A mage, a destiny and a surprising pedigree. It is hard to juggle new discoveries with a dragon on her tail.
Minerva enjoys her life as a master mage. She creates spells that no one has seen before and enjoys her family and friends. She will do anything for them, and she has.
Her side job is to act as an intermediary between extranatural races, and that is what she is doing the day that she walks into the dragon’s den. Running from the dragon makes her confront her origins, and things get even more complicated from there.
Zemuel is an ancient being that owns lands and mines that contain strategic materials for other races. All he asks for an audience is that he be entertained by the envoy. Minerva has her work cut out for her. She really should have stuck to business only.
So, mate-hungry dragons, ancient gods and a surprising pedigree mean that Minerva’s world just turned upside-down, and anchoring herself will mean surrendering a piece of her soul.
Excerpt:
Minerva tidied up the dishes and heard her mother come through the door. She called out, “How was worship?”
Deirdre came in and smiled slightly. “Eventful.” Her mother shook out her robes and took a seat at the table.
“Cup of tea?”
“Cabernet.”
Minerva winced. “Right.”
She poured two glasses and set them down at the kitchen table, sitting with her mother in silence.
Deirdre was a devoted follower of Hecate. It was a little peculiar, as she didn’t have any magic of her own, but Minerva had been raised not to mock anyone’s faith.
When the glass of wine was nearly drained, her mother looked at her with helpless eyes. “I have been ordered to tell you where you came from.”
Minerva blinked. “You adopted me.”
“I did, but you weren’t a foundling. Now, I know that you looked into your origins when you turned eighteen, but the files weren’t precisely accurate.”
Minerva hesitated. “What was wrong about my being found in the baby drop?”
Her mother cleared her throat. “It was part of a plan to get you into the official channels. Your birth was not strictly normal.”
“Mom, why are you telling me this?” Minerva gripped her mother’s hand.
“Because they want to talk to you. They need you to know what you are, so you will accept what they are.”
Minerva was suddenly unnerved. “Who are they?”
“First, I need to tell you the story. After that, you can examine the documents and I will make the arrangements.”
Minerva held up her hand. “Wait. I want to go to Benny’s wedding tomorrow with a clear head. Can we wait for the big reveal until after that?”
“Yes. But they aren’t going to wait long.” Her mom smiled weakly.
“It will be the day after tomorrow or possibly tomorrow night if you are awake when I come home. We will get everything out in the open then.”
Minerva came around to her mother’s side. She gave her a hug. “I love you no matter what you tell me.”
Deirdre smiled weakly. “My little amazon.”
“You betcha. Now, get some rest, and I will see you after the wedding.”
She smiled and stroked Minerva’s cheek. “How did I get so lucky?”
Minerva chuckled. “Like you always said, you prayed for me. Night, Mom.”
“Give Benny and her guys my best.”
“Of course. I always will.”
Minerva finished her wine in one long gulp and washed the glass before she headed to her room.
The house was the one she had grown up in. Her mother had it built when she was a toddler, and it had included space for a small greenhouse and drying house. Minerva had a small lab in a shed, and inside the house, she had a serviceable magical library. The more complicated stuff wasn’t in her home. She went to the Gangers’ when she needed a specific or dangerous book.
The ward around her room flared as she entered it. Her life as a mage meant that occasionally she was hunted by those who wanted to use her, so it was her responsibility to keep herself and her mother safe from incursion.
If her mother had a secret to tell about her origin, home was the safest place to tell it.
Minerva enjoys her life as a master mage. She creates spells that no one has seen before and enjoys her family and friends. She will do anything for them, and she has.
Her side job is to act as an intermediary between extranatural races, and that is what she is doing the day that she walks into the dragon’s den. Running from the dragon makes her confront her origins, and things get even more complicated from there.
Zemuel is an ancient being that owns lands and mines that contain strategic materials for other races. All he asks for an audience is that he be entertained by the envoy. Minerva has her work cut out for her. She really should have stuck to business only.
So, mate-hungry dragons, ancient gods and a surprising pedigree mean that Minerva’s world just turned upside-down, and anchoring herself will mean surrendering a piece of her soul.
Excerpt:
Minerva tidied up the dishes and heard her mother come through the door. She called out, “How was worship?”
Deirdre came in and smiled slightly. “Eventful.” Her mother shook out her robes and took a seat at the table.
“Cup of tea?”
“Cabernet.”
Minerva winced. “Right.”
She poured two glasses and set them down at the kitchen table, sitting with her mother in silence.
Deirdre was a devoted follower of Hecate. It was a little peculiar, as she didn’t have any magic of her own, but Minerva had been raised not to mock anyone’s faith.
When the glass of wine was nearly drained, her mother looked at her with helpless eyes. “I have been ordered to tell you where you came from.”
Minerva blinked. “You adopted me.”
“I did, but you weren’t a foundling. Now, I know that you looked into your origins when you turned eighteen, but the files weren’t precisely accurate.”
Minerva hesitated. “What was wrong about my being found in the baby drop?”
Her mother cleared her throat. “It was part of a plan to get you into the official channels. Your birth was not strictly normal.”
“Mom, why are you telling me this?” Minerva gripped her mother’s hand.
“Because they want to talk to you. They need you to know what you are, so you will accept what they are.”
Minerva was suddenly unnerved. “Who are they?”
“First, I need to tell you the story. After that, you can examine the documents and I will make the arrangements.”
Minerva held up her hand. “Wait. I want to go to Benny’s wedding tomorrow with a clear head. Can we wait for the big reveal until after that?”
“Yes. But they aren’t going to wait long.” Her mom smiled weakly.
“It will be the day after tomorrow or possibly tomorrow night if you are awake when I come home. We will get everything out in the open then.”
Minerva came around to her mother’s side. She gave her a hug. “I love you no matter what you tell me.”
Deirdre smiled weakly. “My little amazon.”
“You betcha. Now, get some rest, and I will see you after the wedding.”
She smiled and stroked Minerva’s cheek. “How did I get so lucky?”
Minerva chuckled. “Like you always said, you prayed for me. Night, Mom.”
“Give Benny and her guys my best.”
“Of course. I always will.”
Minerva finished her wine in one long gulp and washed the glass before she headed to her room.
The house was the one she had grown up in. Her mother had it built when she was a toddler, and it had included space for a small greenhouse and drying house. Minerva had a small lab in a shed, and inside the house, she had a serviceable magical library. The more complicated stuff wasn’t in her home. She went to the Gangers’ when she needed a specific or dangerous book.
The ward around her room flared as she entered it. Her life as a mage meant that occasionally she was hunted by those who wanted to use her, so it was her responsibility to keep herself and her mother safe from incursion.
If her mother had a secret to tell about her origin, home was the safest place to tell it.
