Shadow Fire
Light Chronicles Book 1
Kimber Leigh Wheaton
YA Fantasy Romance
Blurb
Ashlyn – a free-spirited
teenager whose peaceful life is shattered when the village elders honor her
with a perilous quest to recover a stolen relic.
Zane – a
jaded mercenary, torn by his undeniable desire for Ashlyn and the dark secret
that could make her hate him forever.
Delistaire – a
malevolent sorcerer driven by an insatiable lust for power.
All three are bound together by an ancient relic supposedly
infused with the power of a Goddess.
Shadow
Fire – adventure, passion, secrets, and betrayal
As Ashlyn and Zane race to stay
one step ahead of the evil lurking in the shadows, their passions are ignited
and their bond strengthens. But will they find the relic before
Delistaire? Or has their entire quest been orchestrated from the very beginning
by a madman in pursuit of ultimate power?
Each installment of the
Light Chronicles is a standalone story.
Praise
"This
book contains monsters, magic, majestic creatures, and a evil guy that wants to
destroy the world. If you love hot guys.....Zane is all that plus a few tricks
up his sleeve. Just read it!" Venture ~Amazon Reviewer
"Adventure,
magical creatures, fun characters, and romance make this book a perfect read
for all ages." James ~Amazon Reviewer
"I
thought the writing was strong; it had me turning the pages quickly to see what
would happen next. The characters were engaging and the dialogue well-written."
Lisa Temple ~ Goodreads
"Oh,
I truly loved this one! Shadow Fire, by Kimber Leigh Wheaton, is a snappy,
sassy, sweet, all-that-kind-of-awesome-and-then-some YA read. I couldn't put it
down." ~Sasha Hibbs ~ Amazon Reviewer
Favorite Quotes
The
villagers will be awaiting my return, skulking in the shadows, desperate to
catch a glimpse of the walking dead girl. ~Ashlyn
After all,
love conquers nothing but fools. ~Delistaire
Perhaps you
shouldn’t have chased the poor pirate all over the ship shooting light daggers
at him. ~Zane
How would
you like a tour of this grand vessel, my angelic beauty? I’ll show you my
favorite trysting spots. ~Taranis
Excerpt #1
Every step I take is one step
closer to death.
Hiking through
the dense underbrush, I try to calm my frayed nerves and control the fear
threatening to overwhelm me. Twigs and tendrils of ivy grab at my ankles as I
continue to forge ahead, forcing me to wrench away from their skeletal grip.
The sunlight is fading, signaling the end of another day, but this is no
ordinary day.
A loud crack pierces the air. I freeze in my
tracks, my breath catching in my throat. Whipping my head around, I try to
locate the source of the sound. My heart pounds in my chest, the erratic rhythm
painful. These woods are full of predators, some animal, some monster, but the
worst… human. Taking a deep breath, I listen to the surrounding woods: birds
chirp, insects hum, and small animals scurry about as if they have no care in
the world.
Lungs
burning, I force myself to continue walking. I didn't collapse three weeks ago
when this whole fiasco started, and I won't give in now. My family needs me to
be strong.
The
trees become sparser as I approach the edge of the forest. My shoulders slump
when I pass the tree house we used to play in so many years ago. Any other day
when I'm this close to home after a long day of hunting, I'd smile, breathe a
sigh of relief, and perhaps look forward to dinner. Today there will be no
raucous family meal, no solace in entering the peaceful village, and nothing to
smile about.
The
villagers will be awaiting my return, skulking in the shadows, desperate to
catch a glimpse of the walking dead girl.
I've
dealt with the whispers and pointing for three weeks with my head held high, my
anxiety hidden behind a mask of indifference. I don't want them to see me like
this, trembling in fear, broken. They've taken everything I am, every hope,
every dream I've had for the future and smashed them to pieces with little hope
of salvation. The townsfolk of Verdane decided my fate and they chose death.
The
elders told me being Chosen is an
honor. Either they are ignorant or apathetic. Every five years for the last
twenty, a teenage girl has been chosen by the town, via secret ballot, to
undertake this dangerous quest, never to return. Perhaps if the elders had to
forfeit their lives instead they wouldn't be so quick to label it an honor,
they'd call it what it is… a sacrifice.
Excerpt #2
We walk in silence for what seems like several hours. The sun is at midday,
yet we still haven't
stopped to rest. Zane
isn't holding my hand like he
was in the forest. Of course,
there's nothing
for me to trip over on this
wide clear road, with the exception
of the ruts from the wagon wheels. I miss feeling
his strong hand gripping
mine. Perhaps I should just be
bold like Celeste
and take his hand
if
I want to hold it. The thought
leads to a tiny giggle escaping
my mouth. I'm mortified when Zane glances
back at me, his right eyebrow
arched.
"Are you okay?" he asks as he stops
walking. My face
must be crimson. When I don't answer,
he places his hand on my forehead. "You're quite warm. Maybe we should
rest for a
little bit."
I nod my agreement and sit down in the tall
grass on the side of
the road. Hopefully
the grass will conceal
my red face from view. Zane does one last survey of our surroundings before lowering
himself to
the ground next to me.
"Here," he says, handing his canteen to me, "Have some water. It'll
help you feel better. Be
sure to tell me in the future when you
need to rest."
Nodding, I take a slow drink while trying to calm my racing heart.
Then another unbidden
thought enters
my mind, and I picture
his lips on the same flask. I choke on the drink I'm taking.
Zane pats my back as I sputter
and cough. So embarrassing.
I wonder what other evils my mind has planned
for me.
"I'm okay," I say, handing the flask back,
"but I think I'll hold off on water for
a while."
Settling on my
back in the thick grass, I hide my red face beneath
my arm. Just a couple of minutes
and the flush will fade. If I don't stop blushing
around him, he'll start to
think red is my natural skin color. I feel movement in the grass
beside me. His fingertips trace a feather
light caress along the arm slung
over my face. Lowering my arm, I breathe
out a tiny gasp. Zane's face
is within inches of mine.
I watch his lips curl into a slight smile as his hand moves from my arm to
caress my cheek.
His garnet eyes are mesmerizing, trapping me
within the twin pools of fire.
He leans closer, his lips
so close yet still too far away. My heart pounds in my chest, my eyes still ensnared
by his gaze. His
lips meet mine, softly at first, then more demanding. A soft moan escapes my throat,
and my eyes flutter
closed.
"Is this okay?" he asks
in a breathless whisper, his lips
brushing mine when he speaks.
Instead of answering, I wind my arms
around his neck, pulling his body closer. My mouth opens under the soft
pressure of his tongue, granting him entrance. He explores my mouth with
excruciating slowness. My body feels like it's on fire as tiny shivers of
pleasure race up and down my extremities. I bury my fingers into his auburn
hair trapping him against me. He groans, pulling me against him, tightening his
arms around my upper body, and I feel a delicious warmth pool deep within my
body.
When his lips leave mine I'm still
lost to the sensations, all so raw and new. Opening my eyes, I gaze up at him,
my limbs not quite ready to function yet. His eyes are darkened with passion,
which sends another wave of desire coursing through my body.
"As much as I'd like to stay
like this all day," he murmurs, nipping at my lower lip. Clearing his
throat he continues, "We need to get moving."
Excerpt #3
The sound of metal clashing echoes
through the air on deck. In the center of the ship Zane and Taranis are
sparring while the crew watches from a safe distance. Neither man seems to be
holding back. Skirting around the fighting men, I reach the stairs up to the
helm and scale them. Several pirates are leaning up against the railing
overlooking the deck. When I appear they move aside to make a space for me in
the middle.
"How long have they been at
it?" I ask the group of men.
"Half an hour or so," a
red-haired pirate replies. "You want in on the betting pool? It's not too
late."
"I'll pass thanks."
Only a moron would bet against Zane.
Although I have to admit, it appears Taranis is putting up a good fight. He
rushes at Zane with a series of furious swings, which are all parried with
ease. When he leaps away, Zane charges him. Taranis manages to parry all but
one swing. This one he blocks with the large silver gauntlet on his left
forearm. Zane takes a step back and lowers his sword.
"Had enough yet, pirate?"
he asks laughing.
Taranis is staring at him in cool
silence, but his breathing is a bit labored. When the captain rushes him, Zane
drops to the ground and knocks him down with a leg sweep. Taranis sprawls on
the deck but doesn't lose his sword. Zane leaps to his feet and moves to place
his sword at the rogue's throat. Taranis manages to block the strike with his
gauntlet before leaping back to his feet.
"I guess not," Zane
observes.
Taranis gazes up at me with a leer
and a wicked smirk. I don't even have time to gulp before he vaults over the
rail to seize me around the waist. My shriek is somewhere between a cry of
surprise and a laugh when Taranis pulls me against his side, pointing his sword
at Zane.
"Drop your sword,
mercenary," he commands.
"Why would I do that?"
Zane asks scowling. He's obviously not happy with the direction of the fight.
For my part, I lean against Taranis, trying hard not to laugh.
"I have your woman,"
Taranis declares. "I'm sure you wouldn't want to see her harmed."
"I know you won't hurt her,
pirate," Zane says, exasperation apparent in his eyes and his voice.
With a smirk, I glance up at the
pirate's jubilant face. I have to agree with Zane. Taranis is as harmless as a
puppy.
"Now either get back down here
or surrender," Zane yells.
"What if I do this?"
Taranis asks, pulling on my braid and baring my neck to him.
His lips start trailing feather
light kisses up my neck. I'm too shocked to do anything but stand in his
embrace.
"Oh, that's it!" Zane
shouts, running toward us. "You're a dead man!"
"Sorry, my gorgeous
beauty," Taranis says laughing, "gotta go!" He leaps off the
railing just as Zane reaches my side.
"Are you all right?" Zane
asks, cupping my cheek. I try to keep it in but to no avail. My laughter rings
out, and I'm doubled over by the force of it. "I'll take that as a
yes," he mumbles before he takes off running after Taranis. "You may
as well surrender, pirate! Where are you going to run? This is a ship!"
Excerpt #4
When we reach the deck, everyone
stops to stare at me. Trying to ignore the blatant curiosity, I follow Hanna
down the aft stairs to the brig. Zane and Taranis occupy cells across from each
other. They're both sitting on the floor glaring daggers at each other. Hanna
hands the key to me and slips away. Inching closer, I'm careful to remain out
of reach of the two prisoners. As soon as they see me, both men jump up and
start talking over each other.
"Ashlyn! How are
you feeling, Love?" Zane asks.
"Ashlyn, my fiery
angel, you are a ray of sunshine in this dank prison!" Taranis says.
"I'm gonna let you
both out, if, and only if, you promise to behave," I threaten. Both men
nod their agreement. "That means no fighting. It also means we never, and
I mean never, speak of what happened last night." When I get no argument,
I free Zane first and then Taranis.
"Do you even know
what happened last night?" Zane asks, taking me into his arms. I stand
rigid in his embrace, not sure if I'm ready to forgive him quite yet.
"Only what Hanna
told me," I snap at him.
"I saved your
virtue from this raving lunatic," Taranis says, pointing at Zane.
"Then you decided
to take it for yourself!" Zane yells back at him.
"Did you not hear
me?" I shout. Pulling myself from Zane's embrace, I back up and glare at
both men. "No speaking of last night. Period. End of discussion."
"Yes, Love,"
Zane replies.
"Yes, virtuous
virgin," Taranis replies.
"Taranis!" I
release a menacing growl, and wince when my right eye starts to tic.
"Yes?" he asks, eyes full of mock innocence.
"Run," Zane
says.
Taranis listens to
Zane's advice and takes off up the stairs to the deck with me hot on his heels.
About
the Author
Kimber Leigh Wheaton is
a YA/NA author with a soft spot for sweet romance and is a member of Romance
Writers of America.
She is married to her
soul mate, has a teenage son, and shares her home with three dogs and four
cats. No, she doesn’t live on a farm, she just loves animals. Her house is
filled with dragons, though she does lament that they are the porcelain,
non-flying variety.
Kimber Leigh is addicted
to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains, and chocolate—not necessarily in
that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take a chocolate covered superhero!)
Her debut novel, Shadow Fire, is the first book
in The Light Chronicles series. Watch for book two, Stolen Moon, a standalone
sequel, coming soon.
Author Links:
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Thanks for hosting Shadow Fire, Michelle!
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