Expected Release Date: 1st June 2013
Pages: 302
Formats Available: E-Book
BLURB from Author Trisha Wolfe
In the
sand-covered queen-dom of Cavan, the goddess once saved a young Kaliope’s life,
preventing the mercury her father attempted to hide in her blood from reaching
her heart. Now, a cybernetic clamp filters it, but the silver streaks swirling
faintly beneath her skin are a constant reminder that she’s different.
When nineteen-year-old Kaliope is chosen as head of the Nactue Guard, she becomes the sworn protector to her empress. In the midst of an invasion on a neighboring land, Kaliope is placed in charge of guarding Prince Caben, the last heir to his kingdom. But when they’re attacked by the feared Otherworlders, Caben and Kaliope are abducted and taken below to a realm where they must fight for their life in a caged arena.
Kaliope struggles to protect her princely charge, keeping him and herself alive while battling inhumanly opponents, and trying to save the stolen, sacred relic that will restore her empress’s life force and all of Cavan. And if she can somehow awaken the goddess within her, she may save what’s most important.
When nineteen-year-old Kaliope is chosen as head of the Nactue Guard, she becomes the sworn protector to her empress. In the midst of an invasion on a neighboring land, Kaliope is placed in charge of guarding Prince Caben, the last heir to his kingdom. But when they’re attacked by the feared Otherworlders, Caben and Kaliope are abducted and taken below to a realm where they must fight for their life in a caged arena.
Kaliope struggles to protect her princely charge, keeping him and herself alive while battling inhumanly opponents, and trying to save the stolen, sacred relic that will restore her empress’s life force and all of Cavan. And if she can somehow awaken the goddess within her, she may save what’s most important.
COVER COMMENTS
It's quite a picturesque yet barren land scene on the cover, and we are looking at the view that the woman on the cover is seeing. It's nighttime and that gives the cover a mysterious edge to it. I really like the font of the book title, with the arrows underneath, very olde worlde, which of course fits in with goddesses. The font being a silver effect colour also ties in with the title of the book. I like that the series title is also at the top of the book with the book title and the authors name printed more simply at the bottom of the book. The titles and authors name compliments the book rather than interfering or overpowering the cover as is the case with some book covers.
So would I pick it up from a book shelf to learn more? Yes I would.
EXCERPT
I open my mouth to say something comforting, but I’m unsure
of what. In this moment, I’m reminded that I know little about him. Other than
the sarcasm and desire to understand nothing of my queendom, he hasn’t allowed
me past the surface.
But then, I
have my own walls, hiding things I’d never want him or any other to know. And I
understand that need to hide them. You can’t trust anyone.
“Caben…” I
start, but still can’t find the right words.
He lowers
his hand from his face, never taking his eyes off the glinting water top.
“You’re right,” he finally says. “Let’s find the access to Lilly’s section.”
A hollow
pang hits my chest, and I’m not sure why. Something in his voice sounds lost,
broken. I imagine the gears around my heart spinning faster, trying to keep up
with my racing heart.
When he
sidesteps me, I reach out and grab his arm. “Caben, I didn’t mean—”
“It’s fine,
Kal,” he snaps. “We have work to do.”
“No, I’ve
said something to offend you.” I drop my hand, but keep close to him, not
allowing him to leave my side. Goddess, trying to understand the male brain is
harder than anything in protector training. I’ve heard people say that you have
to tip-toe around a woman’s emotions, but a man’s ego is every bit as fragile,
if not more so.
He releases
a heavy breath through his nose and walks back to the pool. He sits down along
the edge and rolls up his pants, then slips off his boots. “I honestly don’t
think Bax or his goons will be returning tonight.” He sinks his bare feet into
the water and sighs.
Glancing at
the back of the cave, I plant my hands on my hips. We don’t have time for
indulgencies, but the prince is still my charge. If it were my empress, I’d
give her anything she’d ask for. Allow her as much time as she needed to
collect herself. I have to watch over his mental state as well as protect him,
so I try to push the pending need to find Lilly aside and sit down next to him.
“Here,” he
says, turning his hand out near my crossed feet. “You have to feel this.”
A smile
tugs at the corner of my mouth. “I can remove my own—”
“Have you
never been pampered a day in your life?” he asks, lifting an eyebrow. “I know
that the Nactue are fierce and will put a hurt on any man for touching them.
But try to relax.”
“Is that
the rumor in Perinya?”
“What?”
I bite my
lip, suddenly regretting my blurt. “Nothing. Never mind.”
From the
corner of my eye, I see his lips pucker into a pinched smile, as if he’s trying
not to. “Ah,” he says, like he’s made some great universal connection. “Well,
there are many whisperings about the Nactue. Some I dare not repeat for fear
I’d leave here missing a limb, but that’s one, yes.” He takes my booted foot
and begins to unlace it. “I’ve heard that the empress’s protectors are
untouchable—forbidden to give themselves to men. And that they’ll snap a man’s
neck just for making an advance.”
My mouth
drops open. Appalled, I counter, “That’s not true.”
“All
right,” he says, as if he hasn’t just insulted my very existence. “It’s only
rumors. Things men jaw about in pubs. The unattainable woman is a fantasy, Kal.
Don’t be offended.”
“Unattainable?”
I grit my teeth, trying to maintain my composure. “Tell me, prince. Do men in
your country just go around bedding every woman they can in order to keep them
compliant?” I shake my head. “If their fantasy is a woman that would have
nothing to do with them, it seems to me it’s their way of feeding their egos after
being rejected.”
His eyes
widen. “No! How does your brain come up with these—” He bites off his words,
his lips thin as he presses them together. “Look, it was a joke.”
I nod, many
times. “Another joke. I’m glad that our hard work and sacrifice is amusing to
the men of Perinya.”
Caben lets
out another sigh and slowly pulls off my boot. His warm fingers skim my calf as
he inches up my pant leg. “Just stick your foot in,” he says, then adds lower,
“while I stick mine in my mouth.”
Unexpectedly,
I laugh. “At least it’s now clean,” I say. “Would you like some help getting it
to your face?”
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