Terah Edun's Blog, page 7

Sworn To Vengeance: Courtlight #7 – Second Chapter

Wow, if I knew this weekend would be this busy with posts and flurries of emails and excitement I would have stocked up on iced coffee ahead of time. ^.^ Without further ado, here is the SECOND chapter for Sworn To Vengeance: Courtlight #7. I’m back in the game and focusing on my primary readers. I can’t thank you all enough for the support, love, and emails. The book is coming along and the translations/library efforts don’t need as much of my time now.

A REMINDER that this is a first glance at CHAPTER TWO for Sworn To Vengeance. It hasn’t been edited or seen by my betas yet. I’m letting you all read it first. Hope you enjoy and the book is worth the wait!

Also a very cool picture to share. Check out SWORN TO VENGEANCE: COURTLIGHT #7 outselling GEORGE R.R. MARTIN on iBooks. Yes, that’s right! Sworn To Vengeance hit the Top 100 on iBooks Overall and the Top 5 in Science Fiction & Fantasy!

If you’d like to read CHAPTER ONE first, go here!

 

Suddenly the wind shifted in their direction and Ciardis heard a voice say “It’s time!”

She couldn’t readily identify who the voice belonged to, but she was pretty sure it was one of the soldiers. He sounded young but sure.

Surer than I’ll ever be about this, she thought with a moment of envy.

Turning around she silently walked forward so that she stood shoulder-to-shoulder in a small circle of individuals. She couldn’t see who it was that stood immediately to her right or left but she could hazard a guess…a guess she’d be willing to stake her life on.

Perhaps I’m not as unsure as I thought.

She could feel Sebastian’s presence to the right of her, singing to her like a bright flute on a summer’s day. Entrancing but closed off. Sebastian could close his mind all he wanted. So could Thanar. But they couldn’t close off their presence. Just as she could feel Sebastian’s bright and strong aura near her, she could sense Thanar’s denser if not darker miasma of power just across the circle.

Three steps. Maybe four…and I could… she thought to herself before snapping out of it. Could what? She didn’t know. She didn’t know if she wanted to slap the daemoni prince or kiss him. She didn’t know if he deserved to die or deserved to be free. Free from a promise to the Weathervane family. Free to pursue other obligations.

It was actually kind of scary to think of what else Thanar would consider an obligation.

Ciardis flashed back to the words he had flung at her the day they had arrived at the palace of the former empress, Sebastian’s mother, “You don’t know half of me, Ciardis Weathervane.”

At the time Thanar’s mood had been playful, teasing even.

And now? Now Thanar reminded her of a caged beast just waiting for an opening. An opening that would allow to devour them all and escape into the night. Not the most wonderful thing to think of when discussing the person you were soul-bonded to. But then again it was Thanar, when was anything ever normal with him?

Still. Ciardis thought. We have to try to make this work. For the empire. For its people. We need him to destroy that god.

At least she thought she did. The truth was they didn’t know if they could destroy it. They had hope. Hope and allies.

Besides which Thanar had been right. She didn’t. She didn’t know a thing about him other than what she had observed in the short time since he’d elected to journey with them from the North. It felt like forever.

Yet it also feels as if it was only yesterday when I stood over his bloodied body trapped in a cage. Head shorn. Wings damaged.

Even now she couldn’t decide if he had deserved said punishment. He’d ordered his family to their deaths. He’d killed hundreds of refugees. And yet – it wasn’t up to the soldiers in the field to decide his fate. That was for the courts of Sandrin and their emperor-on-high to preside over.

He was conundrum. A mystery. A Pandora’s Box that she was eighty percent sure she should lock away in a trunk and tossed chained into the sea. That Pandora ’s Box spoke up in the next second, “I assume that your plan doesn’t call for us to stand in the dark like idiots for the night. I can see, but as far as I can tell the rest of you are as blinds as bats.”

Christian cleared his throat off to her left somewhere and said, “Do you intend to help with that?”

“Say please,” was Thanar’s self-satisfied response.

Ciardis felt herself rolling her eyes before she could respond.

“Enough Thanar,” said Ciardis in disgust.

She saw the glowing ball in the palm of his hand flash bright, bright enough for her wince just as a smirk appeared on his face and the ball which had been the size of his palm dimmed and shrunk until it was barely bigger than his thumb.

“Those weren’t the magic words,” the daemoni prince said in a slow purr that had a distinctive edge.

Ciardis glared. If he thought she was going to kowtow to him he had another thing coming.

A snort from her right told her just what Sebastian thought of Thanar’s antics. Curiously though, the prince heir said not a word aloud.

“Really?” said the shaman who had accompanied them on this mission in disgust. “This is how we’ll defeat the enemy down there? By acting like children.”

Ciardis felt her edge of her lips tilt up slightly in satisfaction. It sounded like the shaman’s fascination with the bat-winged idiot was disappearing as fast as a bird in quicksand.

“The two groups down there are not the enemy,” said Terris – her voice wavering just a bit. “They’re just in our way.”

Ciardis grimaced. It wouldn’t do to seem uncertain. Not with this group of alpha idiots that was only a team by the farthest stretch of the word.

“You don’t know what they are and what they aren’t,” the shaman snapped. “My people have lived with these desert dwellers as neighbors for centuries. They’ll rob you blind and rape your grandmother before opening your chest to feed the desert with your blood.”

“An exaggeration, wouldn’t you say?” one of the soldiers murmured.

“I wouldn’t,” Rachael said. “You, who come from far lands, have no idea what the peoples of the grasslands and the deserts have endured.”

“No, no we don’t,” interrupted Sebastian, “And while relevant that isn’t the time for this discussion.”

“It never is,” said Thanar in a low, mocking tone.

Ciardis heard Sebastian shift beside her as the rustle of weapons leaving sheathes sounded in the air. Sebastian’s or his soldiers, she didn’t know.

Before this could get uglier, Ciardis said, “Enough.”

She grimaced. It was an echo of what she’d said earlier. The same phrase that had started this whole discussion in the first place.

Eager to move on Ciardis tilted her head and said to Sebastian, “Please. Let’s just get through this.”

It was both a warning and a plea.

But her words became harsher when she pitched her voice slightly louder to say, “And you, soldier, sheath your weapons. We have one enemy in our mist and it isn’t someone with bat wings.”

For a moment there was silence, and then the sound of a sword hilt hitting a metal guard met her ears.

She didn’t sigh in relief, but her shoulders definitely slumped with the release of tension. She had been waiting to see if they would follow her orders. She was sure Sebastian had been too.

Terris said wryly, “Now that our mini-breakdown is done. Who’s up for a little sand-hunting?”

A second soldier pipped up, “A little what?”

Ciardis had the exact same question on her mind.

Terris said again, “Sand-hunting. A past time of our friend over here and one that we’re going to be adept at before dawn.”

“And what exactly is sand-hunting?” asked Sebastian. His voice was cool.

Ciardis wanted to search his face to see what he was hiding behind a detached tone, but she couldn’t in the darkness.

As if reading her thoughts Terris said, “Thanar, Rachael if you please.”

Without a sniping comment, unusual for Thanar, he flicked his hand forward, tossing the tiny marble-like ball of light he’d been flicking between his fingers into the center of the group.

Ciardis guess the ‘please’ had done its job. As soon as the small ball of light hit he center, the shaman called up a similar ball which she’d doused before and let it join his side-by-side.

“Shaman, daemoni prince,” Terris said cautiously, “If you wouldn’t mind giving control of those mage lights to the Muareg please. Imbue them with a bit of lasting power if you can.”

Thanar raised an eyebrow, one that Ciardis could see was calculating because of the new source of light in their center.

Rachael opened her mouth and closed it abruptly as if she had thought to say something and changed her mind.

With an abrupt movement of her hand, the shaman pushed her light into Thanar’s until a ball triple the size of his original light floated in their midst – casting a strong glow that was mostly concealed by the bodies surrounding in a circle.

The Muareg, once apart from the circle and within it, took two steps further forward from the position he maintained just in front of the two soldiers acting as his guard.

His face was still covered with flowing linen as he said in a reedy voice, “If I may?”

He gestured at the ball of light.

Terris waved him forward and they all watched with cautious impatience as he reached forward to grab the larger mage light.

Grab wasn’t exactly the right term, Ciardis thought as she unconsciously bit her lower lip and watched his movements with narrowed eyes.

Instead she could see that he was resting his hands just to the left and right of the flowing orb. As soon as he did strings of energy leapt out from his palms to connect with the mage light in the center.

Ciardis blinked and her eyes flicked over to gauge the shaman’s reaction almost reluctantly. Ciardis needed to know how Rachael felt at this moment, even if she disliked her and she had her reasons to, the shaman was the foremost expert on the being in front of them all. Especially since Raisa had clammed up like a mussel since night had fallen. At least the light had one good use so far. It finally made the nuances of everyone’s facial expression visible in the night once more. Unfortunately for Ciardis, the shaman who stood to Thanar’s left and across the circle from Ciardis had an impenetrable gaze. It was like watching water flowing down a glass pane from the inside, she couldn’t touch her thoughts or emotions. Just a steady reflection of contemplation.

Ciardis grimaced and had the uncharitable thought that if everyone in the group continued to keep to themselves like this, they’d be worse off than when they’d first come. Reluctantly she dragged her gaze away from the shaman and the perplexing dragon ambassador next to her and back to the Muareg with lightning jumping from his palm to the mage light and back again. Slowly the mage light began to waver. Ciardis assumed that meant the sand dweller was taking control of the magical essence that formed the ball.

As it wavered the light stretched and dimmed into a soft glow. The glow spread out like putty between the Muareg’s fingertips until lightning no longer spread between his palms and instead a web of power lay on a horizontal plane as if he had spent the afternoon weaving a glowing net of silvery white light.

“What’s he doing?” Christian finally demanded.

Terris spoke then, “We know where the camps are, we just have to get down into the sand plains undetected and through their security perimeters before the sun rises.”

“And this will help us do that how?” Ciardis asked cautiously.

This time Ciardis could hear a smile on Terris’s face without turning to the right to catch her friend’s expression, “By giving us a map which will allow us to thread the needle of Hamunse.”

Ciardis felt confusion rise in her chest as she dragged her gaze away from the glowing web between the Muareg’s fingertips and up into the enraged vision of a dragon whose eyes had transformed from a calm human-like gaze to the red slits of a Sahalian enraged.

“I’m guessing you object,” Ciardis said quietly. She wasn’t even sure she knew what the dragon was objecting to. A theory? A magical trick? An unknown path.

“You guessed right,” said the dragon ambassador with a snarl.

Ciardis and Raisa turned to Terris at the same time to watch the woman known as Kithwalker impatiently toss her beaded braids over her shoulder with a shrug.

“I don’t care if you object,” Terris said with an uncharacteristic bravado that had Ciardis’s eyebrows raising in awe. It wasn’t often that you saw someone bluffing a dragon. Not someone who wanted to live anyway.

Terris continued as she pointed back to the center of the group with the nod of her head, “Because that will not only get us between those two groups but inside the walls of Kifar with no blood shed.”

What exactly is that? Ciardis wondered.

Before she could blink something started to happen with the flattened plane of light and Ciardis’s eyes widened as she let out an involuntary gasp. She watched as the silver web solidified and raised above the Muareg’s hands like an architect’s rendering made of the moon’s rays.

Buildings rose between and over his palms. An entire landscape of dunes and walls appeared to encase his hands. It spread with quick precision and they all watched as a beacon of light emitted from the tallest building in the city straight towards Ciardis Weathervane.

It stopped inches away from her chest and the straight line frayed into a network of fragments. A path of light now lay before her and the glowing city in the Muareg’s palm. A light that led directly from the dune they now stood on, down through the valley of armed brigands, and up under the miniature version of the walled city of Kifar.

 

 

 

The post Sworn To Vengeance: Courtlight #7 – Second Chapter appeared first on Terah Edun.

BIG Announcement: Librarians & Teachers – This One Is For You

This summer, I was given the opportunity to get the entire Courtlight series into libraries, classrooms, and independent bookstores across the country. In partnership with one of the biggest literary agencies in the U.S. market, I am reaching out to the amazing classrooms and libraries across the U.S. in order to make Courtlight available to readers and individuals in their markets. Libraries and teachers deserve so much love and are crucial parts of the literary community. Now those same pillars can order the entire Courtlight series (brand new edits included) for their patrons and collections in their favorite classroom, middle or high school library, or local library.

Direct through OverDrive, 3M Cloud Library, and Ingram – the premier catalog services for librarians and teachers – Courtlight Books 1-6 are now available in eBook format and soon to be paperback + case-laminate hardcover. This series has sold over 100,000 English-language copies and melds intricate story lines with remarkable characters and unforgettable magic. It is available for only $2.99 to your local library – yes, you read that right – with no repurchase fee. Appropriate for ages 12 – 19 and Grades 7 -12. Further information on content can be found on the Resources For Librarians page. For the librarians and teachers with a limited budget, I’m offering a free paperback for your catalog with every eBook purchased plus a prize pack (see below for details).

Sworn To Raise | Sworn To Transfer | Sworn To Conflict | Sworn To Secrecy | Sworn To Defiance | Sworn To Ascension

So this is what I spent most of June/July doing – working feverishly around the clock to update manuscripts with a new proofreader, formatting new EPUB files for libraries-only, and setting up an access system to libraries. That and working with translators, proofreaders and copywriters in three languages to get Courtlight up for a global release.

 

 

Librarians and Schoolteachers, please fill out this form and expect a Courtlight Librarian Order + Prize Package & Information in the mail. No gimmicks. I just need your name, job title, library/school name, and mailing address. U.S. only at this time!

In My Inbox: Letters from Readers, Sworn To Vengeance Imposter! & Assorted Goodies

Hi Readers,

I usually post In My Inbox on my TUMBLR account – located here – POST 1, POST 2, POST 3 etc. But I thought I’d try something different and post them on my blog as well. Here’s some of emails I’ve gotten recently and my responses as well as goodies in the mail.

LETTER ONE FROM GAIL:

It’s hard for me to believe you have given up on or put off Courtlight 7.

That’s what it kind of feels like to us.

I know you are working on the Spanish version of Courtlight and other things.

But…. I think it would be a smarter move for you to work on the new book.

It feels to your loyal readers that you have forgotten about us, and given up on Ciardis and Sebastian.

I wish you might post an update somewhere about book 7 (facebook, twitter, blog)

ANSWER FROM TERAH:

I haven’t forgotten about my core readership Gail! But you’re right I haven’t been releasing as quickly as I have in the past. I’m trying to do so many things at once and I’m only one person. Luckily, I now have a great team of individuals who are helping me move forward. After reading your impassioned letter I couldn’t not try to re-prioritize my days. I’ve passed on CHAPTER TWO of SWORN TO VENGEANCE: COURTLIGHT #7 to Rachel (my Author Assistant) and she’s sharing it in The Guild (the Facebook Fan/Reader Group) as well as select quotes from the rest of the manuscript in the coming days. Rachel has direct access as I’m writing and editing now, so you won’t have to wait for extras or tidbits for long and the book will release quicker.

LETTER TWO FROM SRI:

Just wanted to inform you that the for iTunes, when I pre-ordered your book 7 for the court light series and downloaded it, it gave me book 6. Not sure if I’m supposed to contact you or apple but thought it was worth a shot!

ANSWER FROM TERAH:

First of all, a huge thank you to Sri and six other readers who emailed me at 1:00am to tell me there was a problem. I can’t tell you how amazing that it is.

Second – This was completely my fault and I’m incredibly sorry that you were disappointed like that. It’s been a crazy week, a crazy month, a crazy summer. READ MY NEXT POST to see at least partly why. But I’ve been working on translations for three languages, a new library program, and closing out two bundles for 27 other authors so I’ve been working like a madwoman to clear my plate. All of these objectives are something that I LOVE DEARLY and I’m so excited about. I can’t wait to see wait for you see what I’ve been planning but in the meantime Vengeance got accidentally pushed aside. (Not anymore though – see Letter One lol).

My apologies all that I forgot to change the pre-order on iBooks for Sworn To Vengeance on iBooks (that’s totally on me), and some of the copies have already gone out. Fortunately its NOT an unfinished copy of Courtlight #7 but instead the prequel book. I’m working with iBooks to edit this and I really appreciate the 7 readers who emailed in the dead of night to let me know. Your support and dedication is simply amazing. I’ll update you when I know what will happen regarding the pre-order but email me terahedun.ya@gmail.com or Rachel at assitant@terahedun.com to get a personal response before then.

LETTER THREE FROM AMBER:

I was wondering if you give out book swag and / or how to go about getting book marks? Plus I was wondering where I could get autograph copies of your books I have them all on the nook but I would love actual books to hold.

ANSWER FROM TERAH:

Thanks for the email! I do give out book swag. Just send an email to assistant@terahedun.com with your physical mailing address and I’ll get some plus bookmarks over to you.

I’ll be having a few signed copies of the first four Courtlight books available through my website in August so look out for that as well!

—

ASSORTED GOODIES

I’m putting together mailers for libraries across the country and this is what table in the dining room looks like as the process is under way –

[PICTURE TO COME WHEN I HAVE DAYLIGHT]

The post In My Inbox: Letters from Readers, Sworn To Vengeance Imposter! & Assorted Goodies appeared first on Terah Edun.

The Courtlight Bash of Summer 2015 – Pandora Jewelry, Swag, and More!

The Courtlight Series has sold over one hundred thousand copies and in thanks – I’m doing a giveaway to end all giveaways! 


 

WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, RACHEL AND I, WELCOME YOU TO THE 2015 #COURTLIGHTBASH






WHERE: Global access baby, if you’re online anywhere in the world, you can WIN!

WHEN: July 11th – 25th, 2015, winner announced on the 31st!


WHAT CAN I WIN: Well, I’m so glad you asked! (All prizes INTERNATIONAL)

GRAND PRIZE #1: Pandora Ring

 

SECOND PRIZE: Three Courtlight Bracelets






THIRD PRIZE: Thirty Courtlight SWAG PACKS

 
SO. ARE. YOU. READY?!




Here are the rules:

There are MANY prizes and only ONE way to get the Pandora Ring.

To win the grand prize PANDORA RING, one of 1 or to win one of thirty-three Courtlight Bracelets and/or Swag Packs:

Join the Rafflecopter for #CourtlightBash! : 

a Rafflecopter giveaway



All prizes awarded on July 31st!

————————————

Not quite sure how you got to this page or who I am?

Try the Courtlight series out and tell me what you think: SMARTURL.IT/CBSDEAL

About the Author New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Terah Edun is a young adult fantasy writer that writes the stories that she always loved to read as a young girl. Her Courtlight and Crown Service series can be seen on the USA Today Happily Ever After blog.

You can interact with this bestselling author at: www.facebook.com/TerahEdunAuthor

 

The post The Courtlight Bash of Summer 2015 – Pandora Jewelry, Swag, and More! appeared first on Terah Edun.

The Blades Of Magic Audiobook is going on tour

Stop by these blogs from June 29th – July 3rd for quotes, thoughts, and critiques.

June Giveaway – Winners Get Awesome Swag!

Hey all – I’m hosting a JUNE GIVEAWAY of some awesome swag packs. I know I have some crazy awesome readers and talented artists out there. Soooooooooo, I was wondering how you’d feel about creating some fanart and/or Youtube videos on why you love the Courtlights so much?? Pleeeeease. Pwerdy please. ^.^

For every person who posts a 30-second video on Youtube this month OR shares their artistic skills with the world by posting fanart on TUMBLR – I will send them one of these gorgeous swag packs. ANYWHERE in the world.

 

Here are the rules:

Have fun! Open internationally.
If its a Youtube video, you have to show at least one of the Courtlight covers on your eReader or have a print copy. But it can be a book review, a 30-second scream fest, a discussion of the series, surprise me!
If its fan-art anything goes – photoshop, handdrawn, any skill level is cool. But it has to be relevant to the series. Tumblr tag = Terah Edun

Here’s how you enter:

Email a link to your fanart post on social media or Youtube video to Rachel, assistant (at) terahedun (dot) com. All entries should be in by June 25th! If there’s enough I’ll post the winners at the end of the month.

P.S.:

If I get more than five entries, I’ll not only post the winners of the swag packs BUT ALSO pick one grand prize winner who will receive one item of their choice from my store – TERAH EDUN STORE. How’s that for incentive?

The post June Giveaway – Winners Get Awesome Swag! appeared first on Terah Edun.

Sworn To Vengeance: Courtlight #7 – First Chapter

Time seems to have gotten away with me on this book. But I’m fast at work on it now! No release date to announce yet but I do have a very nice excerpt to share and a very cool shot of the exclusive pre-order that was promoted to the entire iBooks store on their science fiction & fantasy page. You can still pre-order Sworn To Vengeance on iBooks and only there! It will release on all retailers though. Now check out the blurb below before you read the excerpt!

Ciardis Weathervane is nothing if not resourceful but she and her friends are running out of time and options. They stand at the westernmost edge of the Algardis Empire with a mission from their emperor – bring home the collar that will stop a god in its tracks or die trying.

But nothing is ever that simple. In their way stands thousands of people trapped inside a walled city for half a century. With the souls of the living and the corpses of the damned, the denizens of Kifar have become the living undead.

What’s worse than confronting the undead? Learning that those poor souls blame the imperial family for their predicament. Now the city and its people want retribution and the only thing they will accept is the sacrifice of the empire’s most famous son – Sebastian Athanos Algardis.

He will stand trial for the crimes of his bloodline and it will take more than diplomacy for Ciardis to win his freedom, before a reign of fire comes down from the wyvern and the dragon to burn them all.

——

Also keep in mind that this is pre-beta readers and pre-edits, so content may change.

Without further ado, the first chapter of SWORN TO VENGEANCE: COURTLIGHT #7. Hope you enjoy the first look! ^.^

Ciardis Weathervane stared at the dying embers of the campfire in front of her. Her body was still. If you looked at her face you would think that she was calm. Serene even. She wanted it to seem that way. Only two people in this encampment could read her mind at any point in time and at this moment they both were consciously doing their utmost best to not slip into her thoughts. Ciardis didn’t think it was out of respect that Thanar and Sebastian were keeping their mind-to-mind magic to a limit. But she had to admit, it didn’t seem to be out of petty vindictiveness either. Instead, she and they were at an odd impasse. One that required more effort that any of them were willing to put in at the moment to solve. After all, that effort would actually require them to voice their thoughts on the bond and even worse, do something about it. What that something was Ciardis had the feeling that none of them yet knew. But the push for change had been growing like a slowly rising tide ever since they had left Sandrin.

But it wasn’t yet to the point where it had to be addressed or they’d drown as sure as a fisherman with a cracked boat would. Which suited her just fine. They all had enough things to worry about and despite Christian’s tirade and Vana’s admonishments they weren’t in danger of dying from the strained bond. Not yet anyway. They were however about to be surrounded by the enemy, literally, so Ciardis could be forgiven if her mind was rather preoccupied with more pressing matters of life and death. She pursed her mouth into a thin line and she thought about the tension, no, not tension, the sense of nervous energy in the air. They were getting ready for another adventure. A new one. For some that meant they finally had a plan and a purpose. Terris, the shaman and the soldiers fell into that camp. Eager to move forward. For others, it meant that they were walking into a danger that they couldn’t quite assess. Ciardis, Sebastian, and Christian fell into that one. The worried camp. She didn’t like walking into anything blind, even if she was following the leadership of a friend.

Especially so, Ciardis thought dryly, If Terris dies because of this I’ll never forgive myself.

Ciardis turned to eye the one individual whose thoughts were unknown. Thanar. He had barely strung two words together since they’d gathered at the edge of the ruins two hours ago. She couldn’t hear his thoughts either and so she wasn’t sure if he was angry at the plan, at her or at the world. For now, she’d assume a little bit of each and keep her distance. He didn’t look very approachable anyway. He sat close enough to the small fire pit to see his work in front as he dragged a whetstone over a sharp curved blade. It was a scimitar he’d managed to purloin from one of the soldiers with a whispered promise…or threat, she wasn’t sure which. It could have easily been both since the man had turned as pale as a ghost as Thanar walked away with one of the soldier’s secondary weapons.

At least the soldier didn’t necessarily need the weapon, Ciardis thought with no little guilt. She had no idea why she felt so guilty though, it wasn’t like she was in charge of Thanar. That was her mother’s job.

Now the daemoni prince sat glaring at said weapon with an intensity hot enough to set fire to the steel if he was so inclined. Fortunately, he wasn’t. Instead of melted metal dripping down his fingers, the sharp scrap of the whetstone against the blade filled the air of their small enclave like the sound of nails on a brass wall. Far from soothing. But by the set of his shoulders and the determination of his gaze, the person who tried to pry the weapon from Thanar’s hands would lose more than an arm.

Just watching Thanar made Ciardis’s shoulders ache. She reached up with her unburdened left arm to massage the right. It was sore. In fact her entire upper body felt like a bruise. She wasn’t sure if that was from falling down a sand dune, fighting a group of Muareg on arrival, or sleeping on a stone floor. All three possibly.

But she wouldn’t complain. Because everyone else was in the same situation. Besides they weren’t here for a vacation, they were here on a diplomatic mission that could save their empire. She could live with a few sore muscles.

What she couldn’t live with was the thought of walking into a trap. But they didn’t have much choice. They didn’t have the time or the capability to travel around the encamped groups at the base of the valley. So they had to go through them.

“Threading the eyes of the needle as Terris said,” Ciardis whispered.

If this tactic went wrong, and she still wasn’t exactly sure how they planned on threading the needle without being seen, then they would be pitted against a couple thousands individuals that she’d much rather just avoid.

But it wasn’t just what they were walking immediately into that had Ciardis concerned.

It’s what comes after, she thought as she wiped a finger across the edge of her brow. For a moment she expected to feel sweat on her skin. But just the touch of her parched flesh, dry from a noonday sun and little hydration, met her fingers. She wasn’t surprised. More of an afterthought to remember that here, unlike the cool sea coast of Sandrin or the bitter cold of the North, the humidity in the air was nonexistent and moisture was a wishful thought. Probably the reason that there were no flora or fauna for miles. As the sun disappeared on the horizon and even their campfire smoldered into oblivion, her ability to see more than a few feet in front of her diminished to inches as she watched. They were slipping into the darkness that would cloak them in shadows as they raced across the sand. Hopefully undetected.

She pushed her fingers back into her hair impatiently, catching stray curls as she did so and threading them with stiff fingers into the nest of her hair. As she stopped fidgeting Ciardis closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and listened. Just for a moment. She heard the low whistle of wind as it flowed across sand dunes and around the broken ruin walls that housed their daylight camping spot.

She cocked her ear to the left at the final crackle of a dying fire. Then the low murmurs of a group of voices to her right caught her attention. They were discussing something. She couldn’t quite hear what and she was too grounded in this spot, with the wind in her hair and the sand beneath her booted feet to move over towards them.

It was probably important. Probably.

She opened her eyes, exhaled and looked up as another cool wind whipped around the columns with a burst of energy—throwing sand straight into her face. She grimaced as soon more sand whipped along her bare arms. Nothing about that felt particularly good. The little grains stung, but at least it wasn’t in her eyes. Add that to the cool temperature in the air and this little sojourn was turning out to be a delight.

Ciardis had to crack a wry smile. Who would have imagined being cold in the desert. But as she certainly knew now, it was possible.

She thought about how she felt. Despite the trepidation and energy around her, inwardly she felt calm. Not as serene as she’d like to project but calmer than she had been before previous circumstances of similarly dire straits.  And because she’d encountered plans like this before, she knew her mental state for what it was. She knew that it was the calm before the storm. She couldn’t avoid it or temper it. She could only acknowledge what was to come and prepare. The entire group felt on edge. And why shouldn’t they? They were about to invade enemy territory with little more than a few knives and swords between them and at least a thousand trained marauders in their way.

The tightness in her belly grew stronger. It just added to the wariness she already felt about their mission and the secret they had uncovered. Or rather the secret that they had been told. Their captive, the male known as ‘the Muareg’, hadn’t minced words about what awaited them in the city of Kifar.

So even if by some miracle we get through these marauder camps unscathed, we still have a city that not only has been locked away for half a century to deal with but now the possibility of something I hadn’t even thought about since I was in the forests of Ameles has arisen. Death magic, she thought to herself wryly while exhaling with a tense breath.

To be fair, what she had been dealing with in Ameles was shadow magic or the ability to control the shadows and the shades that inhabited bodies. But she had had one fatal encounter with a necromancer on that journey, fatal for him that is. All of which had left her with an aversion to death magic of any kind, let alone the type that allowed the dead to live again.

As she looked out of the corner of her eye, Ciardis spotted Sebastian staring at her with an inquisitive look. He didn’t say anything but the gaze was enough to tell her he was wondering why she was staring off into space. So Ciardis shook her head abruptly to clear her thoughts.

Focus, she chanted to herself. One thing at a time.

With her back to the edge of the steep embankment that led down into the valley she noticed that everyone was finally prepared to leave. They’d been ready for hours. But they couldn’t put Terris’s plan into action and thread the needle until full darkness had fallen. And with it came the stealthy way forward they needed.

In front of her the soldier smothered the orange glow from the remaining embers by kicking sand tersely over it. Ciardis watched the glow die and mage lights emerge all around her. Thanar held one light like a pet orb in center of his palm. Rachel had another hovering just over her shoulder.

Ciardis felt her brow furrow as she shivered. This time not from just the cold. She shook her shoulders to shrug off the feeling. It was true that the cold air of the desert night was giving her the shivers, but it was the foreboding feeling in the pit of her stomach that gave her the most unease.

Biting the bottom of her lip, she accepted a bundle of brown cloth from Christian as he walked over to her and left the convened group behind.

Taking her gaze from the steep slope that led down into the valley and the two groups of marauders that stood between them and Kifar, Ciardis gave the koreschie a small smile.

“Last minute preparations?” she asked

“As always.”

She laughed. It was a bitter one the she couldn’t help as the bad feeling in the pit of her stomach grew.

“Nervous?” he said quietly as he handed over a small bronze clasp. Looking at it and shaking out the musty bundle of cloth he’d given her, she realized it was a cloak and the fastening pin for the nape of her neck.

“About?” she said.

She heard the chuckle in his voice which she ignored to see why everyone in their group was suddenly standing on the edge of the embankment. She turned back to the vision that currently had their entire group enthralled. The campfires of their enemies had become visible as soon as dusk hit. And there were a lot of them. What had seemed improbable just hours before, seemed downright impossible now. How were they supposed to slip between two camps that has many fires burning as there were visible stars in the sky. Or so it seemed.

Beside her she felt the sand shift around her boots as Christian took firmer footing on the vista that it seemed everyone had gathered silently to stare from.

Finally he replied, “Are you more nervous about threading the eye of that needle…or what we’ll find on the other side?”

“I’m…not sure.”

“Try.”

“What does it matter,” she said harshly.

As soon as she said it she regretted it. Not the words themselves. The tone. She sounded more anxious than a high-strung mare facing down a pack of wolves.

But to his credit Christian didn’t comment on that.

He did, however, say, “Sometimes the greatest fear is admitting the fear itself.”

Ciardis replied, “Tell me that again when we’re facing down a satyr with mind-wielding powers or a god of destruction. I’m sure it’ll be helpful.”

She tightened her hand on the rough staff in her right palm almost involuntarily. Yes, she was scared. But she didn’t have to admit it every second. She wouldn’t. She needed to be brave. They all needed to be brave.

“I agree we need to be brave,” Christian said.

“Did I say that aloud?” Ciardis murmured startled. “What I meant was—“

 “You were right,” Christian interjected.

Ciardis blinked and turned to eye him with no little surprise. “About what?”

Christian snorted. “That perhaps…admitting the fear serves no purpose at this time.”

“Will wonders never cease?” Ciardis said.

Christian shook her head. “For you? No.”

Ciardis punched him in the shoulder and he broke the tense atmosphere with a hearty laugh.

She couldn’t help it, she responded with a chuckle of her own.

“We’ve been in worse situations,” Ciardis said reluctantly.

“Yes, we have.”

“And we survived.”

“For the most part,” said Christian diplomatically.

Ciardis sighed. “Yes, well we’ll just have to keep pushing through.”

He looked down at her with a raised eyebrow as she looked up at him.

“Through these trials I meant,” she murmured.

He nodded. “What else is on your mind?”

Ciardis opened her mouth to answer and then swallowed hastily before clamping her mouth shut.

“Ciardis,” he prodded.

“Alright, fine,” she said harshly, “You can’t tell me that even the mighty koreschie, killer and healer, doesn’t have some reservations about this plan.”

This time he laughed. “I would never dream of it. In fact, I’m terrified.”

“Of what awaits us behind the city walls?” Ciardis asked curiously.

“Of the people who await us in the valley below,” Christian.

Ciardis blinked. That wasn’t the answer she’d been expecting. Granted, she did fear the marauders. But that’s all they were. Thieves. Scoundrels. Human ones.

She’s rather face a thousand immoral humans, than one hundred undead ones.

And it was the undead that awaited them in Kifar.

The post Sworn To Vengeance: Courtlight #7 – First Chapter appeared first on Terah Edun.

Crossing Worlds Launch + $100 Giftcard / Kindle Fire

Step into fantastical realms with the Crossing Worlds YA StoryBundle – Young Adult fiction guaranteed to entertain all ages!

Do you miss that sense of wonder your favorite books used to give you; the fast-paced and exciting reads that would suck you in and not let you go?

Welcome to the newest StoryBundle, where nine top-notch authors bring you tales of adventure and courage featuring younger protagonists triumphing over magic and mayhem.

The Authors:

   Anthea Sharp | Julian Rosado-Machain | Steven Savile | Susan Kaye Quinn

     Nic Tatano | Mercedes Lackey | Elle Casey | Emily Casey | Terah Edun

          A great perk of the Storybundle format is that it’s pay what you want.

That’s right. You can go to Storybundle.com/YA and set any amount for all 10 of these fabulous stories. So go ahead, choose your price, grab a bundle, AND enter to win a new Kindle Fire or $100 cash while you’re at it.

Remember, you only have 3 weeks to grab this amazing bundle, and then it’s gone forever.

______________________________________________________________

To kick off the launch of CROSSING WORLDS, the authors are giving a lucky reader the chance to win a KINDLE FIRE HD or a $100 Giftcard!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Crossing Worlds Launch + $100 Giftcard / Kindle Fire appeared first on Terah Edun.

An Introduction to my Assistant – Rachel

Hey Readers,

I felt it was time to do a formal introduction of my new assistant, Rachel. As time has passed, I’ve gotten busier and busier with the business side of writing. That leaves me less time to write in general. To rectify the problem, I’ve decided to work with an assistant in 2015 and boy I’ve already noticed a difference in my ability to be productive and get things done!

Now that I have Rachel by my side things get done quicker with two people on the task. Rachel has been a long-time beta reader for me and friend, so it really was the best combination to bring her onto my team as my assistant. She’s now in charge of my Facebook page, Facebook reader group, giveaways, keeping me on target with my writing, reminding me of project deadlines, and answering any questions you all have. We’ve had two great months to work together before I officially introduced her to you and really have managed to make a seamless work relationship.

You can reach Rachel through my official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/TerahEdunAuthor or by email: assistant@terahedun.com

Now that formal introductions are over, let’s get to the fun part shall we? Rachel has an AWESOME background and story which I think you’ll find fascinating especially if you’re a fan of my CROWN SERVICE series. She’s a lady sword fighter who does combat training in a variety of weapons like longswords. If you don’t know what that is, check out this NY Times story on the art form. How cool is that? Once you finish reading the interview you’ll understand why she’s the perfect assistant and beta reader for me. Hint, not only is she really great at keeping me on track, but is also a practiced fighter who studies herbalism! You’ll see, now read on and please welcome Rachel to the team in the comments!

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Where are you from and what drew you to learn how to fight?

My name is Rachel Westra and in the Society for Creative Anachronism (see here on their mock combats) I’m called Lady Delphina the Bearcat.   I’m from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, but I currently live in Great Britain.

The whole reason I was drawn towards the way of the sword and the path of a warrior was all thanks to a single book, C.S. Lewis’s “The Horse and His Boy” – the first fantasy book I had ever read.   I was immediately hooked and I knew with all of my 8 year old heart that I was going to grow up to be a fighter.   That single book set me on a life-changing path and ten years later when I was 18 I was able to make that dream come true.   Pennants and banners snapping in the breeze, sun glinting off helms and the glitter of gleaming mail coats.   All of this is something I experience now as a tourney fighter with the SCA.

How long have you been training with a sword?

I have been training for the past 13 years, since I was 16 years old.

Are you trained in more than one weapon and/or hand-to-hand combat?

I am trained primarily with sword and shield, however I am also trained and authorized in great sword, glaive, spear, mace and axe.   I have never had any official training for hand-to-hand, but I like to think of myself as a bit of a scrapper.

What’s it like being a woman in a historically male field?

This is somewhat of an interesting topic and I am a bit torn on it truth be told. The bottom line is that I do not see myself as a female fighter.   I am a fighter who happens to be a woman.   Once the helm and armor is donned, there are no allowances made for genders.   On the other side of that coin though, a small part of me is very proud that I am one of the guys and I love to see other women get out there and test their mettle. As a woman that is only 5’2”, I try to be an example to others that size does not matter.   And I will say that I am very grateful to the other woman fighters who have gone before me and paved the way during much harder times, when I may not have been as readily accepted in the shield-wall as I am today.

Note from Terah: I’d like to point out here that Rachel is not the only amazing woman to do medieval combat training just as she says. See this bio on

You once explained that you belonged to a medieval society/organization with a global presence. Tell us more about them!

I belong to a group called the Society for Creative Anachronism, or more commonly referred to as the SCA.   From the website the SCA is an “…international organization dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe. Our “Known World” consists of 19 kingdoms, with over 30,000 members residing in countries around the world. Members, dressed in clothing of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, attend events which feature tournaments, royal courts, feasts, dancing, various classes & workshops, and more”   I have traveled the United States as well as Sweden, Germany, Wales, and England attending events and fighting in tournaments and melees.   The largest event the SCA has can include anywhere from 10,000-15,000 people in attendance and about 5,000 fighters on the field during the melees.

What did you have to do to earn your title? Can you explain the ranking system of the Society for Creative Anachronisms to us?   I have the title of “Lady” it is the most basic of titles and usually the first to be given out to members.   I earned my title by being an active member in the SCA and by helping out as much as I could within my local group and Kingdom.

Is there a female warrior – fictional or non-fictional, that you find inspiring?

Yes, very much so.   You see, even though I had made the decision when I was 8 years old to become a warrior someday, I needed a bit more encouragement that I could do it when I grew older. That is when I was introduced to Alanna the Lioness, by Tamora Pierce. Here was a fictional character who was about the same age as I currently was going through some similar trials and I kept telling myself that if she could do it, I could as well.

For all the women and men out there who want to learn how to wield a sword, where would you suggest they go to learn more?

You can definitely find out if there is a local SCA group close to you and contact them to see when fighter practice would be.   Practice is free and most groups have loaner armor and people willing to help train you and get you started.   I had the good fortune to stumble upon my local SCA group when I was 16. A friend of mine had told me about them and I showed up unannounced to their local fighter practice.   Imagine if you will…there I was, a 16 years old girl with bright blue hair, walking up to a complete group of strangers with all the courage I could muster. A chance to finally realize the dream I had since I was 8. I walked up to them and asked “Are you the SCA?” When they said yes, I said in a determined voice, “Good, I want to fight!”

Can you tell us a little about yourself outside of sword-fighting?

I am 29 years old and currently residing in England.   I am also a college student and am actively pursuing a major in German as well as a certificate to teach English as a second/foreign Language.   I am an avid reader with close to 700 books in my personal library. While they consist mostly of fantasy books, I also have texts on medieval sword fighting techniques, herbalism, mystery, classics, and historical fiction.   Even though I love reading I love video games and hiking just as much!

And that is the end of the interview!

 

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New Terah Edun Store is LIVE

Hi All,

As I mentioned before I was working on setting up a store of branded Courtlight and Crown Service goodies. I’m very picky about the quality of the items I’m willing to sell and these passed the test with flying colors, so even if you don’t want to buy go check them out!

You can now see the store LIVE here: http://terahedun.com/store/

All items are a limited run and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. My next store goodie will be a Crown Service item.

 

The post New Terah Edun Store is LIVE appeared first on Terah Edun.