An awkward wizard. An aspiring ballerina. And a dark god with a wicked vendetta.
Clyde Blitzkurr is devastated. Rejected by every reputable magic academy in the realm, this seventeen-year-old aspiring wizard resolves to make his sister’s dream come true. But things take a turn when a demon tries to kill him.
Aylee Blitzkurr’s deepest desire is at hand. Accepted to the most prestigious dance academy, this sixteen-year-old ballerina is a breath away from becoming a principal dancer. But when her brother’s life is threatened, and ghosts start leaving cryptic messages, fighting for Clyde’s wellbeing takes precedence.
The siblings begin to uncover dangerous secrets connecting them to a vengeful god. Neither is safe. Clyde must grasp the untapped power he possesses. Aylee must discover the courage to face her darkest fears. If they do not, they will lose more than their lives … they will miss their destiny. And the realms are counting on them.
Phantom of the Opera meets Cassandra Clair’s Clockwork Angel in this young adult steampunk fantasy!
Escape to a world imbued with magic and the paranormal. Find mermaids, demons, dragon shifters, elves, wizards, sorcery, and a healthy dose of fantastical ballet. This exciting book for teens is for boys, girls, and everyone in between.
Genres: Fantasy, Steampunk, Young Adult
EXCERPT
“Students, please give him space.” Madam Ruelle looks us all over, and there’s this underlying threat in her gaze. It says if we act out of line in front of the most important man in our lives, there will be drills galore in our future.
“Oh, this is going to be good,” Mr. Taylo says not-so-quietly to Sedric. They both watch as Nori moves to the center of the room.
“What song shall we play?” Madam Ruelle asks Nori.
He doesn’t need a translation for that, but answers something in his fast-paced Kuromanese. The piano begins the song, apparently understanding him. On the first note, I understand the song as well.
It’s a well-known piece from an opera called the Warrior and his Bride. This is “the Dance of the Warrior”. My body chills at the idea because this is one of the hardest dances to perform. I know because I’ve done it. Normally, it’s a duet where the Warrior brandishes his sword, killing foes and protecting his love.
Nori looks at me when he takes his first pose.
No, I mouth to him, and pray he understands what that word means. We may have been partners during auditions, but there is no way I’mdancing this song with him. The last time I performed it was three months ago at the North Kingdom’s Dance Competition. My old instructor wanted me to do it with Drew, a boy in our studio. In training, I was whacked with a wooden sword too many times to count. Worse, during the final performance, I broke my ankle because Drew dropped me. […]
Let’s not forget that sword Nori holds isn’t wooden.
I will not have myself be made a fool in front of Mr. Taylo and his son.
Nori looks away as the music cues his movements, and I let out a breath in relief.
Quietly, Nori speaks words we all know. It’s a spell to call up mist … a well-known spell in dance, to add dramatics.
The room fogs with a heavy haze that rises from the floor, billowing like smoke. As it builds, Nori draws his sword in the theatrical movements of the Warrior. His gaze is dark, and his lips continue to move in a spell. The mist takes on the silhouette of a foe, and he watches it like a man ready to kill, as he should. This is the moment the Warrior prepares to slay for his Bride.
A battle is about to happen.
[…]
A new sort of hush falls over the room as the music builds. The fog grows so thick that the dance studio disappears. There’s only Nori slowly dancing the choreography, and the fog made foes circling him. Tension builds in the air as well, but not the same as when we expected trouble. This tension is of anticipation. Will Nori pull this off?
Following the build of music, Nori spins, slicing his blade through a fog-made foe and leaping at the same time. The foe bursts into the mist, dissipating into nothing. Simultaneously, Nori spins, and the surrounding mist accentuates his movements, making everything he does that much more captivating. This is a dance mixed with ballet and swordsmanship, and Nori is consumed by it. He runs across the room, slicing his blade through numerous fog-foes as he goes. He rolls to avoid a blade of mist and gets back up to dance again.
My mouth is open in awe at how well he acts out the scene. His form is spectacular, and his control with his weapon is just as good. I want to watch him dance this scene forever.
As the story goes, the first part of this dance is the Warrior killing foes to free his bride. Usually, the female dancer is in a cage at this point. I half expect Nori to end at the moment he sets her free. Or maybe he will attempt to improvise where the duet normally comes.
He does neither.
Nori jumps through the air in a marvelous spin and lands before me.
His free hand takes mine. I open my mouth to protest, but he spins me against his chest and says, “Feel the music,” in my ear with his heavy accent. Then he spins me out into the fog.
Abby Arthur is absolutely obsessed with writing teen fantasy and mildly enjoys sleeping, eating, and breathing. She spends most of her time lost in an imaginary world of glowing magic and dastardly dragons. When she’s not writing, she’s illustrating characters and watching Asian shows or Marvel movies.
Abby’s books combine magic, action, swords, and dragons with a healthy dose of sarcasm.
She started winning writing contests and getting published in newspapers when she was just sixteen.
Her magic portal is located in small town Iowa, protected by herself, her husband, and their son.
For more info on Abby and her books check out her site: www.abbyarthur.com
To view her character illustrations, check her out on your favorite social platform!
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