Immortal Defiance
Laura Maybrooke
(Dulcea’s Rebellion, #1)
Publication date: October 10th 2019
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
Some things never die. Hope. Heroes. Defiance.
Things take a strange turn for Dulcea, the elven enchantress turned war heroine and Dragonmistress, when a countryman’s betrayal lands her in enemy hands.
As she awaits her execution, a stranger with mysterious powers offers her another chance at life. Will she die here or risk what sinister fate he has in store for her?
Can Dulcea reclaim her rightful place and lead her army once more? Or does Krath, the man who travels the Realm of the Dead as one of its own, prove to be the obstacle that fells her rebellion?
… Or will this immortal vampire warrior turn out to be the best chance she has of defying the ancient evil arising in the west?
EXCERPT:
Dulcea stared
at the black ceiling, shivering from the cold of the underground. She attempted
to recount all the important things in her life before it was to end when out
of nowhere she heard a soft voice.
“A damsel in distress.” To her confused surprise, the language spoken
was Caerynian Common instead of Sarusean, the tone of the words fascinated. “A
maiden sacrifice.”
Dulcea thought she saw a shadow move from the corner of her eye, but
when she turned her head to look there was no one there. For an instant, fear
took her breath away.
The seconds ticked by, but nothing happened. She saw no one.
“Aren’t you going to ask who’s there?” the voice asked her after a
moment, sounding amused.
It was a man’s voice, deep and smooth—almost familiar, like something
half heard in a dream.
She drew in a shuddering breath. “Who are you?”
“I could tell you my name, but it would mean nothing to you,” the voice
said. “I can tell you what I am
instead: I am the beast that has come to collect you.”
Her blood ran cold. The hair on her nape stiffened.
Her throat felt raw. “Keep away from me!”
“You are afraid. Good. You should be. Things do not look good for you.”
Dulcea whipped her head from side to side, but still she saw no one. The
voice seemed to come from a different direction every time it spoke. She could
not tell if she was talking to a person under an invisibility spell or a
disembodied spirit.
“What do you want?”
There came a soft, answering chuckle from somewhere nearby. “If only it
were that easy. What do I want? The mind can want one thing, the heart another.
Reason and instinct can both be at conflict. It is not so much about wanting as it is about choosing a path,
and I have not yet chosen.”
“Who do you serve?” He sounded different from the priests.
“I serve no one.”
“No. Everyone serves someone, even kings and emperors.”
“I am neither a king nor an emperor, but I serve no one.”
Dulcea froze. Fear entered her mind. She had the sudden dreadful
premonition that perhaps she was already dead and talking to Asherac himself.
“You refused to heed the counsel of your friends,” the voice said. “You
ignored the caution advised to you, only to find yourself in this wretched
place. How does that make you feel?”
Her breath failed her. Dulcea wheezed, trying to calm the panicked
fluttering of her heart.
“I bet you have some regrets and would welcome a second chance.”
The faintest hope stirred in her breast at his words. Perhaps he meant
her no malice.
“Yes…” Her tone was cautious. “I wish for a second chance.”
“It is a vain wish. There are no second chances. All of us we only get
one try, and if we fail, we must live with the consequences. You have failed. I
am not here to rescue you. I am merely here to offer you a different kind of
nightmare.”
“What… what are you talking about?”
“I cannot seem to choose on my own, so you must do it
for me. Would you like to take your chances with me… or with them?”
Author Bio:
“I live in my own little world. But it’s ok, they know me here.” (Who besides me has this fridge magnet; raise your hand!)
That’s sometimes what it feels like. Who says stories aren’t real? I live in the land of the Midnight Sun and Polar Nights, together with my husband and daughter, and a cast of fantasy characters running around in my head. It’s busy here. Care to stay and chat a while?
Laura Maybrooke is an 80s’ child, who works too much and writes too little, but who’ll never say no to a thrilling romance, a high fantasy adventure, or a cookbook full of delicious treats she’d like to bake one day.
I absolutely love these kinds of reads. I look forward to reading and following this enchantress throughout the storyline.
ReplyDeleteI liked the excerpt, thank you.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds awesome! I really enjoyed the excerpt and can't wait to read the rest. Stunning cover! ❤
ReplyDelete