of her vanilla scent. With his hand gliding down the nape of her neck and down her shoulders, he adds, “Even then, she smelt of love.” He whispers.
“You are crazy,” she says out loud, feeling the desire roil inside her stomach at his tender touch.
“I missed the way you smell, the way you feel,” he moans into her ear as she lay back into him, her body aching with desire as she presses her curves to his.
“And I you.” She maneuvers her head so that their lips meet. But when she feels his hands on her body, moving down toward her hips, she whirls around and kisses him fully on the lips, leaving enough space between them to drive him crazy.
Her hands pull through his tousled blonde hair laying a kiss on her bottom lip, he gives a small growl.
“You approve,” she speaks as their lips part.
He gives a wicked grin. “You know I do.” His fingers grasping at her corset when he notices she wasn’t wearing one. Then, if it were possible, his grin grows even wider.
“Oh, I see your intentions, young lady, coming here half undressed.” His eyes flash with equal desire as their gazes meet. “What would your Anya say if she knew the youngest of her daughters roam the forest so undone?” He snatches at her as she tries to move away.
“You have been practicing your Hungarian,” she approves with a smirk.
“Now come here…” he says when Violet climbs a big, protruding root and stands fully in the moonlight.
Her hands wipe down the front of her skirts and exposes her new figure. As her hand pulls the fabric tight over her abdomen, Ladin stops dead in his tracks, his arms falling to his sides.
“Violet,” is all he manages upon seeing the bump. He knows the curves of her so well. Had etched each arc, line, and feel of her into his mind before each departure. At night, out in the vast, lonely expanses of the ocean, he remembered and replayed her from memory. His act of remembrance— his savior when the ocean threatened to devour the entire crew. He moves closer, his hand hovering over her belly. “Ours?”
She nods, too ecstatic to be upset that he’d think otherwise. Violet sees his face change as he tries to calculate how far along she is.
“Thirty-nine more days to go,” she answers for him, grabbing both his hands and places them on her belly.
“How?” his eyes remain on her bump.
Her laughter echoes into the forest. “For an educated man, you sure are stupid.”
“And for a Hungarian girl,” he retorts, “You sure know a whole lot of English insults.”
With both his hands, Ladin takes Violet’s face and kisses her on the cheek, then the other, then moves toward her mouth before saying, “Do your parents know?”
She shakes her head. “You know what that would mean for them. If the band finds out about my affair with someone outside…” She swallows at the chilling thought. “The consequences would fall onto my parents. They would suffer the disgrace of being shamed and punished. My father would be tormented with a good daily flogging for the remainder of his life. Mamma stripped of her musical instruments and sent to work in the fields. They would not be able to support my siblings.” She looks away, almost feeling ashamed. “They should not have to suffer for our love.”
“What are we to do?” He turns her face gently to study her gaze.
Violet, in turn, moves out of his grip. With her hands on her hips, she scowls at him. “Make an honest woman out of me.” She stomps her foot for good measure, not caring that the mud splashes up on her skirts.
With a soft smile, he takes her by her hand and leads her to a protruding tree root. “Come sit,”
“I’m not dying Ladin, I am with child, your child.” She lets him lead her to sit anyway.
“We need to think about this, Violet.” He lets her sit on his lap as his hand caresses the small of her back.
She sits cradled there, feeling all excitement drain away, replaced by cold, hard anger. “What is there to think about? I am to have this child.”
“If the captain finds out, Violet, do you know what they would do to you, regardless if you are with child? They will violently violate you to prove to me that you are not mine to have. The names they would call you…” He pales, his already pasty complexion turning almost see-through as his mind transports him to a very dark place. His shoulders slump, his hands leave her body, and he stares up at the moon, his mind drifting away. “I wasn’t ready for this yet.”
Violet suddenly jumps up from his lap. “Oh, I see,” she sneers, her voice barely a whisper as her heart threatens to tear itself apart and swallow her whole.
He stands, grabs her, and crushes his lips to hers. “I love you,” he admits quickly.
She pulls away, almost tasting his fear, and sees the dark determination clouding his amber eyes.
“I will make this right. I will find a way to revoke…”
. “What are you talking about?”
“I thought I had time, Violet.” He paces before her, then stops to stare at her again. “I had it all planned out. I was going to give it another year.” He paces again. “There must be some way to undo…” Although his gaze meet hers, he looks right through her.
“Ladin.” Violet’s voice takes on a serious tone.
Ladin had never been so happy in his life, but the timing is not on his side. His mind a frenzy, he continues pacing when Violet makes her way to intersect his path. “Speak to me.”
He smiles, his hands gliding over her petite shoulders. “I don’t mean to scare you.” Noting the worry in her gaze. “I will never let any harm come your way.” He cups her face between his palms.
She half-smiles, but the hesitation is still there in the brightness of her violet eyes.
, “You are the most beautiful woman in all the lands.”
“You lie,” she blushes. “Have you seen my backside? This baby sure likes cake.”
His hand grabs her bottom with a wide smile. “It’s perfect.”
Her hand cups his. “As is yours.”
Ladin chuckles. “You have been practicing your English.”
“I’m sure the animals know how to speak it by now.”
He lets go of her and grants her the gift of a little peck on her forehead.
“Ladin,” she takes in his fisted hands. “Will you tell me what is going on with you? You are avoiding something of importance.” Her head tilts to the side. “Beside of fact that you cannot handle the news of our child.” Her brow arches in accusation.
“Besides. My love, it’s besides the fact…”
She shoots him a hard glare.
There was no sugar coating it. “I joined The Brotherhood,” he says flatly, knowing not to prolong the issue any longer in fear of Violet’s temper.
Her arms cross over her chest as she narrows her eyes on him. “Why would you do that, Ladin? Even after what you had discovered from them?”
Ladin had not the patience nor the heart to address her bad grammar. His head hangs in shame while he shuffles mud around with one boot. He looks up at her through dark lashes and a tilted chin. “They made an offer I could not refuse.” There is a coldness to his tone, and Violet can see some measure of torment in the angular shapes of his features. The shadows from the night cast darker circles under his eyes, causing the hard constructs of his cheekbones to become more prominent.
“What does this mean for us?” her voice comes out shaky.
“Security, for you, our children,” his eyes on her belly, “for your parents, too.” He grabs her hand. “We could have everything we want.” It sounds to her more like he was repeating someone else’s words rather than his own.
“At what cost, Ladin? I don’t have a year. It comes down to tonight.”
The first time she knew real happiness was when she found out that the man who raised her wasn’t her real father.
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