Thank you for taking part in Kestrel's Dance Blog Tour! Below you'll find:
A blog tour Schedule
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An HTML Blog post to Copy and Paste when you'd love to share, but you're in a hurry. (We've all been there.)
A slideshow of teasers, in case you want to use a different teaser than the one suggested.
A listing of: buy links, blogger run giveaway, rafflecopter, Blurb, about author, and excerpts. Please only use the excerpt assigned to you. (If you'd like an excerpt, get in contact with Echo at [email protected] and we'll see about getting you something for your blog--the more the merrier!)
Again we so appreciate the time and effort you've spent to join our blog tour and help get the word out about this latest release from Misty Massey. Watching her succeed is such a privilege and we thank you so much for taking part in that. Please let us know when you post and send us a link at [email protected] so we can add it to our blog tour and, more importantly, share the heck out of it! Wishing you all the best! Echo Shea and Mindy Mymudes Let's Talk Promotions Psst...Promotions Know someone not part of our blogger list, that might be interested? Click here!
Blog Tour Schedule:
October 30 Ilovebooksandstuffblog
Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read
Welcome to my Hoard
October 31 Writing Cave Corner
Echo's Tales
November 1 Faith Hunter
Adventures in Self-Publishing
November 2 I Smell Sheep GirlZombieAuthors
Books to Curl Up With
November 3 Drops of Ink
All Things Dark and Dirty
November 5 Dawn's Reading Nook
The Irresponsible Reader
Twitter Post:
Kestrel's Dance-Available now! @MistyMassey's latest novel features a #pirate adventure on the high seas! http://mybook.to/KestrelsDance #BookRecommendations#BookTwitter#booktwt#BookBoost@LoreSeekrsPress#BlogTour
Instagram Post:
Kestrel, the King's Privateer, is preparing to wait out the annual storm season when she receives an unexpected royal order to capture and deliver a rare creature for the king’s menagerie. Before she can weigh anchor, news reaches Kestrel of a long-ago friend in desperate need of help—in the opposite direction of her assigned voyage. In addition, her ship may be haunted by something big, loud, and terrifying.
Before Kestrel can plot a course, she crosses paths with an enigmatic dancer who offers an enticing bargain: sail her home to the Continent, an ocean away, and she'll reveal the mysteries of magic Kestrel has longed all her life to know.
The temptation of answers endangers her crew and might ruin her privateer status. Worse, taking on this passenger could thrust her into the clutches of the ever-watchful Danisoban mages who lie in wait for her to make the perfect mistake.
Every decision is fraught with danger. Each wrong turn may mean her death or the death of her crew. And Captain Kestrel can walk away from none of them.
Kestrel, the pirate who can whistle up the wind, returns in book two of the Mad Kestrel Series. Captain Kes will defy the king, gamble with her friends' lives, and run the risk of capture by evil mages to get her hands on the magical knowledge so long denied to her.
ASIN: B09YC8JSP5 Publisher: Lore Seekers Press (June 24, 2022) Publication date: June 24, 2022 Language: English Print length: 319 pages Check it out on Amazon: http://mybook.to/KestrelsDance Check out Book One: http://mybook.to/MadKestrel
Love the Mad Kestrel series and want to stay up to date on Misty Massey's next release? Follow Misty on Amazon here: author.to/MistyMassey or check out her website: https://www.mistymassey.com/
Kestrel, the King's Privateer, is preparing to wait out the annual storm season when she receives an unexpected royal order to capture and deliver a rare creature for the king’s menagerie. Before she can weigh anchor, news reaches Kestrel of a long-ago friend in desperate need of help—in the opposite direction of her assigned voyage. In addition, her ship may be haunted by something big, loud, and terrifying.
Before Kestrel can plot a course, she crosses paths with an enigmatic dancer who offers an enticing bargain: sail her home to the Continent, an ocean away, and she'll reveal the mysteries of magic Kestrel has longed all her life to know.
The temptation of answers endangers her crew and might ruin her privateer status. Worse, taking on this passenger could thrust her into the clutches of the ever-watchful Danisoban mages who lie in wait for her to make the perfect mistake.
Every decision is fraught with danger. Each wrong turn may mean her death or the death of her crew. And Captain Kestrel can walk away from none of them.
Kestrel, the pirate who can whistle up the wind, returns in book two of the Mad Kestrel Series. Captain Kes will defy the king, gamble with her friends' lives, and run the risk of capture by evil mages to get her hands on the magical knowledge so long denied to her.
ASIN: B09YC8JSP5 Publisher: Lore Seekers Press (June 24, 2022) Publication date: June 24, 2022 Language: English Print length: 319 pages Check it out on Amazon: http://mybook.to/KestrelsDance Check out Book One: http://mybook.to/MadKestrel
Love the Mad Kestrel series and want to stay up to date on Misty Massey's next release? Follow Misty on Amazon here: author.to/MistyMassey or check out her website: https://www.mistymassey.com/
Kestrel, the King's Privateer, is preparing to wait out the annual storm season when she receives an unexpected royal order to capture and deliver a rare creature for the king’s menagerie. Before she can weigh anchor, news reaches Kestrel of a long-ago friend in desperate need of help—in the opposite direction of her assigned voyage. In addition, her ship may be haunted by something big, loud, and terrifying.
Before Kestrel can plot a course, she crosses paths with an enigmatic dancer who offers an enticing bargain: sail her home to the Continent, an ocean away, and she'll reveal the mysteries of magic Kestrel has longed all her life to know.
The temptation of answers endangers her crew and might ruin her privateer status. Worse, taking on this passenger could thrust her into the clutches of the ever-watchful Danisoban mages who lie in wait for her to make the perfect mistake.
Every decision is fraught with danger. Each wrong turn may mean her death or the death of her crew. And Captain Kestrel can walk away from none of them.
Kestrel, the pirate who can whistle up the wind, returns in book two of the Mad Kestrel Series. Captain Kes will defy the king, gamble with her friends' lives, and run the risk of capture by evil mages to get her hands on the magical knowledge so long denied to her.
ASIN: B09YC8JSP5 Publisher: Lore Seekers Press (June 24, 2022) Publication date: June 24, 2022 Language: English Print length: 319 pages Check it out on Amazon: http://mybook.to/KestrelsDance Check out Book One: http://mybook.to/MadKestrel
Love the Mad Kestrel series and want to stay up to date on Misty Massey's next release? Follow Misty on Amazon here: author.to/MistyMassey or check out her website: https://www.mistymassey.com/
Review from Booklist for The Mad Kestrel Series: Massey debuts with a colorful romp through strange lands and stranger seas. In a world in which magic is a monopoly of the Danisobans, and all children showing signs of power are taken from their parents and raised by that order, young Kestrel had hidden her talent and eventually escaped to sea, where magic is cancelled by water. Now risen to the post of quartermaster of a pirate ship, she loves her life. But to keep it, she must never let anyone know that she can magically control the wind. When her captain is entrapped and arrested, the young quartermaster must gather and command the crew for a rescue. That takes all the strength and wit Kestrel can command—and guarded use of her magic. This Errol Flynn–ish swashbuckler features loads of action and larger-than-life characters, plausibly grounded in the realities of life at sea. A real page-turner, and a successor is in the works.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Misty Massey is the author of Mad Kestrel, a rollicking adventure of magic on the high seas, Kestrel’s Voyages, a collection of short stories featuring those rambunctious pirates, and the upcoming Kestrel’s Dance. She is a co-editor of The Weird Wild West and Lawless Lands: Tales of the Weird Frontier, and was a founding member of Magical Words. Her short fiction has appeared in many anthologies and she’s working on a series of Shadow Council novellas for Falstaff Press featuring the famous gunslinger Doc Holliday. When she’s not writing, Misty studies and performs Middle Eastern dance and will, on occasion, surprise everyone with a batch of home-baked snickerdoodles. She’s a sucker for good sushi, African coffee, SC Gamecock football, and the darkest rum she can find. You can keep up with what Misty’s doing at mistymassey.com, Facebook and Twitter.
HTML Post:
<br /> <img data-file-id="6031705" height="1189" src="https://mcusercontent.com/db46d89a669bcc0564562defc/images/778d2a4e-ed93-d4e0-f467-bd72077c7cb1.jpg" style="border: 0px ; width: 800px; height: 1189px; margin: 0px;" width="800" /><br /> <br /> Kestrel, the King's Privateer, is preparing to wait out the annual storm season when she receives an unexpected royal order to capture and deliver a rare creature for the king’s menagerie. Before she can weigh anchor, news reaches Kestrel of a long-ago friend in desperate need of help—in the opposite direction of her assigned voyage. In addition, her ship may be haunted by something big, loud, and terrifying.<br /> <br /> Before Kestrel can plot a course, she crosses paths with an enigmatic dancer who offers an enticing bargain: sail her home to the Continent, an ocean away, and she'll reveal the mysteries of magic Kestrel has longed all her life to know.<br /> <br /> The temptation of answers endangers her crew and might ruin her privateer status. Worse, taking on this passenger could thrust her into the clutches of the ever-watchful Danisoban mages who lie in wait for her to make the perfect mistake.<br /> <br /> Every decision is fraught with danger. Each wrong turn may mean her death or the death of her crew. And Captain Kestrel can walk away from none of them.<br /> <br /> <strong>Kestrel, the pirate who can whistle up the wind, returns in book two of the Mad Kestrel Series. Captain Kes will defy the king, gamble with her friends' lives, and run the risk of capture by evil mages to get her hands on the magical knowledge so long denied to her.</strong><br /> <br /> <strong>ASIN:</strong>‎ B09YC8JSP5<br /> <strong>Publisher:</strong>‎ Lore Seekers Press (June 24, 2022)<br /> <strong>Publication date:</strong> ‎June 24, 2022<br /> <strong>Language:</strong> English<br /> <strong>Print length:‎</strong> 319 pages<br /> <strong>Check it out on Amazon:</strong> http://mybook.to/KestrelsDance<br /> <strong>Check out Book One:</strong> http://mybook.to/MadKestrel<br /> <br /> <br /> <strong><em>Love the Mad Kestrel series and want to stay up to date on Misty Massey's next release? Follow Misty on Amazon here: </em></strong>author.to/MistyMassey<strong><em> or check out her website: </em></strong>https://www.mistymassey.com/<br /> <br /> <br /> <strong>Review from Booklist for The Mad Kestrel Series:</strong><br /> Massey debuts with a colorful romp through strange lands and stranger seas. In a world in which magic is a monopoly of the Danisobans, and all children showing signs of power are taken from their parents and raised by that order, young Kestrel had hidden her talent and eventually escaped to sea, where magic is cancelled by water. Now risen to the post of quartermaster of a pirate ship, she loves her life. But to keep it, she must never let anyone know that she can magically control the wind. When her captain is entrapped and arrested, the young quartermaster must gather and command the crew for a rescue. That takes all the strength and wit Kestrel can command—and guarded use of her magic. This Errol Flynn–ish swashbuckler features loads of action and larger-than-life characters, plausibly grounded in the realities of life at sea. A real page-turner, and a successor is in the works.<br /> <br /> <br /> <a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9751c04276/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="9751c04276" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_sf917ult">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> <script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><br /> <br /> <img data-file-id="6031697" height="340" src="https://mcusercontent.com/db46d89a669bcc0564562defc/images/9f7220d2-5c93-8b3a-1e34-d3c1b264a15b.jpg" style="border: 0px ; width: 512px; height: 340px; margin: 0px;" width="512" /><br /> <br /> <font>ABOUT THE AUTHOR:</font><br /> Misty Massey is the author of Mad Kestrel, a rollicking adventure of magic on the high seas, Kestrel’s Voyages, a collection of short stories featuring those rambunctious pirates, and the upcoming Kestrel’s Dance. She is a co-editor of The Weird Wild West and Lawless Lands: Tales of the Weird Frontier, and was a founding member of Magical Words. Her short fiction has appeared in many anthologies and she’s working on a series of Shadow Council novellas for Falstaff Press featuring the famous gunslinger Doc Holliday. When she’s not writing, Misty studies and performs Middle Eastern dance and will, on occasion, surprise everyone with a batch of home-baked snickerdoodles. She’s a sucker for good sushi, African coffee, SC Gamecock football, and the darkest rum she can find. You can keep up with what Misty’s doing at mistymassey.com, Facebook and Twitter.<br /> <br />
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Blogger Run Giveaway:
For those that selected giveaway on the form, you're authorized to giveaway one e-copy of Kestrel's Dance by Misty Massey to one of your blog readers. This is a giveaway outside of the Rafflecopter, just for your readers.
Buy Links:
Check it out on Amazon: http://mybook.to/KestrelsDance Check out Book One: http://mybook.to/MadKestrel
Kestrel, the King's Privateer, is preparing to wait out the annual storm season when she receives an unexpected royal order to capture and deliver a rare creature for the king’s menagerie. Before she can weigh anchor, news reaches Kestrel of a long-ago friend in desperate need of help—in the opposite direction of her assigned voyage. In addition, her ship may be haunted by something big, loud, and terrifying.
Before Kestrel can plot a course, she crosses paths with an enigmatic dancer who offers an enticing bargain: sail her home to the Continent, an ocean away, and she'll reveal the mysteries of magic Kestrel has longed all her life to know.
The temptation of answers endangers her crew and might ruin her privateer status. Worse, taking on this passenger could thrust her into the clutches of the ever-watchful Danisoban mages who lie in wait for her to make the perfect mistake.
Every decision is fraught with danger. Each wrong turn may mean her death or the death of her crew. And Captain Kestrel can walk away from none of them.
Kestrel, the pirate who can whistle up the wind, returns in book two of the Mad Kestrel Series. Captain Kes will defy the king, gamble with her friends' lives, and run the risk of capture by evil mages to get her hands on the magical knowledge so long denied to her.
ASIN: B09YC8JSP5 Publisher: Lore Seekers Press (June 24, 2022) Publication date: June 24, 2022 Language: English Print length: 319 pages Check it out on Amazon: http://mybook.to/KestrelsDance Check out Book One: http://mybook.to/MadKestrel
Love the Mad Kestrel series and want to stay up to date on Misty Massey's next release? Follow Misty on Amazon here: author.to/MistyMassey or check out her website: https://www.mistymassey.com/
Author Bio:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Misty Massey is the author of Mad Kestrel, a rollicking adventure of magic on the high seas, Kestrel’s Voyages, a collection of short stories featuring those rambunctious pirates, and the upcoming Kestrel’s Dance. She is a co-editor of The Weird Wild West and Lawless Lands: Tales of the Weird Frontier, and was a founding member of Magical Words. Her short fiction has appeared in many anthologies and she’s working on a series of Shadow Council novellas for Falstaff Press featuring the famous gunslinger Doc Holliday. When she’s not writing, Misty studies and performs Middle Eastern dance and will, on occasion, surprise everyone with a batch of home-baked snickerdoodles. She’s a sucker for good sushi, African coffee, SC Gamecock football, and the darkest rum she can find. You can keep up with what Misty’s doing at mistymassey.com, Facebook and Twitter.
Excerpts:
Excerpt One “I’m waiting for someone.” The man pulled out a chair with his foot, and seated himself, pushing a mug to her. “I’ll wait with you, then. Name’s Tooley.” Direct, this one. No flowery poetry to try and sweep her off her feet. He probably didn’t know enough words to call a pup to heel, much less to romance a woman. Back at the table, several of his fellows were smirking and nudging each other. One fellow reached into his jerkin, pulled out a paper bill and laid it on top of a growing stack. A betting stack, but no one was tossing the cubes. There was only one other chance they might be betting on. If there was a wager on his success, someone was about to be disappointed. Kestrel watched the foam in the mug dissipate in slow, languid pops. “Best if you press on now, lad.” He cleared his throat. “There’s a right lot of wicked fellows about. What kind of gentleman would I be if I left a lady undefended?” She leaned back in her chair, and laid her hand on the leather dagger scabbard strapped to her thigh. “A lady I’m not.” He waggled his eyebrows in a way that he must have thought was appealing, but only reminded Kestrel of wooly worms writhing in the sun. “You’re going to be more of a challenge than I thought, Captain.” “You know me.” Tooley scooted his chair closer, and took a swig from his mug. “Aye, sweeting. I’m the man what’ll be winning you.” The others were huddling closer to each other, their laughter now unmistakable. She wondered whether he was the best they had, or whether they were hoping to embarrass their companion by watching him fail so publicly. It didn’t matter much either way. Kestrel pushed the ale back toward her suitor. “You’ve lost your bet. I’m not interested. If I was, I wouldn’t choose a man who’d lay money on my knees parting.” Guffaws exploded from the crowd behind him, and money began changing hands. Kestrel didn’t join in. She kept her gaze fixed on Tooley. Color drained from his face. His jaw tightened. Slowly, he rose to his feet, took another swallow of ale, and set his mug down on the table. “No woman tells me what I can bet on,” he said, his voice measured. “Think you’re above me, do you?” Reaching down, he grabbed his mug and flung the contents in her direction. Ale splashed across the table, filling the air with its pungent tang. Kestrel rolled out of her chair, drew her dagger and dropped into a fighting crouch. There was nothing for it now. “You’ve spilled your beer,” she said. Tooley growled, low in his throat. He drew his own weapon. A knife, with a wicked serrated blade. She’d read the signs aright. And now he was between her and the door.
Excerpt Two “Well met, Captain! I trust I have not kept you waiting over-long.” The voice was icy water on the back of her neck, making the hairs on her arms prickle uncomfortably. Menja Lig stood over her. The King’s Danisoban, counselor and right hand. A man with eyes in every port of the Nine Islands. Who had already made it clear the Brotherhood wanted her as one of their own, and would take her however it could. Her old captain, Binns, may have felt comfortable with him, safe even. She could never, would never trust a mage. Lig had his own agenda, and she knew better than to believe he would keep his distance. No, if she was going to let herself get that close, she was doing it with several dozen witnesses at hand. Lig wasn’t a tall man, but his gaunt frame gave him the illusion of towering height. His face was hidden within the deep recesses of his hood, his features shadowed. He corked a tiny glass vial before slipping it into the folds of his sleeve. Breathing and talking still took effort. “What’d you do to him?” “It seemed you needed help. I was only too happy to lend my assistance.” “Help like yours I can do without.” He chuckled. “You’re most welcome, Captain.” As an orphan child, she’d feared the Brethren. Maybe it was the way they seemed to glide when they walked, as if their feet didn’t touch the earth. Their cagey habit of covering themselves head to toe inside black robes, with only their bony hands poking out, the glint of silver at the wrists as a warning. Even now she was an adult, the apprehension never left her. Sitting on the floor looking up at Lig wasn’t helping her feel any stronger. Her dagger lay under the table, not far from Tooley’s knife. Kestrel grabbed both weapons and got to her feet, brushing her free hand on her breeches. She sheathed her blade, and laid Tooley’s knife on the table. The wench approached. “Care for anything to drink, my lord?” Her flirtatious manner had disappeared. Everyone knew better than to irritate a Danisoban. “Melan Gold,” said Lig, taking a seat. “Two glasses.” “One glass,” Kestrel said, knowing she sounded petulant and not caring. “I’m not drinking.” Skeletal hands, pale even in the dimness of the tavern, reached up and pushed the voluminous hood away from his face. “A sailor who doesn’t drink. Isn’t that what started the trouble before?”
Excerpt Three: The rhythmic creaking of the ship rising and falling over the water was hypnotic. For now, she could forget her worries and just sail, the wheel under her hands and the wind keening through the lines. “Captain!” The cry startled her from her reverie. Shadd was running toward her as if his life depended on it. “Get down!” “Are we under attack?” She scanned the water. No ships were in sight, at least not within the range of her naked eye. He flung himself up the quarterdeck steps, yanking his scarf from around his neck. “Ye’re on fire!” “What?” “Yer shirt’s on bloody fire!” Shadd nearly knocked her off her feet, patting at her chest with his scarf. Fire? Kestrel pushed Shadd away, and glanced down at her body. Redness was beaming from under her shirt, flickering like an ember. But no heat, no burning. If it wasn’t fire… Slowly she pulled open the neck of her shirt, and drew out McAvery’s amulet. A light was shining from deep inside it, casting scarlet onto Shadd’s surprised face. “Why’s it doin’ that?” he asked, dropping his scarf and backing away. “I don’t know,” she said. She lifted the gem up higher. The light inside it danced off the facets, glittering. Kestrel tilted her head. A dark spot moved in the heart of the gem. A flaw, perhaps. But it moved. Of all the jewels she’d ever seen, not a one had moving parts inside it. She brought it closer to her face, staring intently. The spot grew, changed shape. A fuzzy star. No, a person. Arms, legs and head. As she watched, the figure became more distinct; a man, handsome, with a face she knew all too well.
Excerpt Four: Shadd climbed up from the lower deck hatch. His shaggy hair was more disheveled than usual, soot stained his cheeks and his homespun tunic was hanging loose. “What the hell’s happening?” she bellowed, not waiting for him to come any closer. “I thought you said a storm’s comin’, but there ain’t no wind nor chop.” He shoved the ends of his tunic into his breeches. “Gundeck secure?” “As the Mayor of Pecheta’s strongbox, Captain, aye.” The sudden moaning was long, and loud, an eerie wail raising gooseflesh on her arms. It shuddered up through the decks and vibrated her very bones. No way this was thunder. At the same instant, the ship’s timbers groaned in wooden agony. The Thanos began shaking. Mildly at first, increasing in intensity until the barrels tied to the mast rattled against the wooden deck. The ship tilted, and Kestrel skipped a few steps, fighting to maintain her balance. Oil splashed out of the lanterns on that side, throwing the deck into heavier shadow. She grabbed onto Shadd’s shirt, trying to keep from tumbling to the deck. Men in the rigging cried out at the unexpected lurch. The ship righted itself, and Kestrel let her quartermaster go. “Earthquake?” she asked. “At this depth?” He frowned, clearly puzzled. “Most we’d feel would be a heavier roll.” “If that’s not it—” she stopped, confused. They stared at each other helplessly. Deafening clanking exploded over the thunder. The capstan, the huge spool on which the messenger rope was wound, began to spin, slowly at first, then building up speed. It unwound its long rope, the anchor chain to which the rope was attached banging against the hull loud enough to be heard on deck. Two men were standing nearby, watching helplessly as the spokes shot past in a blur. The rope whined dangerously. Kestrel took the ladder two steps at a time, sprinting across the deck toward the capstan. “Why’s it playing out so fast?” “Don’t know, Captain,” David DeadEye cried. “The bight slipped right off, and around she went.” “Like a fish with a hook,” yelled Hudee. Shadd caught up to her, panting. “What’s happenin’?” “We have to stop the anchor!”
Excerpt Five: The lizard stretched its neck, and peered over the edge, its snout inches from Shadd’s head. It pulled back out of sight, then peeked around the other side. It reached out and snagged one of Shadd’s messy curls, releasing it to bounce near his ear, then ducked back like a shot. Kestrel bit her lip nearly hard enough to draw blood. Her abdomen was shaking from holding in the laughter. Shadd waved an absent hand at his hair. “Ye need to take this a wee bit more serious. Yer ship was dang near shook to bits, dragged across the sea, there could be raiders sneakin’ about belowdecks, and ye’re laughin’?” Above Shadd’s head, the lizard peeked again, then dropped down. Up, down. It was playing peeksie-boo, like a little child. It nipped another of Shadd’s curls. “Ow.” He grabbed at the captive lock of hair, and turned around. The big gunner and the lizard froze, face to face. Shadd’s mouth dropped open. The lizard tilted its head mischievously. The glow in its eyes brightened. Kestrel stopped laughing. “No, don’t,” she began, but the lizard didn’t wait. With a silken rustle, it spread its wings wide, and wailed. Shadd stumbled backward, nearly toppling a chair in his haste and bumping against the round table. His eyes were wide as gold octavos, and his face had gone pale, a gleam of sweat shining on his brow. “What in Pantheus’ belly is that thing?” he whispered. He fumbled at his waist as if trying to draw a blade. “Calm down, Shadd.” She touched him, but he jerked away as if burnt. The lizard waved its wings. Shadd backed up another step and grabbed the brass candle snuffer from the table behind him. “Stay back,” he warned, “I can get it.” He swung the snuffer, making it sing with the force. “Stop that right now!” Kestrel stepped between Shadd and the bookshelf. “You’ll hurt it.” “I’ll hurt it?” Confusion played over his face. “Kes, get out o’ my way.” She held out a hand. “Give me the snuffer.” His gaze shifted from his captain to the lizard and back again. “Ye’re sure it’s harmless?” he asked, sounding plaintive. Kestrel nodded, fighting hard not to smile. The last thing Shadd needed was for her to laugh at his trepidation. After one more suspicious glance at the lizard, he relented, and laid the snuffer in Kestrel’s hand. “Thank you. Take a seat.” He did as she said, sinking into the chair closest to him. Kestrel crossed to the sideboard and opened the door, getting out a black bottle and two mugs. Popping the cork loose, she poured a generous cupful. Immediately the cabin filled with the rich scent of rum. She handed the mug to Shadd. “Drink.” The lizard folded its wings and was looking as innocent as a new lamb. Kestrel stuck out her finger and shook it at the little creature. “That,” she scolded, “was not funny.”
Excerpt Six: “You are the Mad Kestrel.” She smiled, an enigmatic expression that made Kestrel uncomfortable, though for reasons she couldn’t quite name. “He said you might come looking. He described you accurately, although he did not tell me you were the rais.” McAvery’d described her. Well enough that the woman knew her. And he’d used that damnable nickname he’d tried to give her on the docks. Smart of him. Details like those could have come from no one else. She forced away the thought that made her want to know what he’d said, how he’d spoken of her. What other things he and this woman might have talked of together. “You know where he is?” “The man who paid for his capture disembarked with him, and the others, at the market. Philip goes on the block later today. Once he is sold, it will be much harder to locate him.” The woman tilted her head. “What battle caused you such wounds?” she asked, peering curiously at Kestrel’s magic-blackened eyes. Kestrel flinched away. “Who’s this man? Where’s the market?” “I am told it is never held in the same place twice. If the authorities cannot find it, they cannot shut it down.” She shrugged. “The man I do not know. He never said a name.” Kestrel couldn’t help a suspicious little thought that perhaps the authorities weren’t looking very diligently. The king could make all the proclamations against slavery he wanted, and still turn a blind eye if it suited him. Or perhaps he truly didn’t know, and this was going on under his nose. Philip McAvery was the king’s Knave, the left hand that accomplished what the right hand couldn’t admit. His Majesty would be annoyed to discover his own man had been caught in that very trap. Whether or not he’d take pains to punish the slavers responsible was anyone’s guess. “I take it you know where the market’s being held today.” The woman nodded. “I’ll also venture a guess that you’ll tell me the location, even lead me there, once you’re safely aboard my ship and away from these men.” She smiled again. “Philip said you were clever. I am pleased to see he was correct in that, too.” Kestrel looked around for Shadd. “Quarter!” she called. “Please assist this lady in boarding with us, and make us ready.” Taking the woman’s elbow, she led the dancer to the railing. “A question, then. Whose wrath am I incurring by taking you with me?” “I do not understand.” Kestrel smiled. “Yonder fellow. All he really cares for is payment. I think you were intended for a specific buyer, or else you’d still be on that island. Which means that someone has already paid at least a portion of the asking price for you, if not all. So who might that be?” “I cannot say. The rais told the men to stay away from me, not to speak. He believed I might enchant them.” “Will you?” She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, and smiled. “Do not most men fall victim to the enchantments of women?” Kestrel realized she’d been holding a breath, waiting for the woman to speak. Silly of her. This woman was a dancer; her livelihood depended on being attractive to her audience. Most likely, the contract required the woman to arrive unsullied, and using the threat of magic to scare his men off was quicker than the threat of the lash. Still, this left the question of whose coin was in jeopardy if the woman did not arrive at her destination. Kestrel ran the risk of someone else joining the chase for her. David DeadEye waited on the rail, one hand gripping a rope, and a huge smile on his face. “Her trunk and bag are already aboard, Captain,” he called, as if he’d guessed Kestrel’s decision before she even knew herself. He’d earn free drinks in the pub with this story, and he knew it. Kestrel offered her hand to the woman, and helped her step onto the rail beside the pirate. “Take hold of David here, and he’ll swing you across. But hold on tight — we can’t be fishing you out of the sea if you fall.” The woman stepped close to David, and twined her arms sinuously around his neck. “Shall I also curl my leg around your waist, to be certain?” David seemed to choke on his own breath, and even Kestrel couldn’t help a laugh. “As you see fit, lady. Just be sure I still have my man in able condition when you reach the other side.” “I am no lady, but a free woman who hopes to be free once more,” she said, lifting her knee to the level of David’s midsection. Her skirt fell back, revealing a smooth, brown leg, which she curled tightly around his body. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “My name is Nasrin.”
Excerpt Seven: An unearthly howl split the quiet night, echoing over the waves. Kestrel gripped the plank seat. She knew that sound. The accompaniment to her ship being dragged nearly to the bottom of the ocean. So much louder, now she rode this close to the water. Compared to the Thanos, this little vessel was as fragile as an eggshell. Another howl roared out of the darkness, closer this time, slamming against her ears. The boat rocked hard to one side, water splashing over the gunwales and soaking her to the knees. The black water reflected the night sky. Something rose from the blackness, arcing up a few feet then sliding beneath the waves again. Its wake tossed their boat, sending more water splashing over the side and throwing her off the plank. She fell forward to her knees, catching hold of the plank seat in front of her. McAvery flung himself to the bottom of the boat, too, clutching the gunwales to either side. The mysterious creature rose from the depths, closer this time, and as it passed by, she heard the now familiar howl. The sound vibrated the boat, even as the wake caught them. The boat rose on the swell, and dropped sharply. “Bloody damn!” she cried. As quickly as it began, the tossing stopped. There was one last howl, and the waves calmed. The rocking eased back to the normal way. Gazing out across the darkness, she saw nothing moving except the rolling of the water. It seemed they were alone. With a huff, Kestrel sat back, landing in the cold water pooled in the bottom of the boat. She struggled to seat herself on the plank. “Wonderful,” she grumbled. “I might as well have swum the whole way.” “What was that?” Kestrel shrugged, not looking away from the water. The animal must have been passing by, was all. Looking for another ship for its entertainment, perhaps? Luckily, her boat was too small to be a plaything. Slowly, she retrieved the dropped oar, raised herself back onto the plank, and settled the oar across her lap. “Help me bail this water,” she said, cupping her hands and tossing as much water as she could lift over the side. McAvery knelt in the puddle and bailed in silence. She sent up a silent plea to Bloody Grace to make the Thanos appear, and soon.
Excerpt Eight: “I’ll just try something small,” she told herself. She took a deep breath, reached out a toe, and tapped it on the deck in the rhythm of a song she’d heard the men singing many times. The familiar tingle began, ever so gently, tickling up her leg. This time, she concentrated on forming the magic into a stream of flame, running from her tapping toe up through her leg and body, down her arm to spill from her finger. At first, she wasn’t sure it would work, until she noticed a reddening on her fingertip. She tapped a little harder, then shuffled her foot over the deck. She liked the sound of that — soft but insistent. She shuffled again, and brought her heel down with a snap. A tongue of fire burst forth from the end of her finger, comfortably warm but not hurting her. Fire, created by her own hand. She marveled at it, turning her hand over and back. Moving slowly, she reached out to the lantern’s wick and touched the flame to it. The cabin filled with soft light. She wiggled her fingers in front of her face, delighted at her own success, then blew at it. The fire flickered out. She sat down on her bed, staring at her hand. The redness on her skin faded quickly, the lit lantern the only evidence that anything had happened. She’d done it. She’d created fire. What else could she do? And how would she ever learn it all? Nasrin’s request to be taken to the Continent was starting to feel less like a demand and more like an opportunity. One Bloody Grace herself must have dropped in front of Kestrel. Talking to animals, moving the air and creating fire were all valuable skills, but there must be more. If Lig knew what she was truly capable of, he might be thinking twice about making his plans against her. Unless he did know, and hoped to get his hands on her before she fully recognized and controlled her own power. She had to learn more of the spells in the book. The more options she gave herself, the better.
Excerpt Nine: “You became the Privateer.” Her eyes widened. “You think I had a choice? Perhaps you weren’t listening right then, but it was either take the job or submit to the Danisobans.” “You underestimate yourself. It was fear that made you think so.” “You’re calling me a coward?” “Hardly. But the king named you Privateer, awarded you a ship. The Danisobans couldn’t lay hands on you if you stayed at sea. You were delighted to sail away from me.” “Delighted?” She rose, closing the distance between them. “You walked away! Hung this bloody bauble on my neck and disappeared into the crowd. You say you had feelings — well, cack you and your feelings. You turned from me without a backward glance. Or was I supposed to put on a dress and follow you, like some proper little wife?” “As if you could be such a thing,” he said. Kestrel swung a fist at McAvery’s face. With snakelike quickness, he grabbed her arm. “I meant no insult. You have to stop believing the worst in me.” She stared at him, so close. Slowly he pulled her up tight against him, one hand sliding behind her head, and kissed her. His lips weren’t soft this time, but desperate and burning. The warning voice in her head whispered something about pushing him away, refusing him. But she didn’t listen. Didn’t want to. She’d waited too long for this to happen. She wrapped her hands in his hair, slipping it out of its queue. She pressed herself against him, relishing the feel of his body so close. He raised his head, his breath coming hard. His cheeks were flushed, his eyes fervent as he gazed at her. “Have me flogged if you must, Captain, but I won’t apologize for that.”
Excerpt Ten: “Under normal circumstances, there was no reason I couldn’t blow that ship out of the water with cannons alone. This isn’t normal. The Danisoban shield swings the balance too far in the wrong direction.” she said. Kestrel took the dancer by an elbow, drawing her away from her hiding spot and toward the lowest stair. “You weren’t afraid to board my ship, and you took the chance of showing me your skill. In front of DeadEye, no less. You’re no coward.” Slipping behind her, Kestrel pressed Nasrin to climb up. The dancer placed both hands on the railings, hesitating. She clearly wanted to return to the relative safety belowdecks, but with Kestrel behind her, she was trapped. Nasrin climbed slowly, stopping at the top and turning to look at Kestrel. “You have no understanding of what I can do, rais.” “If you think I don’t know how valuable you are, you haven’t been paying attention.” She leaned forward, both hands flat on the stair railing, and stared into Nasrin’s face. “Becoming captain of this ship nearly killed me, and it’s no less difficult remaining captain. I can’t afford to drop my guard with my men watching. So if this reluctance is your attempt to make me feel subordinate to you, as part of my training,” she emphasized the word, making it sound cheap, “I’ll not only fail to cooperate, but I’ll put you in a hackney boat and let you become someone else’s problem.” Color drained from Nasrin’s face, and she sent a worried glance toward the ship. Kestrel drew back. Why hadn’t she seen it before? So obvious, but she’d been so occupied, she’d missed the signs. “They’re not after McAvery at all, are they?” Silence hung in the air between them, until Nasrin crossed her hands before her. “No. They are not.”
Excerpt Eleven She felt McAvery shift position, move closer to her. The heat from his body radiated across the distance between them. Two days ago, she was miserable with thinking he loved someone else. Knowing that he loved her was the only thing she had wanted, then. Now she wanted him to go away, to leave her in the darkness. “What makes you sure? The king’s the final arbiter, after all.” “It isn’t up to him, is it? My crime is against the Danisobans. This is the kind of flop-headed thing Lig’s been dreaming I’d do.” She pushed the plate away, turning on her side to rest against the pillows. “I couldn’t have walked into his hands better if I’d done it on purpose. I’ve been the death of a Danisoban and I’m blind because of it.” Sitting back up, she threw her legs over the side of the bed. She heard the plate clatter off the bed. Planting her feet flat on the deck, she rose. The wood was cold under her feet, and they felt strange, as if they’d forgotten how to carry her weight. She took two steps and stumbled into the table, catching herself with a grunt. McAvery’s hands were on her in an instant, steadying, but she pushed them away. “Don’t bother. I might as well fall over the rail, as much good as I am now.” She stood again. Her bare feet crushed torn bread as she walked unsteadily around her cabin, hands stretched out before her to feel the way. She stubbed her small toe on something in the way. It throbbed with the shock — was she bleeding? She didn’t know. Cursing, she dropped to the floor and rubbed her toe. “I’m no leader any longer, not like this. I can’t even find my way across the room.” “You’d better find a way to lead,” he said. “Those men believe in you.” “Shadd can run things. Grace’s deeps, he’s been here longer than me. They all look to him. He’s strong enough to take the helm, and he can bloody see.” She let her face fall into her hands, elbows digging into her knees. “Maybe if you hang me, sail into port with my body dangling from the bowsprit, they’ll let you all live.” “If you’ve made up your mind,” he said. She heard the bed creak, and suddenly he was beside her, pulling her up from the floor. “Death it is.”
Excerpt Twelve The men throwing hounscozza cubes erupted into cheers and raucous teasing. Their noise proved enough for the reader. Slamming his book closed, he tossed back his drink and stood. Now that she could see his face, Kestrel realized she’d seen him before. She pressed her hands flat on the table, letting the residual ache remind her to stay calm. On Eldraga, after her fight with the knife-fighter. This was the strange man who stopped at her table and made the vague threat about the fish slipping its net, one she hadn’t put any stock in at the time. Yet she’d heard the threat more and more, and now here he was. With all that had happened, she wasn’t in a mind to think it was coincidence. The man squinted at her. He smiled slowly, no trace of humor in his eyes. He rubbed his free hand over his belly, and marched out the door before she could say anything. The Islands weren’t so big that a person wouldn’t run into people this way, but something was wrong. “Shadd,” she said. When the big man glanced over, she beckoned him to her. “That man who was reading in the corner -- did you notice him leave just now?” He furrowed his brow. “I think so, Captain. Is somethin’ amiss?” “Can you follow him a bit? And tell me where he stops?” “On my way,” he said. He stopped at his table and muttered something to McAvery, then sauntered out the door, as if he’d meant to go all along. “What’s wrong, my girl?” Binns asked. “Did you know that man?” “Can’t say I do. He usually orders a drink and reads until his mug is empty. Hasn’t given the barmaid any trouble.” Of course not. There’d have been no reason to draw attention to himself, not if he was waiting for someone. For her. “He approached me on Eldraga. Very mysterious. He said something strange to me about a fish not staying netted, then walked away.” Binns’ eyes widened. “Did he say anythin’ else?” “No,” she said. “Why?” He drummed his fingers on the tabletop. “I had a network of informants, back in my day. You might recall one of ’em givin’ you a message about roses and thorns one time.” She did remember. On Eldraga, the night before Binns was arrested and jailed, and his ship stolen from the harbor. She’d believed the messenger to be a drunken tramp at the time, talking nonsense. “You mean that was one of yours?” “He wasn’t. But that phrase, ‘fish not staying netted’? That was one o’ mine.” “What did it mean?” He frowned. “It means someone you thought safely locked away may have gotten loose.”