Staurolite: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Four by Marsha A. Moore
Enchanted Bookstore Legends (series description):
The Enchanted Bookstore Legends are about Lyra McCauley, a woman destined to become one of five strong women in her family who possess unique magical abilities and serve as Scribes in Dragonspeir. The Scribes span a long history, dating from 1200 to present day. Each Scribe is expected to journey through Dragonspeir, both the good and evil factions, then draft a written account. Each book contains magic with vast implications.
Lyra was first introduced to Dragonspeir as a young girl, when she met the high sorcerer, Cullen Drake, through a gift of one of those enchanted books. Using its magic, he escorted her into the parallel world of Dragonspeir. Years later, she lost that volume and forgot the world and Cullen. These legends begin where he finds her again—she is thirty-five, standing in his enchanted bookstore, and Dragonspeir needs her.
When Lyra reopens that enchanted book, she confronts a series of quests where she is expected to save the good Alliance from destruction by the evil Black Dragon.While learning about her role, Lyra and Cullen fall in love. He is 220 years old and kept alive by Dragonspeir magic. Cullen will die if Dragonspeir is taken over by the evil faction…Lyra becomes the Scribe.
Excerpt from Staurolite:
From Chapter One: Ancient Scribal Magic
Lyra propped her head with an elbow against the low library table and rubbed her eyes, paging through the last chapter. She rearranged her weight on the floor cushion and twisted the end of her long braid.
The Tortoise Guardian’s wide, craggy cheek brushed against her forearm.
She jotted a few lines in a notebook and carefully closed the cover of the ancient copy. Her gaze rested on the faded embossed symbols—The Book of Dragonspeir authored by Elisabeth Walsh, the first Scribe.
“Good work. We’ve previewed two of the lost volumes you recovered. One more remains.” The Tortoise retracted his head halfway into his shell. “Take a break. My neck is aching.”
“I want to keep going and skim Scribe Brigid’s book too.” Lyra flipped through her notes.
The heavy wooden door to the lair library banged open. In two strides, the Imperial Dragon stood before them. “We’re under attack! Cimafa stealth dragons have stolen auras of a high order wizard and souls of three non-magicals. They also killed one of our blue sentry dragons.” His flared nostrils were ringed with fire and seeped smoke. A yellow color of concern flashed in the irises of his eyes.
“How?” Lyra rolled off the plush floor cushion, forced her stiff legs to stand, and grabbed her wizard’s staff. “I thought they only went after higher magicals?”
“Attacks from the Dark Realm?” The Tortoise pushed his front legs against the table edge to lift his shell higher.
The Head Guardian nodded. “They’re attacking in small groups for increased strength. Several pairs and trios have simultaneously flown over our Alliance before retreating to the Steppe of Ora into Silva Nocens. Those four people were taken in different places all over the Alliance during the past thirty-six hours. One cimafa attacks the victim, while the others fight our blues. Several sentries are required to battle one cimafa, and we don’t have enough squadrons. They typically sneak over our borders singly to pursue auras that will boost their power—higher magicals, like you said, Lyra. Never have they purposely attacked non-magicals.”
“Can the Guardians fight the cimafa better than sentries?” Lyra asked.
“Yes. We can do more by using our auras, but I will not ask the other three to fight. I’m on my way out to join a patrol, since I’m the most capable. Losing a Guardian would be a tremendous danger. To break the balance of the four elements would seriously harm the strength of the Alliance.” He clasped his foreclaws against his massive chest. “Even I must use control; the great expenditure of Guardian power required to kill a cimafa would temporarily weaken our governance. The blues primarily fight with physical strength, hurling lightning bolts. Unless injured, they can recoup quicker. I alone have the advantage of using both magical and physical means in battle.”
“Do you want me to help?” Lyra asked.
“No. It’s best for all if you continue your studies to unlock the clues from each Book of Dragonspeir. That will reveal a way for the Alliance to overthrow the Dark Realm. As the Scribe, you are the only one who can read the hidden magical code in those texts.” The leader turned toward the door. “I’ll check with you later, when I return.”
“Head Guardian, are the higher magicals helping?” Lyra’s voice caught in her throat. “Is Cullen safe?”
He stooped to miss the upper arch of the door threshold and glanced over his shoulder. “Most are riding the senior sentries to offer additional strike force. Sire Drake will accompany Yord in my squadron.”
Lyra stepped forward, but the Imperial Dragon gave her no chance for discussion, bolting down the stone corridor with tremendous strides. She stared after him, immobilized by the shock of his news and concern for her love. After all that she and Cullen had risked and accomplished, hoping to reach their goal of living together…this didn’t seem possible. Moments ago, a happy life seemed within their grasp. She stared at the gray stone floor, dumbfounded. Their future together, once again, hung by a thread. Her mind filled with a blur of their hard victories won over the past year.
Purchase Links for previous books in the series:
Heritage Avenged: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Two
Seeking a Scribe: Enchanted Bookstore Legend One
Lost Volumes: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Three
Author Bio:
Marsha A. Moore is an author of fantasy romance. Much of her life feeds the creative flow she uses to weave highly imaginative tales.
The magic of art and nature often spark life into her writing, as well as watercolor painting and drawing. After a move from Toledo to Tampa in 2008, she’s happily transformed into a Floridian, in love with the outdoors. Marsha is crazy about cycling. She lives with her husband on a large saltwater lagoon, where taking her kayak out for an hour or more is a real treat. She never has enough days spent at the beach, usually scribbling away at stories with toes wiggling in the sand. Every day at the beach is magical! She’s been a yoga enthusiast for over a decade and is excited to be taking part in a Kripalu yoga teacher training program during 2013. That spiritual quest helps her explore the mystical side of fantasy.
Author Links:
Website: http://MarshaAMoore.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MarshaAMoore
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marshaamooreauthorpage
Fantasy Faction staff page: http://fantasy-faction.com/staff-members?uid=38
Goodreads author page http://www.goodreads.com/marshaamoore
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Mystical Rubies—drops of blood from battling dragons—in the epic fantasy romance Staurolite by Marsha A. Moore
In my new release, Staurolite, the fourth book in the Enchanted Bookstore Legends, I’m expanding and developing the foundation of the magical lore of my fantasy world. The characters find themselves needing the world’s ancient wisdom to solve their own present day problems. The basis of this ages-old magical power is a group of four mystical gemstones that parallel the four Chinese elements of nature: air, earth, fire, and water. These stones serve as four powerful keystones which, together, can empower the good Alliance to overcome the threatening attacks of the evil Dark Realm. There is one controlling master gemstone, the Staurolite, which gives this fourth book its title.
The keystone gem corresponding to fire I have chosen to work with is the ruby.
When I selected the gem corresponding to fire, I considered many attributes that would make it an empowering symbol. My fire keystone plays a strong role, with a power so great it can easily
overtake those who attempt to control it. I was intrigued by rubies from the moment I learned those gems have long been known as hardened drops of blood from battling dragons.
The gemstone ruby has held a regal position in myth, legend and lore for thousands of years. Rubies are said to respond magically, warning of danger by changing their color. Catherine of Aragon wore an infamous ruby, rumored to have turned dark and dull the day before Henry VII announced he was divorcing her. Rubies engraved with fantasy animals, like dragons and serpents, have been popular for attracting wealth and enhancing magical energies. A ruby was considered to be an important gift to honor Buddha and Krishna because the Hindu people believed the gemstone’s red glow came from an internal flame which no human could possibly extinguish.
Many believe the gems possess energy to help overcome forces of darkness, protecting wearers from malicious spirits and evil spells. As a shielding stone, it can send out protective energies to surround the wearer at all times. This is an especially good way to help prevent psychic attacks. It is a stone of authority, excellence, but also of vanity. It brings to its wearer happiness and love. A ruby can strengthen the heart, restore lost forces, drive away melancholy, awaken passion and sexual desires. Its energy is intense and vivid, helping you see your own strength to encourage leadership and increase concentration and intellect.
The power of ruby may help you know and follow your dreams and bliss, to change your world. To help improve your ability to enter a lucid dream state, wear or carry a ruby during your sleep. The gem is thought to help you to remain lucid while entering the dream state and increase your ability to control the dream without slipping into a normal sleep pattern.
With all this power, I had no trouble selecting the ruby to be my fire keystone. Throughout the Enchanted Bookstore Legends series, Lyra McCauley, the present Scribe, comes upon the forces of this special stone. In Heritage Avenged (book#2), she is drawn to a ruby displayed by the Dark Alchemist, Tarom. Lyra is born under the Aries fire sign and cannot resist the powers of the fiery ruby which are like her own. He knows this and tempts her with a taste of what the ruby’s energy can do to multiple her own powers, eliciting dark qualities of greed to pull her off her path of what is noble and good.
In Lost Volumes (book #3), Lyra travels into the underground world of Terza and learns how the first Scribe also fought against the seductively powerful Emtori Ruby she was expected to remove from the collection of the Black Dragon. Lyra discovers a startling fact—the ruby was hidden rather than destroyed as most thought. It still exists!
In Staurolite (book #4), Lyra learns how the first Scribe worked hard to control the Emtori Ruby and avoid allowing its powers to overtake her own. Lyra wonders if she will be able to handle the valuable keystone when she must locate it and return it to the Alliance. If only she can first find the master stone, the Staurolite, to help her command the ruby’s manipulative powers. Time is against her, with the Dark Realm’s attacks destroying the Alliance.
Photo credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0 [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...)], via Wikimedia Commons
