Release of Night of Rites and Wraiths, plus new ABC series
Some good news – Book 3, Night of Rites and Wraiths, the concluding book of The Hyllethan Gifts Trilogy was released this week. On one hand, it’s a relief to finally see the complete trilogy in print but I have to admit, it’s also a little sad to say goodbye to characters I’ve lived with for the past few years. Shael, Theis, Dracon and Kasha: it’s been a pleasure knowing you, and I hope readers of the books would grow to love you too.
Perhaps because it’s so difficult to say goodbye, I’ve been toying with a few ideas for stories set in the Hyllethan world, such as Neis’ story, Yawra’s childhood, the origin of the Gifts, Tomas and Andrey’s future… Do you think any of these is something you’d like to read?
These two weeks have been rather busy. Apart from launching the book and series, I’ve taught myself the basics of making Instagram reels (Those of you who are tech savvy are probably shaking their head and saying ‘about time’ 
). I’m especially proud of what I’ve come up with so far. If you’d like to see them, head over to my Instagram page (@carolinesciriha). There are a couple about proverbs I made up for the Hyllethan Gifts Trilogy (e.g. this) and one about the Architecture of Inner Land castles. If anyone has any ideas how to improve on these Instagram reels or add cool features to them, please let me know.
And now I think I’ve written enough about myself. Since we finished off the ABC series on Literary Devices, I thought of starting a new ABC series: Fantasy Creatures.
A is for Angels
I have to say upfront that this is one of my least favourite character types perhaps because it’s too closely tied to real-world religions. Angels in fantasy can take the form of ‘good’ angels helping characters, the offspring of angels who inherit particular powers, ‘fallen’ angels living among humans… Angels come in all forms too: some have physical wings, some have ‘cool’ powers but no wings, some are centuries old, others newborn. The list and variety are only limited by a writer’s imagination.
Perhaps another reason for my reservation about this non-human character is because I have rarely read a novel or series with an angel as a focus character which I truly enjoyed – which doesn’t mean there aren’t other good books out there. So if you’ve come across some, do share the titles. I promise to check them out.
Some self-promo!
In the Inner Lands, there are three ways sixteen-year-old Shael can get herself and her family killed—by looking like the enemy; by working with the enemy; by becoming the enemy.
When sixteen-year-old Shael unknowingly helps a mortally wounded thief, he entrusts her with delivering three figurines to the lord of her castle. Too late, Shael discovers that the figurines were stolen from the Hyllethans, her country’s feared enemies. And since she cut her fingers on the figurines while handling them, she is now linked to them. Any breakage or pressure on the clay is felt on her flesh.
Despite her reluctance to aid the enemy, Shael teams up with three Hyllethans to retrieve the figurines and break the connection. Shael is caught in the tussle for the thrones of the two lands. To avoid becoming a pawn—or dangle from a hangman’s noose—she has to regain possession of the figurines and face the unsuspected secrets of her lost past.
Three thrones. Two power-hungry mages. One girl standing in their way.
Exiled in Hylletha, sixteen-year-old Shael longs to return to the land of her birth but her brother Iysel, the new, terrifying mage-king of the Inner Lands, wants her dead. Shael’s very existence threatens Iysel’s right to the throne since she is the holder of the magical Gift of Touch, which is traditionally held by the monarch.
To ensure peace, Theis, the young man Shael loves, goes to Iysel’s court to negotiate the reunification of Hylletha and the Inner Lands under one ruler. But when Shael’s young foster brother is abducted and held prisoner in the Inner Lands, Shael has only her limited knowledge of spellcraft to help her stay out of Iysel’s reach, rescue her foster brother and make sure Theis doesn’t bear the brunt of Iysel’s rage.
Complicating matters further, Iysel has won the unexpected support of their wily cousin—the son of the king of a neighbouring land and an extraordinary mage—who has his own reasons for wanting to get hold of Shael.
The stability of the three realms lies in the balance. Faced by intrigue and betrayal from all sides, Shael must choose between protecting the lives of those she loves or taking up her role as princess and heir to the thrones to safeguard the welfare of the people.
She’ll be crowned queen—if she lives that long.
With her coronation fast approaching, Shael fears the debilitating effects of poisoning resulting from her stint in the dragons’ birthing grounds will make her unfit to rule. But this becomes the least of her worries when her brother Iysel turns up claiming he’s the true King of Hylletha as well as heir to Dragonia. Shael is determined to protect the realms from the merciless mage, but the documents that challenge Iysel’s right to the thrones have disappeared.
Protecting the realms isn’t the only reason for finding the missing documents. Proving Iysel’s duplicity is the surest way of saving Theis, the love of Shael’s live, whom Iysel has accused of desertion and treason.
With time running out, with assassins stalking her every move and her health failing, Shael sets out to unravel the tangled web of deceit and greed ensnaring her and the kingdoms. Unfortunately, the most obvious culprit isn’t always the only enemy.
Dawn of Purple and Grey, Days of Wind and Snow, and Night of Rites and Wraiths (The Hyllethan Gifts Trilogy) are available through Amazon.
Till next time,
Caroline
