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Saturday, February 2, 2013

Please, grind these trochent eyes ~ Sweet Saturday Sample



My Sweet Saturday Sample is a morsel from my latest release, an epic fantasy romance, Lost Volumes: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Three. This is the third of a 5-part series.
 
Available at Amazon.




In this scene, Lyra and Cullen are in the mysterious, underground world of Terza. They are there in search of a cure for a deadly black magic plague that is affecting the residents of the Alliance where Cullen lives. Along the way, a witch and her son save the couple from a being eaten by a horrible scorpent monster. They also help Lyra and Cullen find that cure...both at a price.

“How long will it take you to make the potion?” Lyra asked. “We’re in a hurry to save sick people.”
“We start now. I think only a short while. They suffer from the Sanguinous Low Pestilence, a quick killer. Since I last concocted this, was a long time.”
The big black bird sprang back to life and sailed around the room screeching, “Caw! Caw!”
Busy at a work table, Mrinx didn’t take time to silence it. Instead, Lesot held out an arm where the bird took a quiet perch on his shoulder.
“I don’t remember this potion,” Lesot said.
“You were jest a child. Here, grind these dried trochent eyes.” She handed him a stock jar of shriveled eyeballs, and her pendant figures passed a mortar and pestle.
The bird tipped its head down low, its tail jerking wildly to maintain balance while watching the procedures.
Mrinx paused and opened a large, worn leather-bound grimoire. “Spectaculae en hastium!”
One of her pendants flew up, carrying reading glasses to her nose.
She snatched the pair and parted the wads of her frizzy hair to wind the curved earpieces into place. “Pinch of mettlehammer.” After collecting a bottle from the wall shelves, she added the ingredient and returned to the spell book. “Chattle piss—one squiff. Rant, if you don’t mind.”
The bird hopped down Lesot’s outstretched arm and hovered at the edge of the cauldron. It lifted its tail and contributed to the brew. The steam rising to its feathers made the bird wobble. Once it regained some balance, it flew back to a safer position at the far end of the table near Lyra and Cullen, greeting them with another screech.
Glancing behind her to make sure no roaming hands or wings reached for her from the walls, Lyra backed away from the intimidating bird.
“Rant, manners with our guests,” Lesot reprimanded.
Cullen moved beside Lyra and whispered into her ear, “None of the people we’ve met here seem to recognize where we’re from by our dress. But, these two know our land by name. You may have given away too much.”
“It’s a chance I had to take. People are dying. I’ll accept responsibility for my mistakes.”
He squeezed her hand. Although he didn’t send any hidden thought, she understood his gesture.
Mrinx selected an amulet and another jar from the wall. “Lyra, since you gave a generous trade offer, I’ll include another level of magic. This striated obsidian dust will protect all your folk from catching any future dark illness.”
“Strong stuff.” Her son nodded. “The source of Malificate power.”
”Thank you very much,” Lyra said, leaning around the cackling bird to watch the special substance being added. Black powder glittered like sequins in the candlelight. When it contacted the liquid, the mixture bubbled to the rim of the cauldron and rose in a sparkling vapor.
“Quick! Bring hands over the pot to take in the magic,” Mrinx urged her guests, with a wave of her arm. “Like this.” She rubbed her hand together as though washing in the steam. “Will help protect you from dark spells for the short.”
Lyra cautiously slipped one hand into the mist. “Oh!” She jerked her arm back.

Lost Volumes: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Three

When Lyra McCauley learns residents of Dragonspeir’s Alliance are suffering with a deadly plague, she doesn’t heed the warnings of her fiancĂ©, wizard Cullen Drake, to remain safe in her human world. After all, she’s the present Scribe—one of five strong women in her ancestry who possessed unique magic, each destined to protect the Alliance against the evil Black Dragon of the Dark Realm. With Cullen dependent upon Alliance power to maintain his immortality, the stakes are doubled for Lyra.

She leaves her college teaching and puts herself at risk for the community afflicted by black magic. To find a cure, she and Cullen travel into the vile, lawless underworld of Terza to strike a bargain with an expert. Their efforts further enrage the Black Dragon, vowing to decimate the Alliance and avenge the murder of his heir. 

Lyra must secure the three lost volumes of the Book of Dragonspeir. Written by the three earliest Scribes, each book contains energy. Possession of the entire set will enable overthrow of the Dark Realm. Following clues into dangerous lands, Lyra and Cullen seek those volumes. His assistants, Kenzo the tiger owl and Noba the pseudodragon, prove invaluable aids. Only if they succeed, will the Alliance be safe and Lyra reach closer to the immortality she needs to live a life with Cullen.


About the series~

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.

I'm looking forward to seeing what sweets some of my fellow authors on this hop will serve. Be sure to check them out on the main blog page for Sweet Saturday Samples.

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Marsha A. Moore is a writer of fantasy romance. The magic of art and nature spark life into her writing. Read her ENCHANTED BOOKSTORE LEGENDS for adventurous epic fantasy romance: Book One, SEEKING A SCRIBE, Book Two, HERITAGE AVENGED, and Book Three, LOST VOLUMES. She has also authored the Ciel's Legacy series, with fast action mermaid/pirate storylines: TEARS ON A TRANQUIL LAKE and TORTUGA TREASURE.  For a FREE ebook download, read her historic fantasy, LE CIRQUE DE MAGIE, available at Amazon and Smashwords.

3 comments:

Sherry Gloag said...

You carried me right into this scene :-)

Elaine Cantrell said...

Wonderful world building.

Marsha A. Moore said...

Thanks lots for your kind comments.