L.L. Hunter's Blog, page 14
December 10, 2020
The Broken Realm by Sarah M Credit - Cover Reveal
Title: The Broken Realm
Author: Sarah M. Cradit
Genre: Epic Fantasy, Grimdark Fantasy, Fantasy
Cover Designer: Regina Wamba
Editor: Emily A. Lawrence
Publication Date: March 23rd, 2021
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Blurb:
The treacherous, magical, seductive world of Kingdom of the White Sea, introduced by USA Today bestselling fantasy author Sarah M. Cradit in The Kingless Crown, continues in this thrilling sequel, The Broken Realm.
The crown demanded everything. The kingdom will answer.
Chaos paints the White Kingdom. Missing children, dead nobles, and a daring escape have created an upheaval that threatens the future of the entire realm.
The lords and ladies are armed with a powerful secret weapon as they prepare to make a stand against the crown, but the resistance has plenty to overcome before they can claim triumph. The lord-less Westerlands prepares for war with the formidable Quinlanden Guard spreading their men and cruelty to every corner of their Reach. In the Easterlands, the sorcerer Mortain cultivates his ominous influence over the enslaved Saleen, a decisive threat he could unleash upon the kingdom with a snap of his finger.
To the kingdom, it appears as if these assaults on their freedom are cosigned by the crown. It seems only a matter of time before the king’s victory becomes total.
But from his isolated throne in Duncarrow, King Eoghan has discovered his authority is not absolute. There are other powers at play, as sinister as they are resilient. Those close to him curate the facts he is fed, keeping him tucked away in the dark while they issue orders in his name. As his control spirals, and opposing forces gain ground, the king’s fragile resolve turns to desperation.
Yet, across the kingdom, a quiet but powerful awakening of magic is taking place. One that began generations ago, on a cold night in Duncarrow...
Book Links:
The Kingless Crown | The Broken Realm
Sarah is the USA Today and International Bestselling Author of contemporary and epic fantasy.
An unabashed geek, Sarah enjoys studying subjects like the Plantagenet and Ptolemaic dynasties, and settling debates on provocative Tolkien topics such as why the Great Eagles are not Gandalf's personal taxi service. Passionate about travel, Sarah has visited over twenty countries collecting sparks of inspiration (though New Orleans is where her heart rests). She's a self-professed expert at crafting original songs to sing to her very patient pets, and a seasoned professional at finding ways to humiliate herself (bonus points if it happens in public). When at home in Pennsylvania, her husband and best friend, James, is very kind about indulging her love of fast German cars and expensive lattes.
Author Links:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Reader Group | Pinterest
Website | Newsletter | Amazon | Bookbub
Book Links:
The Kingless Crown | The Broken Realm
November 12, 2020
With Shield and Ink and Bone by Casey L Bond - Release Blitz
Title: With Shield and Ink and Bone
Author: Casey L. Bond
Genre: Upper YA Historical Fantasy
Editor: Stacy Sanford/ The Girl with the Red Pen
Cover Designer: Melissa Stevens at The Illustrated Author
Publication Date: Nov. 13th, 2020
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Blurb:
A hard-earned shield.
Days before she is to take her place as a shield maiden, like her mother before her, two deaths alter the course of Liv’s future. One belonged to a witch who called her by name, the other a chieftain from the north. Vengeance for the chieftain’s death comes in a wild fury that burns her village and slaughters her family. Left for dead, Liv pleads to Skuld – norn and weaver of the future – to spare her. A deal is struck that will endow her with the dark magic needed to claim her vengeance. But this power comes at an unfathomable price…
Ink made from the ashes of loved ones.
After his home is attacked, Calder races to warn neighboring villages of the threat. Little does he know he’s traveling into the path of fate that will lead him straight to Liv. Despite being broken, angry, and overwhelmed by power she cannot contain, it’s her willingness to defend others that draws Calder to her.
Armor forged from the bones of those she held dear.
Together, Liv and Calder discover they are two sides of the same sharpened blade. Rising from the heartache and fury in their pasts, they see a future together worth fighting for. With their strengths and hearts combined, can they become a force powerful enough to defeat the fleet of darkness coming for them? Or will the thread of fate that binds them unravel?
Praise for With Shield and Ink and Bone:
“An exhilarating Viking-inspired fantasy, With Shield and Ink and Bone by Casey L. Bond keeps your nerves teetering on the blade of an ax!” - Lani Forbes, award-winning author of the Age of the Seventh Sun series
“With Shield and Ink and Bone is a fast-paced, vivid, and mesmerizing tale that will keep you hooked from beginning to end. If you love Vikings or strong heroines you’ll find lots to enjoy here! Casey L. Bond has woven together unexpected twists, high stakes, romance, and bargains with gods to create this original story for readers.” -Victoria McCombs, author of The Storyteller’s Daughter
Casey L. Bond has managed to take a classic genre and make it new and fresh. A page turner that kept me staying up late just to know what was going to happen next. Excellent writing, excellent story. Well done!” – Quinn Loftis, USA Today bestselling author of the Grey Wolves series and The Viking’s Chosen
writing, excellent story. Well done!” - Quinn Loftis, USA Today bestselling author of The Grey Wolves series and The Viking’s Chosen
Casey Bond lives in West Virginia with her husband and their two beautiful daughters. She likes goats and yoga, but hasn't tried goat yoga because the family goat is so big he might break her back. Seriously, he's the size of a pony. Her favorite books are the ones that contain magical worlds and flawed characters she would want to hang out with. Most days of the week, she writes young adult fantasy books, letting her imaginary friends spill onto the blank page.
Casey is the award-winning author of When Wishes Bleed, the Frenzy series, and fairy tale retellings such as Riches to Rags, Savage Beauty, Unlocked and Brutal Curse. Learn more about her work at www.authorcaseybond.com.
Author Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Pinterest | Amazon | Bookbub | Bond-Tourage | Newsletter
November 9, 2020
Living the Dream: My road to publishing
Today is my publishing anniversary.
Eight years ago today my first book was published and I officially became a published author.
But looking back, i wish i could go back, shake myself and tell 2012 me not to go with the 'publisher' i did.
By Publisher, i mean, vanity publisher, aka con artist and scammer.
I was naive to everything back then.
I have since learned a lot about the publishing world, who to trust, who not to trust.
Back then, when I was shopping my manuscript around, i was just excited to get my words out there, my little book of angels and demons. The book I always said I would write, while studying vet nursing, and then forensic science.
My life could have gone in an entirely different direction, had it not been for the deaths.
I lost my dog, Paris, then my cousin within a few months of each other.
That forced me to quit during exams at university, and i took some time off.
Over the next few months i started writing what would be known as The Chronicles of Fire and Ice.
That would then open Pandora's box, and The Dragon Heart Keeper followed soon after, and then The Garden of Eden, The Chronicles of Blood and Stone, etc, etc.
I started writing and didn't stop.
Now, eight years on, and over 40 books published (is it almost 50 now? I've lost count), i've learned a lot about publishing, about marketing and business. And I am still learning even now.
I am a proud independent author. I do everything myself, and wouldn't have it any other way.
Publishing is a roller coaster of highs and lows. But you've got to ride it out and weather the storm.
If it's something you love, then keep going.
If you've ever wanted to do something you've always dreamed of, then just do it.
October 30, 2020
With Shield and Ink and Bone by Casey L Bond - Trailer Reveal
Title: With Shield and Ink and Bone
Author: Casey L. Bond
Genre: Upper YA Historical Fantasy
Editor: Stacy Sanford/ The Girl with the Red Pen
Cover Designer: Melissa Stevens at The Illustrated Author
Publication Date: Nov. 13th, 2020
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Blurb:
A hard-earned shield.
Days before she is to take her place as a shield maiden, like her mother before her, two deaths alter the course of Liv’s future. One belonged to a witch who called her by name, the other a chieftain from the north. Vengeance for the chieftain’s death comes in a wild fury that burns her village and slaughters her family. Left for dead, Liv pleads to Skuld – norn and weaver of the future – to spare her. A deal is struck that will endow her with the dark magic needed to claim her vengeance. But this power comes at an unfathomable price…
Ink made from the ashes of loved ones.
After his home is attacked, Calder races to warn neighboring villages of the threat. Little does he know he’s traveling into the path of fate that will lead him straight to Liv. Despite being broken, angry, and overwhelmed by power she cannot contain, it’s her willingness to defend others that draws Calder to her.
Armor forged from the bones of those she held dear.
Together, Liv and Calder discover they are two sides of the same sharpened blade. Rising from the heartache and fury in their pasts, they see a future together worth fighting for. With their strengths and hearts combined, can they become a force powerful enough to defeat the fleet of darkness coming for them? Or will the thread of fate that binds them unravel?
Praise for With Shield and Ink and Bone:
“An exhilarating Viking-inspired fantasy, With Shield and Ink and Bone by Casey L. Bond keeps your nerves teetering on the blade of an ax!” - Lani Forbes, award-winning author of the Age of the Seventh Sun series
“With Shield and Ink and Bone is a fast-paced, vivid, and mesmerizing tale that will keep you hooked from beginning to end. If you love Vikings or strong heroines you’ll find lots to enjoy here! Casey L. Bond has woven together unexpected twists, high stakes, romance, and bargains with gods to create this original story for readers.” -Victoria McCombs, author of The Storyteller’s Daughter
Casey L. Bond has managed to take a classic genre and make it new and fresh. A page turner that kept me staying up late just to know what was going to happen next. Excellent writing, excellent story. Well done!” – Quinn Loftis, USA Today bestselling author of the Grey Wolves series and The Viking’s Chosen
writing, excellent story. Well done!” - Quinn Loftis, USA Today bestselling author of The Grey Wolves series and The Viking’s Chosen
Casey Bond lives in West Virginia with her husband and their two beautiful daughters. She likes goats and yoga, but hasn't tried goat yoga because the family goat is so big he might break her back. Seriously, he's the size of a pony. Her favorite books are the ones that contain magical worlds and flawed characters she would want to hang out with. Most days of the week, she writes young adult fantasy books, letting her imaginary friends spill onto the blank page.
Casey is the award-winning author of When Wishes Bleed, the Frenzy series, and fairy tale retellings such as Riches to Rags, Savage Beauty, Unlocked and Brutal Curse. Learn more about her work at www.authorcaseybond.com.
Author Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Pinterest | Amazon | Bookbub | Bond-Tourage | Newsletter
October 20, 2020
Daughter of Darkness - New Release!
Title: Daughter of Darkness
Author: L.L. Hunter
Series: The Ebony Angel book 1 / The Nephilim Universe book 13
Genre: YA urban fantasy/ paranormal romance
Cover Design: Kim at KILA Designs
Release Date: October 20, 2020 in the Souls Day boxed Set.
Publisher: Fire Quill Publishing.
Blurb:
When you have the most dangerous ability in the universe, nowhere is safe.
Being related to one of the most powerful Nephilim families in the universe has its perks… and its curses.
Ebony is the daughter of Eden and Asher and should have the worlds at her feet.
But when you have the most dangerous ability, the power to destroy anything with a mere thought, nowhere is safe.
Her parents kept her existence a secret until she was sixteen, but now Ebony needs schooling, and her family need help.
But after seeking guidance about Ebony’s ability from her family in the Nephilim Capital, and the heavenly realm of Fire, Eden, Asher and Ebony soon discover that many want the Blackbell family gone from government, or from this world.
A new threat is surfacing, and Ebony and her family must juggle not only the rising rebellion, but her dangerous trait all the while keeping up her studies.
Daughter of Darkness is the exciting first book in a new trilogy set in the bestselling Nephilim Universe world by L.L. Hunter.
Pre-order links: https://books2read.com/soulsday
Pre-order gift: https://soulsdayboxset.com/pre-order-gift/
October 19, 2020
Soul's Day Boxed set - Various Authors - New Release!
May Soul’s Day bring you all the haunts, mysteries and thrills you seek …
Genre: Horror and Paranormal
Format: Anthology / eBook
Book Blurb:
Old Hallows Eve, when things go bump in the night,
Children come to play, and the witches provide the fright.
For 19 authors, USA Today and international bestselling,
The Halloween tales become more than this foretelling.
In the Soul's Day Boxset, a mansion feeds on souls,
A gargoyle captures them, and a demon dungeon master makes the calls,
Campers gets picked off one by one,
The Karnaval's corn dogs are less than fun,
Ghosts lurking around every bend,
'I do' at the wedding is the very end.
A boxset of chills and thrills to keep you up at night,
One-click pre-order to snap your copy filled with fright.
On old Hallow's eve when creatures come to play,
With this spine chilling pages, it's where you'll want to stay.
A boxset filled with all kinds of weird, the unexplained, terror and survival from unearthly beings.
Universal Buy Link:
https://books2read.com/soulsday
* * *
GRAB THE PRE-ORDER SPECIAL THAT INCLUDES 19 SPOOKY TALES FOR ONLY 99C & GRAB YOUR FREE BOOK BUNDLE TODAY!
https://soulsdayboxset.com/pre-order-gift/
* * *
AUTHOR LINE UP:
Erin Lee - USA TODAY BESTSELLING
Kristin Ping w/a Judith Holstrom - USA TODAY BESTSELLING
Amber Garr - AWARD AND INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Ashlee Sinn - AWARD AND INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
L.L. Hunter - AWARD AND INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Monique Singleton - INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Majanka Verstraete - INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Aubrey Wynne - INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Stephanie Ayers - INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
DM Wolfenden - INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Maggie Tideswell - INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Sian B. Claven - AWARD WINNING AUTHOR
Kayla Krantz
Yvette Bostic
Brandy Nacole
Jennifer Fish-Ferguson
Lea Cherry
Scarlet Le Clair
Azaaa Davis
* * *
Soul's Day Boxset Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/Souls-Day-Boxset-Horror-and-Paranormal-99c-104382174562647
Join us on our readers party page on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/playingwithfireboxset
Bookbub:
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53135485-soul-s-day
Youtube:
* * *
October 18, 2020
Soul's Day Book Blitz - New Release + Giveaway!
Soul’s Day Boxset: Horror and Paranormal Halloween Theme
Published by: Fire Quill Publishing
Publication date: October 20th 2020
Genres: Adult, Horror, Paranormal
Old Hallows Eve, when things go bump in the night,
Children come to play, and the witches provide the fright.
For 19 authors, USA Today and international bestselling,
The Halloween tales become more than this foretelling.
In the Soul’s Day Boxset, a mansion feeds on souls,
A gargoyle captures them, and a demon dungeon master makes the calls,
Campers gets picked off one by one,
The Karnaval’s corn dogs are less than fun,
Ghosts lurking around every bend,
‘I do’ at the wedding is the very end.
A boxset of chills and thrills to keep you up at night,
One-click pre-order to snap your copy filled with fright.
On old Hallow’s eve when creatures come to play,
With this spine chilling pages, it’s where you’ll want to stay.AUTHOR LINE UP:
Erin Lee – USA TODAY BESTSELLING
Kristin Ping w/a Judith Holstrom – USA TODAY BESTSELLING
Amber Garr – AWARD AND INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Ashlee Sinn – AWARD AND INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
L.L. Hunter – AWARD AND INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Monique Singleton – INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Majanka Verstraete – INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Aubrey Wynne – INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Stephanie Ayers – INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
DM Wolfenden – INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Maggie Tideswell – INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Sian B. Claven – AWARD WINNING AUTHOR
Kayla Krantz
Yvette Bostic
Brandy Nacole
Jennifer Fish-Ferguson
Lea Cherry
Scarlet Le Clair
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
—
GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Hosted by:
October 16, 2020
The Kingless Crown by Sarah M Cradit - Release Blitz!
Title: The Kingless Crown
Author: Sarah M. Cradit
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Cover Designer: Regina Wamba
Publication Date: October 13th, 2020
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Blurb:
From the USA Today & International Bestselling author of the Saga of Crimson & Clover comes a gripping new epic fantasy world that will leave you breathless to the very last page.
A crown woven together by lies.
A kingdom with the power to unravel them.
Four Reaches. Four brides. Only a fortnight separates the young women from becoming reluctant queens of the usurper king, Eoghan Rhiagain.
Twenty years earlier, King Eoghan’s father cunningly devised marriages between the highborn sons and daughters of the oft-warring Reaches, sealing the unions before they could protest, shattering existing betrothals in place of forced alliances.
Now, Eoghan, the cruel boy king who stole his crown through murder, demands the eldest daughters of these unions. To accept is unfathomable. To refuse is treason.
The lords and ladies of the kingdom have no choice but to prepare their beloved daughters for the horrors ahead. But they’ll soon discover there are no longer any daughters left to present. All four have disappeared, painting the world with their rebellion.
Theirs is not the only rebellion. Across the kingdom, little fires light within. From the enigmatic sorcerers in the northern mountains, to the magi who both wield and regulate the kingdom’s magic, and beyond... to a place where two prisoners are not what they seem.
As the Reaches ready themselves to face the king, the kingdom hovers on the edge of chaos.
And there are many who recall, in candlelit secrecy, tales of a time before…
Sarah is a USA Today and International Bestselling Author of fantasy fiction, most known for her Saga of Crimson & Clover world. Her work has been described as rich, emotive, and highly dimensional.
An unabashed geek, Sarah enjoys studying subjects like the Plantagenet and Ptolemaic dynasties, and settling debates on provocative Tolkien topics such as why the Great Eagles are not Gandalf's personal taxi service. Passionate about travel, Sarah has visited over twenty countries collecting sparks of inspiration (though New Orleans is where her heart rests). She's a self-professed expert at crafting original songs to sing to her very patient pets, and a seasoned professional at finding ways to humiliate herself (bonus points if it happens in public). When at home in Pennsylvania, her husband and best friend, James, is very kind about indulging her love of fast German cars and expensive lattes.
Author Links:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Reader Group | Pinterest
Website | Newsletter | Amazon | Bookbub
October 13, 2020
With Shield and Ink and Bone by Casey L Bond - Cover Reveal!
Title: With Shield and Ink and Bone
Author: Casey L. Bond
Genre: Upper YA Historical Fantasy
Editor: Stacy Sanford/ The Girl with the Red Pen
Cover Designer: Melissa Stevens at The Illustrated Author
Publication Date: Nov. 13th, 2020
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Blurb:
A hard-earned shield.
Days before she is to take her place as a shield maiden, like her mother before her, two deaths alter the course of Liv’s future. One belonged to a witch who called her by name, the other a chieftain from the north. Vengeance for the chieftain’s death comes in a wild fury that burns her village and slaughters her family. Left for dead, Liv pleads to Skuld – norn and weaver of the future – to spare her. A deal is struck that will endow her with the dark magic needed to claim her vengeance. But this power comes at an unfathomable price…
Ink made from the ashes of loved ones.
After his home is attacked, Calder races to warn neighboring villages of the threat. Little does he know he’s traveling into the path of fate that will lead him straight to Liv. Despite being broken, angry, and overwhelmed by power she cannot contain, it’s her willingness to defend others that draws Calder to her.
Armor forged from the bones of those she held dear.
Together, Liv and Calder discover they are two sides of the same sharpened blade. Rising from the heartache and fury in their pasts, they see a future together worth fighting for. With their strengths and hearts combined, can they become a force powerful enough to defeat the fleet of darkness coming for them? Or will the thread of fate that binds them unravel?
Praise for With Shield and Ink and Bone:
“An exhilarating Viking-inspired fantasy, With Shield and Ink and Bone by Casey L. Bond keeps your nerves teetering on the blade of an ax!” - Lani Forbes, award-winning author of the Age of the Seventh Sun series
“With Shield and Ink and Bone is a fast-paced, vivid, and mesmerizing tale that will keep you hooked from beginning to end. If you love Vikings or strong heroines you’ll find lots to enjoy here! Casey L. Bond has woven together unexpected twists, high stakes, romance, and bargains with gods to create this original story for readers.” -Victoria McCombs, author of The Storyteller’s Daughter
Casey L. Bond has managed to take a classic genre and make it new and fresh. A page turner that kept me staying up late just to know what was going to happen next. Excellent writing, excellent story. Well done!” – Quinn Loftis, USA Today bestselling author of the Grey Wolves series and The Viking’s Chosen
writing, excellent story. Well done!” - Quinn Loftis, USA Today bestselling author of The Grey Wolves series and The Viking’s Chosen
Casey Bond lives in West Virginia with her husband and their two beautiful daughters. She likes goats and yoga, but hasn't tried goat yoga because the family goat is so big he might break her back. Seriously, he's the size of a pony. Her favorite books are the ones that contain magical worlds and flawed characters she would want to hang out with. Most days of the week, she writes young adult fantasy books, letting her imaginary friends spill onto the blank page.
Casey is the award-winning author of When Wishes Bleed, the Frenzy series, and fairy tale retellings such as Riches to Rags, Savage Beauty, Unlocked and Brutal Curse. Learn more about her work at www.authorcaseybond.com.
Author Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Pinterest | Amazon | Bookbub | Bond-Tourage | Newsletter
October 9, 2020
With Shield and Ink and Bone by Casey L Bond - Title Reveal!
Title: With Shield and Ink and Bond
Author: Casey L. Bond
Genre: Upper YA Historical Fantasy
Editor: Stacy Sanford/ The Girl with the Red Pen
Publication Date: Nov. 13th, 2020
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Blurb:
A hard-earned shield.
Days before she is to take her place as a shield maiden, like her mother before her, two deaths alter the course of Liv’s future. One belonged to a witch who called her by name, the other a chieftain from the north. Vengeance for the chieftain’s death comes in a wild fury that burns her village and slaughters her family. Left for dead, Liv pleads to Skuld – norn and weaver of the future – to spare her. A deal is struck that will endow her with the dark magic needed to claim her vengeance. But this power comes at an unfathomable price…
Ink made from the ashes of loved ones.
After his home is attacked, Calder races to warn neighboring villages of the threat. Little does he know he’s traveling into the path of fate that will lead him straight to Liv. Despite being broken, angry, and overwhelmed by power she cannot contain, it’s her willingness to defend others that draws Calder to her.
Armor forged from the bones of those she held dear.
Together, Liv and Calder discover they are two sides of the same sharpened blade. Rising from the heartache and fury in their pasts, they see a future together worth fighting for. With their strengths and hearts combined, can they become a force powerful enough to defeat the fleet of darkness coming for them? Or will the thread of fate that binds them unravel?
Praise for With Shield and Ink and Bone:
“An exhilarating Viking-inspired fantasy, With Shield and Ink and Bone by Casey L. Bond keeps your nerves teetering on the blade of an ax!” - Lani Forbes, award-winning author of the Age of the Seventh Sun series
“With Shield and Ink and Bone is a fast-paced, vivid, and mesmerizing tale that will keep you hooked from beginning to end. If you love Vikings or strong heroines you’ll find lots to enjoy here! Casey L. Bond has woven together unexpected twists, high stakes, romance, and bargains with gods to create this original story for readers.” -Victoria McCombs, author of The Storyteller’s Daughter
Casey L. Bond has managed to take a classic genre and make it new and fresh. A page turner that kept me staying up late just to know what was going to happen next. Excellent writing, excellent story. Well done!” – Quinn Loftis, USA Today bestselling author of the Grey Wolves series and The Viking’s Chosen
writing, excellent story. Well done!” - Quinn Loftis, USA Today bestselling author of The Grey Wolves series and The Viking’s Chosen
Casey Bond lives in West Virginia with her husband and their two beautiful daughters. She likes goats and yoga, but hasn't tried goat yoga because the family goat is so big he might break her back. Seriously, he's the size of a pony. Her favorite books are the ones that contain magical worlds and flawed characters she would want to hang out with. Most days of the week, she writes young adult fantasy books, letting her imaginary friends spill onto the blank page.
Casey is the award-winning author of When Wishes Bleed, the Frenzy series, and fairy tale retellings such as Riches to Rags, Savage Beauty, Unlocked and Brutal Curse. Learn more about her work at www.authorcaseybond.com.
Author Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Pinterest | Amazon | Bookbub | Bond-Tourage | Newsletter
“Words hold power,” she finally said, taking up a long, wooden staff and walking toward me, closing the distance between us. I realized it was her wand, not a staff. The tip looked woven, like strands in a basket, but even as they bowed from the staff itself, they rejoined to make a fine tip. They said witches could use their wands to spin the fates of lesser men.
I wasn’t lesser. My eyes narrowed at her closeness.
“Few realize that,” she continued, undeterred. “They waste what little power they have by wagging their tongues too much.” She smiled as she approached, stopping only when the bottom of her crimson skirts brushed the tops of my boots. “But not you. You observe first and speak only when it’s necessary. Even when your mother doesn’t warn you beforehand.”
I swallowed thickly as she lifted a hand and let her thumb ghost down the lumps and bumps of my braid, pausing over the iron serpent coiled around it. She took in my shield. “I need you to come with me now, Liv.” She turned her back to me and began walking away from the shore.
“How do you know my name?” I asked, refusing to follow her retreating form as she walked toward the wood.
She turned with a knowing smile on her lips. “Because someone very important has a message for you.”
She continued her trek, using her wand to help her up the slope, weaving herself into the oaks and pines as if she was a scarlet thread in the forest’s vast tapestry.
My feet followed her.
The coppery scent of blood filled the air and we entered the spot where the animals had been slain. They hung from thick branches in the trees above us, their blood leaking into pots and jugs, buckets and bowls. “We must sit amongst them,” she said, laying down her wand. She gathered her fine gown and sat on the forest floor. “On Winternights especially, there is more power in the dead than in the living.”
Hodor had stood there earlier. He split his rope to hang each of the animals we brought to later smoke and preserve.
I recognized each of them. The scrawny lamb that was born too late in the year and wouldn’t survive the cold, the goat with the lame hoof, the runty piglet who was born months ago, but wouldn’t grow despite the amount of food she ate.
Now they were dead, hanging limply from branches, and the witch wanted me to sit with her beneath them, surrounded by captured puddles of their blood.
Silently, she stared at me and waited for me to comply with her request. I slowly walked forward, the wind stirring the strands of hair escaping my braids as I stepped beneath the animals. The moment my backside touched the forest floor, a strange energy washed through the air.
The dead animals hanging above us began to writhe. The lamb let out a pitiful bleat and the pig weakly grunted. The cocks flapped their wings and flew in circles. Blood droplets landed on us. I ducked and shielded my head with my arms, looking to the witch as goosebumps erupted over my skin.
She sat calmly, completely unaffected. Her cool, brown eyes were fixed on me.
The animals went still again as a gust of wind tore their spirits away once more. My heart fluttered as I watched them rock back and forth, the ropes that held their weight creaking on the rough limbs until they finally went still.
Splat.
Splat. Splat.
More droplets of blood splashed into the containers beneath them, wrung out by spirit and wind.
A slow smile spread over the völva’s berry-stained lips. “There is power in blood and bone,” the witch offered.
Power in words.
Power in blood and bone.
Power in the slain.
For me, Winternights had always been a raucous mixture of celebration and spine-tingling fear. The dead walked the earth and joined us as we bade farewell to summer and greeted the frigid winter, bade farewell to the earth’s life and let death claim it again, as it had claimed our kinsmen. We were nearer to them on this night, for they dwelt in the coldness of death now after their walks in the sun, among the living.
“Why did you ask for me?”
“I told you. Someone has a message for you.”
She untied a small pouch from the belt at her waist and withdrew a wad of leaves, placing them in her mouth and chewing them. She rolled her neck. Her silken hair fell over her shoulders as she rocked forward and back, forward and back. Her movements, once smooth, became jerky and erratic. Her breathing became labored. She wrung her hands. Her legs fidgeted.
A burning smell filled the air. Not one of oak chips or firewood, but one that smelled of sizzling flesh.
I scooted away from her.
Her hand clamped onto my ankle. “No!” she snapped. “Do not retreat. She is near.”
I looked over my shoulders, all around the shadowy wood. If someone was close, I couldn’t sense her. No branches snapped. No leaves rustled.
She removed another small bundle of herbs from her pouch and offered it to me. “Chew.”
I shook my head when she insistently pushed it toward me. I didn’t take it from her. “It is the gateway to the weavers… to the norns.”
Blood whooshed through my head, through my ears. “The norns?” I asked breathlessly. The weavers called for me? By name?
“Skuld wishes to speak with you. This is the only way.”
The witch dipped her fingernails into a pot of lamb’s blood and flicked it toward my face. Small droplets sprayed my skin.
She shoved the wad of blood-soaked leaves into my hand. My clammy palm wrapped around them, then unfurled. It wasn’t wise to eat certain plants. Some would cause visions, but some… some killed. And völva often sacrificed humans to the norns and to the gods.
They would drug them, and when they did not know their head from their feet, the witches would tear the heart from their chest and hold it, still beating, in their hands, calling out to the gods to show what they’d done for them.
“I won’t eat it.”
“But, Skuld—” The witch’s voice cut off. Her breath hitched, then a squeak escaped her throat. My mother stood behind her, the tip of her knife biting into the woman’s skin, her knee in the witch’s back.
The runes began to writhe on her forehead, cheeks, and throat as she called upon her magic, but my mother didn’t care. She held her blade tightly and refused to relent.
What is she doing? The witch will kill us both! Or Skuld may decide to clip the threads of our lives for refusing her... I leapt to my feet.
“I believe she declined your request,” Mother gritted.
The völva’s dark eyes locked on mine. “You are making a mistake. You’ve seen the first sign of what is to come.”
