Dive into adventure with Warding Song!
A pirate's daughter & a dragon with doubts team up against all odds.
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Warding Song: Chapter Two Part Four
A dragonâs first flight was a rite of passage. It marked them as full-grown, able to hunt and fend for themselves. They had to climb to the rim of the caldera, where usually only the highest ranking dragons perched. All they had to do was fly across to the other side; if they couldnât make it, theyâd splash down into the lake or tumble down the slopes, unharmed.
The adults made it sound easy, but Trill knew better. If she failed, her bullies would never let her forget it. So she practiced. She flapped until her wings ached, climbed onto and leapt off of every ledge and boulder she could find.
At last, the day she dreaded arrived. The fledglings had to make their own way up; being carried was a sign of weakness. Trill felt out of breath; it was a very steep climb. She was behind the other fledglings, and couldnât see the other side of the basin, or the lake they had to cross in order to reach it.
Trill wanted to reach the far shore, if nothing else. Even if she was the last one across, sheâd get there or die of embarrassment trying. Adults watched from all sides; she craned her neck to look around, and spotted her parents hovering overhead, side by side. Trill wished it was only them watching; maybe then she wouldnât be so nervous. When were they supposed to go?
Wings stretched, they braced themselves ⌠a bellow rang like thunder, and the fledglings surged forwards. When she reached the edge, Trill pushed off with all her might. She flapped hard as she could, and to her relief, didnât immediately fall out of the sky. Encouraged by her success, Trill attempted to glide; but quickly floundered and sank, flapping frantically to gain height.
She struggled to regain altitude; other fledglings soared on by. Trill began to fly forwards, hoping to cross even if she was lower than everyone else. Her wings were not as broad as theirs, nor as strong. The lake was too huge. Too close. She was growing tired already, and not even halfway there. The thought of Growl-Hiss making fun of her for it spurred Trill to keep going.
It wasnât enough. She didnât even make it halfway before she couldnât stay in the air. Despite her best efforts, the waterâs surface rushed up to meet her, and Trill splashed into it. She paddled to shore, aching and disappointed.
Trill climbed out. Curling in on herself, she watched the others cross the lake. A few of them faltered and made a break for the nearer shores, or fell into the water, but she had been the first to do so. Her sire and dam came to land on either side, lowering their heads to nuzzle her. She flinched away from the affection, startling them. âIâm not in the mood,â Trill growled.
Fee-Bee assured her, âItâs not your fault, sweetling. You did your best, weâre proud of you ⌠â She tried once more to nuzzle Trill, but again her daughter moved away. âDarling, we donât care if you couldnât cross the lake.â
âI care!â Trill snarled, tail lashing. âSo does everyone else! Thatâs why theyâre doing this. I was the first to fail. I tried as hard as I could, but Iâm a weakling,â she growled, more at herself than her dam. âIâll never be a good flier,â Trill declared, head hanging despondently. âMaybe Iâll never be able to fly at all.â
Her parents were at a loss for how to cheer her. They left the caldera and went back to their nest. Trillâs wings were hunched in close to her back; her tail dragged on the ground. Lightning and Fee-Bee rumbled in concern when she simply curled up in the shade of a boulder, head tucked under her wing.
/
Eleyna woke up slowly, feeling sore, but also ⌠really good. Her head thumped. It could be worse ⌠then Eleyna realised this wasnât her bed. She cringed. Aunt Cat is gonna kill me. She climbed out of the bed and began to dress. Pablo stirred, and she froze. He rolled over and went back to sleep, snoring.
At the last minute she remembered her original plan. Tiptoeing to Pabloâs side, she searched for his money pouch and emptied the coins into her pockets. He owed her anyway. There was a tree outside his window; she edged out onto a branch, then climbed down and found her way back to her own house. Only when she reached her street did something occur to her, and she checked her own money pouch. It wasnât there. âNow Iâm really glad I stole his tavos,â Eleyna muttered to herself. At least he hadnât nicked her key to the back door.
Slipping inside, she closed the door very quietly. Eleyna jumped when the door to the rest of the flat banged open. Aunt Cat glared at her, furious.
âWhere,â Catherine hissed, âin the name of the Rogue have you been, girl?!â
Eleyna gulped. âI came down for a drink of water,â she lied, using the first excuse that came to mind. âIâve been in bed, auntie. I donât know what you â â
Cat gripped her arm like a vice. âDonât lie to me. You went out and didnât come back all night. I've been worried sick, what were you doing?â
âI â â before Eleyna could think of an alibi, her aunt grasped her chin and sniffed. She released Eleyna, who stumbled away, rubbing at her sore arm.
âYouâve been drinking,â Cat frowned, âand you didnât come back last night ⌠Eleyna, please tell me you and Pablo didnât ⌠have a brush, did you?â she demanded. The girl blushed crimson before she could stop herself, and Catherine bit back a curse. She hurried over to the herb cupboard. âIt might not be too late. Sit down, Iâm making the antidote for your ⌠dalliance.â
âItâs not even the right time of the month for âŚÂ that to happen.â
âIf you think that matters, then youâre more naive than I thought,â she retorted, putting a pot of water on the stove to boil. âI swear to every deity in existence, girl, if youâve caught, we are not keeping it!â Cat warned. âAnd youâre not dating that boy again, either. Not if this is the sort of mess you get into!â
Eleyna scowled. âThatâs not fair! Just âcause you donât wanna sleep with a guy â â
âThat has nothing to do with it. This is about you being an irresponsible brat. How did you plan to raise a baby when we barely get by as it is? Would you get a job, or expect me to raise it? Did you think your boyfriend would propose and play happy families? Maybe youâd beg on the streets like â â
âI get the picture!â
âDo you? Or are you just saying that?â Cat demanded, stirring herbs into the water. âYour actions have consequences. You never think things through. Iâm telling you this for your own good.â She strained the herbs, and waited for it to not be scalding before making Eleyna drink the foul brew. The girl gagged. With any luck, the unpleasantness would make the lesson stick.
~~~
Pablo met Eleyna at the pier. Neither of them could meet the otherâs eyes. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, he held out her money pouch. Eleyna double checked it wasnât empty (though if it had been, she would have simply kept some of his tavos). Satisfied, she gave Pablo his money.
âMy aunt was really mad when she realised what we did,â Eleyna confessed.
âYeah. So was my mum. She saw the sheets,â explained Pablo, wincing. âBoy, was she mad. Get this â she thinks youâre a bad influence on me.â
Eleyna scuffed her boot on the ground. âAunt Cat says I canât date you anymore. She doesnât want us to sleep together, but ⌠we can be careful. Like not drinking so much, and stick to kissing. I donât wanna break up yet.â
âYeah. Itâs not like my folks or your aunt need to know weâre dating,â he said slyly. âWe might have gone a bit too far last night ⌠but I had a good time.â
Eleyna smirked. âMe too. So ⌠you wanna hang out? Go on a not-date.â
âI promised Javier Iâd hang out with him; you can come as well, if you want.â
She shook her head. âYou go on; heâs your best friend. Iâll see you around.â
Pablo shrugged, and offered her a fist bump. âYeah. See you around, El.â
/
Trill was nudged awake. She groaned and curled into a tighter ball. âWe have something to show you,â her sire crooned, nudging her again. âYouâll like it, trust me.â With a reluctant grumble, she stretched with a yawn and got to her feet. Lightning crouched down and jerked his head at his shoulders.
Trill was about to protest that she was too old to be carried, then recalled that she couldnât fly. Then again ⌠it was early. No one was awake to see.
She scrambled on, trying to find room now she was bigger â but not by much. It was still easy for her sire to carry her off the fire-mountain and towards the ocean. Lightning rose higher and higher, towards the fluffy clouds. âWhere are we going?â she asked curiously, looking around.
âNowhere, really.â Fee-Bee flew alongside them, brushing her wingtip against his. They glided through the air. Trill felt jealous. Her parents made it look easy. âYou can fly here. Jump off my back, and spread your wings wide.â
Trill squawked and dug her claws in. âI canât! Iâll fall! Into the sea!â
âDonât be silly,â Fee-Bee teased. âIf you fall, weâll catch you. Just try, dearest.â
Now she felt embarrassed; of course theyâd catch her, and at least she couldnât crash-land. So Trill stood up, and peered nervously over her sireâs shoulder. The wind was fierce, blowing past her â in the same direction that her parents were flying. Slowly, eyes wide, Trill raised her wings ⌠and leapt.
For one heart-stopping moment she plummeted; but she flapped, wings outstretched. The current swept her along, held her aloft. For the first time in her life, Trill soared. âIâm flying!â she shrieked in delight. âLook, Iâm flying!â
It wasnât the same as flying on her own; but it was a start. Trill decided she would just have to keep trying. After all, she couldnât stay grounded forever.
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Started reading To Shape A Dragonâs Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose simply on the description âindigenous girl bonds with the first dragon her people have found on their land in years and has to attend a colonizer-run dragon school to protect her dragonâ
Only to be pleasantly surprised when our heroine finds the most gorgeous indentured black girl ever, so fuck yeah lesbians
Then she develops a small attraction to the only other indigenous boy at her school, so weâre getting bi rights!
But NOW theyâre discussing how her tribe already has very healthy structures in place to support polyamory and she doesnât understand why she canât pursue them both if they are all adults about it and consent to it, and why these pale faced colonizers seem to make everything so complicated and violent in their stupid self policing that serves no logical purpose.
Like, I really found a gold mine, huh?
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Just finished to shape a dragonâs breath by @moniquill and HOLY CRAP it was so good
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Mixing Magic and Science to Shape Dragon Breath
I'd be lying if I said dragons weren't my favorite magical creatures. There are literally two of them on my desk right now, and I have handed more people the Temeraire books than I care to count. That said, the vast majority of my dragon experience is with what I'm gonna call white westerner dragons. If they're not literally fantasy British, they're inspired by fantasy British dragons, and the dragon world is just a lot bigger than that. So I was absolutely delighted to find a book with a Nampeshiwe and broaden my dragon horizons. Let's talk To Shape A Dragon's Breath.
When Kasaqua chooses Anequs to be Nampeshiweisit, it is largely a matter of safety that first convinces Aneques to leave Masquapaug to learn the skiltakraft to effectively Shape Kasaqua's breath. However, this is an Indigenous woman walking into the heart of Fantasy North America with flavors of Fantasy Nordic Countries, so... colonialism, white supremacy, racism, and imperialism are massive themes and major roadblocks that Anequs experiences. And experiences again. And again. And again. From literally everyone, from her friends, to uneasy allies, to indifferent classmates to bitter enemies. The nuance and variation in the racism that Anequs goes head to head with was stunning--as in it left me absolutely stunned.
On top of that, the world is developed to the point that Frau Kuiper keeps laying out multifaceted, multi-party political issues and Anequs just keeps having to go "literally all of these perspectives share the assumption that my people are uncivilized and need either exterminating or civilizing. What if we tried assuming we are people just as civilized as you with a culture culture traditions just as deeply held?" It's amazing how many characters tell Anequs that she is rude for suggesting that she is a person. Like the number of people I wanted to punch while reading was astounding.
That said, no character in this book is a simple allegory or one-dimensional caricature. Theod Knecht was separated from his family and his people at birth and raised to believe that the other way to be a person was to be Anglish--and even then, he could never be Anglish enough to be fully human. His arc is the complicated emotions of unlearning a system that says you have no worth and reconnecting with your people.
Sander is Anglish and coded as Autistic, but he and Anequs have one of my favorite friendships in this book. They take each other day by day on their own terms and at their own paces, and honestly Sander is just a sweetheart.
Liberty is in an interesting position because she is indentured and living in an Anglish society, which prohibits same-sex relationships. Which does not stop Anequs from expressing her feelings for Liberty in ways that are safe and supportive of Liberty. These two are darling and I genuinely cannot wait to see where they go in the sequel.
Then we come to Kasaqua. Kasaqua is just literally playfulness and joy in dragon form, and she is a delight. She isnt as talkative as say Naomi Novik or Rebecca Yarros's dragons are, but she is expressive and personality-filled nonetheless. There is also her deep-seated joy at [redacted because that's kind of a major spoiler and I don't want to spoil this book].
All these relationships really form and solidify at Kuiper's Academy of Natural Philosophy and Skiltakraft, to which Anequs receives a full sholarship. The school is like a mix of senior high school and undergrad at university, since students between 16 and 20 attend. Most of the students are male, with Anequs and Marta the only female students in attendance for this book. The school is run by Frau Kuiper, who, in her day, basically pulled a Mulan/Alanna of Trebond to get chosen by a dragon, trained, and then sent to the front of a war where she distinguished herself. Her "pet project" to to use Anequs and Theod to "prove that nackies can be civilized" which is honestly pretty gross and causes a metric ton of friction between her and Anequs. In the process though, Anequs learns lessons that it is debatable whether Frau Kuiper meant to teach her that I think will let her be heard in Anglish society enough to support and preserve her people.
Overall, this book was amazing. It was HEAVY, but it needed to be, and that weight just adds to the reading experience. This is one of those books that just literally everyone should have to read at some point.
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Warding Song: Chapter Two Part Three
It had been a week since her accident, and Trill was extremely bored. As she swatted rocks at a boulder, a pockmarked one shattered when it struck. Trill had failed to do the same to that firestone. Her injured paw was a constant reminder. It was so frustrating that she could break that rock, but not âŚ
Her head tilted. Trill knew the pockmarked rocks were easily broken. Even she could crush small pieces under her paws, although other hatchlings could smash whole chunks. Rocks can break other rocks. Can a rock break a firestone? Trill wondered. If that was so, sheâd have a way to shatter them.
First she had to figure out what kind of rock to use; the ones with little holes in them broke too easily. Trill found chunks of rock that were very hard; even when she dropped them off a ledge, they didnât break. Trill borrowed a firestone from her parentsâ hoard. If it didnât work, sheâd just put them back.
With her bad paw curled in close to her chest, Trill scraped out a dip for the firestone. Then she curled her claws around a rock, sat back on her haunches and stamped the rock down onto the firestone as hard as she could. When she moved it away, the firestone had a small but visible chip in it. Trill gave a delighted chirp and bashed it again, and then another blow.
Her foreleg was getting tired. The firestone was cracking, but it still hadnât broken. It might be faster and easier if she dropped the rock onto the firestone instead. So she raised it once more, and let it fall with a thump.
Hardly daring to hope, Trill nudged the rock aside. Underneath were several pieces of firestone, not small enough to swallow yet; but she had done it. She smashed a firestone! She warbled joyfully, âIt worked! It really worked!â
âWhat worked?â Fee-Bee inquired, padding over to have a look. Her damâs eyes widened at the sight of the firestone pieces. âYou broke it? How?â
The pain in her paw was forgotten as Trill purred. Her sire would want to see her clever trick. âGo find father! I want to show him too,â she urged. As it happened, Lightning was returning from fishing. He landed and Trill cried: âLook! I can break firestones now, I worked it out!â She picked up the rock again and dropped it. This time the pieces shattered into lots of tiny shards.
Her sire and dam were thrilled. âWell done, sweetheart! Youâre so clever,â praised Fee-Bee, nuzzling her. âWeâre proud to have you as our daughter.â
Trill was purring so much she trembled from nose to tail tip. She lowered her head and gulped the bits of firestone into her crop. The pieces made her cough. âCan I breathe fire now?â she asked eagerly, âcan I try, please?â
âGo ahead,â her sire encouraged. Trill looked at the boulder and opened wide. She tensed her neck and belly, squeezing the shards in her crop. Gas in her belly rushed to her mouth, and some flowed out before a spark was made and â whoosh. A small, bright tongue of flame burst out of her mouth, scorching the rock. Trill flapped her wings and pawed at the air, excited.
âI did it! I breathed fire!â She threw her head back and did it again, the flames jetting up towards the sky. Her parents breathed fiery plumes of their own in celebration. Then her dam suggested that she try finding firestones as well.
âClose your eyes, and weâll put a firestone near you.â Trill shut them tight and waited. Then she limped around, trying to sense where the firestone was. She felt a pleasant hum in her throat when she turned to the right, more and more until she opened her eyes, and the firestone was right in front of her.
She purred in delight. âWell done,â Fee-Bee praised her. âRemember, if you ever feel alone or run out of fire, follow the humming. Youâll find more firestones, or other dragons.â Trill couldnât wait to show off this new trick to her friends; when her paw healed, she would never have to hurt it again.
~~~
A week after they started dating, Eleyna and Pablo had their first kiss. It turned out to be tricky to pull off; other people made it look easy. They spied on couples outside bars and brothels, trying to figure out the technique.
âOw! You hit my nose!â
âYou hit my nose! Okay, this time, tilt your head to the side.â
âWhich side?â
âIt doesnât matter! Just do it, okay?â
âAlright, alright.â Eleyna tilted her head to the left and leaned in, eyes closed ⌠she felt Pabloâs mouth on the corner of hers. Their chins bumped.
âYou tilted your head too much.â
âI didnât, you did! How about I kiss you? Girls are better than boys, anyway.â
He rolled his eyes. âWho told you that? Letâs try again. Third time lucky.â
At last their lips met properly, and lingered for a few seconds before they pulled away. Eleyna felt strangely disappointed. Sheâd overheard other people talking about their first kiss like it was the most amazing thing ever, but that had just felt ⌠weird. On the bright side, she managed to pinch a few tavos out of Pabloâs pocket. Heâd done the same, she realised soon after.
They dated off and on, a back-and-forth of stolen kisses and stolen tavos. Often theyâd pickpocket the same things from each other; it was all part of the game. Besides, it wasnât all duping each other. Eleyna had a lot of firsts whilst dating Pablo. Her first beer, her first bet, her first smoke of a pipe, lit with a borrowed quartz lighter âŚ
It all came to a head one night. They were hanging out in an alley, drinking from bottles stolen from a tavern, the Galleon Oâ Rum. A nearby hatch led into the cellar; Pablo told her he and Javier snuck in there all the time. âItâs getting cooler,â she remarked, shivering slightly.
âYeah, the sun is setting. My bedroom will be warmer,â Pablo suggested, draining his bottle and tossing it aside. Eleyna did the same and followed him. His parents had gone out for the evening, and they were home alone âŚ
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THE BOOK IS OUT NOW! AVAILABLE AT MULTIPLE STORES!
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Warding Song: Chapter Two Part Two
Trill and her friends each stood in front of a firestone; the three that sheâd taken from Stone Crackerâs hoard, and one from her parentsâ small hoard. They would smash the stones and swallow the tiny pieces; then theyâd be able to breathe fire, and sense other firestones or their fellow dragons.
âIs everyone ready?â asked Chirr-See. âGood. Ready, steady ⌠stamp!â
Trill brought her paw down hard as she could. The impact jarred her bones and the firestone jabbed at her scales; she bit back a whimper of pain and pulled away to look at it. There was no sign of the stone breaking, not even a crack. Her wings sagged in disappointment, and she licked at her sore paw. Her friends were peering at their own firestones, purring and trilling.
âMine has a crack in it!â Click-Coo yipped, pawing at her stone. Sure enough, a jagged line ran across it. Trill felt a bit envious, and stamped again on her firestone with the other paw. Then both her paws hurt, and still no crack.
Snort-Snarl boasted, âI chipped mine!â He stamped again, and cracks spread over the crystal. The young drake preened. Trill reared up and brought both paws crashing down on the firestone. It skittered between her claws, but didnât break. Trill growled. She wasnât strong enough. It wasnât fair.
âTry making a hollow to put the firestone in,â suggested Chirr-See. âThatâs what my dam always does.â His firestone had a crack in it too; only Trill hadnât made even a scratch. She tried doing what Chirr-See said, and the stone didnât move this time, but she still didnât crack it, let alone break it.
âDonât worry,â said Click-Coo, âYouâll get the hang of it one day.â Trill knew her friend meant well, but it didnât make her feel any better. She wanted to get the hang of it now. This whole thing had been her idea, after Growl-Hiss boasted about how well he could shatter firestones now. Trill didnât want him to mock her for being too weak and small to be able to smash a firestone.
Except that she was too weak and small. âIt might take a while,â Snort-Snarl huffed, âbecause you need to get a bit bigger first. A lot bigger, really.â
Chirr-See swatted at him. âThatâs mean!â he growled. âShe canât help it!â
âOf course not,â Click-Coo declared. âItâs not like she can help being a runt.â
Trill lashed her tail, and glared. âI can do it!â she snarled, determined. âIâll prove it! Iâm not just a runt!â She lifted her paw and stamped on the firestone with all her might. There was a crack â and Trill recoiled. She couldnât put her paw down. âIt hurts,â she whimpered, âI think itâs broken. Guys, go get help!â
Chirr-See stayed whilst the others scampered off as fast as they could. He whined and tried to give her paw a soothing lick. She flinched, batting him away with a wing. Curling her paw in close to her chest, Trill cringed and did her best not to move it too much. It felt like it was being crushed by an enemyâs jaws. At last, their friends returned with her sire and dam.
âOh sweetling,â Fee-Bee crooned, nuzzling her gently. âHow did this happen?â
Lightning noticed something on the ground. âAre those firestones?â he asked. The other fledglings ducked their heads in shame; theyâd wanted to surprise their parents, so had not told any full-grown dragons what they were doing. âIs that how you hurt your paw? Trying to break them?â he guessed.
Trill whimpered and nodded. He told her friends to go home, and her dam helped her onto his back. Trill hid her head under her wing, embarrassed. She didnât want to be carried ⌠but she didnât want to have to limp back to their nest, either. When her sire landed, Trill awkwardly climbed off and curled in on herself. Fee-Bee lowered her head. âLet me see your paw.â
Trill sat back and let her dam sniff at the injured limb. âI donât smell blood or rot,â Fee-Bee said calmly. âYou just stamped on the ground too hard. It happens. Keep purring, that will help ease the pain and heal it,â she advised. Purring was the last thing Trill felt like doing, but she tried it nevertheless.
âWhy were you trying to smash firestones?â Lightning inquired, head tilted.
âTo practice,â she replied, whining softly. âIf I canât, theyâll all make fun of me!â
His eyes narrowed. âWho are âtheyâ? Who is making fun of you?â he asked, baring his teeth defensively. Trill knew he was cross at her bullies, not her, but she still flinched. He relaxed his aggressive posture and nuzzled her.
She disliked telling her parents about Growl-Hiss. He was higher-ranking; if her sire tried to make him stop, heâd complain to his sire, who might challenge her sire to a fight. Instead she answered, âThe other fledglings. My friends can crack their firestones, but I couldnât even scratch mine!â
âYouâre young, dear,â Fee-Bee crooned. âWhere did you even get firestones?â
Trill stiffened. She couldnât tell them that. âYou mean Iâm too small,â she huffed, lashing her tail. âI know other fledglings have started breaking them, but I canât. All because Iâm a runt,â Trill growled. âIâm too weak. Itâs not fair. I donât wanna be a runt, I wanna be big and strong and breathe fire!â
Her parents glanced at each other in concern. They loved their daughter the way she was, but they knew it bothered her to be small. Fee-Bee nuzzled her. âYou donât need to be able to break firestones yet, sweetling. Besides, the first time you breathe fire will be so special, we want to be there for it.â
âSheâs right, you know,â Lightning purred. âYou have plenty of time.â
Trill had lots of time now. She wouldnât be stamping on anything with a broken paw. The purring helped, but only a little bit. She couldnât play or go far from the nest, except to relieve herself. As much as she hated to admit it, she was too small to smash a firestone, but she didnât want to give up. She just needed to think about it for a while.
~~~
Pablo was waiting when Eleyna returned from swimming. He offered her a hand up. âUh, thanks. What do you want?â she asked. âIs Javier sick again?â
âNah, heâs off ⌠doing something else,â he replied, then winked at her and asked, âSo, uh, are you a siren? Because I saw you rise out of the sea!â
Eleyna stared at him. âWow, you still have a pair of working eyes, well done you,â she said sardonically. Why are boys always so dumb? she wondered.
âDâyou like dates?â he asked out of nowhere. âYou and I could have one.â
What is he talking about?âYouâre being weird. Either tell me what youâre really after, or go away,â she ordered, wringing out her blouse. Pablo stared at her. âAnd quit looking at me like that, you creep,â Eleyna scoffed in disgust, striding past. Sheâd been having a nice day, and then he had to â
âWait!â He jogged after her. âEllie â I mean, Eleyna! Wait up. I, um ⌠â She ignored him, until Pablo blurted out, âDâyou wanna come to my house?â
It was such an odd question â coming from him â that she stopped and looked at him dubiously. Pablo fidgeted. âDâyou wanna come round to my place and ⌠and have dinner? My mum cooks a great spiced chicken.â
I do like spiced chicken âŚÂ Eleyna asked, âYou want me to come over for dinner? Okay, first, why didnât you just say that, and second, why now? Youâve known me for almost five years and youâve never invited me anywhere.â
âOkay, look, the truth is ⌠I think I like you. I mean as in, like you, like you.â Her eyes widened. âI wanna go out with you. Or something. I dunno. So dâyou wanna come round or not?â he asked, not looking her in the eyes.
âI ⌠wait, you like me? You sure got a funny way of showing it,â Eleyna said scornfully. Pablo flinched. Maybe he was serious, or trying to be, at least. When Javier wasnât around, he was surprisingly less annoying. âSorry. Iâm just ⌠surprised. I guess ⌠if your mumâs making spiced chicken, I can come over to yours.â Free food was free food, and it was one of her favourite meals.
âReally? I mean, uh, sure. We usually eat at seven. Dâyou remember the way there?â he asked. As kids theyâd both followed each other home, to see if they could. Pablo lived in a different, just as rundown neighbourhood.
Eleyna nodded. âIâm gonna go ⌠tell my aunt. See ya.â She ran off back home. âIâm having dinner at Pabloâs house tonight,â she announced.
Cat raised an eyebrow. âHello to you, too. Had a good swim?â
âYeah. Pablo was there when I got out, and he was acting really weird. First he asked if I was a siren because Iâd got out of the sea â like, duh â and if I liked dates, and he stared at me like heâs never seen me before. Then he asked me if I wanted to come round for dinner. He thinks he likes me.â
Cat lips twisted into a wry smile. âAll that stuff about sirens and dates sounds like he was trying to flirt with you. Poor boy mustâve been nervous.â
âYeah, but why would he try to flirt with me now? Nothingâs changed.â
âYouâve changed, Eleyna. Youâre not a little girl anymore. Youâre at the age when boys will start to ⌠notice you more, and you them,â Cat tried to explain delicately. When Eleyna looked confused, she decided to be more blunt. âWhat Iâm saying is that your friend thinks youâre pretty. Which you are.â
âThereâs no way he thinks Iâm pretty, Aunt Cat. Pablo always picks on me.â
âOh, thatâs normal. Happens all the time. Boys always think they need to do something ridiculous to get a girlâs attention. Besides, you must have a bit of a thing for him too,â she remarked slyly. âYou did agree to go to his house.â
Eleyna rolled her eyes. âHis mumâs making spiced chicken. Iâm going for the free food,â she insisted. Her aunt continued to smirk. âI donât like him, okay?â
Still smirking, Cat said lightly, âYouâd be surprised at how people can change. Pablo might seem annoying now, but heâs growing up, and so are you. Besides, first crushes never last anyway. I wouldnât worry if I were you.â
âIâm not worried,â Eleyna declared, âand I do not like Pablo like that!â
That evening, she went to his house. Mrs Arintero welcomed her in. âItâs nice to see you. Iâm afraid my husband is still out working,â she said apologetically. Her son rolled his eyes whilst she wasnât looking.
After dinner, Pablo showed her how they could get into the attic, and from there onto the roof. It was a great view; they could see all the way from the Church of the Celestial Triarchy to the Imperial Hall, where the governor of San Nicolas ruled from. Pablo didnât even pretend to push her off the roof. He was being nice to her, and it was unsettling. âOkay, weâre alone now. You can tell me what youâre really up to.â
âWhy do you always assume Iâm up to something?â he demanded. Eleyna folded her arms and gave a sardonic stare. âIâm not up to anything,â Pablo insisted. âCross my heart. I ⌠wanna date you,â he blushed. âHappy now?â
Eleyna felt a weird sensation in her stomach, like sheâd swallowed a moth. âI donât get why you wanna date me,â she admitted. âIs it because Iâm pretty?â
âI guess ⌠but donât tell anyone I said that. Especially not Javier, heâll think Iâve gone soft,â Pablo glared. She smirked at him. âI mean it!â he snapped.
âOkay, I promise I wonât tell anyone you think Iâm pretty. Cross my heart.â
âGood. So ⌠can I date you?â he asked. âI wonât call you Ellie. Or Ley-Ley.â
It was tempting, but Eleyna wasnât sure. âIâll think about it,â she promised, âand tell you at the pier tomorrow. So, uh, thanks for inviting me to dinner.â
That night she could barely sleep, wondering whether she should date Pablo or not. Eleyna woke for what felt like the thousandth time â or perhaps sheâd never fallen asleep in the first place â and heard hushed voices outside her window. Her room became terribly stuffy if she didnât leave it open a crack.
Eleyna crept across to the window, peering out into the darkness. A man was standing at the back door, delivering crystals; he was flirting with her aunt. Cat was flirting with him in return. Eleyna dismissed it; sheâd seen this plenty of times before. Her aunt would get a lower price on the goods âŚ
She paused. Her aunt flirted â with who delivered the crystals, with the customers â and if it worked for her aunt, why couldnât it work for her? Maybe itâll be fun to date Pablo, she figured. See what I can get out of him. I can always dump him if I get bored. First crushes never last. He'll get over me.
The next day, Pablo met her at the pier. He looked nervous and hopeful. âI thought about it, and I figured I might as well. So yeah, you can date me.â
âYes!â he cheered, punching the air. âWhat do you want to do now?â
âHow about we go and snag ourselves a couple of peaches? Yâknow, for old timesâ sake.â Pablo grinned. The two of them headed to get up to mischief.
It wasnât long before they were both sitting on the pier, munching their ill-gotten fruit. âIâm going on a ship one day,â Eleyna declared, pocketing the peach stone. âAunt Cat says my mum was a great sailor. When Iâm old enough Iâll sail the high seas and become a world-famous adventurer.â
âYou canât,â he insisted, âsailors donât let girls onto ships. Itâs bad luck, innit?â
âIâll dress up as a boy,â she shot back. âI am gonna be famous. You watch.â
âFamous for what? Slaying dragons? Coming back from Entedines?â
âFrom where?â
âItâs an island thatâs so dangerous no oneâs ever come back from it alive!â
âIf no oneâs come back alive, how do they know thereâs an island there?â
âYou can see islands from a distance, idiot. Iâm not making this up. It means âforbidden isleâ ⌠or was it âforebodingâ? Either way, itâs real. Legend says thereâs a monster there that eats anyone who enters its lair. Or it might be sirens; they lure you in and make you dive off the ship, then they eat you.â
âSure. So where is this âforbidden isleâ, anyway? And Iâm not an idiot.â
âI dunno, do I? Itâs not on maps because itâs forbidden. Obviously.â
âMore like itâs not on maps because it doesnât exist. But if it does, one day Iâll find it and come back alive. Iâll bring you back some proof. Deal?â
âWe could go together,â he suggested. âMe, you and Javier. Youâll need someone with muscle out at sea.â Pablo flexed. Eleyna rolled her eyes.
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Warding Song: Chapter Two Part One
Eleyna learned to swim in the harbour, and enjoyed diving off the pier into refreshingly cold water on the hottest days. Aunt Cat said she took after her mother, feeling a pull to the ocean. Eleyna was partial to the idea, and often daydreamed about sailing on the high seas.
One day she heard a voice shouting her name, and saw Pablo waving his arms about, gesturing for her to come back to shore. Eleyna didnât want to get out of the water yet, but people were beginning to stare. With a sigh, she ploughed through the waves and hauled herself onto the pier. Pablo didnât try to help her, of course. He just stood there.
âItâs about time! I was getting a sore throat, yelling for you.â Eleyna rolled her eyes and wrung out her dripping blouse. âI need your help,â Pablo insisted. This was so unexpected that Eleyna stared at him.
âWhy? Whereâs Javier?â she wondered, noting his absence at last. Pablo and Javier were inseparable â it was weird seeing them apart.
âThatâs what I need help with. Javier is sick. Heâs got a stomach ache, keeps barfing. Does your aunt have any crystals that can cure him?â
âSheâs got aventurine. I think.â Eleyna wasnât sure if her aunt had sold out, but there was nothing she could do about that. âCanât his mum buy some?â People bought crystals to cure their kids all the time.
âShe canât afford them. Look, I just need one measly little crystal.â
âSorry, Pablo,â she replied, âbut I canât get the aventurine for Javier.â
âWhat?!â he exclaimed. âWhat dâyou mean? You live in that shop!â
âI live above the shop, and I canât get the crystals for free, not unless Iâm sick. My aunt gives me food and a bed, not her magic rocks.â
Pablo scowled. âCanât you ⌠â He looked around to check nobody was listening, and leaned in. âCanât you, yâknow, steal some aventine?â
âItâs called aventurine, and of course I canât steal from my aunt. I have to live with her, you idiot,â she scoffed. Pablo glared indignantly.
Then he seemed to wilt. âEleyna, please,â he begged, surprising her; Pablo always called her âEllieâ or âLey-Leyâ. âYou gotta help me to help Javier. I donât want him to be sick anymore. Heâs my best friend.â
Sheâd never seen Pablo like this before. He was always so tough when he had Javier backing him up. Her gut twisted. âI canât steal the aventurine,â she said slowly, âand I donât have the money to buy any of it ⌠but I might be able to get my aunt to give me some. Maybe.â
Pablo looked surprised. âReally? Youâd do that for me, no tricks?â
âNo tricks; but Iâm coming with you to give it to his mum, so I know youâre not tricking me.â She spat on her palm and held it out. âDeal?â
He spat into his own hand and clasped hers firmly. âDeal!â
She told Pablo to wait in the alley, then shuffled into the shop, clutching her stomach. Aunt Cat looked up. âWhatâs the matter with you? And why are you all wet? Have you been in the sea?â
âThere was a big wave and I swallowed some by mistake. Aunt Cat, I donât feel so good,â she whimpered. âMy tummy keeps hurting.â
âDrinking seawater will do that to you. Donât worry, itâll wear off.â
âCan ⌠can I please have some aventurine? That will help, wonât it?â
âEleyna, having a stomach ache isnât pleasant, but it will pass. I donât have a lot of aventurine, and it makes no sense to waste some if youâll feel better in an hour or so. Just go lie down upstairs,â she advised. Eleyna thought hard. If Pablo didnât get that crystal for Javier, after sheâd made a deal with him, heâd bug her about it forever.
âPlease, Aunt Cat? I only want a tiny little bit. My tummy really hurts.â
With a sigh, Catherine replied: âI said no, Eleyna. You donât need it.â
âIt hurts so bad ⌠I think Iâm dying,â she gasped, pretending to swoon. âI am, Iâm gonna die. Itâs the end. Goodbye, world ⌠â
âIt canât be that bad,â Cat insisted. âHow much did you swallow?â
The response was a drawn-out groan. Catherine ignored her; a customer entered, a thin sallow man who looked like a stiff breeze would knock him over. âGood afternoon, sir. How can I help you?â
He opened his mouth, only to cough into a handkerchief. âSorry. I need some, uh ⌠oh, whatâs it called ⌠the yellow crystal.â
âCitrine?â
âThatâs it,â he agreed, coughing. âOne scoop of citrine, please.â
Catherine went to the case where the citrine powder was kept. Eleyna implored the customer, âMister, please ⌠buy some aventurine. I need it ⌠Iâm dying.â She moaned piteously; he stared at her in alarm.
âSheâs not dying,â said Catherine. âShe has a tummy ache, thatâs all.â
âDo you know her?â he inquired. Then he coughed again.
âSheâs my niece.â
Eleyna bent double. âIâm gonna be sick,â she declared, making as if to heave. The man frowned. Cat sold him the citrine, assuring him that of course sheâd take care of the poor child, yes, âhave a nice day.â
When he was gone, Cat turned to Eleyna. âYouâre making a fool of yourself, girl, carrying on like that, and now youâve embarrassed me, as well. That manâs going to think Iâm neglecting you.â
âYou are neglecting me.â Eleyna pointed at the aventurine. âYou have the cure to my suffering, and you wonât let me have even the tiniest sprinkle ⌠â
Cat was at her witâs end. âYou only act like this when you want something. So what is it youâre really after?â she demanded. âCome on, out with it.â
âAventurine,â Eleyna insisted. âI told you. Itâs an emergency.â
âWhat exactly has gotten you sick enough to need aventurine?â
âI swallowed seawater.â
âYou mustâve swallowed a lot, then. Were you trying to make yourself sick?â
âNo?â
Her aunt looked sceptical. Eleyna was getting desperate. Pablo would be impatient by now; heâd think sheâd gone back on their deal. Then heâd cook up some kind of revenge scheme, and she wasnât in the mood for all that. Catâs piercing stare rooted her to the spot. Her aunt was the one person she could never convincingly lie to.
âItâs not really for me,â she admitted, straightening. âItâs for Javier. Heâs sick, and I told Pablo Iâd get some aventurine to heal him with, but I canât afford it and I knew you wouldnât give me any unless I was sick.â
Cat raised an eyebrow. âIs that right?â she asked. âWhere is Pablo?â
âHeâs waiting in the alley. Dâyou want me to go get him?â
âYes, and hurry up,â said Cat. Eleyna ran outside. To her relief, Pablo was still loitering in the alleyway behind their street, kicking at stones.
âYou took your time,â he grumbled, holding a hand out. âWhere is it?â
âI tried to pretend I had a tummy ache, but she didnât fall for it. Come on, you gotta tell her Javier really is sick,â she insisted. They ran to the shopfront. âGo on then, tell her about Javier,â she prompted.
âMrs Flanders, he really is sick. He keeps throwing up and â um, yâknow, the other thing â and his stomach hurts, and his mum says he can barely eat nothing. She canât afford to buy crystals, though.â
Cat was sympathetic, but even so ⌠âThere are cheaper ways to cure an upset stomach. Has Javierâs mother tried ginger or camomile tea?â
âDuh. That was the first thing she tried, but itâs not working! It helps for a bit but then it wears off. Javier needs to be healed. You sell healing crystals. If anything can cure him itâs this aventurine, right? Please, he needs some. Iâm scared heâs gonna die if he doesnât get it.â
âOkay,â Cat sighed, âif itâs to help a sick child, I suppose thatâs worth using up a bit of stock for.â She spooned powdered aventurine into a pouch, then gave it to Pablo. âYour friendâs mother needs to boil a pinch of this in water and strain it into his broth every morning until heâs feeling better.â
Pablo hesitated. âIt ainât gonna turn him into a rock-head, is it?â he asked warily. Eleyna and Catherine stared at him in bewilderment.
âWhatâs a rock-head?â
âLike a corpse, but rock, except it moves and you can make it do stuff. When a manâs hanged, theyâre made into a rock-head and enslaved.â
âDonât be ridiculous. Youâre thinking of fossils, and nobody makes fossils move. Now are you going to take this aventurine to your friend or not, boy?â
He took the bag, mumbling a quick: âThanks, maâam.â Then he and Eleyna took the pouch to Javierâs house together. His mother opened the door. Pablo gave her the pouch full of crystal, explaining what to do. She was very grateful, and asked Eleyna to âgive my regards to your aunt, wonât you?â
âThanks for the help,â Pablo remarked, after Javierâs mum had shut the door. âI owe you one. Maybe youâre not so bad after all. For a girl.â
âGee, thanks,â Eleyna scoffed. Still ⌠maybe he wasnât so bad either. âDoes that mean youâre gonna stop calling me those stupid nicknames?â
âHmm ⌠nah. They suit you!â he grinned. Indignant, she started to count down from five, and he bolted. Eleyna ran after him. âCatch me if you can, Ley-Ley!â he yelled over his shoulder, laughing. Clearly some things werenât about to change anytime soon ⌠but then, Eleyna was having fun too.
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IMPORTANT
I havenât been able to figure out how to make the posts appear on the dash in chronological order, but if you want to read them in chronological order (which is recommended lol), just click the url:
https://wardingsong.tumblr.com/tagged/preludes/chrono
Hopefully it will work! But we all know how this hell site is donât we.
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Warding Song: Chapter One Part Six
Trill learned wingless ones were strange and dangerous. Still, her wariness did nothing to curb the urge to explore. She happily boasted to her friends one day that when she was old enough, sheâd fly out there and find a Special Thing to name herself after, like her sire.
âWhat dâyou think your Special Thing will be?â asked Chirr-See.
âNo idea! All I know for sure is that Iâll have to fly out there to find it.â
âDonât be stupid,â Growl-Hiss scoffed. She spun, growling. âA runt like you wouldnât last a day out there,â he mocked, perching in front of the sun. Trill wanted to glare fiercely at him, but the light hurt her eyes. âYouâd be too scared of all those wingless ones. You as well,â he sneered at Chirr-See, âlittle baby bird. Fly back to your nest, now!â
Chirr-See bristled. Snort-Snarl bared his fangs. âWingless ones are scary, egg-for-brains. They hide shiny-rock jaws, and cover up holes full of shiny-rock spikes, to catch and kill us. How do you think Missing Paw earned her name? She didnât bite her own paw off, did she?â
âWingless ones are weak. They canât even fly! Iâm not scared of them. Iâd set them on fire before they even tried to attack me!â With a sneer, he spread his wings and boasted, âIâm not afraid of anything.â
Trill reared up on her hind legs and stubbornly growled, âNeither am I!â
Her friends stared. Growl-Hiss laughed. Trill hissed, and stood her ground, wings spread. âIâll prove it. Dare me to do something scary!â
Click-Coo whined. âWhat are you doing?â she asked. Trill ignored her.
Growl-Hiss glared at her, and she glared right back. At last, he declared âFine! I dareyou to ⌠to steal a firestone from my sireâs hoard.â Her friends gasped. Stone Cracker was massive, ornery and very protective of his hoard, especially the orange firestones.
âYouâre on,â she declared, âand when I bring it back, you ⌠you have to treat us like weâre high ranking for a whole day!â
Growl-Hiss snarled. âYeah? Well when you donât bring it back, or get caught, you and your friends have to do whatever I want!â he challenged. Her friends tensed or groaned, wishing Trill hadnât gotten them into this. She gave them an apologetic look, and nodded firmly.
âGo on. Iâll wait here,â he said, lying down on the sun-warmed rock. Trill dropped to all fours and galloped towards his familyâs nest. Chirr-See and Click-Coo hurried after her. Snort-Snarl remained behind to keep an eye on the other drake, so he couldnât try to make Trill fail her dare.
âWhy did you agree to this? Stone Cracker can crack ⌠well, stones!â Chirr-See protested. âLet me do this, itâs safer; you could get hurt!â
âHe wonât crack me.â Trill rolled her eyes. âHe wonât even catch me.â
Click-Coo whined. âWhat if he does? I heard he sleeps with one eye open so he can see anyone trying to steal from his hoard!â She and Chirr-See easily overtook Trill. âItâs dangerous. Youâll get in trouble!â
âI have to! He dared me. I can do this. Now get out of the way,â Trill growled, pawing at the ground. They begged her to let them help, but she refused. âI have to do it by myself, or it wonât count.â Her friends slunk aside, letting her pass. Trill set off. As she ran, she kept thinking of a plan to get the stone. I hid in ash once, and they couldnât smell me.
She found a spot covered in ash and groomed herself, covering her scales with spit, then rolled in it until she was more grey than black.
Getting to the right place was hard ⌠she wasnât sure exactly where it was. Sneaking past the adults â and fledglings, some of whom were her bullies â was even harder. When she heard someone coming, she hunched down and hid her head under a wing, peeking out from beneath it until theyâd gone. At last she found her way to the hoard.
A huge pile of firestones lay in the cavern. Trill knew it was large, because she could see it above the flanks of Stone Cracker, curled up around it. He was asleep, and he didnât seem to have one eye open ⌠but he was still between her and the hoard. Trill sneaked in.
She crept towards his hindquarters. To her dismay, the only way past was to climb over his tail. Trill leapt over it, flapping her wings. She landed, and barely managed to keep from hitting him with her tail.
It mustâve taken a lifetime to find all these firestones. She started to pick one up, and paused. Her friends would be impressed if she took more than one. Trill picked up as many as she could fit in her mouth.
She gave a quiet purr, and made to sneak out again. Stone Cracker yawned, stretched and rolled onto his hoard; the firestones shifted and cascaded towards her. Trill yipped in fright and scrambled out of the way, leaping over his tail again. This time she tripped over.
Two stones in her mouth fell out and chinked against the rock. The drakeâs orange eyes snapped open. Trill curled into a ball, pretending to be an ashy rock. She could hear him sniff the air, and fought not to whimper or tremble. âWhoâs there?â Stone Cracker rumbled. Trill said nothing. At last, he huffed, and from what she could tell, turned away.
Heart racing, she peeked. He wasnât looking at her, but at his pile of firestones. Trill crept towards the cave mouth. When she made it out, Trill gave up sneaking, and fled. She had three firestones. She laughed, bouncing and fluttering her wings. I did it! I actually did it!
The others were waiting for her. Trill hid the stones in her jaws. âLook whoâs back,â Growl-Hiss snorted. âI donât see any firestones! Did my sire catch you, or did you get scared?â he mocked.
Trill sat down, and dropped the firestones. He stared at them, and her, in disbelief. âNow weâre high ranking,â she declared. Her friends cheered. Chirr-See, Click-Coo and Snort-Snarl crowded around Trill, nuzzling and praising her, asking her to tell them how she had done it.
All that sneaking around had made her really hungry. âI won your dare,â she told Growl-Hiss, âand we had a deal. Go get us fish!â she ordered. He slunk off with a glare. Trill puffed her chest out. Sheâd never be big or strong, but she could be clever â and that was even better, really.
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agree with all of this XD
The Ship Beyond Time (The Girl From Everywhere, #2) by Heidi Heilig
Nix has spent her whole life journeying to places both real and imagined aboard her time-traveling fatherâs ship. And now itâs finally time for her to take the helm. Her father has given up his obsession to save her motherâand possibly erase Nixâs existenceâand Nixâs future lies bright before her. Until she learns that she is destined to lose the one she loves. But her relationship with Kashâbest friend, thief, charmer extraordinaireâis only just beginning. How can she bear to lose him? How can she bear to become as adrift and alone as her father?
Desperate to change her fate, Nix takes her crew to a mythical utopia to meet another Navigator who promises to teach her how to manipulate time. But everything in this utopia is constantly changing, and nothing is what it seemsânot even her relationship with Kash. Nix must grapple with whether anyone can escape her destiny, her history, her choices. Heidi Heilig weaves fantasy, history, and romance together to tackle questions of free will, fate, and what it means to love another person. But at the center of this adventure are the extraordinary, multifaceted, and multicultural characters that leap off the page, and an intricate, recognizable world that has no bounds.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy via Edelweiss for review purposes.
Last year I read The Girl from Everywhere, Heidi Heiligâs debut SFF time-travelling novel, and I LOVED it. You can read my review here, but I basically praised the characters, the character dynamics and interactions, the setting, and the SFF elements. I loved EVERYTHING. I especially loved Kash. So I was fairly sure that I was going to love this one too, and no surprise, I did. I loved it even more than The Girl From Everywhere, which I didnât think was possible.
The Ship Beyond Time picks up immediately after the events of The Girl From Everywhere, and itâs straight back into the action. As her father gives up trying to save Nixâs mother, and erase Nixâs existence in the process, Nixâs dreams of her future become a possible reality. But then she learns that sheâs destined to lose the one she loves and she canât bear the thought of losing Kash, not when their relationship is only just beginning to blossom.
As another Navigator promises Nix the secrets of changing the past, Nix and the crew of The Temptation travel to a utopia in hopes of avoiding Kashâs fate. The novel revolves around questions of fate and free will - can the past be changed?
Heilig has a lush prose that makes her books really easy and pleasant to read. Itâs not too convoluted and itâs full of emotion and lush descriptions. Ker-Ys was so vividly depicted you felt that you were there, exploring the dark tunnels and the lavish castle alongside Nix. Heilig makes the character so real, that you feel emotionally invested in each and every one them (except maybe Blake â I seriously dislike Blake). Theyâre so complex and curious, willing the change the past for love. I, once again, adored Kash. I adore his devotion to Nix, his wit and his charm. I really enjoyed reading from his POV (more please!). I admire Nixâs independence, intelligence, and her kindness. The âvillianâ was complex too, his motivations based on power and recognition. He wasnât a simple villian though, because he thought he was doing a good thing â but in the end fate and destiny got him.
As a history geek I really enjoyed the blending of present, magic, history and mythology, and Heilig does it so seamlessly. If youâre a fan of history, time-travel, science fiction, or mythology, I would highly recommend this action packed, well-developed series.
RATING: â
â
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Buy THE GIRL FROM EVERYWHERE at Book Depository
Buy THE SHIP BEYOND TIME at Book Depository
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Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey Teens: Heidi Heiligâs Girl from Everywhere Duology
âWelcome to 1,100 words of me gushing about one of my favorite YA fantasy series, the rocking maritime adventure Girl from Everywhere duology by Heidi Heilig.â
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Day 9 of #The100DayProject ⢠#TheGirlFromEverywhere and #TheShipBeyondTime by #HeidiHeilig ⢠This duology is about Nix, whose father can sail his ship anywhere in the world across time and imagination, as long as he has a map. I thought it was really fun, with a bit of adventure and mystery, and a ship playing at history and piracy. The characters were great, and it didnât skimp on the emotions, either. Also, those covers are stunning! ⢠#bookstagram #timetravel #yafantasy @heidi.heilig (at Somerville, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLDkpqeHfDU/?igshid=1k8i05saewuzx
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To Shape a Dragonâs Breath has been nominated for the 2024 Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction!
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To Shape a Dragon's Breath is on sale right now for $6! https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/to-shape-a-dragon-s-breath-by-moniquill-blackgoose-65abb21832
Thanks for letting me know! Anyone who's been wanting to grab a copy, now's a great time:
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Warding Song is officially now available for preorder from Kindle, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Apple and Smashwords!
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