Happy Medieval Monday! Today we start a new theme conflict
with guest author is Bambi Lynn. Sirona watches the battle from afar. She has
had enough when she sees Rhain fall and her brother at the mercy of a warrior
goddess. Enjoy the excerpt!
with guest author is Bambi Lynn. Sirona watches the battle from afar. She has
had enough when she sees Rhain fall and her brother at the mercy of a warrior
goddess. Enjoy the excerpt!
Excerpt from Gods
of the Highlands:
of the Highlands:
The
Comyns stood little chance against the demi-gods they faced. Lucan was a
formidable warrior, but both Tanis and Cam could defeat ten or twenty men
alone. Sirona’s heart staggered as she watched them. A group of Comyns
clustered around Cam, another attacking Tanis. She thought she saw Rhain
amongst them but it was hard to see.
Comyns stood little chance against the demi-gods they faced. Lucan was a
formidable warrior, but both Tanis and Cam could defeat ten or twenty men
alone. Sirona’s heart staggered as she watched them. A group of Comyns
clustered around Cam, another attacking Tanis. She thought she saw Rhain
amongst them but it was hard to see.
She
spurred her horse around the edge of the fray, shouting to no avail. Her cries
were drowned by the clang of steel against steel and the shouts of fighting
men.
spurred her horse around the edge of the fray, shouting to no avail. Her cries
were drowned by the clang of steel against steel and the shouts of fighting
men.
On
the opposite side, Fergus had set his sights on Lucan. Their swords clashed
like hammers on anvils, ringing in her ears and threatening to split her head
open. They were vicious and ruthless in their efforts, but in the end, a mere
mortal was no match for a man with the blood of the gods coursing through his
veins.
the opposite side, Fergus had set his sights on Lucan. Their swords clashed
like hammers on anvils, ringing in her ears and threatening to split her head
open. They were vicious and ruthless in their efforts, but in the end, a mere
mortal was no match for a man with the blood of the gods coursing through his
veins.
She spotted Rhain in the
melee, locked in combat with her brother. She ignored Màili’s demands to pull
back to the relative safety of the trees, renewing her plea for them to stop.
Suddenly, the battle between Tanis and Rhain came to a violent head.
melee, locked in combat with her brother. She ignored Màili’s demands to pull
back to the relative safety of the trees, renewing her plea for them to stop.
Suddenly, the battle between Tanis and Rhain came to a violent head.
“No!” Sirona screamed as
she slid down from her horse. She hit the ground hard and dropped to her knees,
crying out in pain. When she looked up, Rhain lay motionless on the ground.
Over him stood a blonde woman, no taller than Tanis’ shoulder. She was dressed
like a shield maiden of the old Norse legends. She faced Tanis with a fierce
expression, her sword held before her, its lethal blade catching the sunlight
and setting off a blinding glow.
she slid down from her horse. She hit the ground hard and dropped to her knees,
crying out in pain. When she looked up, Rhain lay motionless on the ground.
Over him stood a blonde woman, no taller than Tanis’ shoulder. She was dressed
like a shield maiden of the old Norse legends. She faced Tanis with a fierce
expression, her sword held before her, its lethal blade catching the sunlight
and setting off a blinding glow.
Tanis grinned at her like
an idiot before she attacked him, forcing him to the defense, a position he was
not used to. She sliced at him, jabbed her blade at his most tender areas,
screamed at him in a language Sirona could not understand but, by the woman’s
tone, recognized as the vilest of insults.
an idiot before she attacked him, forcing him to the defense, a position he was
not used to. She sliced at him, jabbed her blade at his most tender areas,
screamed at him in a language Sirona could not understand but, by the woman’s
tone, recognized as the vilest of insults.
It seemed the battle
would never end, that neither opponent tired. But with one fatal mistake, the
mysterious pixie-woman gained the advantage. Before Sirona could blink, the
woman had Tanis on his back, his sword hand empty and the tip of her weapon at
his throat.
would never end, that neither opponent tired. But with one fatal mistake, the
mysterious pixie-woman gained the advantage. Before Sirona could blink, the
woman had Tanis on his back, his sword hand empty and the tip of her weapon at
his throat.
Sirona had had enough.
She hiked up her skirt and tore across the grass to where the woman held her
brother at sword point. “Stop!” she called. When she reached them, she flung
herself between Tanis’ prone body and the warrior woman. “Please,” she begged.
She hiked up her skirt and tore across the grass to where the woman held her
brother at sword point. “Stop!” she called. When she reached them, she flung
herself between Tanis’ prone body and the warrior woman. “Please,” she begged.
The rest of her family
seemed to gather their senses as well and within seconds, the strange woman
found herself staring down three more Highland blades. For a moment, no one
spoke.
seemed to gather their senses as well and within seconds, the strange woman
found herself staring down three more Highland blades. For a moment, no one
spoke.
It was Màili who broke
the silence. “Bitch,” she fairly spat at the other woman. She lifted her chin,
silently daring the blonde woman to make a move.
the silence. “Bitch,” she fairly spat at the other woman. She lifted her chin,
silently daring the blonde woman to make a move.
“Whore,” the woman
sneered back. After another long moment of tense silence, she sheathed her
sword and turned away.
sneered back. After another long moment of tense silence, she sheathed her
sword and turned away.
With a sigh of relief,
Sirona gave Tanis a quick once over to be sure he was unhurt, before giving
into despair over Rhain’s fate. Dreading what she would find, she looked over
her shoulder to the spot where she’d last seen him lying at Tanis’ feet.
Sirona gave Tanis a quick once over to be sure he was unhurt, before giving
into despair over Rhain’s fate. Dreading what she would find, she looked over
her shoulder to the spot where she’d last seen him lying at Tanis’ feet.
Both Rhain and the woman
were gone.
were gone.
Back Cover Copy
for Gods of the Highlands:
for Gods of the Highlands:
They grew up orphans, relying on each other to keep the secret of their
heretical powers from the other members of their clan. Now a vengeful pagan god
is after them, using them in his relentless pursuit of a soul so powerful, its
possessor will be able to command Lucifer himself. Camulus is unbeatable in a
fight, but cannot defend his heart from a fallen goddess.
heretical powers from the other members of their clan. Now a vengeful pagan god
is after them, using them in his relentless pursuit of a soul so powerful, its
possessor will be able to command Lucifer himself. Camulus is unbeatable in a
fight, but cannot defend his heart from a fallen goddess.
Sirona can heal with nothing more than a touch. When she is captured
and her secret discovered by a rival clan, only the laird’s youngest son can
save her from being burned at the stake. Tanis commands the elements, but meets
his match in a celestial being from heaven who is anything but angelic.
and her secret discovered by a rival clan, only the laird’s youngest son can
save her from being burned at the stake. Tanis commands the elements, but meets
his match in a celestial being from heaven who is anything but angelic.
Lucan can create anything…except life. That he must do the
old-fashioned way.
old-fashioned way.
Together these cousins must band together if they have any hope of
defeating the god of death and ensuring a bright future for themselves and
their kin.
defeating the god of death and ensuring a bright future for themselves and
their kin.
Buy Links:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Gods-Highlands-Books-Camulus-Sirona-ebook/dp/B01C0TMB8M/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gods-Highlands-Books-Camulus-Sirona-ebook/dp/B01C0TMB8M/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Gods of the Highlands sounds wonderful. Thank you for sharing the excerpt. Going to get my copy today!
Loved this series!