Ondine by Emma Raveling
(Ondine
Quartet 0.5)
Publication
date: December 19, 2013
Genres:
Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Synopsis:
“I shouldn’t
get involved.”
Rebellious
and headstrong, sixteen-year-old Kendra Irisavie doesn’t have much respect for
authority. An ondine with the powerful gift of Virtue, she uses her tough
attitude and Empath magic to navigate through high school and keep others away.
Because
being an ondine also means keeping secrets.
Kendra and
her mother are Rogue water elementals in the middle of an ancient war. They
hide among humans, their survival constantly threatened by monstrous Aquidae
demons.
Along with a
rigorous training regimen to mold Kendra into a lethal fighter, her mother has
instituted four rules to keep her safe.
Trust no
one. Relationships are weaknesses. Emotional attachments are dangerous. Be
responsible only for yourself.
But when
Kendra witnesses a classmate in trouble, she intervenes and her decision to
break the rules comes at a price.
Sometimes,
humans could be more dangerous than demons.
Ondine is a
short prequel novella for the young adult urban / paranormal fantasy series,
the Ondine Quartet.
EXCERPT:
Afternoon sunlight drenched the wood,
heat seeping through my jeans and warming the back of my legs.
Rui’s icy voice sliced through the
delicate spring air. “I need you to get the money from him.”
Potheads occupied the narrow recess
beside the stairs while the cheerleaders and athletes took the table farthest
from the building door.
They weren’t getting involved.
Neither was the Student Council group
gathered along the west side.
I’d managed to follow her rules for the
four months we’d been in L.A. The championship tournament was in two hours and
she’d be seriously pissed if my performance wasn’t better than the last one.
I needed to concentrate on my own shit,
not get involved in anyone else’s.
Troy’s fear ratcheted up another notch
and the hot spike of emotion raked against my insides.
“I—I don’t know him that w-well…”
“That’s a problem.” Rui adopted an
expression of mock concern and pulled out a cigarette. “‘Cause your dad owes
mine a lot of money.”
Empath magic reached inside him,
sensing clumps of frustration and rage, hardened over the years.
“It’s just me and my mom,” Troy said in
a desperate voice. “I don’t see him that often —“
Mistake
one.
“Often?” Rui’s voice rumbled with the
dark glee of a predator who’d spotted its prey. “So you do see him.”
“N..no.” Troy’s eyes darted around the
courtyard.
Don’t, don’t…
Wide eyes locked on to me. Great.
“What do you mean, no?”
“I m-m-mean…” He stumbled over the
words. “S-sometimes I do, but…”
Mistake two.
“Then you can get the money from him,
right?” Rui lit his cigarette. Troy flinched at the click of the lighter. “I
don’t think your old man would like it if my father got his hands on you.”
Troy swallowed, his gaze flickering
toward me again.
Sasha followed his line of sight. “You
thinkin’ a chick’s gonna help you?”
Rui slowly turned. Black hair, dark
eyes set against olive skin. Cold, grim awareness etched into his face,
creating an impression of severe superiority.
The things he’d seen and experienced
exceeded your worst nightmares and he wanted you to know it.
Rui flicked his cigarette, ash landing
a foot away from me.
“She’s not bad, Troy. Don’t think she’s
your type, though.”
I suppressed a sigh and stood. Might as
well get this over with.
“You don’t know my type, Vergara.”
A flicker of surprise in those dead
eyes. “You know my name. I’m flattered.”
“Don’t be.” I strode over and leaned
against the metal railing of the stairs. “You just have a rep of being an asshole.”
Kane stepped forward, body tense. Rui’s
arm shot out and stopped him.
“You’re that junior.” A ring of smoke
gently swirled around his face. “Transferred here a few months ago. Kendra,
right?”
Empath detected a quick shift. Irritation
and anger smoothly transformed to calculating curiosity. The unusual degree of
control set off my internal alarms.
I shouldn’t underestimate him.
----
AUTHOR BIO:
I’m a
fantasy writer who lives a slightly eccentric life with my accommodating
husband and our charming, neurotic dog. I'm currently working on the Ondine
Quartet, a young adult urban fantasy/paranormal series featuring a kick-ass
heroine, powerful magic, and the complex world of water elementals.
I have a
weird love of spreadsheets and organizational tools because they give me the
illusion that I am somehow in control of the chaos that is my life. I adore
beautiful art such as painting and sculpture, classical music, lyrical writing,
and great graphic design. My all-time favorite books (as of this writing) are
Immortality by Milan Kundera, 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez,
Beloved by Toni Morrison, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and The
Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka.
Author
Links:
Website: http://emmaraveling.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emmaraveling
Twitter: https://twitter.com/emmaraveling
________
Comments
Post a Comment