July 2025
A kingdom bound in prophecy. A girl born to break it. ~ The Breaking
Updates
I have an event this month!!!
July 27th in Webster MA I will be attending Sun Sand and Pages Book Event. I am so very excited and plan to have my ENTIRE catalog of books available for sale. Including those that aren’t published yet!!
Until then I thought lets share some in depth bits of my books. I also wanted to announce that The Breaking’s price has come down on amazon (print edition). I am excited for more people to read my work. Death of the Wolf is coming soon and it was truly a labor of love.
I also have the blurb for my second childrens middle grade book:
Welcome back to the wondrous world of Ozzan Madigan and his dragon bestie Shendri the Small. In this newest adventure, Delia, Immott and the children make their way through the mountains of Kelekona to the immersive and exciting Dragon Training Camp. Yet, what Ozzi saw as a place of adventure and new experiences quickly dissolves into something else. Everywhere they turn the little group encounters nothing but hostility and misunderstandings. Will they be able to find a solution? Will Ozzi be able to satisfy his desire to find human friends? Will the Dragon Council allow jealousy to dictate their actions despite the dire consequences?
In an effort to bring more people to Baelia I plan on dropping more chapters and sneak peeks. This month I am going to share Chapter One of The Breaking.
Without further ado please enjoy this free chapter of my Debut!
Chapter One
Queen Hesper
Drakore - Byr - Year 7557
Silver vines curled around emeralds of various sizes, golden rosebuds peeking around the glittering rocks. Her ghostly hand delicately traced the metal vines, a shudder radiating through her mind as she realized razor-edged thorns dug into the scalp of the head that bore it. Maroon ichor dripped down the head of the bearer, a trickling splash echoed through her mind. Yet, eerily no indication of distress appeared on the slightly glowing figure before her.
The intricate crown seemed to be embedded into the four strand braid, additional diamonds pinned into the raven hair. The diamonds drew Hesper’s eye around the head of the mysterious woman. She attempted to focus, pushing at her magic, willing it to shift. Finally the face belonging to the inky haired beauty became the focal point.
Shock rippled through Hesper recognition reverberating through her soul at the older Aurelia staring unseeing back at her. The glow of the vision made Aurelia’s pale skin glow in an ethereal light, the blood dripping down from the crown appearing black. The blue eyes once full of love now appeared hardened. How had she become so darkened? The crown however posed one irrefutable fact, Aurelia had wed the Palion pup. A fact that made little sense considering currently he was betrothed to Cerial, Aurelia’s older sister. How did this come to occur?
Her eyes ached as she stared at the vision’s rendition of her youngest daughter, memorizing the differences between the girl asleep down the hall and the version she peered at in her mind. New lines appeared on her face, a smile that failed to reach her formerly joyous eyes. Hesper glanced down past Aurelia’s fake smile and saw another glint of metal. She plied her will as one may wield a sword, forcing her unruly magical sight downward. Her chest burned as slowly the vision shifted once more, exposing a familiar necklace.
The last Queen of Drakore had gifted Hesper the necklace upon Hesper’s Rite of Inheritance. The Rite when she and her soulbond partner Aydan took their rightful place as ruler’s ages ago. The necklace passed down through the females that belonged on the Drakore throne. Since Aydan had been the only offspring of the last ruling couple, the necklace had come to her as Aydan’s soulbond. The fact that it rested upon Aurelia’s neck foretold more than her mind could fathom.
The necklace was a dragon caught in flight, a delicate chain connected to the outstretched wings, the intricately detailed lower claws clasping a glowing red gem. Hesper brought up a phantom hand and traced the dragon's wings delicately as if touching it would help her figure out how it might end up on the neck of her youngest daughter, earlier than Hesper and Aydan had planned for.
It had become apparent that the impossible task of unification would rely on Hesper and Aydan. Drakore and Palion had never been united, though the kingdoms had worked hard to maintain positive enough relations. When Hesper and Aydan never managed to produce a male heir, only two daughters living to majority, their roles were clear. One destined for Palion, the other left to rule Drakore. It had taken many years to decide which girl to send, yet when Cerial’s loving and peace giving personality became clear she was the obvious choice.
Thoughts of her first born, Cerial, triggered a change in the vision, the older version of Aurelia disappearing leaving Hesper in the dark. Her heart racing at the revelation that something ill could be coming. She urged her magic to release her back to consciousness or show her what she needed. Gradually a glow began in the distance, the magic allowing her to float closer. Her mind stuttered. The figure illuminated by the eerie light had to be Aurelia, perhaps from a different stage of life since the crown was now missing yet the physical resemblance remained so strong. The eyes the same stunning blue, that of the sky on the clearest day. The hair at first sight appeared dark, dark enough to be Aurelia’s.
Still, some forgotten maternal instinct gnawed away at her insides, something wasn't right. The magic allowed her closer and the hair began to lighten at least in spots. A gasp left her as the hair that seemed lighter suddenly glowed blonde, an unseen light source shining down on the body, the magic tired of waiting for her to understand. The body that of her eldest daughter Cerial.
Cerial and Aurelia, sisters frequently mistaken as twins. They had a two year age difference, but their matching eye color and similar slight builds caused constant confusion. The defining feature always came down to their hair. Hesper squinted and realized why Cerial’s had looked so dark from afar, it was matted and thick with a rusty brown substance. Someone, blurred out by the magic, intended to remain a secret even from her, let fly a whip and Cerial’s back bowed a scream leaving her throat that cut Hesper to the bone.
Blood.
Her hair was matted. Fresh blood oozed out from beneath the crusted locks. The question of how she had come to be in such straits became evident as a blurred figure took a fistful of Cerial’s once gorgeous blonde curls and pulled her head back no mercy in his punishing grip. Hesper, unable to look away from her daughter's face, saw as she contorted in pain, Cerial’s cheeks had clear tracks where the tears had scrubbed the grime away.
Hesper felt as her body fought her magic, her breath shallow, not reaching her lungs. Her ghostly hands clutched at her chest as pain seared hot and sharp, tears flowing down her face, her ears filling as her physical body remained prone. The magic paralyzed, preventing her from leaving the vision no matter how hard her consciousness fought. The magic required that she watch the eternity of torture inflicted upon her beloved Cerial. Some part of her mind registered that Aydan rolled over and touched her shoulder, his rough hands bringing more awareness to her physical form. The screams coming from Cerial echoed in Hesper’s mind, lodged there unlikely to fade while Hesper walked Baelia.
The expulsion she craved so deeply came with a jerk. Her mental consciousness sent pinwheeling back into her body. Hesper's own scream stuck in her throat as her heart galloped under her skin desperate to escape the cage it lived in. She surged upward, desperate to distance herself from the helpless position of sleep. Aydan moved closer, gently rubbing her back as she slowly tried to bring her body's functions back under her own control. As her heart rate slowed and her breath began to send oxygen to her deprived lungs, her mind put together the pieces of what her magic had shown her.
The gift of vision was a unique one. Those with it had to work within certain constraints, such as being unable to see the futures of anyone directly reliant upon her. Thus, she had never seen the girls’ future and she had ceased seeing Aydan’s when they wed. That was what Goddess Tiva decreed, yet now she had seen not just one but both of her girls in their future. Perhaps it should be seen as a gift and not an unspoken prophecy of its own.
Determination filled the gaps left behind by the waning panic. For reasons she would never understand, Goddess Tiva had given her a window into the future of her children and she would try as hard as she could to not waste the opportunity. Her mind drifted inexorably to the darker reasons this gift may have been bestowed, her flesh rippling at the possibilities.
Her death.
If she died before the events her gift had deigned to show her, it would explain why. Someone somewhere had made a decision that solidified her ending, thus making it possible for the Goddess Tiva to reveal the futures of those closest to her. She shook her head, pulling her mental self up out of the dregs of the darkness, rolling her shoulders the mental reprimand readily available. Forewarned meant forearmed, if they were armed they could fight.
It would be complicated to ensure Aurelia’s readiness to take on Palion’s throne in Cerial’s place. The roadblocks that stood in the way would fight against the change. Aurelia would undoubtedly fight against the plan, mostly from a lack of trust in Hesper's motives. The second complication would be Palion’s own King Harold, who would make them pay for the privilege of switching the agreement. His wife had been his grounding force of kindness, with her death any shred of decency had perished within him. Hesper could understand the personality change even when it brought complications to her own doorstep. Should anything take Aydan from her she would cease to exist as well.
She looked over her shoulder, the blanket pooling around her waist, taking in the strong jaw and kind eyes that were patiently waiting for her to fill him in on what she had seen coming. She gave him a weak smile, “Thank you for being here my love. We have a hard path ahead I fear, but together anything is possible.” She turned from him, closing her eyes and just basking in his warmth, letting it banish the darkness she had waded through.
Aydan curled against her, the places where their skin touched, setting off sunbursts of warmth, his heartbeat reassuring on her shoulder. His arms encircled her stomach as he secured them tightly together. “My darling, if you are dedicated to walking the road, I shall be there right at your side to aid, however I am able to.” He nuzzled into his favorite place just under her ear and left a trail of kisses down to her shoulder.
“You must write to Harold. We need to change the union between Lucian and Cerial. It must be Aurelia.” She winced, waiting, grateful he couldn't see her face.
She held her breath as she felt his body stiffen in shock. Her own anger spiking deep within, a fire she could never really suffocate. He wasn't supposed to have a favorite. No matter how many times she tried to talk herself out of it, Hesper knew Aurelia was the favored child in Aydan's eyes. The spit fire daughter who asked forgiveness and never even considered asking permission, whose greatest desire in life was the day the Great Power granted her wings.
“Hesper.” Aydans voice hitched, “I know you are rarely wrong. How are you so sure you are seeing their futures? You’ve never seen them before so perhaps this glimpse is something else. Perhaps it’s someone else who needs their future to be changed. How sure are you?”
She sighed, her head suddenly very heavy. She pulled her knees up resting her chin on them. “I am as sure as I can be Aydan. You know how fickle my magic can be but it was directly influenced by the thoughts of the girls.” It came out more like a whisper knowing the implications for Aydan. He had hoped for Aurelia to be the one guarding Drakore in his stead when the time came. “She wore Palion's crown, older obviously but quite clearly in Palion regalia. She…” Hesper paused hesitating to tell him about the necklace, the implication world shattering. On an exhale she rushed it out. “She had on her neck my necklace.” Her hand lifted to the dragon in flight around her neck as she toyed with it.
Aydan’s hands gripped tighter on her arms as the news sank in. He cleared his throat, “You can't know Hesper. Perhaps you gifted it for her marriage day. Perhaps Lucian is her soulbond partner and she lives a happy life.” Hesper knew his hope for Lucian to be the soulbond partner of Aurelia was a fantasy built on twigs, but it helped him so she let it be.
Tears gathered in her eyes. He was too damn good, reaching for any possibility of positivity, a pang of pain stabbed through her at the thought of leaving him too soon and being without his positivity. The signs that she may die soon were clear. She wished with all her heart that she could spare him the pain that may come. With a halting voice, she relayed the rest of the vision. Part of her was grateful she couldn't see Aydan’s reactions as he listened to her describe the condition Cerial had been in. Hesper struggled containing her own emotions and if she saw the shuffle of them across his face she would be unable to explain it all.
The inky shadows of the predawn light filled the bedroom, the sun not yet risen past the trees as she pulled herself out of the bed and away from him. He needed space to accept what had been seen and make his plans for the future. A lot needed to be accomplished to protect Cerial and to prepare Aurelia for her new fate. At the end of the day, Hesper knew she would follow that foreign gnawing instinct that had been awakened during the vision, listening to it would, she hoped, lead to happiness for those she loved the most.
Indie Author Shoutout!
Title: Don't Trust the Raven
Genre: Dark mystery/low fantasy
Release: June 1st, 2025
Blurb:
Ellie has no control over her own life. From a loveless relationship, over a home that doesn't feel like one, to losing her only support system when her sister Mallory moves away; she is stuck in place with no way out. That is until she discovers that she can enter and manipulate dreams-not just her own, but those of other people too. The Dreamscapes are a perfect sanctuary where she can regain control and practice her powers, and it's all under the teaching eye of Aura, a beautiful inhabitant of the dream realm. Ellie uses her newfound abilities to regain the power over her own life, until she realizes that her safe haven harbors a secret. Constant, painful memories that don't belong to her invade her mind, an oddly familiar young woman keeps talking in riddles to her, and something is off about the story Mallory invented years ago...Links and Things
Find Alice Brook's Debut here!
Introducing Rilin Jane!
Potent Paperbacks is a Romance series with a sinister sub-plot. It has a moody MMC, found confidence, relatable banter, stalking, letters & writing, he falls first, reluctant aquaintences to lovers & romantic suspense. It follows two people who use their love of books for inspiration. One in a good way and one in a bad way. Not everyone identifies with the favourable characters who are bound by morals and duty. Sometimes, they see themselves in the depraved actions of the morally skewed, and take their obsession way too far. Follow Roman and Aster's journey as they navigate love, trauma, and the hidden threats that lurk in the shadows.
Links and Things!
Both Books available on Amazon. The Breaking is also on KOBO now!
Like what you’ve seen? Want to keep up with the author herself and read snippets of her works in progress? Easy! Head on over to Patreon and join for as little as $1USD to read the magic before anyone else.
patreon.com/user?u=63669763
Mave also is the owner and operator of Lofty Wings Press LLC. A small side hustle that does BETA, ARC, Dev. Editing, Formatting, and aids those new to publishing with how to navigate the murky waters to publication.
Check out Lofty’s website for rates!
www.loftywingspress.com