Book Info-Series- Courtlight Series #1By- Terah EdunGenre- Young Adult, Fantasy, Coming of AgeBlurb-Seventeen-year-old Ciardis has grown up in poverty, a cleaner in a small vale on the outskirts of the empire. But beneath her empire’s seemingly idyllic surface lies a hidden secret. Whispers of an inept crown Prince are growing ever louder—intensified by the five year anniversary of the soulbond initiations.Amidst scandalous whispers, Ciardis finds herself chosen to train for the Companion’s Guild. She leaves her home and sets off on a personal journey to become a Court Companion. A position she’d never thought possible for a lowly servant to obtain, she must prove that she has the skills to attract a Patron.But she must master those skills quickly. If the legends are true, only Ciardis can harness the power to raise a Prince in an Imperial Court sworn to bring him down.This sensational series debut melds intricate storylines with remarkable characters and unforgettable magic. Sworn To Raise is ideal for fans of Kristin Cashore, Michelle Sagara, and Maria Snyder.Links-- Amazon- B & N- iTunesBook Info-Title- Sworn to Transfer
Series- Courtlight Series # 2By- Terah EdunGenre- Young Adult, Fantasy, Coming of AgeBlurb-Eighteen-year-old companion trainee Ciardis Weathervane has won the friendship of the royal heir and saved his claim to the throne. Yet her interference in the inheritance rights leaves more harm done than good. The Ameles Forest lies unprotected and its inhabitants are dying.As humans begin to die in gruesome deaths, the Emperor dispatches the royal heir to the forests with the solution to the kith concerns.With enemies closing ranks in Sandrin, Ciardis can little afford to leave the city’s nest of vipers to take on a new task. But she’s given no choice when her loyalty to the crown and courts are called into question.To keep the Companions’ Guild happy and the favor of the Imperial Court, Ciardis will be tested in frightening new ways, especially when she’s faced with an obstacle that could risk the lives of her friends and the family she never thought she had.This second novel continues the story of Ciardis Weathervane from Sworn To Raise.Links-- B & NBook Info-Title- Sworn to Conflict
Series- Courtlight Series # 3By- Terah EdunGenre- Young Adult, Fantasy, Coming of AgePublication Date- December 6, 2013Blurb-Ciardis Weathervane fought for the living dead and won. But worse than taking on a mass murderer, was her discovery that she had been deceived by her friends. Now she needs to not only fight a war in the North and survive, but also decide where she stands in the midst of competing sides.A threat to all she holds dear lies in the North and her heart is not the only thing she might lose. A massive army awaits in the mountain pass, surging closer to the gates of the southern lands. Nothing the Algardis army has done so far has dissuaded their march forward and Ciardis finds out that her powers to enhance are needed now more than ever.As she faces her greatest fears on the battlefields and her heart is torn between her love of Sebastian and loyalty to her family, Ciardis must choose her fate carefully. For in her path, lies the destiny of the empire.This third novel continues the story of Ciardis Weathervane from Sworn To Transfer.Excerpt ATwo weeks passed before Maris woke Ciardis Weathervane from her deep sleep. Two weeks was a long time. Long enough for a prince heir to assign a team of mages to scour the empire for one lost woman. Long enough for them to find her.Ciardis woke up in stages. Her consciousness came first. Her head felt clogged with a thick fog. One that was slowly fading. She became aware that she was lying flat on her back at the same time she realized she was no longer cold. And then the tingly sensation of her body waking up began to take over, and her senses returned. She twitched her fingers and felt the scratch of rough linens beneath her fingertips. She felt the urge to yawn, but more than that, she wanted to see. The crease between her eyelids felt crusted, as if a long time had passed since she had last opened them. Grimacing, she cleared her lids of the dirt and opened her eyes to gain a glimpse into where she was. It was a dark and enclosed space with very few discernable features.But wait…there was a light at her feet. She strained her eyes against the small glare that felt like a bright sun in her weakened state. But she wanted to see. She needed to know where she was. Taking stock of the feelings in her body, she determined that nothing felt broken or out of place. With a heave she pushed herself up, managing to get her chest to rise a few inches off of the bed. She fell back down onto her back in exhaustion from that small effort.She tried to catch her breath from that small exertion. Then she heard voices. Straining her ears, she couldn’t make them out. They were just outside of the place she was in, but the sound was muffled. She reached above her to touch the moving walls. Fabric.I’m in a room of fabric, she thought with some confusion as she trailed her fingers over the rippling sloped walls above her. But where?The last thing she remembered was confronting the Shadow Mage. She had had run-ins with him as they sparred off and on throughout the weeks of her stay in the Ameles Forest. The Shadow Mage had been unstoppable, killing hundreds of kith even after her arrival at the Ameles Forest with Meres Kinsight, Vana Cloudbreaker, Alexandra, and Terris. The Shadow Mage had always been one step ahead of her, laughing at her antics with a mockery born of cruelty. She’d gone to the Ameles Forest to stop the killings of untold numbers of kith at the behest of the head of the Companions’ Guild, Maree Amber. A woman she had come to learn was also a member of the Shadow Council—a deeply secretively organization in the Algardis Empire whose express purpose was to eliminate threats to the crown. Maree Amber, of course, had died protecting her charge – a rather ungrateful Weathervane at the time.Excerpt BCiardis blinked and went back to perusing the letter. Her memory flashed back to her conversation with Sebastian before the Truthsayer had come. He’s hiding something, the Prince Heir had said with a stubborn look in his eyes. If she knew Sebastian, he hadn’t given up on finding out what it was. Perhaps the romantic interlude wasn’t going to be so romantic after all.“Do you know where the western guard tower is?” she asked Kane absentmindedly.Kane nodded. “Near the mages’ encampment.”Ciardis raised an eyebrow. “They live on the outskirts of the soldiers’ camp? Doesn’t that make them vulnerable?”“They prefer it there. There’s a giant ice shelf that protects them from the elements and apparently has magical properties.”“Well, then, let’s go.”Inga smiled.“What?” said Ciardis, looking up at the frost giantess.“The sleds,” she said with the look of a child who had won all the toys in the world.“The what?”Kane let out a laugh and shook his head. “You’ll see.”Ciardis, Kane, and Inga took off in the direction that Kane had pointed to. They came to a stop just outside a farrier’s stall, which rang with the sounds of horses getting new shoes, nails being hammered, and armor plate being melded for the steeds’ chest plates. They walked to a clean patch of snow that stretched a quarter of a mile in the distance.Looking down, Ciardis noted that while the snow was clean it wasn’t unmarred. Curious tracks marred its surface in deep grooves that ran in twin parallel lines. The parallel lines were everywhere, circling around in narrow lines. Peering closely, she noticed horse tracks, as well.And then it came. First the sound of a harness slapping in the wind, then the harsh breaths of horses in the air, and finally the rhythmic jingle of small chains slapping against the sides of the sled. Far off in the distance six double-teamed horses crested a hill with a large sled strapped behind them. They were covering the distance toward the farriers’ camp at a good pace.“That is the sled,” said Kane.“It’s huge,” said Ciardis in wonder.Inga nodded in satisfaction. “They use it to carry supplies to the mages’ camp as well as battle weapons that need to be safeguarded. Hence the size.”The glee had not left her tone.“It’s the only way to get to the mages’ camp near the western guard tower and the only sled I’ve ever seen that can bear a frost giant,” said Kane.Inga didn’t seem to care. She was practically dancing in the snow.Ciardis let her own joy grace her face. This was going to be fun.Excerpt CLillian Weathervane and Vana Cloudbreaker came to a silent understanding. Their eyes met and Lillian turned around while Vana fully sheathed her swords.Lillian cupped Ciardis’s face in her hands and looked down at her with pride. “My darling daughter, it’s time for you to return to camp. Time for you to take your place once again by the Prince Heir’s side.”“No,” said Ciardis, “I’m not leaving you.”Lillian shook her head. “And I will not leave you. We will only be apart a short while. But for now Sebastian is seeking you, and if he doesn’t find you he will send out search parties. People who cannot be allowed to find me.”“How do you know he’s looking for me?”Lillian smiled with wise eyes. “Because I know how long you’ve been gone and I see how he looks at you.”“Now go, and remember—tell no one,” Lillian said with a gentle push of her hands. Before Ciardis could object again the Lord Chamberlain clasped a firm hand on her left shoulder and transported her from the Aether Realm with the amulet he had retrieved from Vana.She turned around and saw that she was back in the snow-laden field with the horses. Frowning, she turned to the Lord Chamberlain to angrily demand that he return her to the Aether Realm. But before she could he was gone in a blink of an eye, back to Lillian Weathervane’s side, she assumed. Ciardis stamped her foot angrily but there was nothing she could do about it. She no longer had the bracelet that linked her to that realm. And the truthsayer’s body had vanished.“Ciardis, what are you doing?” said a confused voice to her left.She whirled around to see Kane leaning against the fence with a puzzled look on his face.“I was…well…talking to someone.”“To whom?” he asked, looking at the empty field. There was no one else around and no tracks in the snow that would indicate there had been.She almost told him about Lillian and Vana and the Lord Chamberlain but then she remembered Lillian’s admonition, her fight for survival, and the fact that this whole northern campaign might be a secret plot led by the Imperial courts. She closed her mouth with a click.“No one,” she said, looking at Kane wistfully. “Just myself.” Wishing she could tell him.“Well,” he said with amusement, “if you’re done, then Sebastian is in a fine fit looking for you, not to mention the fact that you have a meeting with the commander of this army.”She nodded and traipsed across the snow.“The general is supposedly on the outskirts of camp. We’ll have to ride there,” he explained.She was glad they hadn’t confronted General Barnaren right away, but they also hadn’t had time to plan what she and Sebastian were going to tell him about the sanctuary and the Daemoni tales. But she knew that now Sebastian wouldn’t wait. He was in a fury. On one hand she could understand it; Barnaren had been keeping secrets upon secrets from him since the beginning. If either course were true, it wouldn’t negate that fact. As the Prince Heir it was Sebastian who should have been planning the campaign, Sebastian who should have been leading the war. But the general went over his head time and again with messages to his father and secret meetings with his men.She and Kane joined an irritated-looking Sebastian in the northernmost corner of the camp. Once he spotted her, Sebastian said, “The general is in one of the side camps, but I’m not yet sure which one.”She nodded while Sebastian tersely questioned a regiment commander about the whereabouts of the general from atop his black stallion. Once told, they raced straight there. Sebastian didn’t stop at the request of the general’s guard to halt outside of the perimeter. He rode straight toward the four men and through them when they hastily jumped aside to avoid being trampled by his spirited stallion. Ciardis almost felt sorry for them—almost. They were too well trained not to question the presence of anyone who came into the general’s vicinity but no doubt knew they could be executed for putting a hand on the Prince Heir. It put them in a quandary.When the general heard the commotion outside of the tent he strode outside in full battle armor with a thunderous expression on his face. An anger that didn’t lessen when he saw who had interrupted his strategic session with the commanders of the army, who spilled out of the tent behind him.Links-- AmazonBook Info-Title- Sworn to Secrecy
Series- The Courtlight Series #4By- Terah EdunExpected Publication Date-February 28, 2014Blurb-In the heart of the Imperial Courts, Ciardis Weathervane knows that death is coming for the empire. With her friends by her side and the new triad of Weathervanes, she's in a race against time to convince the courts of the same.She must do her best to unite kith, mages, nobles and merchants under one cause - the fight to prevent a war. Soon she is forced to keep a secret that could exonerate her mother of the Empress's death, and is always one move away from stepping into diplomatic chaos.Throw in a Daemoni Prince who is showing interest in the youngest Weathervane, a jealous Prince Heir, and a irritated dragon with her own designs on Ciardis, and you have an Imperial Court in turmoil.This fourth novel continues the story of Ciardis Weathervane from Sworn To Conflict.Links-
Excerpt AWhen they walked into the parlor, she was surprised to see Sebastian among the group. That should have been her first warning. Her delight was quickly overtaken as he spoke with Caemon.“One thing at a time, eh?” said Caemon, “We’re all tired and struggling to stay standing right now.”“Yes,” said Sebastian, “But we need to figure out what to do with our unwelcome guest.”“Do?” said Ciardis as she looked over at Thomas.“Do?” echoed Thomas in alarm.Sebastian said flatly, “I meant the dead under-dragon.”Walking past the piles of broken shelving, glass and shattered stone, he came up to Ciardis. Taking her hand gently in his, he lifted her arm.“What?” she said.“You’re bleeding,” Sebastian said.Blinking Ciardis looked down and saw slashes on her arm, “So I am.”She felt detached from the scene, from the battle, from life.Staring at Sebastian, she watched as his eyes narrowed and his hand tightened on her wrist.“Come with me,” he said shortly.“Not a chance,” said Thanar.“I don’t believe I asked you.”Thanar’s wings arced up in anger as he said. “Do you want her bleeding all over the floor or do you want my help?”Sebastian smiled. “I prefer my own remedy.”Turning to Ciardis, he repeated. “Come with me.”She looked between the two and then nodded her head. Leading her out the door, Sebastian didn’t look back. Neither did she.He took her down the hall and across the manor to their living quarters. It was like another world. Untouched by the destructive nature of their enemies. Clean, quiet, serene.Opening the door to a room they sat on the bed.She had time to wonder, When did he get here? Mid-battle? But watched silent as he took out bandages, sterilized ointment and needles from a pack he carried.Before he began Sebastian ran a finger along the edge of her arm. As his finger traced her flesh, the skin went numb, and she gasped in relief as the pain disappeared.He smiled. “A trick I learned from my childhood nurse.”He proceeded to stitch her arm properly and as he finished Sebastian snipped off the end of the thread and said, “Better.”She smiled, “Much better.”As he looked into her eyes, she leaned forward in happiness. Glad that he was here.Excerpt BAs they flew over the city, Ciardis was surprised to see the sky darkening with ominous clouds. Not the kind that predict heavy rains, but the ones that flashed and flared with clouds of purple and midnight blue full of thunder and lightning. The winds picked up and slammed into them above the city. In Thanar’s arms she felt the buffet of harsh winds tangling her hair, ice scraping her skin, and the feel of Thanar’s muscles bunching as he clutched at her desperately, trying to keep ahold of her and stay flying high.“What’s going on?” she yelled into his ear. She tried turning to face forward and see what was in front of them but the wind and ice was too strong. They stung her eyes and forced them closed. She couldn’t imagine how Thanar was handling it. Determined not to bury her face in his shoulder and wish away her fears, she faced backwards, looking past his broad black wings to what lay behind them.She almost wished she hadn’t. Because what she saw almost made her swallow her tongue down her throat in fear.She screamed in his ear. “Thanar! Trouble!”“What kind?” he snapped back.“The fire-breathing dragon kind!”He turned his head slightly in the air, too laden down by her weight while he fought the fierce winds to turn his full body. What he saw made him start cursing enough to set the air on fire in three languages.“Hang on,” he snapped at her.“To what?” she screamed as he suddenly dropped through the air.Desperately she clung to his neck and prayed to the seven gods to deliver them from this evil. Because the dragon wasn’t just passing by. When Thanar dropped, so did he. The great horned beast, black of scale and fiery of eyes, smiled with rows of razor-sharp teeth as he gained airspeed on them with a leisurely pursuit. The dragon didn’t even look like he was breaking a sweat. If dragons could sweat at all.Not that Ciardis was such a connoisseur of dragon physique. It could have been female for all she knew. The only thing she could say with definite certainty was that it didn’t look friendly and it certainly wasn’t Raisa.“This isn’t working,” Ciardis screamed to Thanar. “He’s gaining on us.”Thanar kept falling in the air. “I’ve got an idea.”“Does it involve us bashing into a building at top speed? Because it looks like that’s what going to happen more or less,” she said. By this time Ciardis had her nails digging into Thanar’s topless shoulders, and she was fairly certain it would leave a mark if they survived.Excerpt CPrince Heir Sebastian Athanos Algardis held out a cold and distant hand to Ciardis Weathervane. She accepted it silently. Because she couldn’t be petty. Not now. Appearances were everything. Unity was everything. Strength in the face of their enemies was everything.They walked down gilded hallway after gilded hallway. Always in unison. Watchful eyes ready. Taking notes of the courtiers who took note of them. The courtiers who turned away or made no attempt at recognition would not support them. The courtiers who were careful to nod in their direction or catch the eye of the approaching prince were allies. And still more watched and waited, calculating, assessing, and preparing for what was to come.She sighed silently when they reached the enormous golden doors that marked the emperor’s audience chambers. She had been here once before with Sebastian. Then they had just met and emerged together from the aether realm as well as the renewed land wight’s presence. Then as now they waited on the emperor’s verdict.They stood in front of the doors, waiting for them to open, while the noble court tittered behind them as they gossiped about whatever it was that was the latest rage among their group. A liveried footman wearing the Algardis crest soon approached them. He bowed deeply from the waist to the prince heir. As he rose, he stated, “His Imperial Majesty Emperor Bastien Athanos Algardis requests a private audience with Ciardis Weathervane, companion trainee and scion of the Weathervane family.”Disturbed, Ciardis looked with wide eyes at Sebastian, who glanced back at her, perturbed as well. The emperor’s request had been specific and final. If he hadn’t ordered anyone else to attend him, then no one else would enter the chamber.Sebastian grimaced. She knew he couldn’t gainsay his father in front of the entire court. Instead he let his mental barriers down. Be careful, Ciardis. My father isn’t to be trifled with. Tell him what you found out but make sure you maintain the upper hand. This may be our only time to gain leverage.I know, she replied back. I will do my best. Sebastian—Her voice halted.Yes? he said. He couldn’t hide the anxiety and wariness in his mental voice.Nothing, she said. It doesn’t matter.She straightened her shoulders and he stepped back, his shields snapping closed. A cold mask descended over his face so fast that she almost flinched. She took a step forward to the opening audience chamber doors.As she entered through their golden vista, she whispered in her thoughts, Just like old times.
About the Author-
Terah Edun is a young adult fantasy writer born and raised in the Atlanta metropolitan area, who transplanted to the Northeast region for college, and has spent years living abroad in South Sudan and Morocco. She writes the stories that she always loved to read as a young girl.Links-- Website
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