About the Book:
Title: Songbird
Author: Colleen Helme
Genre: Romance Fantasy
As the ambassador from
Braemar, Bran is sent on a diplomatic mission to the Old Country to establish
trade relations. But the real reason for his mission is to uncover the secrets
of a potent elixir that can give magic to anyone who drinks it.
While there he encounters the Songbird, a beautiful, exotic woman, and the king’s most prized possession. Her song is full of magic, and he determines that her people must be connected to the deadly elixir. In exchange for her help, he is willing to risk his life to set her free. What he doesn’t expect, is to fall under her spell…
While there he encounters the Songbird, a beautiful, exotic woman, and the king’s most prized possession. Her song is full of magic, and he determines that her people must be connected to the deadly elixir. In exchange for her help, he is willing to risk his life to set her free. What he doesn’t expect, is to fall under her spell…
Author Bio
As the author of the
Shelby Nichols Adventure Series, Colleen is often asked if Shelby Nichols is
her alter-ego. “Definitely,” she says. “Shelby is the epitome of everything I
wish I dared to be.” Known for her laugh since she was a kid, Colleen has
always tried to find the humor in every situation and
continues to enjoy writing about Shelby’s adventures. “I love getting Shelby
into trouble… I just don’t always know how to get her out of it!” Colleen lives
in the Rocky Mountains with her family. Besides writing, she loves a good book,
biking, hiking, and playing board and card games with family and friends. She
loves to connect with readers and admits that fans of the series keep her
writing.
Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Songbird-Colleen-Helme-ebook/dp/B00ZYVF3YI/ref=tmm_kin_title_0&tag=collhelm
Website: http://colleenhelme.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColleenHelmeAuthor
Author Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/Colleen-Helme/e/B004JP9RWO/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Website: http://colleenhelme.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColleenHelmeAuthor
Author Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/Colleen-Helme/e/B004JP9RWO/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Book Excerpt:
The crowd parted
unexpectedly and the ambassador froze at the vision of beauty standing only ten
feet away. Raven-black hair flowed around her slender shoulders, falling in
feathered waves and creating a sharp contrast to her porcelain skin. She caught
his gaze with startling sapphire blue eyes, and his mind went blank.
After a short silence,
the king’s top advisor cleared his throat, and Bran came back to his senses. An
embarrassing rush of color stained his dark complexion, and Bran cursed the
fates that the king’s advisor had witnessed his reaction.
“Don’t worry,”
Chancellor Turner said, noticing his discomfort. “The Songbird affects everyone
that way the first time they see her. Beauty like that commands attention, and
no one is immune to her exotic looks. But don’t be deceived. She is not to be
trusted or taken lightly. None of the Kalorians are. Their race has a penchant
to hurt and manipulate others, and must be controlled. That is why we enslave
them. But don’t worry.” He smiled at Bran. “You see the collar around her neck?
It’s called a kundar, and keeps them
under control. Without it, we would be nothing but dirt under their feet. She
could devour both your mind and your soul with one look into those fathomless
eyes.”
Bran was familiar with
the kundar, although he didn’t agree
with the reason for its use. It was said that the Kalorians were evil because
of their magic, but he wasn’t sure he believed it. If the Kalorians really did
have magic, it didn’t make them bad, and tales told by power-hungry men weren’t
always true. It sickened him that the king would force the suppression and
slavery of another race.
The Songbird was a
symbol of that enslavement. Although they softened the truth and made it sound
like the taming of a wild bird, it was nothing short of bondage. She had no
choices, no freedom, nothing. It was wrong, and it grated on him.
Couldn’t something
positive come from a reciprocal relationship with people like her? People who
had magic at their command? He drew his brows together in confusion, pretending
he hadn’t been studying their culture for the last several months. “Is that it?
The golden circlet around her neck?”
The chancellor turned
his full attention on Bran. “The kundar
is much more than a simple necklace. It causes excruciating pain if the
Songbird uses too much magic. It is like the safety-catch on your weapon and,
fortunately for us, she can’t remove it.” His eyes narrowed. “Neither can
anyone else.” His pointed look left no question of his warning.
Bran allowed a smile.
“I was merely curious. My sole purpose here is to form a liaison between our
countries that I hope will be mutually beneficial.” The Chancellor nodded
absently, returning his attention to the Songbird.
Giveaway: $25 Amazon giftcard
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