Author: Julia Ember
Series: The Seafarer's Kiss #2
Genre: YA Retelling
Publisher: Duet Books - the YA Imprint of Interlude Press
Release Date: September 13th, 2018
Synopsis:
After invaders destroyed her village, murdered her family,
and took her prisoner, shield-maiden Ragna is hungry for revenge. A trained
warrior, she is ready to fight for her home, but with only a mermaid and a crew
of disloyal mercenaries to aid her, Ragna knows she needs new allies. Guided by
the magical maps on her skin, battling storms and mutiny, Ragna sets sail
across the Northern Sea.
She petitions the Jarl in Skjordal for aid, but despite
Ragna’s rank and fighting ability, the Jarl sees only a young girl, too
inexperienced to lead, unworthy of help. To prove herself to the Jarl and win
her crew’s respect, Ragna undertakes a dangerous expedition. But when forced to
decide between her own freedom and the fate of her crew, what will she
sacrifice to save what’s left of her home?
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Excerpt:
Two warriors sat playing dice at a table. As I studied them, my blood ran cold. I recognized one of the men. He wore an eye patch over his left eye and had two matching scars running down his cheeks like tears from my nails. He still wore a faded, dirty red tunic, emblazoned with Haakon’s sigil. It was the same man who’d grabbed me on the night the raiders came. He and his companion had killed my family in their beds.
I wanted to rush forward, to slice open his belly with my axe and spill his guts over the wooden floor. But a long shadow cast on the floor behind them kept me motionless. I peeked around the wall again, looking for the source of the shadow.
A large horse stood behind the game table; its head was partially submerged in a feeding trough. It was pure white with a light pink muzzle and cyan eyes. It had eight legs instead of four, with catlike paws in place of hooves. When it lifted its head, a man’s arm dangled from its muzzle. Golden rings still decorated the man’s hand. The creature chewed it absently, its great jaws grinding the bone as easily as hay.
The Sleipnir. I recognized it from the stories Mama had told me as a child. Once the valued steed of Odin, the beast had been born of Loki’s own flesh. They had given natural birth to the creature and it was the strongest of their beasts. It had lived for centuries and survived against powerful enemies.
It stood over a trap door, and I knew with sickening certainty that was where we would find the children. If I wanted to get to Yarra, I had to defeat a creature that feasted on human bones.
About the Author:
Julia Ember is the author of The Seafarer's Kiss and The
Navigator's Touch, as well as several novellas and short stories for young
adults. Originally from Chicago, Julia now resides in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her
hobbies include riding horses, starting far too many craft projects, and looking
after her city-based menagerie of pets with names from Harry Potter. She
regularly takes part in events for queer teens. A world traveler since
childhood, she has now visited more than sixty countries.
Giveaway:
· An annotated paperback copy of both books in
the series
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